When was the True Pirate Golden Age?

[Captain_Python]

This question has been debated for many years? When was the golden age of Piracy? Some say it was short as 25 to 50 years, some say as long as 100 to 150 years. Well, what do you think is the true years of the golden age? The poll will run for 20 days. Note that Golden Age of Piracy is when there were high numbers of pirates in the Caribbean, and we are not just talking about the high point of Piracy when most of the famous pirates lived (That would be 1715 to 1725).

 

[Captain_Python]

Let me start. I think it was from 1650 to 1725, due to that by 1650, a lot of the things that we put pirates with were invented (like the Frigate, Sloop, Flintlock) and that in 1725 the pirates were reduced down to around 1,000 or so.

 

[KevO44]

I would agree, it was around the mid to late 1700's that piracy became less and less. Countries were expanding there navies, especially with the rise of Napoleon. And with more pirate hunters, it just became harder and harder for a pirate.

 

[William Red Wake]

I voted Other.





Because it hasn't happened yet. We few, we happy few will usher it in in our time. We shall usher in such an age of Piracy as to tarnish the "Golden Age" and make it pale in comparison. We will make an age to be remembered. The armada that we shall make will be the deadliest ever seen on the high seas. The ocean will unroll before this great flotilla of rum and villainy.

Can I get an "ARRRRRRR!"?




Aye.



Aye.

 

[Fred Bob]

aRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pirate_plain.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="3" border="0" alt="pirate_plain.gif" />

 

[Meigger]

Based on what I have read on Pirate history I voted for 1675 to 1725 as this time frame is the closest to the actual time frame of almost 30 years.

The zenith of the Great Age of Piracy (Golden Age) is consider to be when thousands upon thousands of Pirates made what amounted to war all along the `sea-lanes` of the world. This era lasted scarcely 30 years. In that time Pirates plundered shipping to the point of effecting the economics of some countries.

 

[Captain_Python]

Meigger, I consider that time in history to be the high point of the Pirate Golden Age. But I think that from 1650 to 1700 was the time that piracy built up to that point, in thanks to places like Port Royale and Tortuga. Interesting thing about those two places, it that their golden years were before 1700 to 1725, so I think that sort of supports why the pirate golden age is bigger than just that high point.

But there are so many opinions on this subject. Some think that the Golden Age of Piracy should be concidered from Begining to End. Some people think it starts in 1600 because the Elizebethan Sea Dogs were roaming at that time. And People think it ends in 1750. I think the one thing I can relate to this thought is when thinking of pirate stories like Treasure Island, which took place in the 1740s or 1750s. I think on such a broad view of the pirate highs and lows, that the 1750s was right in between two ages of Pirates and Privateers. The 1750s was after the big Golden Age of Piracy, but about 40 years later, the Napoleonic Wars would creat a lot of Piracy and Privateers, but only reaching a little over half the scale of what the Golden Age was. Isn't ironic that in a way France causes a lot of this Piracy? Louis the 14th waged a series of wars that let piracy spread, and Napoleon did the same.

Let's keep the voting going.

 

[Meigger]

Captain Python

I would have to bow to your expertise on this subject as I have not researched it to the extent you obviously have.

I guess it depends on what historian(s) you want to believe. It seems to me that there were alot of Ages of Piracy (whether they were Golden or not I do not know) i.e. such as, the Pirates of Ancient Greece 7th and 6th centuries B.C., the Pirates of the Roman World 67 B.C., the 8th to early 12th century Vikings, the Barbary Coast pirates at the end of the 11th century, the Privateers and their Letters of Marque `1760-1820`, and the Spanish Main pirates 16th and 17th centuries, which led to the pirates of the Indian Ocean when the Spanish Main pickings declined.

This issue will continue to be debated for a long time by those who are interested. I totality agree that the voting should continue and others should offer their opinions as we have done. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="cheers.gif" />:

 

[Captain_Python]

Yes, I have actually studied this a lot. There are many periods of Piracy. But the most forgotten, I think, are the China Pirates and the Pirates before the Vikings.

Anyways, I say that the time around the Golden Age of Piracy can be broken up. From the 16th Century and up to 1650 was a time of many of those Elizabethan Sea Dogs. From 1650 to 1725 I consider to be the Pirate Golden Age. From 1725 to 1750 is a sort of odd time between the decline of the Pirate Golden age and "Napoleonic" Times. From 1750 to 1815 is what I concider the "Napoleonic Era" with a lot of opportunities for Privateering, starting with wars like the Seven Years War, going through the American Revolution, and all the way to the Napoleonic War. And the final time that I think that true privateering took place was during the American Civil War, with ships like the C.S.S. Alabama. Here is an Over view of Pirate Eras (Each Era has a rating in how active Pirating and Privateering activities were, 4 being the Highest and most active, 1 being the lowest and not much activity:

1500 to 1650, The Elizebethan Sea Dogs Era (`1-3`, as time goes on it builds up)
1650 to 1725, The Pirate Golden Age of Piracy (4)
1725 to 1750, The Pirate Median Era (`1-2`)
1750 to 1815, The Napoleonic Era (`2-3`)
1815 to 190, The Pirate Slow Decline Era (`1-2`, with a little boost during the American Civil War)

After 1900 the Romantic Pirate leaves the scene with wooden ships. We all can thank the advance toward better technology for that with iron ships, rifled cannon, exploding shells, and just the times. Think about it, by 1900, you couldn't buy or take a warship like you could back then and be able to face a common military ship in battle. The modern equivilent of a pirate having a `40-gun` ship (like Blackbeard) today would be if terrorists hijacked a modern Frigate, it would be a international crisis and every single U.S. Carier, Battleship, and airplane would be on it.

 

[CatalinaThePirate]

I voted for 1600 - 1750 because I like the Elizabethan pirates (a bias, I play one at the RenFaire)... I mean, the English war with Spain made for some pretty interesting encounters in the Caribbean and other places...

 

[CapitainDams]

For me is ... Now! Aye the Pirate Spirit is still alive!!! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/william.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":will" border="0" alt="william.gif" />

 

[Shillelagh Bruises]

<!--`QuoteBegin-Meigger`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Meigger)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
the 8th to early 12th century Vikings[/quote]

yes, let's not forget the vikings... more terrifying than a frigate flying a jolly roger (and their longship was the best boat around during their time)

 

[Barbarossa]

For me, it is 1500 - 1600
When The Barbary Corsairs ruled the Mediterranean

 

[child of Thor]

<!--`QuoteBegin-Shillelagh` Bruises+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Shillelagh Bruises)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--`QuoteBegin-Meigger`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Meigger)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
the 8th to early 12th century Vikings[/quote]

yes, let's not forget the vikings... more terrifying than a frigate flying a jolly roger (and their longship was the best boat around during their time)[/quote]

true - they are difficult to forget, having shaped nearly all of Europe in one way or another. My fav city in the world is Swansea in south wales(uk), its name derives from a norse source and was basicaly a viking colony.

For the classical Pirates of the caribbean i think it would have been early on in the era, before the governments in the region had a chance to react with much force? its just a shame that it had to end - i'm sure i've missed out on my lifes vocation <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pirate2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="pirate2.gif" />

 

[Captain_Python]

Times up (or close to it)!

I think that a conclusion that can be taken from this poll is that, the Pirate Golden Age can cover many ages. But the general opinion is that the Pirate Golden Age ranges from 1600 to 1750.
But, this age can be broken into many groups. Most people think that the Pirate Golden Age started with the Elizabethan Sea Dogs. That age actually started a decade or two before 1600, but many people go with 1600 because by that time the Caribbean was properly colonized, and that it is easier to remember. The Sea Dogs dwindle down during the 1630s to 1650s. During this time, we have much struggle in the English Government. And during the 1650s the ships like the Sloop and Frigate start to evolve, and a new age in ships starts, and another age of major Piracy. This is why a lot of people say that the true golden age of Piracy was from 1650 to the 1700s. After the last Louis the 14th War ended in 1714, there were no more needs for Privateers, and peace would roam Europe for a few decades. So sailors with no jobs, and Privateers with no legal contracts, went to Piracy, but most of their power ran out by 1725. But some people say that the golden age continued until 1750. I think the only way that can be explained is that stories like "Treasure Island" took place in this time period. Also, the Schooner comes into major use at this time. But then, in the late 1740s, France and Britain go to war again, and there starts a series of wars for European countries to gain Imperialism. This would lead to the Napoleonic Wars, and during all these wars, Privateers thrived. After Napoleon's Wars, there was peace again. And Piracy made a rise again, but was quickly put down. So let me sum this up, There are 4 ages that the Golden Age of Piracy goes through:

-The Elizabethan Sea Dogs Age of Piracy: Late 16th Century to 1650s
-The Louis the 14th Wars Age of Piracy: 1650s to 1725
-The Imperialism Age of Piracy: 1740s to 1810s
-The Napoleonic Wars Age of Piracy: 1780s to 1820

Maybe there is no true Golden Age of Piracy, or maybe we will never agree on a true golden age. But I do know one thing, that most of the time we think of classical Pirates (with Blackbeard, Sir Henry Morgan, Captain Kidd), the Louis the 14th Wars Age of Piracy is that time period.

 

[v_Grimmelshausen]

I think it depends on the definition of a "Pirate". The heydays of the mercenary sailors were the era of the Thirty Years War (`1618-1648`) up to the 1680s, while the era of the pirate as a criminal started thereafter.

 

[RepairmanJack]

Weren't Pirates in high numbers during the riegn of the byzantine Empire, and that byzantium, had many problems with pirates ruining there trade routes and this is way before 1600.