Maritime piracy along Malacca straits 800-1830 - Research Paper Example

Privateering under the Dutch was initially started in the 1600s as a weapon of war in the Malay Peninsula against the Iberian army which was perceived to be threatening the Dutch’s strategic frontlines and may potentially cripple the Dutch’s trade in the region. Privateering was considered legitimate according to the laws of war at that time since privateers operate with company licenses or a letter from a marque stating privateers can only attack and seize enemy ships. This paper investigates how the Dutch, other European countries and native Sultans employed privateering as a legitimate operation in war.

Therefore, privateering activities along the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century, was instrumental in the development of piracy activities, mainly motivated by trade activities between the Europe and the Asian, and which were responsible for promoting piracy activities along he Malay Peninsula. This paper also investigates the effects of piracy activities on both the Europeans and natives, and how both parties viewed such piracy activities which are often in contrary to each other, resulting in tensions between them.

Privateering is a concept closely linked to just war, and was designed to work from a legal perspective in the high seas.4 Since the 17th century, Europeans had made their way in the Malaysian Peninsula and developed sets of rules that explained how, and under which conditions such privateering activities were to be carried out; the Dutch were the main European powers behind privateering. To ensure adherence to legal limits, privateers had only to operate under a letter of marque and reprisal, which was only issued if such groups showed evidence of loss suffered as a result of their enemies.

5 These groups were therefore allowed to seize such enemy vessels along the peninsula, and covert such goods as a ransom for