THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIRACY Author:HUGH F. RANKIN THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIRACY SPANNED NEARLY A CENTURY, BEGINNING IN THE 1630'S AND DYING HARD IN THE 1720'S. DURING THIS TIME ENGLAND , FRANCE AND SPAIN WERE WRACKED BY A SERIES OF WARS, AND AFTER EACH, LIKE FISH STRANDED ON A BEACH BY THE EBBING TIDE, THOUSANDS OF ABLE SEAMEN FOUND THEMSELVES ASHORE WITHOUT A MEANS TO EARN THEIR LIVELIHOOD. THE MER... more »CHANT FLEET COULD NOT ABSORB THEM, THE NAVY DID NOT NEED THEM AND PRIVATEERING WAS ILLEGAL BECAUSE PEACE HAD BEEN DECLARED. SOME BEGGED, SOME STOLE, SOME STARVED AND DIED ON LAND. SOME WENT BACK TO THE SEA AND TURNED PIRATE, FIRST PREYING ON THEIR FORMER ENEMIES, THEN ATTACKING THEIR OWN SHIPPING AS WELL. THE FINE LINE BETWEEN PRIVATEERING AND PIRACY WAS CROSSED.
AT THE TURN OF THE 17TH CENTURY, PIRATES WERE WELCOMED IN ALMOST EVERY BRITISH COLONY IN NORTH AMERICA. ONLY THE GOVERNORS OF NEW YORK, MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THEM. MERCHANTS USED PIRATES AS A SOURCE OF LUXURY ITEMS AT A CUT RATE, AND THEY OBJECTED STRENUOUSLY TO THE HARASSMENT OF THEIR SOURCES OF SUPPLY. DURING THE 1700'S, WHEN TRADE BETWEEN EUROPEAN NATIONS AND THEIR NEW-WORLD COLONIES WAS FLOURISHING, PIRACY OFF THE SHORES OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA ALSO REACHED ITS PEAK. OPERATING FROM SANCTUARIES IN THE BAHAMAS AND THE FRIENDLY SHALLOWS OF THE CAROLINAS, MARAUDING FREEBOOTERS PLUNDERED SPANISH TREASURE SHIPS IN THE CARIBBEAN AND MERCHANTMEN OF ALL FLAGS FROM FLORIDA TO NEW ENGLAND.
FOCUSING HIS ATTENTION PARTICULARLY ON THE WATERS OFF THE VIRGINIA CAPES, WHERE PIRATES FED ON SHIPPING LIKE FLEAS ON A DOG, AUTHOR RANKIN STRIPS THE GLAMOUR FROM THE FREEBOOTERS, WHO WERE A "SCRUFFY LOT", AND THE AURA OF RESPECTABILITY FROM COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS, OFFICALS AND MERCHANTS WHO WERE THE PIRATES' ACTIVE COLLABORATORS. INDEED, THE "GOLDEN AGE OF PIRACY" GLITTERED ONLY IN THE LOOT THAT WAS WRESTED FROM THE HAPLESS VICTIMS.« less