When is a Pirate not a Pirate?
© Cindy Vallar
What set a privateer apart from a pirate was a piece of paper called a Letter of Marque. Governments bestowed these commissions on privately owned ships during times of war as an inexpensive way to weaken the enemy. Privateers--a term that refers to a ship, a captain, or a crew--preyed on the merchant ships of a specific country's enemy. In exchange for providing the privateer with a safe haven and license to attack, the issuer shared in the profits. Sometimes, privateers turned to piracy during times of peace. While Henry III of England was the first to employ privateers, they fought in European and North American wars into the 19th century. Since the United States Navy owned few ships, privateers played a key role in the War of 1812. What happened to privateers captured by the enemy? Perez Drinkwater, a lieutenant who served aboard the privateer Lucy, was captured by the British. His letters home described his imprisonment.
Some words for pirates come from literature. In the 1800s, authors translated the Dutch word vrijbuiter into freebooter, a person who searched for ill-gotten gains. The word originally referred to French buccaneers who attacked their prey in small fast boats. French authors called Caribbean pirates filibustiers. When swashbuckler first appeared in writings of the 16th century, it referred to someone who made a loud noise by striking his sword against his shield. Today the word often refers to pirates or movies about them.
No matter the name or the century, the image of a pirate remains constant--men and women who ply the seas in search of treasure.
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