Would you believe that from the 17th to 19th centuries Africa slave traders came to the coast of Devon and Cornwall and took English people to sell in the slave markets in North Africa!
But it wasn’t just the English they took.
Who were they?
They were the Barbary Pirates from the North Africa ports of Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli and they terrorised Cornwall and Devon for centuries but were most troublesome in the 17th century.
What did they do?
For example, in August 1625 Barbary Pirates raided Mount’s Bay, taking 60 men, women and children into slavery. By 1626 fishing boats out of Looe, Penzance, Mousehole and other Cornish ports were repeatedly being boarded, their crews being taken into slavery and their empty ships being left to drift. At this time there were around 60 pirates prowling the Devon and Cornish coasts; attacks were occurring almost daily, which led Admiral Sir John Eliot to declare the seas around England “seem’d theirs.”
What did the English do?
Well, by 1640 it was thought that 5,000 English slaves were held in captivity in Algiers, something had to be done. Charities were set up to pay ransoms to get them home, local fishing communities clubbed together to raise money to liberate their own. Then Parliament created a committee to pay the ransom of captives.
But the Barbary pirates kept coming, so that in 1645, another 240 men, women and children were kidnapped.
Edmund Cason’s mission.
Parliament then decided to send Edmund Cason to Algiers to negotiate a ransom for the release of the English slaves. He was successful, up to a point, he paid £150 per man, however, the women were more expensive costing £300! He managed to free 250 people before he ran out of money.
Oliver Cromwell’s reaction.
He was furious about it, so he ordered that all captured pirates be taken to Bristol and slowly drowned!
He followed this up by giving the order that Lundy Island, where the pirates had made their base, was to be attacked and bombarded. Which they did, but it didn’t stop them, it still went on, and on, and on!
What happened to their hostages?
They were sold in slave markets to Africa and the Ottoman Empire to be used as labourers or in the galleys to man the oars while the women were traded as concubines.
In 1675 Sir John Narborough, backed by a Royal Navy squadron, managed to negotiate a peace with Tunis. Heavy naval bombardment by the British had brought about a similar peace with Tripoli.
Unfortunately, they didn’t last long!
Where did the Barbary Pirates come from?
They were from the city states on the southern rims of the Mediterranean Sea, an area that was spread along the coasts of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. These city states were becoming rich on the success of their raiding parties, which they would then sell in their markets to North Africa and The Ottoman Empire.
We weren’t the only ones targeted.
The Barbary pirates originally went on raids that targeted the Mediterranean coasts, they then moved into the Atlantic to the Netherlands, Ireland and southwest Britain. In fact, on occasions, they went even further and reached Iceland!
Then they targeted American Ships!
This happened after American independence, when in 1784, the first American ship was grabbed by the Barbary pirates. Then at the end of 1793, a dozen American ships had been captured, goods stripped, then everyone enslaved. This is what led to the creation of the United States Navy in March 1794, they didn’t have one before!
To get their people back they began paying “tribute”, not a good idea as it meant that by 1800 the US Government was paying in ransom and tribute fees 20% of all their government’s annual income!
It couldn’t continue.
This led to two Barbary Wars along the North African coast: the First Barbary War from 1801 to 1805 and the Second Barbary War in 1815. Eventually by 1815, naval victories ended tribute payments by the United States.
The start of the end came about when in 1816 the British navy occupied Algiers and liberated 4,000 slaves!
It went on a little longer, but by 1830 it had ended, nevertheless for 200 odd years the Barbary Pirates had, it seemed as they pleased, rampaged in coastal towns across the northern Mediterranean and North Seas taking hostages at will.
Isn’t history interesting?
10 questions to discuss:
- Beyond Devon and Cornwall: While the blog focuses on attacks in Southwest England, were there documented raids by Barbary pirates on other parts of the British Isles or mainland Europe?
- Resistance and Defense: Did coastal communities in Devon and Cornwall develop any measures to defend themselves against the pirates, such as fortifications or vigilance systems?
- Motivations and Strategies: What factors drove the Barbary Pirates to target English communities specifically? Were their strategies different when raiding other regions?
- Life in Captivity: What were the typical experiences of English captives under Barbary rule? Did their treatment vary depending on their age, gender, or social status?
- Alternative Solutions: Beyond ransoms and military action, were there any diplomatic or economic attempts to deter or appease the Barbary Pirates?
- Impact on English Society: How did the threat of Barbary pirates affect daily life and social structures in Devon and Cornwall? Did it lead to increased fear, migration, or changes in maritime practices?
- International Cooperation: Did England collaborate with other European powers to combat the Barbary threat, or were their responses primarily individual?
- Legacies of Slavery: How did the experience of English slavery under the Barbary Pirates influence later perceptions of slavery and the slave trade in England?
- Modern Parallels: Are there any historical or contemporary conflicts that share similarities with the Anglo-Barbary conflicts, in terms of piracy, hostage-taking, or ransom demands?
- Further Research: What primary sources or historical accounts could one explore to learn more about specific raids, individuals involved, or the wider context of the Anglo-Barbary conflicts?
These questions are aimed to delve deeper into the blog’s content and explore the broader historical context of the Barbary Pirates and their impact on England.
For more on the Barbary Pirates:
https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/white-slaves-barbary-002171
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/barbary-wars
© Tony Dalton