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The Barbary Corsairs: Warfare in the Mediterranean

Title: The Barbary Corsairs: Warfare in the Mediterranean

Auhor: Jacques Heers

Publisher: Greenhill Books

Reviewer: Duncan Walker

Rating (out of 10): 8

Review:

Covering the period of 1480 to 1580 this book covers the exploits of the pirates (corsairs) of the Mediterranean, who are normally overlooked in favour of their more Hollywood friendly Caribbean cousins.

Perhaps this is because the corsairs of the Mediterranean where Muslims, who for over a century preyed on western shipping and costal towns, carrying many people of to slavery in the markets of Algiers.

This is a truly fascinating book describing the struggle for power in the Mediterranean between the western powers and the Muslim-sponsored corsairs. As well as providing a wonderful description of the lives of the people who live and died in the North African ports that gave home to the corsairs.

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