In 1718, more than 200 seafarers charged with piracy received clemency from the British monarchy. Steven C. Hahn delves into the experiences of these “former” pirates in “A Pirate’s Life No More.”

While Hahn considers notable pirates such as Benjamin Hornigold and Charles Vane, the majority of this text focuses on the lives of lesser-known buccaneers.

Through a thorough investigation of these pirates, the book restores their humanity, intertwines the narrative of maritime piracy with the terrestrial communities that occasionally supported it, and sheds light on the interconnected histories of various locations in the Atlantic realm.

Hahn discloses that, for the majority of individuals, acts of piracy were temporary and opportunistic. Social class, age, and geographic divisions affected the pirate community, preventing them from embracing any unified ideology to rationalize their deeds. Thanks to greater social and economic resources, some pirates managed to secure pardons for their misdeeds and swiftly reverted to legitimate maritime endeavors.

Alongside the typical resources utilized by maritime historians, Hahn taps into local administrative documents from Britain and its American territories, including property, court, and church records. Employing these secondary sources, he reveals new perspectives on the everyday activities of sailors when they were not engaged in piracy, and examines their lives in the Bahamas and beyond after receiving pardons. This collective biography brings forth pirates who were seafarers, certainly, but also husbands, fathers, church members, and landowners.

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