Piracy and Sixteenth-Century Ireland A Social History of Ireland's Contribution to Pre-Golden Age Piracy

摘要

This thesis examines a selection of High Court of Admiralty depositions pertaining to Ireland in the sixteenth-century. The seventeenth-century ushered in the ‘Golden Age’ of piracy as well as the plantation of southern Ireland by pirates. Prior to this, the Irish Sea was already active with ‘gentlemen of fortune’ plying their trade, acting as pawns of war, and providing goods through a black-market; thus creating the foundations for the expansion that followed. This thesis analyses the nature of piracy and its relationship with Ireland during the sixteenth century, by illustrating who may have gained from acts of seaborne depredation; and will further illuminate why the island was such a choice location for pirates to operate from and later relocate to. Following a political overview of sixteenth-century Ireland this thesis will cover three chapters, each focusing on a different level of society that benefited from piracy. Each section will analyses a set of cases, comprised of individual depositions, to understand the relationship of ‘political’ piracy, ‘official’ piracy and ‘buyer and merchant’ piracy in the context of Pre-Golden Age Ireland. The sources used in this study from the High Court of Admiralty are a resource that have remained largely untapped. The collection has yet to be edited and translated fully. The manuscripts held in the National Archives also remain un-digitized and are at risk of being lost from damage and general degradation. The present work helps to highlight the value of the Court of Admiralty records. The scans presented in the appendices and enclosed pen drive ensures the preservation of this important data as it relates to Ireland in the sixteenth century.