Description
Book SynopsisOften romanticized in print and on the silver screen, real-life pirates were a brutal menace that plagued the high seas. In this book, Angus Konstam separates myth from reality, tracing the history of piracy through the centuries, from the pirates who plagued the Ancient Egyptians to the Viking raids and on to the era of privateers. He discusses the so-called Golden Age of Piracy and colorful characters such as Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, before examining the West''s initial encounters with Eastern pirates off the Chinese coast and the phenomenon of the modern pirate. Highly illustrated with color images and specially commissioned maps throughout, this is a unique exploration of the pirate world.
Table of ContentsIntroduction /1.Pirates of the Ancient World /2. Medieval Pirates /3.The Sea Dogs of the Renaissance /4. Mediterranean Corsairs /5. The Buccaneers /6. The Golden Age of Piracy /7. The Pirate Round /8. The Last of the Pirates /9. The Chinese Pirates /10. Modern Piracy /11. Pirates in Fiction /Conclusion /Notes /Select Bibliography /Index