what was privateer?

Answer 1

Basically, a pirate turned mercenary. The word was used to designate both the vessel and its captain. Between 1500 and 1800, all significant naval powers employed privateers. Privateers attacked military and civilian targets belonging to their employer's enemy and pillaged them for profit. Normally, privateers were not under any naval command and were by and large free to do what they pleased.

Most European countries abolished privateering in early 19th century. The Paris Declaration of 1856, signed by most European governments, created an international law forbidding privateering.

The last episode of large-scale privateering occurred diring the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, when Prussia created a "volunteer navy" of private ships eligible for prize money. However, unlike classic privateering, the "volunteer navy" sailed under a centralized naval command, and its members were required to adhere to regular naval discipline.

Answer 2

The governor or official awarded 'Letters of Marque' giving permission for private citizens to attack and capture enemy vessels.

After a five year or ten year war was concluded, the 'Letters of Marque' were withdrawn or invalidated. The trouble was that usually left the 'privateer' unemployed and starving.

Some of those 'privateers' just kept on doing the only thing they knew how to earn a living, capture ships. This then turned the privateer into a pirate, an outlaw. Then the authorities would huntdown the newly designated pirate and hang them.

This is what happened to Edward Teach, who was a privateer for seven years during the French & Indian War. When the war ended at the Treaty of Paris in 1765, Edward Teach just kept on going and captured ships, he then became a pirate known as 'blackbeard', and two years after he became pirate, they captured him and cut his head off.

So anyways, a 'privateer' was a legal pirate.

Answer 3

A privateer was licensed by a government to attack the shipping of specific nations. They carried a letter of marquis giving them the authority to do it.

Privateers were used as an auxiliary to a navy. For a country that didn't have a strong navy, they were a good asset since they diverted enemy forces away from actual attacks on their shores. Countries that definitely used privateers include England and the United States.

Israel Church a.k.a. Israel Church Anthony was a known privateer who did not turn pirate. Some other privateers did.

Answer 4

A privateer in the classic sense is a pirate in service to a crown. The classic example is Sir Francis Drake, whom Elizabeth gave piracy powers to as long as he never took a British ship. He was a scourge of the Spanish main. Thus privateer.

Answer 5

An English pirate. The British crown encouraged their ships to attack Spanish galleons with gold and silver cargoes, as well as Spanish settlements in the Caribbean and city ports throughout Central and South America. Some, like Francis Drake and Henry Morgan, were knighted for their services. The term "privateer" was a euphemism for what was really involved.

Answer 6

A private ship sanctioned by a government to attack foreign shipping. They were only suppose to attack enemy vessels during wartime but many attacked during peacetime leading to piracy.

Answer 7

Look up the word 'privateer' in the dictionary. If you don't have one, try dictionary.com

Answer 8

a priveteer?