A privateer was a private person authorized by a country's government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping. Privateering was an accepted part of naval warfare from the 16th to the 19th centuries, authorised by all significant naval powers.

Notable privateers Wetheman (active 1151/52 – c.1170), Danish, Wendish Crusade Victual Brothers or Vitalians or Likedeelers 1360–1401 Gödeke Michels (leader of the Likedeelers) 1360–1401 Klaus Störtebeker, Wismar, (leader of the Likedeelers), 1360–1401 Didrik Pining, German, c. 1428–1491 Paul Beneke, German, born in Hanseatic City of Danzig, Pomerelia c. 1440s–1490s Kemal Reis, Turkish, c. 1451–1511 Oruç Reis (Barbarossa), Turkish, c. 1474–1518 Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, Turkish, 1478–1546 Turgut Reis (Dragut), Turkish, c. 1485–1565 Timoji, Hindu, 1496–1513 Murat Reis the Older, Turkish, c. 1506–1609 Sir Francis Drake, English, c. 1540–1596 Sir George Somers, English 1554–1610 Captain Christopher Newport, English, c. 1561–1617 Magnus Heinason, Faroese, c. 1568–1578 privateer in Dutch service under the Dutch revolt and 1580s, and privateer and merchant in Danish service on the Faroe Islands c. 1578–1589 Piet Hein, Dutch, 1577–1629 Alonso de Contreras, Spanish, 1582–1641, privateer against the Turks under the banner of the Order of Malta and later commanded Spanish ships James Erisey, English, 1585–1590s Peter Easton, England/Newfoundland, c. 1611–1614 Sir Henry Morgan, Welsh, 1635–1688 Jean Bart, French, 1651–1702 William Dampier, English, 1652–1715 William Kidd, Scottish, c. 1654–1701 Nicolas Baeteman, Dunkirker 1659–1720 Alexander Dalzeel, Scotland, c. 1662–1715 René Duguay-Trouin, French, 1673–1736 Kanhoji Angre, Maratha, 1698–1729 Lars Gathenhielm, Swedish, 1710–1718 Ingela Gathenhielm, Swedish, 1710/18–1721 Fortunatus Wright, English of Liverpool, 1712–1757 David Hawley, colonial United States, 1741–1807 Jonathan Haraden, colonial United States, 1744–1803 William Death, English, 1756 Alexander Godfrey, colonial Nova Scotia, 1756–1803 Jose Campuzano-Polanco, colonial Santo Domingo, 1689-1760 Etienne Pellot, aka "the Basque Fox", French, 1765–1856 Noah Stoddard, United States, 1755-1850 Robert Surcouf, French, 1773–1827 John Goodrich (1722-1785), Loyalist privateer in the American Revolution David McCullough, colonial United States, 1777-1778 Jean Gaspard Vence, French, –1783 Joseph Barss, Colonial Nova Scotia, 1776–1824 Jean Lafitte 1776–1854, French Louisiana hero in the Gulf of Mexico John Ordronaux (privateer), United States, 1778–1841 Ephraim Sturdivant, United States, 1782–1868 Hipólito Bouchard, Argentina, 1783–1843 Otway Burns, North Carolina, United States 1775–1850

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