n their heyday, the sight of a pirate ship on the horizon would strike terror into the hearts of their intended victims. The colourful yet fearsome reputation of the pirate still resonates today and the sight of the skull and crossbones retains its thrilling power. The lives of the most famous of their brethren have been immortalised, initially in the pamphlets of the time, now in films and books. Telling the full story of piracy from the 'buccaneering era' of 17th century to the last great piratical wave of the early 19th century, this book explores the generally short and bloody life of the pirate, detailing his ship, weaponry and codes of behaviour, as well as his most famous exploits. It is the gripping tale of the violent and deadly brigands who roamed the high seas in search of plunder. The book contains previously published material from Elite 67: Pirates 1660-1730, Elite 69: Buccaneers 1620-1700,Elite 74: Privateers & Pirates 1730-1830 andNew Vanguard 70: The Pirate Ship 1660-1730

Angus Konstam hails from the Orkney Islands, and is the author of over 50 books, 30 of which are published by Osprey. This acclaimed and widely published author has written several books on piracy, including The History of Pirates and Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate. A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as the Curator of Weapons at the Tower of London and as the Chief Curator of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He now works as a full-time author and historian, and lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.