 Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime
Piracy
Cindy Vallar, Editor
& Reviewer
P.O. Box 425,
Keller, TX 76244-0425
 
Welcome aboard Pirates and
Privateers, a site devoted to the history
of maritime piracy, privateering, and the sea
before the Age of Steam.
Within these pages you will find articles
dealing with the history and culture of these
topics from ancient times to modern day. Click
one of the links above or below to explore the
treasures within this website.
Each month, I send out a newsletter
about the latest article and reviews posted
here. I also include information that doesn't
appear at Pirates and Privateers, but is
still of interest to adherents of piracy and
maritime history. By subscribing to the
newsletter, you'll never miss out on the latest
happenings here at Pirates and Privateers.
As
always, if you have a question about pirates,
please write
and ask. If there is a particular pirate
or subject, you'd like me to write about, let
me know.
One cautionary note for those
seeking genealogical information: Historical
records about pirates are rare. Much of what
is known comes from government records,
newspaper accounts, and the few contemporary
accounts written during a particular period.
This information rarely contains details
pertinent to what you need to know to identify
an ancestor. The simple fact is that the vast
majority of pirates' names remain unknown. I cannot answer
genealogical questions. Instead, I recommend
contacting genealogical depositories and
websites, historical societies, and
national archives --
places where the librarians and curators are
better trained to assist in this type of
query.
A special note to teachers
and students: If
you need help with a project or
report, please contact
me. Should you use any of my
articles or reviews, please let me
know and remember to include the
proper citation. The majority of
material contained with this
website is copyrighted.
Fair winds and
following seas,
Cindy
(site last updated 19 March 2024)
Pirate Quote of the
Month
I think the
Evidence is very plain and
clear, yet I shall not pretend
to direct your Judgments. I
shall only remark to you what
the wise Man saith, that He
that justifieth the Wicked,
as well as he that
condemneth the Just, even
both are an Abomination to
the Lord. – Judge
Nicholas Trott during the
trials of Stede Bonnet and his
men in Charleston, 1718
 April Article |
 April
Reviews |
An Exception to the Rule
Pirates
have commonalities, attributes that
mark them as sea thieves. For example,
pirates steal their ships. They often
start with small boats, such as
canoes, and build upwards to larger
vessels through pinching someone
else’s. Or they don’t get a regular
paycheck. Instead, they receive shares
of plunder that is stolen from others;
if nothing is seized, the pirates
aren’t paid. Or they choose who among
them will be captain. As is often the
case, however, there are exceptions to
these “rules.” Who fits that bill? A
gentleman named Stede Bonnet.
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The
Annotated Two Years Before the Mast
by Richard Henry Dana
annotated by Rod Scher
Ships and Sailing
Pasha
by Julian Stockwin
Nautical
Fiction
Tyger
by Julian Stockwin
Nautical
Fiction
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Pirate & Maritime News
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Events & Activities
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Some pages remain in the
old style, while others are in the new
style. We apologize for this. After
twenty-two years, there are many pages
to overhaul and this takes time. We
appreciate your understanding and
patience.
Celebrate!
Pirates and Privateers welcomes in
its 25th year!
|
San
Salvador Sailing Adventure
Various Saturdays 2024
Museum of San Diego
San Diego, California
Tall
Ship Adventure Aboard Californian
Various Sundays 2024
Museum of San Diego
San Diego, California
Pirate
Fest LV
23-24 March 2024
Craig Ranch Park
Las Vegas, Nevada
Privateers,
Pirates, and the American Revolution
featuring Eric Jay Dolin
26 March 2024
(in-person & virtual)
New York Historical Society
New York, New York
LaPOP Festival
5-6 April 2024
Hammond, Louisiana
Pirate
Days
9-10 April 2024
Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic, Connecticut
National
Maritime Awards Dinner
18 April 2024
National Press Club
Washington, DC
Piratefest
20 April 2024
Greenville, North Carolina
Pirates
Invade Yorktown, VA
27-28 April 2024
Yorktown, Virginia
Boarded!
A New Pirate Adventure
18 May 2024
13 July 2024
21 September 2024
19 October 2024
30 November 2024
28 December 2024
Maritime Museum of San Diego
San Diego, California
Pirate
Invasion of Long Beach
29-30 June 2024
Long Beach, California
Sail 250th New York
4 July 2026
New York City, New York
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The Rebel & the Spy
These
five people played roles in the War of 1812.
James Madison (far left) was president at
the time and, in my current
work-in-progress, he has a special
assignment for Lucas Burnett, one of the
protagonists in the novel. Jean Laffite
(beside Madison) operates a smuggling
operation, based on barrier islands
southwest of New Orleans. One of his
captains, is Dominique You, whose sister
Alexine has been raised in this nefarious
world of smugglers, pirates, privateers, and
cutthroats. Dolley Madison is the country's
presidentress (first lady) and plays a vital
role in preserving some of our national
treasures during the British invasion of
Washington City. General Andrew Jackson
(second from right) has no intention of
allowing the British to gain entry to the
United States through its back door (the
Mississippi). Governor William C. C.
Claiborne (far right) is Lucas's cousin and
a constant thorn in Laffite's side. They
come together within the pages of The
Rebel & the Spy, a historical
novel where it's not always easy to decide
who is the rebel and who is the spy.
The links below are to a gallery of places
depicted in my novel and a resource list for
those seeking information on the people
pictured above, pirates, ships in the age of
sail, the Battle of New Orleans, the
invasion and burning of Washington, the
bombardment of Fort McHenry, and much more.
(Please note that these pages are updated
from time to time, so check back to see
what's been added.) I hope you enjoy.
Pirates & Privateers
Newsletter
Each month I alert
readers to the posting of the
latest piracy article and book
reviews, new additions made to the
website, and interesting maritime
tidbits. If you would like to
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& Privateers Newsletter,
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Note to subscribers:
If you fail to receive your
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Contact me and we will try to
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If your newsletter bounces two
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conact me, I just delete you from
the subscriber list. You're
welcome to resubscribe if that
occurs.
Copyright ©2023 Cindy
Vallar
Click to contact me
Background image compliments
of Anke's Graphics |
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