Letter of marque- legal pirates

Yes, there were legal pirates.  A letter of marque was given by governments in the 16,17 & 18th Centuries as a license for that private person to attack and capture ships of a nation with which that the government was at war .

The best way to describe it was that it legalised piracy.  Some governments did more than that they even honoured the pirates.

For example, on 1 April 1581, Queen Elizabeth I stood on the deck of Francis Drake’s ship The Golden Hind, and she knighted one of the richest pirates of the time, Sir Francis Drake.

The excuse for the knighthood was that Sir Francis Drake, and his crew had covered 36,000 miles to circumnavigate the world, they weren’t the first, but they had done it.

That was the public reward, the real one was that the Queen had agreed to split with him whatever he could plunder on the trip.  Plunder he did.  He plundered galleons, he sacked ports so that by the time he came home, he was the world’s richest pirate and he split these gains with the queen. That is the real reason he was knighted.

Unfortunately, I believe that is was these actions that were the key reasons that King Philip of Spain started the Armada, he had annoyed the King so much, which, actually, I think Drake had done purposely.

The Armada is such an important event in our history that our sister site, Educational Musicals, has published a 50 minute musical for Key Stage 2 and 3 children called The Spanish Armada – The Invasion of England with 12 original and  entertaining songs to take the story along.

Go to The Spanish Armada – The Invasion of England which takes you to the show at Educational Musicals

Lets Make History Fun.

Questions to discuss:

Ethics and Legality:

• • • Was it truly ethical for governments to sanction piracy, even against enemy nations? Did it blur the lines between war and crime?
    • How did the public perceive these “legal pirates”? Were they seen as heroes or villains? Did their perception shift over time?
    • Did the existence of “legal pirates” encourage true piracy, or did it help control it?

Motivations and Rewards:

• • • Beyond financial gain, what motivated individuals to become privateers? Was it patriotism, adventure, or something else?
    • How did the balance of power work between privateers and the governments that commissioned them? Did the privateers ever become too powerful?
    • Were there any negative consequences for the individuals involved in privateering, beyond the risks of war?

Historical Context and Impact:

• • • How did the practice of privateering impact the course of specific wars, such as the conflict between England and Spain?
    • Did privateering have any lasting impact on international law or maritime trade?
    • How does the concept of “legal piracy” compare to modern forms of state-sanctioned violence, such as private military contractors?

Additional Points:

• • • The blog post mentions Sir Francis Drake as an example. Were there other notable “legal pirates” whose stories could be explored?
    • Could you delve deeper into the “excuse” used for Drake’s knighthood? Was it truly just about circumnavigation, or were there other political factors at play?
    • The post states that Drake’s actions may have contributed to the Spanish Armada. Could you elaborate on this connection and the historical evidence to support it?

These are just a few suggestions. By exploring these questions and others, you can gain a deeper understanding of the complex and fascinating world of “legal pirates” and their impact on history.

For more on this go to: 

https://www.britannica.com/story/pirates-privateers-corsairs-buccaneers-whats-the-difference

https://www.wondriumdaily.com/privateers-how-do-they-differ-from-pirates/ 

https://pirates.fandom.com/wiki/Privateer

© Tony Dalton