Post by Hippolyta on Nov 14, 2009 10:23:34 GMT -5
The term "pirate" has been changed over the years. There are many name to confuse the name with others, such as "privateer", "buccaneer", "filibuster", "corsair", "freebooter" and "swashbuckler".
A privateer was a man or ship under contract to a government, allowing it to attack enemy ships during wartime. This contract, called a letter of marque, meant that the government got a share of the profits. In effect the privateer was a licensed pirate who did not attack his own people. The French called these people corsairs, although the term later became associated with Mediterranean pirates rather than just privateers.
In the 17th century the term buccaneer referred to the English, Dutch or French raiders who preyed on the Spanish, attacking cities as well as ships on the high seas.
A filibuster or (freebooter) was simply a French word for a buccaneer.
As for swashbucklers, the term originally referred to a 16th century armed brigand, and later to a 17th-century swordsman. In the early 20th century swashbuckler was used by writers of pirate fiction, and from there the term was adopted by Hollywood, where it is now used to refer to a particular type of movie. In the piratical heyday the term was never used the way it is today.
Finally, there were pirates. A proper pirate attacked any ship, regardless of its nationality. The dictionary specifies that a pirate is someone who robs from others at sa, and who acts beyond the law. Sometimes the pirates themselves crossed the boundaries from one category to another.
Captain Kidd was a privateer wo later turned to piracy. Benjamin Hornigold was a pirate who attacked only Spanish and French ships, as he wanted to maintain the illusion that he was a privateer. Francis Crake was a privateer, although the Spanish did not recognize his legal status as one, and simply called him a pirate. To muddy the waters even further, Henry Morgan was a buccaneer operating under a privateering letter of marque, although England and Spain were at peace when he attacked Panama, so technically he acted as a pirate!
From "Piracy: The Complete History" by Angus Konstam
A privateer was a man or ship under contract to a government, allowing it to attack enemy ships during wartime. This contract, called a letter of marque, meant that the government got a share of the profits. In effect the privateer was a licensed pirate who did not attack his own people. The French called these people corsairs, although the term later became associated with Mediterranean pirates rather than just privateers.
In the 17th century the term buccaneer referred to the English, Dutch or French raiders who preyed on the Spanish, attacking cities as well as ships on the high seas.
A filibuster or (freebooter) was simply a French word for a buccaneer.
As for swashbucklers, the term originally referred to a 16th century armed brigand, and later to a 17th-century swordsman. In the early 20th century swashbuckler was used by writers of pirate fiction, and from there the term was adopted by Hollywood, where it is now used to refer to a particular type of movie. In the piratical heyday the term was never used the way it is today.
Finally, there were pirates. A proper pirate attacked any ship, regardless of its nationality. The dictionary specifies that a pirate is someone who robs from others at sa, and who acts beyond the law. Sometimes the pirates themselves crossed the boundaries from one category to another.
Captain Kidd was a privateer wo later turned to piracy. Benjamin Hornigold was a pirate who attacked only Spanish and French ships, as he wanted to maintain the illusion that he was a privateer. Francis Crake was a privateer, although the Spanish did not recognize his legal status as one, and simply called him a pirate. To muddy the waters even further, Henry Morgan was a buccaneer operating under a privateering letter of marque, although England and Spain were at peace when he attacked Panama, so technically he acted as a pirate!
From "Piracy: The Complete History" by Angus Konstam