• Complain

Gilkerson - A Thousand Years of Pirates

Here you can read online Gilkerson - A Thousand Years of Pirates full text of the book (entire story) in english for free. Download pdf and epub, get meaning, cover and reviews about this ebook. City: Toronto, year: 2009, publisher: Tundra Books, genre: Adventure. Description of the work, (preface) as well as reviews are available. Best literature library LitArk.com created for fans of good reading and offers a wide selection of genres:

Romance novel Science fiction Adventure Detective Science History Home and family Prose Art Politics Computer Non-fiction Religion Business Children Humor

Choose a favorite category and find really read worthwhile books. Enjoy immersion in the world of imagination, feel the emotions of the characters or learn something new for yourself, make an fascinating discovery.

No cover
  • Book:
    A Thousand Years of Pirates
  • Author:
  • Publisher:
    Tundra Books
  • Genre:
  • Year:
    2009
  • City:
    Toronto
  • Rating:
    4 / 5
  • Favourites:
    Add to favourites
  • Your mark:
    • 80
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5

A Thousand Years of Pirates: summary, description and annotation

We offer to read an annotation, description, summary or preface (depends on what the author of the book "A Thousand Years of Pirates" wrote himself). If you haven't found the necessary information about the book — write in the comments, we will try to find it.

From Vikings to conquistadores -- Sea dogs: Looting the looters -- Aristocratic pirates -- Brotherhood of the coast -- To the Indian Ocean -- Woodes Rogers: Privateer to pirate catcher -- On the account -- Twilight of the brotherhood -- Piratical legacy -- Pirates then to now -- Further reading -- Acknowledgments -- Index.;From the days of the Vikings to the present and in all the oceans of the world, pirates have made their presence known and feared. Recorded here are their stories along with striking images of ships, storms at sea, and secret harbors where black ships could be re-stocked and refitted.

Gilkerson: author's other books


Who wrote A Thousand Years of Pirates? Find out the surname, the name of the author of the book and a list of all author's works by series.

A Thousand Years of Pirates — read online for free the complete book (whole text) full work

Below is the text of the book, divided by pages. System saving the place of the last page read, allows you to conveniently read the book "A Thousand Years of Pirates" online for free, without having to search again every time where you left off. Put a bookmark, and you can go to the page where you finished reading at any time.

Light

Font size:

Reset

Interval:

Bookmark:

Make
This work is dedicated to my treasured captains Paul Erling Johnson Daniel - photo 1
This work is dedicated to my treasured captains Paul Erling Johnson Daniel - photo 2

This work is dedicated to my treasured captains, Paul Erling Johnson, Daniel Moreland, and Llewellyn Howland III.

CONTENTS
A Thousand Years of Pirates - image 3

A Thousand Years of Pirates - image 4

A Thousand Years of Pirates - image 5
FROM VIKINGS TO
CONQUISTADORES
A Thousand Years of Pirates - image 6

Pirates have been here from time before memory first on the waters of the Aegean Sea four thousand years ago, and later around Africa, throughout the Orient, off the islands of Indonesia, on the Pacific Ocean, and from the warm Sea of the Caribs to the wintry fjords of Scandinavia, where this account begins. It was in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway that Norsemen conceived the ships and the tactics that would be used by all of the generations of European pirates to follow.

THE VIKINGS I n ancient times the ancestors of the Vikings learned to - photo 7

THE VIKINGS
I n ancient times the ancestors of the Vikings learned to split and shape oak - photo 8

I n ancient times, the ancestors of the Vikings learned to split and shape oak trees into planks. These had a natural twist which, when laid opposite, made the shape of a boat. Several planks together, carefully sculpted and fitted by ax to a straight keel-piece and two end-pieces, made a vessel that could carry cargo and enough men to row it. Over the centuries, the beautifully crafted Norse boats evolved into ships that could crisscross all of the northern seas under sail, and then the oceans beyond, reaching even the shores of America, five hundred years before Columbus.

The same axes that shaped the Viking ships became fierce weapons in the hands of determined warriors. Though wooden swords and shields were used for sparring, starting in childhood, the sons of the Norsemen were taught by fathers, uncles, and neighbors to swing an ax at an opponent, or to throw it with deadly accuracy. According to the ancient religion of that place and time, warriors who fell in combat earned a seat for the rest of eternity in the mead halls of Valhalla, home to warlike gods and to mortal heroes slain nobly in battle. Meanwhile, until they met that fate, there was good marauding, trading, and pillaging to reward warriors, far from home.

With their seaworthy ships and characteristic ferocity the Vikings brought - photo 9

With their seaworthy ships and characteristic ferocity, the Vikings brought many battles to the coasts of Europe, especially to Scotland, Ireland, and England. In those waters cargo vessels waited to be captured, and there were prosperous settlements to plunder ashore. Although the usual tactic of the Norsemen was to make a fast raid and get out before any superior force could arrive, if there was no superior force in the neighborhood, they might simply take over and stay. They did this so often that in time they claimed much of Europes coastline.

The old Norse gods of war were eventually replaced by a new religion that was less bloody. In passing, however, the Vikings bequeathed their warrior instinct and their tactics to generations of European pirates. Everywhere they settled, they left their legacy.

THE CONQUISTADORES O ver time ships of the Vikings were widely copied by - photo 10

THE CONQUISTADORES
O ver time ships of the Vikings were widely copied by the Europeans They were - photo 11

O ver time, ships of the Vikings were widely copied by the Europeans. They were also altered and enlarged, giving them more decks for cargo, men, supplies, and eventually cannon. Aloft, the single square sail of the Norse ship evolved into several sails, with more masts, all enabling ever-greater voyages of discovery and conquest. In the most seaworthy ships ever built, and with cannon and other weapons more powerful than any of their time, the maritime nations of Europe had the means to plunder the world as quickly as they could explore it.

Portuguese sailors found their way around Africa, opening the route east to India and the Spice Isles beyond (soon to be exploited by the Dutch). Spanish mariners probed west, first under Columbus, and then, as gold was found, with growing fleets. Famously, Hernando Cortez landed on Mexicos east coast in 1519 with a small handful of vessels and men. Marching into the heart of the Aztec empire with fewer than two hundred soldiers, he immediately took sides in the local wars that he found, defeating the enemies of his chosen friends, with their help.

The Aztec warriors fought primarily with war clubs and other weapons that were unable to dent the armor of the Spanish soldiers, who attacked with a thunder of musketry belching fire and smoke, and rode among them on trained war horses that could kill by kicking as their riders brought slaughter with their deadly long steel swords. The locals had never seen anything like it. The conquistadores also had the advantage of tactics and martial disciplines that soon swept away any opposition to the chosen allies of Cortez. In this way he enlarged his own forces, until at last he brought down Mexicos Aztec empire in the process of looting it. Hundreds of pounds of gold and silver jewelry was plucked of its precious gemstones, and then melted into ingots to be shipped back to Spain.

The discovery of the Pacific Ocean on the western side of Panamas narrow isthmus (joining North and South America) provided thousands of more miles of unknown continent. Under Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a squadron sailed north, charting the coast of California, meeting natives with seagoing canoes built of planks. Under Francisco Pizarro, a land expedition went south, finding the mines of Peru that would yield not only gold but silver in the thousands of tons, plus precious gems of many kinds, riches beyond the dreams of men.

Everywhere the conquistadores greeted the native peoples with smiles of - photo 12

Everywhere the conquistadores greeted the native peoples with smiles of - photo 13

Everywhere, the conquistadores greeted the native peoples with smiles of friendship, but they wore their armor and kept their superior weapons at the ready. In exchange for what they wanted, they brought priests and a new religion to guide the natives spiritually through the loss of their pagan gods, and the loss of their wealth.

Next page
Light

Font size:

Reset

Interval:

Bookmark:

Make

Similar books «A Thousand Years of Pirates»

Look at similar books to A Thousand Years of Pirates. We have selected literature similar in name and meaning in the hope of providing readers with more options to find new, interesting, not yet read works.


Reviews about «A Thousand Years of Pirates»

Discussion, reviews of the book A Thousand Years of Pirates and just readers' own opinions. Leave your comments, write what you think about the work, its meaning or the main characters. Specify what exactly you liked and what you didn't like, and why you think so.