Was classical piracy an earlier version of state-sponsored terrorism?

Here's the story of how almost every well-known buccaneer of the “Golden Age of Piracy” enjoyed active sponsorship from England's governors in the American colonies- setting a pattern of official disobedience to the Crown that would ultimately contribute to the American push for independence. Relying on rare primary sources discovered in government archives in England, the Carolinas, Rhode Island, Jamaica, and elsewhere, Burgess combines true tales of derring-do with groundbreaking research in this fascinating history.

Douglas Burgess delivers a riveting account of the race's origins, how it both paralleled and influenced the naval rearmament of the same period, and the crowning irony of its outcome. In size and splendor, the Germans won hands-down, but German ships in U.S. ports were seized at the outbreak of World War I. Later, they would carry hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops to fight against Germany.

Seize the Trident is must reading for maritime enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone impressed by the splendor of this bygone era.