Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade

Subject: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Amos
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 11:23 AM

In tracing the roots of the sea-ballad "High Barbary", I ran across this fascinating account of the terrible career of Jack Ward, English pirate, who trained the pirates of the Barbary Coast how to conduct their piracy effectively.

A rich and wonderful story, too good not to share around!

Regards,


A

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 01:40 PM

Amos--very interesting. Has the Atlantic Monthly put all of their old stuff online?

SRS

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: jeffp
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 02:13 PM

Thank you, Amos! A great read.

jeffp

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Amos
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 02:44 PM

I dunno, SRS -- I dodn't come in to it through the 'front door'. As is usual with data searches, I tripped over it because of some phrase or other.

A grand resource it is if they have!

A

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Jeanie
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 03:06 PM

Amos, and others, you might be interested in this website:
Barbary Pirates
of a TV programme shown in the UK earlier this year, about the Barbary Pirates and the slave trade. Very interesting BBC TV programme, which may find its way to the States, and lots of information on the website.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 03:06 PM

SRS- apparently so - see http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/backissues.htm

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Tr
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 09:27 PM

A.L. Lloyd sang a song about a pirate, who wanted to join the King's, forces, but was rejected haughtily because of being a pirate, so he took to the sea again and increased his depredations. "The King's High Reindeer" sought him out to sink him, but after a long battle he sent them home with their tail between their legs, with the admonition, "He may reign king on the land, but I shall reign king on the sea!"

Not the exact facts, but I wonder if it wasn't inspired by Ward's career?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Tr
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 09:28 PM

Or, come to think of it, was it Ewan McColl who sang that? No matter.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 10:01 PM

But they charge for accessing the articles - see here.

Mind, I suspect that if you knew exactly what you were looking for there'd be ways of getting round that.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: LadyJean
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 10:33 PM

Ward must have inspired Raphael Sabatini's novel, "The Sea Hawk", which is available as a trade paperback. Of course Sabatini's pirate gets the girl and goes home to England. But that's Sabatini.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Tr
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 11:06 PM

Amos, an article in the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica lists Barbary piracy as early as 1492. See it here:

http://www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Topics/history/American_and_Military/Barbary_Pirates/Britannica_1911*.html

I can't get a decent clicky made, for some reason, but that's the URL I copied.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 11:59 PM

For heavens Sakes, doesn't anyone remember Barbarossa (c. 1482-1518) and his brother, Khaireddin (1482-1546), two renegade Greeks who terrorized the Mediterranean Sea as Turkish corsairs?

Ward was a Johnny-come-lately.

Barbarossa, invited to Algiers to fight Spaniards, killed the amir and took over. The Arabs decided they had had enough and invited the Spaniards back; they captured Barbarossa and beheaded him. The brother, however, took over and conquered Tunis as well.

Khaireddin seemingly worked not only both sides of the street, but but aided the French in taking Nice.
With thousands of captives, he went to Constantinople in triumph and died a natural death.

These notes from Chamber's Encyclopaedia.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 01:24 PM

Noted that the word barbarous started to appear in English print in the 1500s. The word, from the Greek and also used by the Romans, in a broad sense meant a foreigner. In English, it took on added meanings.

Idle speculation- Did its appearance in English had anything to do with the feats of Barbarossa in the Mediterranean?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 01:49 PM

It never occurred to me previously but it sounds as though "Berber" is another cognate of Barbary, barbarian, etc.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 02:36 PM

Berber, from the Arabic Barbar, )"to talk noisily and confusedly," acc. to the OED and Webster's). In some very ancient Arabic texts, but-
Others maintain that the word was adopted into Arabic from a foreign language, possibly Greek- and thus EBarnacle would be correct. (OED)

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Amos
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 07:41 PM

It's the name of one of the major tribes of Morocco, whose historic center is in the Atlas mountains of northeastern Morocco. They were renowned as fighters and were one of the major alliances that enabled Hassan I to unify the country.

A

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Gareth
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 07:58 PM

Still look on the bright side Amos. It provided a training ground for your Navy. - Much to the Royal Navy's later regret.

It's late here in Wales, so I can't look up the references, but i rather think that Nelson himself commented favourably on the cutting out and burning of the USS "President" in Tripoli (?), and invited Decature (?) to dine with him, as guest of honour.

And beside that, it gives that wonderfull opening to the Marine Hymn.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 08:25 PM

An interesting document may be read at American Memory. It is a claim for remuneration of the survivors and officers (Stephen Decatur commanding but only a Lieutenant) and crew of the ketch Intrepid for the destruction of the frigate Philadelphia at Tripoli in 1804. They were asking for $100,000. Further documents indicate that this dragged through Congress for several sessions. In one document he is referred to as Commodore, the title apparently posthumous.
Further documents detail the application for pension relief by Susan Decatur, his wife, after Decatur's death (only a Captain). Apparently this case went on for years.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Tr
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 09:57 PM

For those who might not know, "commodore" is not and never was a rank; it was a position, so to speak; the officer in command of a group (maybe only two) of ships for a mission. A commodore could be a lieutenant, (maybe an ensign, even, under some circumstances,) I think up to a post captain. I expect you wouldn't call an admiral given such an assignment "commodore".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 10:18 PM

Dave, I took this definition of commodore from Webster's Dictionary: "a commissioned officer in the Navy formerly ranking above captain and below rear admiral and having a rank of one star."

Since the rank as applied to Decatur appeared in the Congressional Papers that I was reading long after the events in the Mediterranean, I assumed it was a retirement rank for him, or one awarded posthumously.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Tr
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 10:32 PM

Well, I can be wrong (a handsome admission, if I ever heard one) but that's my understanding. My understanding of it, however, was out of what I've read of British practice at or about the Napoleonic wars; it could have been different in the United States Navy.

Also, it may be we're dealing with different times here.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Gareth
Date: 26 Oct 03 - 10:03 AM

Uncle DaveO - Yes, there was a difference between the US Navy and the Royal Navy.

In the RN a Commadore was a tempory rank given to the Senior Officer of a squadron, who had executive powers over the rest of the squadron.

There were 2 classes of Commadore - The First Class had a Captain under him. ie He was responsible for the squadron only, and a sepperate officer had the comand of the Pennant ship.

The Second class comanded his own ship as well.

In the USN - Commadore was a permenant rank.

Gareth

Subject: ADD: Barbarossa
From: cetmst
Date: 19 May 04 - 08:40 PM

BARBAROSSA

Old Barbarossa sleeps there
In castle underground.
A magic spell still keeps there
The emperor spellbound.

Death's call has never biddden
Him leave his house of clay;
But in the castle hidden,
He sleeps the time away.

The riches of his kingdom
He took with him below;
But he will one day bring them,
When he comes back, we know.

He sits (so says the fable)
On chair of ivory made;
Of marble is the table
Whereon his head is laid.

His beard is long and flowing
All of a fiery red;
'Tis through the table growing,
On which he rests his head.

He nods as he were dreaming,
And winks with half-closed eye;
With glance all brightly beaming,
He bids his page draw nigh.

He speaks in sleep thus crying:
"Go to the castle door,
And see if still are flying
The ravens as before.

And if they still are flying -
The old birds round the hill -
Must I in slumber lying
A hundred years be still?"

From Third Music Reader, Luther Whiting Mason, 1880, no attribution

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 May 04 - 08:58 PM

Thanks for the lyrics to Barbarrosa. Much appreciated!

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 04 - 09:06 PM

I am not absolutely sure of the timing but I believe that up to the end of the Mexican Wars, the United States had no admirals, only a highest rank of commodore.

I have been told that the rank of Admiral was instituted in order to bring our system into agreement with those of the other sovereign nations with whom we exchanged salutes. In other words, our guys were interested in face and were coming up short in their dealings with other navies.

It would have also been disadvantageous to try to negotiate as an equal with someone whose nominal rank was higher than yours, no matter what the egalitarian desires of Congress were.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 May 04 - 11:29 PM

Lyr. Add: BARBAROSSA
Posted by cetmst

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 20 May 04 - 08:51 AM

Isn't that a different Barbarossa? The Holy Roman Emporor ( whose proper name was Charles?) is believed to be asleep somewhere awaiting Germany's hour of need much like King Arthur in Britain or Ogier the Dane in Denmark.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 20 May 04 - 09:21 AM

is there a tune to go with the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: cetmst
Date: 20 May 04 - 09:45 AM

Yes but I don't know how to reproduce it here. If you can PM me your address I'll send you a copy - Charles Taylor

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: michaelr
Date: 20 May 04 - 12:38 PM

Manitas is correct -- wrong Barbarossa (Redbeard). The fact that the song does not mention the sea at all should be a clue to that.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Wolfgang
Date: 24 May 04 - 05:39 AM

Yes, the song tells the tale of Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa sitting in the Kyffhäuser Mountain waiting for his comeback to lead Germany to new power.

click

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 May 04 - 08:30 PM

Barbarossa tune added, thanks to cetmst. Great song, even if it doesn't have anything to do with pirates.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 May 04 - 08:50 PM

Can someone add a verse or two to make the song applicable to both?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: cetmst
Date: 25 May 04 - 08:38 AM

"Of marble is the table whereon his head is laid" could refer to Pirate Barbarossa, and possibly expedite the connection.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 10:17 PM

hi

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Weasel Books
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 03:12 AM

The Tannahill Weavers perform an excelent Captain Ward (gae hame, gae hame, ye tinker, and tell your king from me, he may reign upon his dry land but I'll be king upon sea).

Burl Ives has the ballad in one of his books, which I can't find right now.

Sabatini based a large part of the Sea Hawk on Captain Ward's exploits. Was wondering if the lyrics couldn't be fiddled a bit to make a theme song.

The Barbary Corsairs raided all over Europe for hundreds of years, including the British Isles (some claim Sweden too), until the 18th century, then they were mostly a menace to Italy and Mediterranean shipping.

C. S. Forrester wrote a history on the American wars against them which is a good introduction.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: John C.
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 03:14 PM

Could I just point out that the ballad 'Captain Ward And The Rainbow' is in Child (no. 287)? It is, apparently, a black-letter ballad from the end of the 17th century.
I've recently learned a version of this ballad, called 'Ward the Pirate', from Roy Palmer's excellent book 'Folk Songs collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams' (Dent, 1983 - and more recently re-issued as 'Bushes and Briars', I think). RVW collected this song from a Mr James Carter, a fisherman of King's Lynn, Norfolk, in 1905.
I recommend that anyone who is interested should read Mr Palmer's note to this song. Briefly, he tells us that Ward was a fisherman, from Kent, who became a pirate in the Mediterranean, eventually dying of the plague, in Tunis, in 1622. Some years after Ward's death a captain in the British Navy named 'Rainsborrow' or 'Rainsborough', commander of the royal ship 'Samson' had some success against Barbary Corsairs in the Med. Palmer hypothesise that the later ballad writers may have got the two stories confused - hence brave Captain Rainsborrow was transformed into a ship called the Rainbow!!
Ewan MacColl did record a Scottish version of the ballad on a Critics Group LP ('Ye Mariners All' Argo ZDA 138). This version always makes me smile for the following reason: The old black letter version starts with, 'Strike up, you lusty gallants, with musick and sound of drum, For we have descryed a rover, upon the sea has come:...'. Mr Carter's version opens with: 'Come all you gallant seamen bold, all you that march to drum, Let's go and look for Captain Ward, for on the sea he roams..'. Ewan's Scottish version starts: 'Cam all ye jolly mariners, that love te tak a dram...'! Obviously Scottish mariners have different priorities!

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Weasel Books
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 03:03 AM

There were plenty of Europeans who 'went Turk' and became pirates. Even as late as the end of the 18th century. There was a Tripolitan admiral, Murad Bey, who was actualy Peter Lisle the Scot!

Burl Ives has a variant of the song called Henry Martin, where he is the youngest oif three brothers and draws the lot to turn robber on the salt sea.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 04:09 AM

Let's not forget the famous female pirate and her crew who were reluctant to go back to sea, preferring sunbathing: Barbary Ann and the Beach Boys.
RtS
(I'll just walk the plank...)

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: EBarnacle
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 10:50 AM

Roger, I thought 'twas Barbary Allen

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Ooh-Aah2
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 02:21 PM

I thought it was Barbie and Ken

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: Amos
Date: 16 Sep 09 - 09:38 AM

The New Yorker runs a fascinating book review discussing pirate crews as scruffy but vigorous democracies.

"On the evening of April 1, 1719, an English slave ship came to anchor near the mouth of the Rokel River, off the coast of what is now Sierra Leone. In the hold were linen and woollen goods that could be traded for slaves, fava beans to feed them, and, for the officers, cheese, butter, sugar, and Westphalia ham, as well as live geese, turkeys, ducks, and a sow. The captain, a devout man named William Snelgrave, was apprehensive, because the west coast of Africa was rife with pirates, who prized slave ships, not only for their cargo but also for their size and sturdiness. At eight o'clock, a watchman heard a rowboat. Snelgrave called for lanterns and ordered twenty armed sailors on deck, and others down into the steerage, where they could fire out of the ship's portholes. He then hailed the approaching boat, whose occupants replied that they had come from Barbados on a ship with the soothing name Two Friends. But they were invisible in the dark, and Snelgrave was mistrustful. Rightly so: soon after Snelgrave's crew brought him light, the strangers opened fire...."



A

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: theleveller
Date: 16 Sep 09 - 09:56 AM

In his book, Liberty Against the Law, Christopher Hill has a chapter on the pirate democracies in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How Barbary Pirates Learned Their Trade
From: meself
Date: 16 Sep 09 - 10:57 AM

"There were plenty of Europeans who 'went Turk' and became pirates."

My understanding (which may be flawed) is that the term 'went Turk' or 'turned Turk' indicates that the party in question converted to Islam (usually under duress), as was not uncommon among Europeans who were captured by the Barbary pirates and forced into slavery. Some such converts no doubt became pirates, but there were probably seamen who joined the Barbary pirates without converting, and others who retained their autonomy while forming alliances or 'understandings' with their Barbary counterparts.