The History of Piracy: From Vikings to the Present Day

A compact yet thorough work by Peter Lehr, one of the world's leading experts on maritime security and counter-terrorism. The scholar avoids the common romanticization of pirate life in modern culture and treats piracy as a business, exploring the interests behind it. The author analyzes the motives for choosing this risky "profession" and the economic reasons for the phenomenon, shedding light on the role of the state in encouraging piracy throughout history: from privateers sanctioned by Queen Elizabeth I to modern-day bandits operating off the coast of Africa.

In three parts, Lehr provides a detailed and comprehensive picture of the emergence, development, and decline (albeit incomplete) of global piracy - telling about crusader pirates, exotic voka and orang-louts, buccaneers and privateers, pirate ports and dens, raids on cities and the "good life", robotic ships, rules of conduct for hostages, and advanced strategies for protecting vessels from attack.