• 14th_cylon@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Piracy explicitly is not stealing.

    Piracy is attacking ships at sea and is usually done in order to rob them.

    • egonallanon@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      This is why you get a letter of marque to give you legitimacy. I’ve been letioning my government for one endlessly so I can attack Russian shipping in the balkans.

      • Uriel-238@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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        1 year ago

        A letter of marque means you can find safe port at colonies of the issuing state so long as you are attacking its enemies (usually Spanish vessels during the Golden Age).

    • VivaceMoss@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      And privateering is piracy when you have the consent of a government to attack ships belonging to another government

      • Uriel-238@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Privateering usually meant the state’s navy issued the ship and demanded a substantial share of the prize leading to creative accounting at sea. It was a deal taken typically by naval officers who might otherwise be tempted to desert when going on the account is offering better prizes and career options. (Desertion to piracy was a big problem in the Queen’s Navee.)