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Barbary Corsairs, the Infamous Seaborne Plunderers
In ancient times, life on the open seas and the coasts was far from peaceful as it is today. For all the open waters were ripe for plunder - by pirates thirsty for loot. One of these pirate groups of ancient times were the Barbary Corsairs, also known as Barbary pirates or Ottoman corsairs. They were infamous privateers and plunderers who operated from the North African coast, particularly from the ports of Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Salé.
These pirates were active from the late 15th century AD until the 19th century, terrorizing the Mediterranean Sea and even reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Their activities had significant impacts on the European powers and their colonies, shaping maritime law and international relations alike. These corsairs were predominantly Muslim and worked under the auspices of the Ottoman Empire, though they often acted with considerable independence. Eventually their infamous activities were curtailed.
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