Mark G. Hanna offers a unique perspective on the roles played by piracy in the formation of the British colonial project. In Pirate Nests and the Rise of the British Empire, 1570 to 1740 (University of North Carolina Press for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, 2015), Hanna weaves a fascinating tale from legal and commercial sources to illustrate ways that the English government often tolerated, and at times encouraged predation on the high seas. The goods obtained in these thinly disguised robberies not only helped prime the economic pump of the England’s North American and Caribbean colonies, they were often vital for their survival during their early years. The tide turned against unregulated privateering and outright piracy after London reformed key aspects of overseas trade. As a result, formerly scarce commodities became widely available in the New World, diminishing the demand for stolen property. Simultaneously, the royal government also sought to rationalize its legal system, making it easier for Admiralty courts to prosecute pirates while also simplifying process of selling off goods seized by legitimate privateers who operated with the king’s permission.

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