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Pirates and Profiteers

Pirates are private sailors who commit robberies and other crimes at sea. They usually fly no flag and aren't representative of any nation. However, many classic pirates were working for their king, monarch or country, such as with England and Spain. Today most cases of piracy or profiteering occur off the coast of Somalia in eastern Africa, and to a smaller extent in southeast Asia and in the Caribbean Sea.

Pirates are basically people who commit acts of robberies at sea, up to and including the theft of the sea vessel and the kidnapping or killing of those aboard.

Privateers

During the 16th through the 19th century, a distinction was made for the individuals and vessels called privateers. These were crews and vessels involved in warlike activities at the behest of countries in conflict or at war. They were not officially part of national navies, and used pirate techniques, operating under so-called "letters of marque", to interrupt commercial trade. The 1856 Declaration of Paris prohibited the practice in Europe.

Most sailors became pirates to enrich themselves, because there were few well-paying opportunities in the perilous world of sailing ships. Many British pirates were privateers hired by England (and her American colonies) to harrass French and Spanish commerce. Unfortunately a large number of these became strictly mercenaries, and did not want to give up plundering and pillaging once peace was made. Many pirates were indescriminate about whose ships they seized or robbed.

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13y ago

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