Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 26

Review of J. D. Davies's Battle's Flood

Battle's Flood by J. D. Davies

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


England in 1555 differs from the one in which Jack Stannard fought the Scots and witnessed the death of his friend aboard the Mary Rose. Henry VIII is dead; his daughter, Mary, sits upon the throne and expects her first child. Her husband is King Philip of Spain, but in spite of the peace between both countries, he has no desire to allow his wife’s people to venture into realms he deems the total domain of Spain, namely the New World and Africa. Not all Englishmen agree with this, chief among them being the Hawkins.

It is also a time when Catholicism once again holds sway, much to the delight of Jack and his daughter, Meg. Love blossoms between her and a young Spaniard whose father is friends with hers. Hope and prosperity give rise to great expectations, but that which is today isn’t necessarily true on the morrow.

The passing of twelve years brings many such changes. The Virgin Queen rules England and has restored the faith of her father to the land, much to Meg’s chagrin. She holds out hope that it is a temporary aberration, one that will change once again when Mary Queen of Scots succeeds her cousin Elizabeth. Jack, on the other hand, and his eldest son Tom are involved in the business of smuggling arms to France, where Protestant Huguenots are stockpiling arms for the day when the Catholic monarchy allies with Spain to stamp out the heretics. While Tom has been raised mostly in the Protestant church, his father retains many Catholic tendencies, and it is those that come to the attention of Francis Walsingham, the queen’s spymaster.

John Hawkins’s new expedition to Guinea and possibly the Caribbean is purported to be a trading venture into Spanish domains, but it has an ulterior purpose known only to a few. Walsingham wants Jack to accompany the expedition. Although hostilities with Spain are on the distant horizon, England is unprepared to wage war at this time. Therefore, Jack must do whatever he can to keep Hawkins from breaking the fragile peace between the two countries, and to keep a detailed record of everything that happens. Such unfamiliar waters to Jack and Tom require them to hire a skilled, black Portuguese, who is somewhat abrasive at times. But the voyage gets off to a rocky start; foreign ships entering the port fail to salute and a tavern brawl creates animus between Tom and Francis Drake, who one day vows to get revenge. And venturing to strange lands with unfamiliar customs and unknown dangers adds to the perils Jack and Tom face.

Such a journey means a lengthy separation from family and friends, so Jack puts Meg in charge of the family business. She tries to warn him that her stepmother is up to no good, but time prevents him from heeding the warning. Having despised and distrusted her stepmother from the moment they first met, Meg slowly unravels the intrigue and discovers that Jennet is in league with Jack’s most hated enemy. To thwart her stepmother, Meg devises a plan of her own, one that will protect the business, her father, and the secret she guards.

Battle’s Flood is the second title in the Jack Stannard of the Navy Royal trilogy. While the prologue takes place in 1555, the majority of the story takes place between 1567 and 1569. The backdrop for the story is Hawkins’s third voyage to collect slaves in Africa and then sell them to Spanish colonists in the New World. Yet even that one event did not occur in a void, as Davies shows as he deftly weaves the tumultuous European history into this tale in ways that make it easy to understand the intricacies of trying to survive in a world verging on war. He drops you into the midst of a battle or a storm at sea with just enough description that then compels your imagination to vividly fill-in the details. Peaceful interludes are woven into engrossing and sometimes nail-biting action, rife with mutiny, poisoned arrows, tribal warfare, the slave trade, smuggling, cannibalism, love lost, betrayal, enmity, feuds, scheming, regrets, and so much more. Equally compelling is his historical note, not only because he provides the history behind the fiction but also because he addresses inconvenient truths, thorny issues, and his treatment of these in the book. While history books discuss these events and recount the unfortunate circumstances that result in the abandonment of so many, those accounts are often mere words on a page. In Battle’s Flood, Davies brings to life the infamous and the famous, and transports you back to the sixteenth century in a way that makes you feel as if you are there.




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Review of Lauren Smith's No Rest for the Wicked

No Rest for the Wicked: Pirates of Britannia Connected World by Lauren Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Kidnapped at the age of fourteen and sold to a French pirate, Dominic Greyville has long since buried what might have been and accepted life as a pirate and the fact that he can never go home. Rumors of a rich cargo lure him from Spain to the Caribbean where he seizes an English merchant ship, manned by Royal Navy men. Instead of treasure, he discovers an admiral bound for his new post, his best childhood friend, and two cabin boys who miss the boat taking the captured crew to Port Royal.

Roberta “Robbie” Harcourt craves adventure, a byproduct of being raised by her father who took her to sea after the death of her mother. When pirates attack her ship, she and her maid disguise themselves in boys’ attire. Maintaining the ruse will be difficult indeed, for Lucy is quite unnerved and not nearly as brave as her mistress. But Robbie is intent on living life to the fullest, since this may well be her last opportunity to do so before having to wed and settle down ashore.

The moment he meets Robbie, Dom knows something is odd about the lad. But coming face-to-face with Nicholas Flynn after all these years disturbs him more than he expects. To find his friend clad in the uniform of the enemy further complicates the issue. He throws Nicholas into the brig before going to confront his newest crew members. When he finally realizes the truth, he gives Robbie an ultimatum, but she’s determined to serve as his cabin boy no matter how difficult he makes the task.

What should be fun for Dominic turns out to be at first misery and then extreme danger – not only for him, but also Robbie and Lucy. The familiar pirate ship on the horizon brings with it a French monster, whose rancor has simmered for many years while he waits for the perfect time to unleash his vengeance.

One of my favorite lines in this story is Robbie’s quip, “Had the captain read that from some book entitled How to Infuriate Free and Independent Women? Perhaps he had written it.” (27) It perfectly sums up how women were treated in 1741, and how aggravating the male attitude would be for an individual like Robbie.

Smith deftly weaves pirate and maritime details into a story that brings the characters to life and transports readers back to the waning years of piracy in the Caribbean. Just when you think the romance is resolved, she adds another twist that either sends hearts soaring or plummeting, while twisting emotions into knots as intricate as those found aboard ships. Part of the Pirates of Britannia Connected World series, No Rest for the Wicked is reminiscent of swashbuckling tales of yore. It is adventure not to be missed and – in true piratical fashion – Smith includes an enticing treasure at the end that sets the stage for her next pirate adventure.




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Review of Tyson Reeder's Smugglers, Pirates, and Patriots

Smugglers, Pirates, and Patriots: Free Trade in the Age of Revolution by Tyson Reeder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The War for Independence in the American colonies during the second half of the eighteenth century issued in a new age, one that has become known as the Age of Revolution. That conflict inspired other nations to seek freedom from tyranny as well, and in the first decades of the following century, republicans in the United States felt that one way to fight against monarchies and their empires was through free trade. This is the focus of this book, which shows the interconnections between smugglers, pirates, and patriots, especially as it relates to the way Brazil gained its independence from Portugal in the nineteenth century.

The book is divided into four parts: Negotiating Empire, Regulation and Revolution, A Liberty of Trade, and “Connexions of Commerce and Liberation.” What soon becomes clear is that those who advocated free trade did so not just to help others achieve independence but to also influence the growth of commerce in ways that were to their best advantage. Americans believed their model was the right one, but not everyone agreed, and this is best shown in the struggle between Brazil and Portugal, especially since during part of the nineteenth century, the Portuguese monarch resided in Brazil and, in the end, the Brazilians chose a monarch over a president.

These struggles focus on both commercial changes and networks, as well as politics. Empires instituted a number of laws and edicts to limit trade, which then resulted in the growth of smuggling contraband. When the monarchy chose to lift some, if not all, of these restrictions, free trade prospered and smuggling died. This plays a crucial role in why history unfolds as it did in Brazil, as Reeder aptly demonstrates. He provides numerous examples of commodities, both illicit and legal, such as wine, sugar, gold, flour, and slaves. Aside from smugglers, pirates and privateers are also discussed, in particular those who sailed under letters of marque from the revolutionary leader José Gervasio Artigas. Since his government never acquired recognition from other nations, these men plied their trade in the murkiness of legal privateer or illegal pirate.

Scattered throughout the book are maps, graphs, tables, and illustrations to show points Reeder makes in the narrative. The Notes section provides citations for sources consulted or quoted, as well as additional information on particular topics mentioned in the main text. The extensive bibliography lists manuscript collections in Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States; newspapers and periodicals; primary sources; and published works. There is also an index.

Readers with a special interest in Brazil and its relationships with the early United States, as well as those seeking information on maritime commerce, will find this book particularly interesting. Those seeking a rousing account of maritime piracy and privateering may want to look elsewhere. Reeder does discuss both throughout the narrative, especially in chapter eight, and does mention North African corsairs (91) and the suppression of piracy in the 1820s (211), but his primary focus is on trade, traders, and trade networks and their effects on the shaping of Brazil as it strove toward independence. He does an excellent job of providing readers with a good understanding of the Monroe Doctrine and how it evolved.




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A Bottle of Rum by Steve Goble

A Bottle of Rum by Steve Goble

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Once forced into piracy in order to survive, master carpenter Spider John Rush has abandoned the sweet trade and seeks only to return to his wife and the son he’s never seen. Odin, a one-eyed pirate who once sailed with Blackbeard and Ned Low (or so he claims), accompanies him on the lam from the pirate-hunting Admiralty and navy-hunting press gangs. They’ve traveled incognito to Lymington, England where they repair Crosskeys tavern in exchange for room and board until they can find a ship to take them to Nantucket.

One evening in August 1723, they play chess for a bottle of rum. A woman screams, “Murder!” and unable to resist the lure of a puzzle, Spider John races upstairs. Odin’s for forgetting the whole affair, but Spider recognizes the knife sticking out of the proprietor’s neck. Bloody footprints lead him to the open window, where he spies a small man hobbling away into the darkness. Needing to know how the knife he fashioned found its victim and what happened to the friend he made it for, Spider John sets off in pursuit – which just makes him look guilty to the patrons who spy him holding the knife and escaping out the window.

As Spider John unravels this intricately woven tapestry of murder, the clues lead him to smugglers, a nasty associate from his past, a healer on a scientific quest, a house for troubled souls, and three women: a caretaker with access to poisoned rum, a pirate who’s determined to learn the true reason for his visit, and a young lady with a bizarre fascination with death. And let’s not forget his irrational fear of birds! It plays an important role in the story as well.

Although this story takes place entirely on land, pirates abound. There’s plenty of action reminiscent of swashbuckling battles at sea, as well as enough twists, turns, and red herrings to please any mystery lover who enjoys puzzles that require both brain and brawn to uncover the truth. The quirky and memorable characters are never commonplace nor do what’s expected. This third installment in the Spider John Mystery series is the best one yet.




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Swashbarklers of the Sea by Cynthia Kremsner

Swashbarklers of the Sea by Cynthia Kremsner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Fearsome and bold Barkbeard has stolen a treasure belonging to swaggering dogs. With a mighty “Yo-ho!” they and their mates –a parrot, a monkey, rats, and you – sail after him to recover the loot. The journey takes them round Cape Horn where treacherous storms abound. Once Barkbeard’s vessel is sighted, it’s time to man the cannons and prepare to board. But what the swashbarklers find isn’t what they expect!

The lyrical poetry begs to be read aloud and young pirates will delight in adding their own rousing cheers and sound effects as the tale progresses. The artwork is colorful and large, perfect for young eyes that want to explore. The rats do steal the show once or twice, but in the end friendship melds them into a crew that works together on their high seas adventure. And don’t forget to read the glossary, too. The definitions aren’t quite what you expect and the piratey rhymes make it easy to remember what the words mean.




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The Sugar Inferno by Lyle Garford

The Sugar Inferno by Lyle Garford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


With little information divulged in his orders, Commander Evan Ross arrives at the Admiralty in London for a meeting in February 1798. He finds himself amid august men – the First Lord of the Admiralty, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and former Prime Minister, and the Foreign Secretary – as well as his immediate superior and spymaster, Captain Sir James Standish, and General Thomas Maitland of the Royal Army. Something must be done regarding the volatile situation in Saint Domingue and Evan provides vital firsthand knowledge of what he and his men have learned in dealing with the many factions on the island.

The British first intervened in the chaos there five years before, but they have yet to achieve any of their three goals: stop the flow of money to France, prevent Spanish intervention, and gain a trading partner that will fill their own coffers. The British have invested too much to simply walk away, but the war with France impedes their ability to provide additional funding and troops. In short order Evan explains that yellow fever, the sheer numbers pitted against them, and devious and intelligent leaders, who ally when necessary and betray each other when not, make it extremely difficult to forge the necessary alliances. Further complicating the situation are those who wish the status quo of slavery to continue and those who do not. Then there’s the question of who governs Saint Domingue – those who live there or men sent from France’s Directory? The two principal leaders are Toussaint L’Ouverture, a mulatto who wants to end slavery yet allows it to continue, and Andre Rigaud, a mulatto who cares little for whites or blacks and believes mulattos should govern not only the island but also the world. Adding to this volatile mix are the Spaniards who live on the other side of the island (Santo Domingo) and would like to control the whole island. France has no intention of abdicating control; sooner or later a new administrator will arrive and he may not come alone. Then there are the Americans who also want a piece of this lucrative pie.

News also arrives that the black armies have attacked two key British forts; the loss of one could allow these armies to reach Port-au-Prince. With all this knowledge, the men in power decide that the original objectives will stand, but General Maitland has final say in how he achieves them once he arrives at Saint Domingue and assesses the situation. Evan will assist him in that regard, especially with the assistance of his best friend, Lieutenant James Wilton, who currently spies on the Spanish side of the island, and Midshipman Baptiste, who has infiltrated Toussaint L’Ouverture’s inner circle to become a trusted advisor.

Of course, the best laid plans of the British do not coincide with those of the French. Theodore Hedouville has been sent by the Directory to take control of the island with the help of 300 soldiers, with additional troops being supplied by the governor of the Spanish side of the island. Accompanying him are two spies, Hubert Montdenoix and Flemming Linger, who return to the Caribbean to once again stir up trouble, in hopes that the French will control not only Saint Domingue, but also Jamaica. Montdenoix also searches for his British counterpart, a one-armed man whom he intends to put out of business.

Once again, Garford deftly weaves a gripping tale of a complex situation in a way that makes it easy for readers to understand the many diverse historical threads. The Sugar Inferno is the fifth book in the Evan Ross series, and while it includes details about the workings of the Royal Navy, its primary focus is on the important tasks that naval spies did and how they did it. Populated by many rich characters, some real and others fictional, each is diverse and multifaceted with human foibles and frailties. This fan looks forward with eager anticipation to the next and final adventure in the series, The Admiral’s Pursuit.




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Ozgur K. Sahin's True Colors

True Colors by Ozgur K. Sahin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The buccaneers have saved Curaçao from invasion, but not without costs. Some have died, and Captain Morgan has lost his ship. Damage to Roy Toppings’ is minimal, plus he has acquired a second vessel, a Spanish warship that Ajuban now captains. The Constance and La Mongosta sail in consort for Rio de la Hacha and Santa Marta, two Spanish towns in New Granada. In spite of this victory, all is not well.

When La Mongosta was captured, prisoners were taken, including Lieutenant Pablo Francisco. Revenge brought Roy to the Caribbean, but now that he has captured his brother-in-law and the man he holds responsible for the death of his sister, he doesn’t know what to do with him. Just thinking of Francisco drives Roy into an unpredictable rage, and when he finally exacts his revenge, the crew and Ajuban question his state of mind. And Francisco’s death haunts Roy, rather than giving him peace.

Also captured with Francisco is Major Manuel Benito, who has kept a diary that falls into the buccaneers’ hands. It provides valuable information about their pending targets, and also reveals that the pirates who slew Roy’s sister flew the French flag. Nowhere, however, does Benito actually call them French pirates, which seems curious. He also reveals that his friend Francisco was devastated by Constance’s death and was hunting for the pirates when the buccaneers captured La Mongosta.

With the use of subterfuge to disguise their true intent, the ships sail into the Spanish ports. Coya, a scout with keen eyesight at night, participates in the daring invasion and after slipping inside the Spanish fort, nearly loses her life. Among the treasure garnered from the expedition is a Golden Staff, which Coya claims as her share of the plunder because it is a relic of her people, the Incas. Her choice proves fortuitous as it saves her life when one of her fellow brethren breaks into her cabin while she’s recovering from her wounds.

Also taken during the raids are a host of documents, which provide information on a secret syndicate in league with the Inquisition, merchants, and government officials. The buccaneers also free prisoners in the jail, two of whom are Dutchmen seized illegally and tortured by the tribunal for information about Curaçao rather than to answer charges of heresy.

Upon their return to the Dutch island, Roy decides to part company with the brethren and go in search of the pirates who killed his sister. To do this he must pay Henry Morgan the ransom for Colonel Baron Javier Valdez Endoso, who has been a captive for three months. They form a tenuous alliance, since Valdez also seeks these pirates, as well as the ringleaders of the syndicate and the whereabouts of his men still searching for information on the syndicate on Hispaniola.

Ajuban decides that he likes being captain and when Roy shares his news of retirement, Ajuban purchases La Mongosta from Roy and goes a-pirating. He and those who follow him will receive a letter of marque if they succeed in rescuing a kidnapped artist and snare a Spanish treasure ship, whose captain is expecting the warship to escort him to his next destination. Ajuban and his crew, with the assistance of a French spy, disguise themselves as Spaniards and keep La Mongosta’s appointment with destiny.

True Colors is the second installment in Sahin’s Brethren of the Spanish Main series and takes place in 1659, following the restoration of Charles II as King of England. Be forewarned, this gripping novel is significantly longer than the first, but it is equally steeped in historical detail. New characters join the crews, while familiar old ones (like Coya, Jan, and William) return. All are vividly drawn and unique. Ajuban is the only one whose portrayal of speech differs from other characters; some readers may find the dialect a bit tiresome after a while. There are also a significant number of points of view, which may challenge readers in remembering who’s who and what their roles are.

For readers unfamiliar with the regions visited, Sahin includes several maps for orientation. He has a commendable grasp of the history and politics of the Caribbean, which he then spins into a complex web of interconnected threads. Although half of the book devolves into two separate tales – Roy’s and Ajuban’s voyages – the characters eventually reunite in a rousing sea battle. Readers will find a treasure trove of conspiracies, manipulation, intrigue, and betrayal, as well as gritty, realistic, and, at times, brutal portrayals of life among the buccaneers. Those seeking a tale neatly wrapped in a bow with all the answers in a single story, however, should look elsewhere. The high adventure found in True Colors will continue in the next book in the series.




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Peter Lehr's Pirates

Pirates: A New History, from Vikings to Somali Raiders by Peter Lehr

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In 1998, pirates boarded the MV Cheung Son. They blindfolded the twenty-three crew members, injured or killed them, and tossed them overboard. This wasn’t an isolated event, but few people knew of these incidents of piracy until November 2005 when Somali pirates tried to take a cruise ship carrying more than 300 passengers and crew. Since then, incidents of piracy have risen and more and more people outside the maritime world have taken notice. With this “sudden” return of pirates comes a commensurate number of studies on piracy and pirate history, so why do we need still another one? For the most part, previous titles focus on a particular time period and/or a specific region. Such studies leave a series of unanswered questions, which Lehr attempts to answer:

Is what motivates certain individuals to become pirates today the same as in the past?
How do the activities of modern pirates compare to those of earlier epochs?
Are there any lessons that could be learned from historical attempts to curb piracy which could help us end it today?
If naval power is greater today than ever before, why have we not yet been able to put an end to piracy once and for all?
Why does piracy persist, seemingly against all odds? (7)

He separates the book into three periods of history and within each of these he examines three maritime regions. The latter is comprised of the Mediterranean, Northern seas, and Eastern seas. The former consists of 700-1500, 1500-1914, and 1914-today. Why these particular divisions? The first is a time when the geographical regions are separate and distinct and each area is isolated from the others. The second time period witnesses the rise of Western nations and the spread of their sphere of influence over the powerhouses of the previous period (the Ottoman Empire, Mughal India, and Qing China). By the start of the next time frame, Europe controls 84% of land in the world, and from 1914 onward the interconnections between nations become global. Throughout these chronological divisions, Lehr examines piratical commonalities and differences between the diverse pirate cultures.

The narrative is both enlightening and enthralling. The further one reads, the more one discovers that there are distinct similarities between the regions throughout time, even though the pirates of one region had no contact with pirates of another. Regardless of the time period, two factors motivate people to pursue piracy: greed or grievances. As Lehr shows, other components enhance or detract from these since nothing is as simple or black-and-white as it first seems. Religion and politics also play roles, for without corruption there would be no safe havens for pirates. Not only does he explore various aspects of becoming a pirate and being a pirate, he also discusses attempts to thwart or end piracy.

Regional maps introduce each of the time periods. Illustrations of vessels are scattered through the book, which also contains color and black-and-white plates in the center. As the narrative progresses, Lehr includes page references to events discussed earlier in greater detail. A glossary, endnotes, a bibliography, and an index are also included.

Most readers will be familiar with some of the pirates mentioned – Stede Bonnet, Bartholomew Roberts, Zheng Yi Sao, and John Ward, for example – while others are less well known, such as Don Pero Niño, Martin Wintergerst, and Iranun and Malay pirates. Louis Le Golif is cited several times, although no mention is made that there is some question as to whether or not he actually existed. According to Lehr, Bartholomew Roberts died in a shipwreck; his actual demise occurred when he was fatally wounded in battle with the Royal Navy.

If there is a weakness in this book, it comes in the third part of the book. Although there are a few examples of piracy in the early years of the twentieth century, the main focus is on Somali and Nigerian piracy. This leaves a gap in the historical comparison.

Regardless of whether readers are well-versed in pirate history or are novices when it comes to pirates, Pirates is a thought-provoking and insightful examination of piracy throughout history and around the world. Everyone who ventures to delve into this analysis will learn something new and will come away with a much better understanding about who the pirates were/are, why they turned to piracy, and why they are so difficult to completely eradicate.




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The Cutty Sark Pocket Manual review

The Cutty Sark Pocket Manual by National Maritime Museum

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Cutty Sark entered the world when tea was a vital commodity in British trade; England imported 63,000,000 pounds that year. With her sharp bow, streamlined hull, and 32,000 square feet of sails, she was built for speed in the middle of the Victorian Era. She has outlived both other extreme clippers and many steamships that plied the seas when she did. When tea ceased to be profitable, she transported other cargo until she earned her place in history as the fastest ship in the Australian wool trade. Later, navy sailors and merchant seamen trained aboard her, and today she teaches visitors about wooden ships and their role in maritime history in spite of the destructive fire that swept through her in 2007. Although this book discusses her entire history, the authors focus on her first twenty-six years when steamships were gaining importance in maritime trade. And who better to share her story than her general manager and her curator?

They set the stage with their introduction to the tea trade and the emergence of clipper ships, as well as world events – the Opium Wars and Suez Canal, for example – that impacted maritime trade and shipping. Their goal in writing this pocket manual is to explain why Cutty Sark survives when her contemporaries have long since been relegated to history books or forgotten entirely.

Subsequent chapters discuss her construction, her voyages, how ships work, her captains and crew, life on board, her cargoes, and her history once she ceased to be a British merchant ship. Launched on 22 November 1869, Cutty Sark had a wooden hull affixed to an iron frame. She was built by Scott & Linton, who went bankrupt as a result of her construction, and owned by John Willis, Jr., who was wily, ruthless, and known as “White Hat Willis” because of his white top hat. She set sail on her maiden voyage to China in February the following year, and when she returned to London, she held the fourth fastest record for the year. But her travels were not without problems. Like all ships, she encountered Mother Nature and endured her wrath. On Cutty Sark’s maiden journey one of the crew died of dysentery. On the “Hell-Ship Voyage” (1880) a seaman was murdered, another became a fugitive, and the master committed suicide. Richard Woodget served as her seventh and last master as a British vessel. During his decade-long tenure, he provided a photographic record of life aboard the clipper. He resurrected her reputation and even overhauled a steamer to reach Sydney before Britannia did in 1889.

In addition to an index, the authors include black-and-white illustrations (including some of Woodget’s photographs), tables, maps, diagrams, and entries from logbooks to enrich the reading experience. In spite of its size, this small, thin book is brimming with the fascinating history about this famous ship. Most readers will know of Cutty Sark, but few know what she and her crews endured. The authors correct this oversight and enlighten us so even those who are unable to actually visit her come to understand why she has left such an indelible mark on our memories.




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Angus Konstam's The Barbary Pirates, 15th-17th Centuries

The Barbary Pirates 15th–17th Centuries by Angus Konstam

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


They are often called “pirates,” but for almost three hundred years, the marauders hailing from the northern coast of Africa were privateers and the Italians, French, and Spanish referred to them as “corsairs.” Their havens were situated on the Barbary Coast, and their plunder, the most prized of which were slaves, was sold in the markets of Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Morocco. Their raids took them from Greece and other Mediterranean shores to West Africa and the British Isles, and as far as Iceland. The majority of these city-states owed their allegiance to the Ottoman Empire, but Morocco remained independent. In the pages of this entry in Osprey’s Elite series, Konstam focuses on these marauders from the fifteenth century through the middle of the seventeenth when European nations implemented naval and diplomatic strategies to curb the most egregious of their corsairing raids.

The 1500s saw the zenith of the Barbary corsairs, and when the century began, Christians and Muslims have been fighting a “Holy War” for nigh on eight centuries. But the rulers of Africa’s northern shores aren’t the only marauders. Christian privateers, such as the Knights of Malta, also prowled the seas and, therefore, Konstam uses “Barbary corsair” to denote pirates from both sides, although the majority of the text and pictures focus on those of the Barbary Coast. He also explains why he chooses to call them “pirates,” rather than “privateers” or “corsairs.”

After a brief introduction and explanation of nomenclature, the book presents an overview of the history of the region and the Hafsid and Marinid dynasties that ruled prior to the upswing in privateering. From there Konstam discusses the first corsairs, including Kemal Reis and the Barbarossa brothers. Other sections examine the region’s geography, individual Barbary states, corsairing vessels, the pirates’ chains of command, the division of plunder, the crews, their tactics, and where they hunted. Throughout the narrative we meet specific Barbary pirates; in addition to the three already mentioned, we are introduced to Turgut Reis; Murad Reis (also known as Jan Janszoon) who raided Baltimore, Ireland in 1630 and founded the Republic of Salé (pirate haven); and John Ward.

The entire sixty-four-page book is illustrated with contemporary illustrations and maps, as well as full-color artwork by Gerry Embleton, who adeptly brings to life the pirates and their vessels (galley, galiot, polacca, tartan, xebec, and barca longas). Not only are these renderings illustrative of fine detail but they also vividly depict moments in corsair history, such as the c. 1480 raid on Corsica, a battle against a Venetian galley (c. 1540), and Turgut Reis at the 1538 Battle of Preveza. Also included in the book are a chronology for events occurring between 1450 and 1660, a reading list, and an index.

Anyone familiar with Osprey’s series books know that they provide a succinct and detail-oriented summary of the history and people involved in the military subjects being discussed. The Barbary Pirates continues this tradition, introducing readers to a topic that often doesn’t get the same level of attention in pirate history as other periods do. Equally important is that while Konstam concentrates on the marauders of the Barbary States, he also incorporates information about the Christian privateers, including the differences between how the two sides treated their galley slaves – the men forced to row their ships into battle. This volume provides anyone seeking information on the Barbary corsairs with a good introduction.




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