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 the fight against terrorism. The scholar avoids the romanticization of pirate life common in modern culture and examines 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, highlighting the role of the state in encouraging piracy throughout history: from the 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 — discussing crusader pirates, exotic whaling 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 attacks.