Within these
pages
of Pirates & Privateers, you'll find articles on all
aspects of maritime piracy from ancient times to modern day. Pirate
Articles is an annotated list of all the articles I've written. Pirate
Links is an annotated list of the best web sites that specialize in
piracy and life at sea from early days through the Age of Sail. The Book
Review
pages house the reviews on the latest fiction and non-fiction pirate
and maritime books for
children and adults. Other highlights include specialized
bibliographies,
piratical places to visit, pirate dates in history, piracy quotes, and
information about The Rebel and the Spy,
my current novel-in-progress that started me on the path of piracy.
If you'd like
to be
notified when I post a new article, as well as to read the latest
pirate-related
news that doesn't appear here, subscribe to the Pirates
and Privateers Newsletter. If you'd like to read a sample
of
my newsletter before you subscribe, click here.
Subscribers never miss out on the latest happenings at Pirates
and
Privateers.
As always, if
you have
a question about pirates, please write
and ask. If you'd like me to write about a particular pirate or
subject, let
me know. One cautionary note to those searching for genealogical
information. Historical records about pirates are
rare. Much of what is known comes from government records, including
court
trials, and the few first-person accounts written during a particular
time period. This information rarely contains details pertinent to what
you
need to identify and/or learn about ancestors. The simple fact is that
the vast majority of pirates' names
remain unknown. I cannot
answer this type
of question, so rather than contact me, you should check genealogical depositories and
websites, as well as national archives.
A
special note to teachers and students: Answering questions
and locating information is something I love to do. 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 within
this website is copyrighted.
Fair winds and
following seas,
Cindy
also known as
The Pirate
Lady
(Site updated
15 March 2014)
 April Article
The influx of European
pirates to the north coast of Africa in the late sixteenth and early
seventeenth centuries brought not only men to swell the ranks of
Barbary
pirates, but also “round ships”. The rounded hulls made these merchant
vessels
more seaworthy and better able to traverse great distances than the
traditional
galleys the Barbary pirates favored. These men soon adopted the round
ships
into their fleets, and the more daring of the Barbary reis
(captains) ventured farther afield in their pursuit of
plunder. This article recounts one such journey.
Pirate
Quote of the Month
In the
middle of the sea
astride our path are stone islets resembling birds’ heads . . . It is
here that
in 1395 . . . one pirate vessel hid behind this small island . . . All
the
gifts and naval stores and even clothes were taken . . . As our ship
gradually
approached the island, a small vessel emerged from it and raced towards
us with
the speed of an arrow. Our crew all clamored, shouting, ‘They’re
pirates!’
–
Korean ambassador to Japan, 1420
|
The Bonnie Bookaneer's
 April Book Reviews
Elizabeth's
Sea Dogs by Hugh Bicheno
History (16th century)
The Ransom
by MaryLu Tyndall
Historical Fiction,
Historical Romance
(18th century)
Steam & Stratagem
by Christopher Hoare
Steampunk, Historical Fiction (19th century)
|
Upcoming
Appearances
 |
If you would like the Pirate Lady
to speak to your group,
please contact
me.
For information on upcomings workshops,
click
here.
|
For additonal appearances, visit Thistles
& Pirates.
Pirate and
Maritime News
Book
Launch at MidSouthCon
 "Rumble
the Dragon" is now
available in A Tall Ship, a Star, and Plunder,
Dark Oak Press' new anthology of
pirate short stories!
Rumble is a young misfit dragon who must work with outlawed Norsemen
to recover a stolen chalice from nefarious Vikings. My story is
historical fantasy, but within the pages of this book are historical
fiction, science fiction, steampunk, and poetry. The book is available
in e-book, paperback, and hardback
formats. You can purchase an
autographed copy directly from me.
Join
me at the official launch at MidSouthCon (March 21-23) at
the Hilton in Memphis, Tennessee. Stop by the Dark Oak Press booth and
introduce yourself.
Robert Krog recently interviewed me for his blog, KrogFiction.
You'll find links to some of my fellow authors to the right of the
interview under Recent Posts.
Read
an excerpt or listen
to an excerpt. Click here for
Where to purchase links.
The
Last Days of Blackbeard
Smithsonian Magazine recently published Colin Woodard's
article on the final raid and political maneuvers of history's most
notorious pirate. Colin is the author of The Republic of Pirates, which was
the inspiration for NBC's forthcoming Crossbones.
|
Happy
Birthday, Pirates & Privateers
 Fourteen
years ago, Pirates &
Privateers was born. To celebrate I'm holding a contest. The winner
will receive an autographed copy of my new book, A Tall Ship, a Star, and Plunder,
and a $20 Amazon.com gift card.
Here are six answers involving piracy that have appeared on past
episodes of Jeopardy! Each of
your responses should be phrased in
the form of a question, then send your entry to me no
later than 17 April 2014.
1. In 1575 this "Don Quixote" author's ship was overtaken by pirates;
he spent five years as a captive in Algiers.
2. As his top admiral, Suleiman hired the pirate Khllayr Ad-Din, known
as this for his red beard, like a crusading emperor.
3. In 1699 this pirate was captured in Boston; he was hanged two years
later, leaving legends of buried treasure.
4. In June 1579, this British captain sailed into a harbor on the west
coast; San Franciscans say it was their bay.
5. In August 2011 this seventeenth-century pirate captain's flagship
was found in waters off Panama; as yet no rum has been found.
6. Queen Anne's Revenge was
this pirate's ship.
My husband will pick one lucky winner from all
entries received, and the winner will be announced on 20 April, when I
publish the May issue of Pirates
and Privateers. Only one entry per person. Deadline to enter: 17
April 2014.
|
Pirate &
Maritine Events & Exhibits
|
Events
Pirates,
Privateers, Robber Barons
Leiden Seminar on Law, Literature, Rhetoric
17 March 2014
14 April 2014
Lipsius 235C, Universiteit
Leiden
Leiden, Netherlands
Strategy and the Sea
2014 Oxford Naval History Conference
10-12 April 2014
All Souls College, Oxford University
Oxford, UK
2nd
Annual Laffite Seminar
25-26 April 2014
Texas A & M University at Galveston
Pelican Island Campus
Galveston, Texas
These
Contrary
Winds:
Weather and its Effect on
Ships, Mariners, and Maritime History
42nd Annual Walker Maritime History Symposium
3 May 2013
Maine
Maritime Museum
Bath, Maine
Pirate Days
3-4 May
Mystic Seaport
Mystic, Connecticut
National
Maritime Historical Society Annual Meeting
15-17 May 2014
Erie Maritime Museum
Erie, Pennsylvania
Tackling
Kidnapping, Hijack and Hostage-Taking
5th Annual Conference
21-22 May 2014
London, UK
Sea
Music Festival
12-15 June 2014
Mystic Seaport
Mystic, Connecticut
10th
Maritime Heritage
Conference
17-21 September 2014
Norfolk Waterside Marriott
Norfolk, Virginia
|
Exhibits
|
 Visitors'
Reviews
I just
found your website a
few days ago and I love it. It thrills me to find so much more depth on
the
subject of piracy than what other websites on piracy and my bookshelf
has to
offer. – Drew K.
Love your passion for the subject. – Bob H.
|
The
Rebel and the Spy
The Rebel
and the
Spy, my current Novel-in-Progress, centers around Jean Laffite and
the Battle of New Orleans. Below are links to places depicted in
the novel and a resource list for those seeking information on Jean
Laffite,
Pirates, Ships in the Age of Sail, the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew
Jackson,
and many other subjects.
Jean
Laffite's Haunts
New
Orleans and Piracy Resource List
Each
month I alert readers to the posting of my latest piracy article and
book
reviews, new additions made to the site, and interesting tidbits about
piracy. If you'd like to receive the Pirates and Privateers
monthly newsletter, just complete the form below.
Pirates
and Privateers
