| The surge of filibuster's effect on the Pacific coasts of South and Central America accounted for a brief period: 1680 - 1688. More than a thousand pirates were found here with bases on the islands of Juan Fernandez, Galapagos and Coiba.
Since the 16th till the 19th century, it was unrest in the Gulf of Guinea. Even today, it is not safe there.
In the Indian Ocean, pirates captured ships, which were travelling along the trade route: the Red Sea - Persian Gulf - Malabar Coast of India - Malacca Strait. Even Marco Polo (1254-1324) lamented that: "And you must know that from this kingdom of Melibar, and from another near it, called Gozurat, there go forth every year more than a hundred corsair vessels on cruise for robbing the traders".
From Europeans, the first ones were the Portuguese to join local business and later on, they were replaced by the French, Dutch and English. Arab merchants have suffered less than the ships of the East India Company by the Englishmen, that is, by their own countrymen. The main bases of the robbers were located in the bays of Madagascar and the nearby small island Sainte-Marie.
As for pirates then in 1756, the British finally managed to eliminate all their strong base stations and burn the ships in India, but in the Persian Gulf, until the 1830s - traders were threatened by the confederation of tribes under a formidable family Qasimi - its "confluence" of Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah were then called – the Pirate Coast.
And finally, the most ideal waters for all sorts of robbery for more than 1000 years were the "quiet" coastal waters of China and Indochina. The activities of Wakou (wōkòu of Chinese origin, wō means "Japanese" & kòu - "bandit, an enemy") were probably the longest. Although, Wako generally implied to be Japanese, the Chinese themselves (the main victims of robbery) often joined the ranks of Wako and also Koreans and in the 16th century – the Europeans.
Barbarossa:
The contemporary situation of the multimillion capital of the State of Algeria, surprisingly, is obliged to the corsair trade of 16th and 17th centuries. At one time, around 60 - 70 pirate ships were based in the local bay and around 150000 people lived on the coasts, which included 30000 Christian slaves, captured in raids for ransom (great Cervantes was also one of them from 1572 to 1580). The major slave market in Algiers - Badestan - worked for a few days a week and an output of an average of 60-80 times a year was delivered to the ports. The effectiveness of marine companies was very high (in the period from 1609 to 1616, Algerian pirates captured 446 British ships alone). Proceeds from the sale of booty was distributed in the following manner: 10% - Bey of Algeria (Heyruddin Barbarossa was the most famous and dreadful amongst the pirate rulers), 45% - captains (in Arabic "Raisa"), teams - remaining 45%. The money was divided into a percentage: each sailor received one percent; boatswains, carpenters and gunners - two percent, officers, helmsman, surgeon and bombardiers - three.
No more than business:
In the ancient world, sea robbers were particularly hated and having been caught, without much discussions were either enslaved or killed. Whereas Roman governor-generals in the provinces were instructed to execute them publicly - crucify or throw them before the predators. In medieval China, pirates were beheaded at the city gate. In England, the pirates were hanged, in London - in the famous "Execution Dock" on the banks of Thames. It was there in 1701, the notorious Captain William Kidd, who before his death, told the crowd of onlookers of a mystery about hidden treasures, which lead to treasure hunting boom.
But despite the obvious risks, thousands of people travelled unknown distances to indulge in illegal work, since it was very profitable. In the 16th to 18th centuries, piracy, in general, became a "normal" bourgeois business, and became a kind of private entrepreneurship. Even in the era of great geographical discoveries, the first investment companies appeared in England with a narrow "specialisation" - investing in pirate expeditions, with investments being made by quite respectable and famous merchants. According to historian Thomas Rèbba, of 6336 people, who financed overseas enterprises in 1575 - 1630, only 1/4 did not belong to this dynasty. |
This Friday, September 19, is the "International Talk Like a Pirate Day." 'Celebrations' of this Day started 1995 by John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), of the United States, who declared that on this day everyone should talk like a true pirate. The parodic tradition caught on and turned into a yearly holiday, to the great joy of the pirate fans all over the world. So remember when you see your co-workers this Friday, instead of usual "Hello" greet them with "Ahoy, me hearty!"
