Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

chasing vessels on the high sea; while the English term ‘privateering’ bears an
equal legal meaning. 9 But the term ‘corsair’ has different linguistic and cultural
connotations: in Mediterranean languages, it means ‘privateer’ or private owner
of a vessel who legally engages in chasing enemy shipping. In English,
however, it is usually used as a synonym for ‘pirate.’ 10 From the beginning of
the 16 th century to early 19 th century, the term ‘corsair’ was particularly
attached to the Muslim seafarers who were active along the North African coast
in as much the same way as ‘buccaneer,’ for example, was used to describe
Caribbean Sea pirates. 11
1. 1. Corsairing or Retaliatory Muslim Warfare
On the European shores of the Mediterranean, corsairing became an
economic asset; it made the wealth of such cities as Naples, Palermo, Leghorn,
(Italy), Valetta (Malta), Marseille (France), and many others. Those became
prosperous markets were prizes and slaves were sold. 12
For Malta, particularly,
piracy had acquired such a magnitude that by the 15 th century it was sanctioned
as corsairing. It played so an important role in the economy of the island that it
became its principle source of income. It was also a redoubtable weapon that
had been used against the Muslims ever since the expulsion of the Knights of
St. John from the Holy Lands and Rhodes by the Muslims. For those reasons,
9 “Privateering,” The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001. (Accessed 26 May 2008).
10 “Pirate,” The Oxford Pocket Thesaurus of Current English, 2008. (Accessed 26 May 2008).
Synonyms of pirate include: buccaneer, rover, sea rover, sea robber, corsair, freebooter.
11 Frank R. Stockton. Buccaneers and Pirates of our Coasts (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers,
1898), p. 3; “Corsair,” Microsoft Encarta Premium Suite 2005. (Accessed 16 May 2008).
12 Jean-Louis Delmasso, “La peur des corsaires barbaresques en Mediterranean à l’époque moderne à
travers l’exemple de Nice et son arrière-pays,” Pays Vésubien, 2 (2001), p. 51.
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