The first 50 years of John Ward’s life were those of an ordinary seaman. But in 1603 he celebrated his half-century by leading a mass desertion from the Navy of James I of England, stealing a vessel, and defecting to the Ottoman Empire’s outpost at Tunis. There he set himself up as a privateer under the protection of the Pasha of Tunis, rejuvenated the Muslim Barbary Corsairs, and lead them in a series of successful attacks against Christian shipping. Wealthy as a lord, Ward purchased a palatial mansion and set up a mock court in which he presided over a scruffy band of English and European renegades, issuing decrees and receiving obeisance like a king. Ward was infamous in Europe—he was regarded as a Judas to his country—and his conversion to Islam towards the end of his life was the ultimate scandal. This compelling story reveals a man whose rejection of conventional morality led to power, wealth, and a happy if unusual retirement.
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About the Author
Greg Bak is a former curator and librarian at the Massachusetts Center for Renaissance Studies. He lives in Ottawa, Canada.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a thoroughly entertaining popular history of 16-17th century English Pirate/Privateer John Ward who deserted the English navy and defected to the Ottoman empire. There he was responsible for modernizing Ottoman privateering including the use of North Atlantic ships and mixed-ethnicity/religion crews and captains. He was such a menace to Venetian shipping that his massive attempts to buy his way back to England were thwarted by the Venetian ambassador's manipulation of James I's Christian unification agenda. At the end of his life John Ward converted to Islam and remained in Ottoman North Africa. Dr. Bak's book goes on to examine how the myth of John Ward was used in English storytelling and literature for centuries after his death.
John Ward's life has fascinating episodes of deserting the English with a small boat and crew and on the way to North Africa, and even though outnumbered, capturing several larger ships and building his own fleet; capturing the largest merchant ship of its day and retrofitting it as a war-galley; his loyalty towards and respect for the men who worked under him and sailors in general (several times he went out of his way to buy European sailors out of pirate slavery). Besides it being a great story, the book is also an excellent window on early European perceptions of Islam.
John Ward's life has fascinating episodes of deserting the English with a small boat and crew and on the way to North Africa, and even though outnumbered, capturing several larger ships and building his own fleet; capturing the largest merchant ship of its day and retrofitting it as a war-galley; his loyalty towards and respect for the men who worked under him and sailors in general (several times he went out of his way to buy European sailors out of pirate slavery). Besides it being a great story, the book is also an excellent window on early European perceptions of Islam.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
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Learn and Enjoy
May 23 2008
By Brett Stevens
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
This is a thoroughly entertaining popular history of 16-17th century English Pirate/Privateer John Ward who deserted the English navy and defected to the Ottoman empire. There he was responsible for modernizing Ottoman privateering including the use of North Atlantic ships and mixed-ethnicity/religion crews and captains. He was such a menace to Venetian shipping that his massive attempts to buy his way back to England were thwarted by the Venetian ambassador's manipulation of James I's Christian unification agenda. At the end of his life John Ward converted to Islam and remained in Ottoman North Africa. Dr. Bak's book goes on to examine how the myth of John Ward was used in English storytelling and literature for centuries after his death.
John Ward's life has fascinating episodes of deserting the English with a small boat and crew and on the way to North Africa, and even though outnumbered, capturing several larger ships and building his own fleet; capturing the largest merchant ship of its day and retrofitting it as a war-galley; his loyalty towards and respect for the men who worked under him and sailors in general (several times he went out of his way to buy European sailors out of pirate slavery). Besides it being a great story, the book is also an excellent window on early European perceptions of Islam.
John Ward's life has fascinating episodes of deserting the English with a small boat and crew and on the way to North Africa, and even though outnumbered, capturing several larger ships and building his own fleet; capturing the largest merchant ship of its day and retrofitting it as a war-galley; his loyalty towards and respect for the men who worked under him and sailors in general (several times he went out of his way to buy European sailors out of pirate slavery). Besides it being a great story, the book is also an excellent window on early European perceptions of Islam.
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
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His many adventures and exploits became legend
April 7 2007
By Midwest Book Review
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
BARBARY PIRATE: THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF JOHN WARD, THE MOST INFAMOUS PRIVATEER OF HIS TIME tells of a sailor who led a mass desertion in 1603, stole a civilian vessel and defected to the ottoman Empire's Tunis outpost, where he led a piracy campaign that made him the most feared privateer of his times. His many adventures and exploits became legend, and BARBARY PIRATE here separates legend from fact in a lively treatment perfect not just for history holdings but for general-interest public libraries.
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