American Pirates

An account of buccaneers who raided Spanish colonies from the 1500s to 1702. They were often called Flibustiers before becoming known as Buccaneers.

The buccaneers were English, French, and Dutch adventurers who operated in the Caribbean and Pacific from the late 1500s to early 1700s. They began as cattle hunters on Hispaniola before turning to piracy, attacking Spanish ships and settlements with increasing boldness. Their exploits reached their peak with the capture of Cartagena in 1697, where they demanded a massive ransom from the city. The buccaneers' history is marked by their shifting alliances with European powers, their brutal tactics against Spanish targets, and their eventual decline after the Treaty of Ryswick. Their legacy is one of relentless piracy, strategic warfare, and a complex relationship with European colonial powers that both supported and sought to control them.