Why did England produce so many pirates?

[Ruggery]

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the golden age of piracy, the vast majority of famous pirates are British, especially English, hence the stereotype that England is a nation of pirates and thieves.

[Colonel Frank Grimes]

Initially, it was plausible deniability.

In 16th century Spaniards were all like, "Why the fuck are all these faggots from your island?" The British would say, "I don't know, dude. We don't like it, either. We'll do something about it." They never did anything about it because the British government was funding piracy and was getting a cut of the profits.

During wars of the 17th and 18th century privateers of all countries would try to wreck the opposing nation's shipping and, amusingly, when wars were over these unemployed privateers would often become pirates attacking ships from their own country. The exception was Spain because Spanish privateers could find work as part of the Coast Guard in the Caribbean.

[Ruggery]

Initially, it was plausible deniability.

In 16th century Spaniards were all like, "Why the fuck are all these faggots from your island?" The British would say, "I don't know, dude. We don't like it, either. We'll do something about it." They never did anything about it because the British government was funding piracy and was getting a cut of the profits.

It is obvious that this was a lie. England was aware of the problem of pirates and benefited a lot from them in their fight against the Spanish and French empire, sending pirates and corsairs against them, yes, they demanded a payment from the pirates in exchange for not being imprisoned.

During wars of the 17th and 18th century privateers of all countries would try to wreck the opposing nation's shipping and, amusingly, when wars were over these unemployed privateers would often become pirates attacking ships from their own country. The exception was Spain because Spanish privateers could find work as part of the Coast Guard in the Caribbean.

When England was not at war with any other nation, the war with the pirates broke up again, they became enemies of the crown again,
At that time, pirates also fought against other pirates for loot or power.

Never heard of any famous Spanish pirate.

[Andullero]

It is obvious that this was a lie. England was aware of the problem of pirates and benefited a lot from them in their fight against the Spanish and French empire, sending pirates and corsairs against them, yes, they demanded a payment from the pirates in exchange for not being imprisoned.


When England was not at war with any other nation, the war with the pirates broke up again, they became enemies of the crown again,
At that time, pirates also fought against other pirates for loot or power.

Never heard of any famous Spanish pirate.

They were hardly alone on that. The French and the Dutch also produced plenty of infamous ones (although the latter had the excuse of being fighting for their country's independence). Among the most infamous French ones, there was Montbars, called the exterminator, cuz' as the name implies, the kind of war he waged on Spanish shipping was the textbook, black flag one: No quarter given, none asked.

[Sebastianus Rex]

I was about to answer but that son of a gun Col. Grimes beat me ...so my answer is:
- why not?

[NSXD60]

To be fair the Brits did audition Spics, Wops, Frogs, etc., but all lacked the Arrr factor.

[Ruggery]

To be fair the Brits did audition Spics, Wops, Frogs, etc., but all lacked the Arrr factor.

[Ruggery]

They were hardly alone on that. The French and the Dutch also produced plenty of infamous ones (although the latter had the excuse of being fighting for their country's independence). Among the most infamous French ones, there was Montbars, called the exterminator, cuz' as the name implies, the kind of war he waged on Spanish shipping was the textbook, black flag one: No quarter given, none asked.

Although, as far as I know, the case of the French was not as great as that of the British, for every time they killed or captured 1, 3 more appeared,

The Dutch also had a lot but I think it's because the Dutch government was under Spanish control so they had no choice but to attack them that way.

[Ruggery]

I was about to answer but that son of a gun Col. Grimes beat me ...so my answer is:
- why not?

I imagine Spain interrogating England, and asks why all these thieves are from your country?
And England answers because it comes out of my ass.

By the way, in the history of Portugal were there Portuguese pirates?

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

I imagine Spain interrogating England, and asks why all these thieves are from your country?
And England answers because it comes out of my ass.

By the way, in the history of Portugal were there Portuguese pirates?

Portuguese pirates are not generally known in Portugal but they did exist, one of them is even credited for creating the first Pirate's Code (Bartolomeu Português). Piracy has been around since the first men were able to sail, right up to the present day.