MO3063 Pirates and Privateers in Early Modern Scottish History (previously SC3048)
   
Lecturer Professor Steve Murdoch (St Katharine's Lodge, room 1.14)
   
Credits 30
   
Availability 2011-2012 - semester 2
   
Class Hour view timetable
   
Description This module explores the engagement of Scots in combating and participating in piratical and privateering activities in the Early Modern Period. The course follows the development of armed maritime forces as the nation pondered the abject failure of the Scottish regular navy and the futility of employing capital ships such as the Great Michael. The resulting armed merchantmen were employed in times of war to great effect, for example doubling the size of the Scottish merchant fleet through the capture of Dutch ships in the second Anglo-Dutch war alone. When not employed by the government many headed out of European waters to put their privateering skills to use for personal gain resulting in some of history’s most notorious pirates.
   
Basic Reading
  • A. Forte, A. Little and S. Murdoch, Scottish Privateering and the Anglo-Dutch Wars (2006)
  • D. Defoe, A General History of the Pyrates (1724)
  • Eric Graham, Seawolves: Pirates & the Scots (2005)
  • R. Zacks, Pirate Hunter: Captain Kidd (2002)
  • B. Little, The Sea Rover's Practice: Pirate Tactics and Techniques, 1630-1730
  • 'The Records of the High Court of Admiralty of Scotland 1620 - 1750' CD-ROM compiled and edited by Sue Mowat & Eric J. Graham, foreword by Professor T.C. Smout.
   

Course Structure
  1. Introduction
  2. The Great Michael: The End of Scottish Naval Ambition?
  3. Coastal Defence, Pirate Attacks and Corsairs in Scotland
  4. Orkney ‘Pirates’ and the 1612 Assaults on Norway
  5. The Privateer Wars against France and Spain 1625-1629
  6. Letters of Reprisal: Captain Orrok and the ‘Hamburg War’ 1630-1641
  7. Prince Rupert and the Royalist Fleet 1649-1660
  8. The Second Anglo-Dutch War
  9. The Third Anglo-Dutch War
  10. Pirates of the Caribbean
  11. Revision Seminar
   
Assessment 60% examination - 3-hour paper
40% coursework
   

Learning Outcomes
  • Knowledge of a key part of Scottish history and the important role of sea to the nations defence and economic development
  • A developed and critical approach to Scotland’s place in maritime historiography
  • Enhanced skills in source interrogation and comprehension
  
   
Restrictions None