The Barbary Pirates

The Barbary Coast

• Consisted of four states: Morocco, Tripoli, Tunis, and Algieria

• Established by Barbarossa in the 16th century

• Pledged the states to the Ottoman Empire

Corsairs• The Barbary Corsairs were

privateers who had been operating out of the Ottoman Empire since the Crusades

• The leading Corsairs were Saracens• Muslims who preyed upon

Christians• Operated out of several infamous

ports including Algiers, Sale, Tripoli, and Tunis

• Favored galleys that were fast and maneuverable in shallow water

• Used terror tactics to force merchant vessels to surrender

Importance

• As Muslims, they were sworn to oppose Christians

• Were created during the Crusades

• Took slaves rather than killed them

• Those who converted to Islam were treated as equals and avoided slavery

Protection Money• The Barbary States demanded annual tribute from seafaring nations

(tribute allowed their ships to sail unmolested across the Barbary Coast and to trade in African ports)

• By the 18th Century, most of the European powers paid tribute routinely• After 1783, America was no longer under protection from the pirates

(through relationship to Britain)• In the late 18th century, the U.S. gov’t agreed to pay tribute to each of

the pirate states

The Great Debate

• Adams and Jefferson disagreed about how to handle the Corsairs

• Adams strongly favored paying off the pirates

• Jefferson vehemently disagreed

The First Barbary War

• In May 1801, both sides declared war • An American squadron chased the Corsairs back into the

Mediterranean• The squadron accomplished little:

– An unsuccessful blockade was enacted, with help from Sweden

– Encouraged Sweden’s active participation, mutual benefit

– Let the pirates know America would not tolerate them any longer

• America tried numerous ineffective assaults over the course of the next few years

The Philadelphia• In 1803, the American Frigate the

Philadelphia pursued an enemy into an uncharted reef

• The Philadelphia caught on a sandbar and was forced to an embarrassing surrender

• American Commodore Edwin Preble was forced to decide the best course of action

• He ordered a raid, and Lieutenant Stephen Decatur successfully carried it out

• This was the most effective victory by the Americans to date in the war

A New Course of Action

• The United States opted to pit the Arabs against themselves• Yusuf Karamanli was the Bashaw of Tripoli, but his brother, Hamet,

was the rightful owner to the throne• Hamet was convinced by the Americans to overthrow Yusuf• American marines and Hamet’s ragtag army marched hundreds of

miles across the desert from Egypt• They successfully seized the city of Derna• Victory! Yusuf was compelled to sign a peace treaty

War’s End?

• Peace was negotiated, though Yusuf was never overthrown

• The return of American prisoners was guaranteed• Overall, not much really changed

– Only Tripoli made an agreement– The other Barbary States weren’t bound by

terms• American vessels traded freely for about the next

decade, until incidents with Algiers flared

Importance • The Barbary Wars prompted the U.S. to build a navy

• The wars united the American armed forces (people fought as marines rather than Georgians and New Yorkers)

• Signaled the weakened status of the Barbary States

• Proved that America could execute a war far from home (first real test of American military power)

• Provided valuable military training

• Made the Americans overconfident in their abilities--

War of 1812

The Second Barbary War

• During the War of 1812, the pirate states increased their attacks on American shipping

• Ended swiftly (the American navy was much more seasoned after the war of 1812)

• Ended all tribute payments by the United States to pirate states

• By 1830 most European nations had followed suit

Importance• Tribute payments stopped because:

– Britain and Holland followed America’s lead and bombarded the Algerian fleets and fortifications

– French colonialism challenged American and Dutch activity

– Italy overthrew the Bashaw of Tripoli and created Libya

• 19th century Imperial colonialism put an end to the piracy– America’s victories

against the pirates set the stage for this colonialism