Game News ~ 07/10/08 ~ Corrections

[Gereth]

This is a shout out to whom it may concern involved with game news.

While the term "Privateer" was first documented in the 17th century, officially sanctioned Pirates have been around for centuries.

Basic sea bound fortune seekers from various countries world wide some of whom hailed from countries in alliance with England, were employed by the King of England to assist in the plundering and destruction of Spanish colonies and later as a defense of Port Royal(Jamaica) when he decided that he wanted a taste of the American riches(mostly South, but North American also) Cortez had been so reknown for bringing to Spain. The reason "Privateer" was not documented until the 17th century is because England ruled the seas and were only entered into English(thus the account we know of today) history when England licensed them after firmly settling the disputes in the region and it's commerce could establish trade routes.

Privateering allows a Pirate to become an agent of the goverment

Actually, this is incorrect. An agent of the Crown (employed by the King of England for the instance we're experiencing in PotC) was simply anyone with a Letter of Mark. The root of "Privateer" is Private, meaning not affiliated with the crown. (Granted there was little seperation between crowns official business and the commerce of the time.. ...after the treaty with Spain was struck, the Buccaneer were again outlawed.

After many years of plundering, enemies of the Realm of England in the region had become slim to none. It was at this time that the inhabitants of Tortuga began to plunder English interests in the region, becoming allies of CIRCUMSTANCE to countries like France(who had a long history of discomfort with England weather treatied or not at the time) ultimately having their status revoked, where they themselves became enemies of England. Morgan was a Welsh(one of the Brittish Isles) Privateer, who became a Buccaneer, and was later absolved and appointed Deputy Governer of the island. Drake and Morgan are both kindly remember and knighted because natural leadership and service to their crown.

All in all a good account of history with the exception of the definition of Privateer. Privateers were simply entrepreneurs. An agent of the crown who could draw on the resources of and protection of the crown was simply anyone with a Letter of Mark. I didn't know if you were going for a factual account of history or if you were modifying history to develop unique lore for PotC online. But, there's the facts fer ya.

[sammyh]

correcting the correction.

ugggghhhhh....a privateer is the ship, and the captain of that ship employed by

the crown to sink enemy ships during times of war. such as in the late 1600's when the british privateers (against the spanish) were kicked out of port royal when it became a british port (shortly after, it was destroyed in an earthquake) and were dubbed "pirate" when it became illegal when the war was over.

buccaners were pirates active in the caribbean. they used to be jerky smokers named after the native american name for the racks they cooked on. they would then trade with passing ships. after awhile, they realized that eating the jerky themselves and getting what they want by stealing was more profitable.

most pirates were privateers before they were pirates such as: sir henry morgan, capt. kid, edward teach (blackbeard), and lots more.

[Captain Jessie Hawk]

Either way the main point is across just fine. Pirates were not Privateers in fact most Privateers became Pirates after seeing how awesome the spoils could be.

From what I've read though in "A History of Pirates" It does not mention Edward Teach being a Privateer.

[sammyh]

he was. he was a privateer for longer than he was a pirate, actually. only a pirate fron 1717-1718.

[Gereth]

Here's some cut and paste from what our society feel are credible sources. The main thing to remember is that "Privateer" was nothing more then an originating term for entrepreneur.

a privateer is the ship

According Websters and the Wiki:

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (Hari Morgan in Welsh), (ca. 1635 – August 25, 1688) was a Welsh privateer, who made a name in the Caribbean as a leader.

When Henry Morgan arrived in Bristol (the largest English port at that time and quite literally the hub of the world in that era) from Whales as a Privateer, he either booked passage on a merchant ship or at that time signed up with the Navy further increasing his chances of great fortune for the days that were to come. (His precise entrance into the Caribbean isn't know, but what is known is any voyage setting out to the "New World" left from this port.)

On Christmas day, 1654, the "New World" campaign(comprised of some 3,000 men and 18 war ships) set sail on a mission to attack, plunder and overrun Spanish territories in the Caribbean. Henry Morgan was on this voyage. These 3,000 men, all payed servants of the crown, together WITH the British took Jamaica from the Spanish and transformed the island into what would be known as the famed Port Royal.

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to sink enemy ships during times of war.

In some cases yes. Primarily, they employed Buccaneer(outlaws) using Sloop style ships to board and plunder the Spanish Galleons (and salvage them if possible) who were at that time transporting vast quantities of gold but their primary targets were the ports that held this gold.

Jamaica was the only British colony in the middle of Spanish territory and clearly defense was the primary concern. Less then a year after the British had taken Jamaica, the fleet that brought them to the island had returned to England. The Governor of Jamaica at this time invited the inhabitants of Tortuga (called Buccaneer) to come to Port Royal offering it as a base of operations and used them as a deterrent against Spanish attacks. In 1657, 600 Buccaneers arrived in Port Royal, welcomed as the saviors of the city. In 1658, Henry Morgan went rogue and molded the Buccaneer into one of the most fearsome armies the seas had ever known. By authorizing Morgans raids the British not only kept the Spanish at bay, but they also entitled themselves to a cut of the spoils. With Letters of Mark from the English (and suspected from France and Spain as well) the buccaneer (who really ruled the seas in the region at this time) had become 2,000 strong by the end of the decade and no Spanish town or ship was safe from them. It was these exploits that turned Port Royal into the richest city in the world at the time.

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the late 1600's

That's the 17th century.

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were kicked out of port royal when it became a British port (shortly after, it was destroyed in an earthquake)

It was from the day the campaign arrived on Jamaica and renamed it Port Royal a British port... The Pirates weren't kicked out, they were again Outlawed by England after a treaty was struck with Spain, captured and hung mostly on the island itself.

The primary fort, Fort Charles(the first of 5 forts build in Port Royal by the British) still stands in it's entirety today and the decline of the colony was much more a result of the loss of income previously generated by the sanctioned Pirates, the now politically stable region and lack of necessity for British presence on the island then it was as a result of the 13 acres that slide into the Ocean.

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the caribbean is at war. the french and spanish troops stomp all over the land. explosions light up the night. one pirate stands to end this madness. who is it? it is former french admiral sam hullsteel. alongside two of his great friends, sven helmfoote and mackenzie parite, he hopes to end the war once and for all.

French presence in the Caribbean at this time was slim to none. The Spanish had control of all of North America, and the Western half of South America. What ended the war was compromise by Spain due to enormous loss at the hands of the Buccaneer, and the lands were divided between Spain and England.