The End of the Golden Age of Piracy

1. The End of the Golden Age of Piracy

3. Bartholomew Roberts • Bartholomew Roberts (Welsh, b 1682 d 1722) • Skilled navigator, captured by pirate Howell Davis in 1719 “In an honest service there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labour. In this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst is only a sour look or two at choking? No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto.”

4. Bartholomew Roberts • Became captain when Howell Davis was shot dead in Principe • Created a code that the crew swore on a bible to uphold • Captured over 400 ships off the coast of Africa and brought trade to a standstill • 1722 – ship was approached by British man-o-war and attacked. • Roberts’ throat was torn out by grape shot; body thrown overboard -Sanders, Richard“If a Pirate I Must Be…”

5. The End of the Golden Age • Roberts’ death was seen as the end of an era • Reasons for decline • Tolerance for privateering declined • Surplus of trained sailors shrank • Piracy no longer became profitable • Growth of national militaries • “pirate trials” expedited process of trying pirates by limiting their legal representation • Safe havens like Port Royal or Nassau rejected piracy

6. Brief Resurgence in the Americas • 19th century piracy increased along east coast of United States • Latin American wars of independence used privateers to patrol coast; most ignored their permission and partook in piracy • Over 100 pirate attacks recorded on US coast between 1820 and 1835 • US Navy grew big enough to stop the problem

7. 20th-21st Century Piracy • Somalia is the source of most modern piracy • 1980’s Somalia began steps to protect and enhance fishing industry • When the government collapsed, foreign fishing ships entered the area and depleted fish stocks • Fishing fleets turned to piracy to protect their water; usually left captives unharmed

9. 20th-20st Century Piracy • 2008 – UN passed resolutions allowing other nations to enter Somalian waters and stop piracy • In 2008, 30,000 merchant vessels passed through area; 11 were attacked; 42 were actually captured • 2009, attacks increased dramatically as Somalian pirates increased their range • Difficult to stop due to lack of US-Somalian relations

11. Somalian Pirates • Mostly young Somalians • Local fisherman, militiamen, and technical experts • Called bucadbadeed(ocean robber”) • Refer to selves as saviors of the sea • Use small, fast skiffs • Weapons: RPGs, small arms, semi-automatics • Board and capture ships; hostages held for ransom

12. Somalian Pirates (Effects) • $58 million paid in ransoms since 2008 • 62 out of 3,500 captives died (includes suicide, malnutrition, and murder) • Cooperation among non-allied nations has led to decline • Compare to 18th century lack of cooperation • Armed guards on merchant ships • Socioeconomic solutions to alleviate poverty -Jonathan Saul (20 June 2011). "Deaths of Seafarers in Somali Pirate Attacks Soar"

14. BBC Our World • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdGhwmlQV-w • Iranian Navy Rescues Chinese • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmqkg0_K604