The Complete History of Piracy ~~ BOOK REVIEW

Book Review by Nancy Mehegan

Piracy -- the Second Oldest Profession

Who doesn''t like hearing about pirates?  And if my current retirement plan doesn't work out... maybe I could be a pirate ...?  Kidding aside, recent events bring piracy to the forefront and it is a fascinating subject.

If you want to read an in-depth history that provides the complex history --  you must read "Piracy the Complete History" by Angus Konstam.  This book is very detailed and contains such surprising information such as:

Many beloved historical legends such as Sir Francis Drake, were actually pirates, with secret government approval.

I didn't realize how many governments sanctioned piracy with a "wink" and publicly denied involvement.  This continues today.  World history is filled with piracy, from the Vikings (a type of pirate) to the bucaneers of the Caribbean. 

By the way, the word "bucaneer" comes from the French word for "smoking meat".  Bucaneers were unruly hunting groups of men, living in the wilds of Tortuga & other islands, preserving meat & living off the land (when they weren't plundering).

When Sir Francis Drake and his ship "The Golden Hind" captured Spanish galleons off the coast of Panama in 1579 the plunder amounted to almost 1/2 the annual income of the British crown.  Queen Elizabeth I was a "secret shareholder" in the illicit actions, although officially did not condone.

Many pirates were sheer psychopaths:  brutal and cruel.  Blackbeard was terrifying to look at -- he placed burning matches at the side of his head to look more gruesome.

And yet pirate ships had their own "codes of honor" and rules such as:  "No striking another on board -- every quarrel to be ended on shore" (sane advice on a small ship).

17th Century Same Sex Marriages

Some pirates participated in matelotage. These men, jointly owned land and possessions, fought side by side, and nursed each other when ill. Matelots often drew up contracts stipulating that if one were to die, the other would inherit all his property.  In other words, matelotage was just like marriage.

There were female pirates too, such as Anne Bonny.

While in the Bahamas, Anne Bonny began mingling with pirates at the local drinking establishments. 

She stole a sloop at anchor in Nassau harbour and set off to sea, putting together a crew and taking several prizes. She took part in combat alongside the males, and the accounts describing her exploits present her as competent, effective in combat, and someone who gained the respect of her fellow pirates.

Pirates with Cellphones

Modern day pirates benefit from technology:  satellite navigation, radios & high performance boats. 

Increasingly political terrorism is melded with piracy.  Examples:  USS Cole in Aden in 2003, 2007 attack of British serviceman by Iran Revolutionary Guards (although not directly sanctioned but nonetheless supported).

The coast of Somalia is particulary dangerous as recent events indicate.  And piracy is leaning more now toward "hostage taking". 

"...We need to learn from history. We need to see how outbreaks of piracy were quelled in the past, and look for ways we can use these historical lessons to sort out the same problem today. "~Angus Konstam

Piracy will never go away.  It is romantic to think of these men, who lived outside of "the bounds" and who became rich.

Yet they are indeed criminals and no civilization can allow it.

If you want a thorough and interesting look into piracy, beyond the Hollywood version, this is the book for you.

Author's Blog:  http://www.anguskonstam.com/

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