History Main / Privateer

Often used to allow the {{pirate}} atmostphere without some of the... less civilized parts. Turning into a real pirate was a recurring problem with privateers. Of course, [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters one nation's "privateer" is often another nation's "pirate"]].

Compare and contrast with PrivateMilitaryContractors. Do not confuse with ''Privateer'', a SpinOff of the ''WingCommander'' games which we really ought to have an article for.

* In theory, you start out as one of these in ''{{Sid Meiers Pirates}}''. Doesn't stop you from potentially turning against your employers, though.

* Futuristic version in the ''WingCommander: Privateer'' games.

* Since it was written in the 18th century, the U.S. Constitution provides for the issuing of Letters of Marque by Congress. A quick search [[http://www.constitution.org/mil/lmr/lmr.htm shows]] that Congress exercised this power during the War of 1812, and the last U.S. craft alleged to operate under a Letter of Marque was the Goodyear blimp ''Resolute'', which engaged in anti-submarine patrols in 1941 and 1942. It's been proposed that the United States issue Letters of Marque in response to the September 11, 2001, attack. While the practice has been foresworn by nations signatory to the Paris Declaration of 1856, the U.S. is not a signatory (issuing Letters of Marque is an enumerated power of Congress, it would take a Constitutional Amendment to remove it), but has abided by the provisions anyway. Once countries could afford adequate full-time navies, privateers became unnecessary.

Often used to allow the {{pirate}} atmostphere [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything without some of the... less civilized parts]]. Turning into a real pirate was a recurring problem with privateers. Of course, [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters one nation's "privateer" is often another nation's "pirate"]].

* Privateering is a major focus of MichaelCrichton's novel ''The Pirate Latitudes''.

* If Patrick O'Brian's [[MasterAndCommander Jack Aubrey]] novels are to be believed, British naval vessels were sometimes placed on a form of detached duty that he called a "cruise". While on a cruise, a ship's captain was permitted to take captured enemy vessels as prizes. He would then sell them through a "prize agent", and every crewman would receive part of the money.

* In ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' Lord Cutler Beckett offers pirate Jack Sparrow a Letter of Marque in exchange for his compass.

* ''AxisPowersHetalia'' has a number of strips which detail the story of England's privateers. Basically, England found a few pirates that were causing him trouble, and told them to "go beat up that Spain guy". They did, allowing England to get the upper hand over Spain. Whenever Spain complained to England, he would just apologize and say that the pirates were causing him trouble, too. That is, until Spain went over to England's house and saw him giving medals to the privateers. Whoops.

Often used to allow the pirate atmostphere [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything without some of the... less civilized parts]]. Turning into a real pirate was a recurring problem with privateers. Of course, [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters one nation's "privateer" is often another nation's "pirate"]].

Often used to allow the pirate atmostphere [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything without some of the... less civilized parts]]. Turning into a real pirate was a recurring problem with privateers.

* In CrossGen's ''ElCazador'', [[PirateGirl Lady Sin's]] first minor adversary is the English privateer Redhand Harry.

* Since it was written in the 18th century, the U.S. Constitution provides for the issuing of Letters of Marque by Congress. A quick search [[http://www.constitution.org/mil/lmr/lmr.htm shows]] that Congress exercised this power during the War of 1812, and the last U.S. craft to operate under a Letter of Marque was the Goodyear blimp ''Resolute'', which engaged in anti-submarine patrols in 1941 and 1942. It's been proposed that the United States issue Letters of Marque in response to the September 11, 2001, attack.

A type of {{Pirate}}.

A privateer was a private person or private warship authorized by a nation's government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping. Privateers were only entitled by their state to attack and rob enemy vessels during wartime. Privateers were part of naval warfare of some nations from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The crew of a privateer, if captured, might be treated as prisoners of war by the enemy nation. The costs of commissioning privateers was borne by investors hoping to gain a significant return from prize money earned from enemy merchants.

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* The Seven Warlords of the Sea of ''OnePiece'' are seven highly powerful pirates who've had their [[PowerLevels bounties]] canceled in exchange for working autonomously on TheGovernment's behalf. They're notoriously hard to control, and some, like [[MagnificentBastard Crocodile]], are/were actively working against the World Government.

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** In some versions (Civilization 3, for instance), the Privateer unit has a hidden nationality, meaning you can attack without the victim knowing who's responsible.

* The Shichibukai of ''OnePiece'' are seven highly powerful pirates who've had their [[PowerLevels bounties]] canceled in exchange for working autonomously on TheGovernment's behalf. They're notoriously hard to control, and some, like [[MagnificentBastard Crocodile]], are/were actively working against the World Government.

* In the second ''BrokenSword'' game, two NPCs are the descendants of a privateer (''not'' [[InsistentTerminology a pirate]]) who claim he was falsely accused of acting without the correct papers by a governor and hung in order to get at his fortune.

* Since it was written in the 18th century, the U.S. Constitution provides for the issuing of Letters of Marque by Congress. A quick search [[http://www.constitution.org/mil/lmr/lmr.htm shows]] that Congress exercised this power during the War of 1812, and the last U.S. craft to operate under a Letter of Marque was the Goodyear blimp ''Resolute'', which engaged in anti-submarine patrols in 1941 and 1942. It's been proposed that the United States issue Leters of Marque in response to the September 11, 2001, attack.

Compare and contrast with PrivateMilitaryContractors.

* The Seven Warlords of the Sea of ''OnePiece'' are seven highly powerful pirates who've had their [[PowerLevels bounties]] canceled in exchange for working autonomously on TheGovernment's behalf. They're notoriously hard to control, and some, like [[MagnificentBastard Crocodile]], are/were actively working against the World Government.