Instructor: Henry La Rouge

With the many conflicts during the 17th, 18th, & early 19th centuries governments  granted wartime powers against enemy ships. Privately owned armed vessels were commissioned by a "Letter of Marque." The latter of Mark permitted the privateer to plunder enemy shipping. It was a system that was beneficial to the government, the country's citizens, the privateers and the ship owner. The purpose of a privateer was to disrupt the commerce of the enemy, and make money for the captain, the crew, and investors while providing trade goods to the sponsor country's citizens..

As wars ended,  many unemployed  privateers turned to piracy. A rise in piracy can be seen after every major conflict of the "age of sail" era.

In 1856 most seafaring nations abolished  Privateering with the Declaration of Paris. Spain, the United States, Mexico and Venezuela refused to support the declaration.

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