photo #1070072

Pirate raids were something every town, village and city near a coast had to contend with in one way or another. Residents had the choice of fight or flee. Authorities had the choice of surrender or fortify.The Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean, as well as privateers and pirates from other nations, caused such havoc and suffering the majority of the seas coastline was barren of inhabitants unless heavily fortified. The Maltese navy was a mainstay in the fight against pirates and usually had the best fortified places near or on the coast. I've attached some examples of port defenses, here in the new world as well as along the Mediterranean coastline to show what pirates had to breach, and what citizens and soldiers defended, in their daily struggles during the era of pirates.