Enemies of All

The Rise and Fall of the Golden Age of Piracy

Richard Blakemore

A masterful narrative history of the dangerous lives of pirates during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, revealing their unique impact on colonialism and empire.

The pirates that exist in our imagination are not just any pirates. Violent sea-raiding has occurred in most parts of the world throughout history, but our popular stereotype of pirates has been defined by one historical moment: the period from the 1660s to the 1730s, the so-called "golden age of piracy."

A groundbreaking history of pirates, Enemies of All combines narrative adventure with deeply researched analysis, engrossing readers in the rise of piracy in the later seventeenth century, the debates about piracy in contemporary law and popular media, as well as the imperial efforts to suppress piracy in the early eighteenth century.

The Caribbean and American colonies of Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands—where piracy surged across these decades—are the main theater for Enemies of All, but this is a global story. Evoking London, Paris, and Amsterdam, Curaçao, Port Royal, Tortuga, and Charleston, the narrative takes readers, too, from Ireland and the Mediterranean to Madagascar and India, from the Arabian Gulf to the Pacific Ocean.

Familiar characters like Drake, Morgan, Blackbeard, Bonny and Read, Henry Every, and Captain Kidd all feature here, but so too will the less well-known figures from the history of piracy, their crew-members, shipmates, and their confederates ashore; the men and women whose transatlantic lives were bound up with the rise and fall of piracy.

Transforming how readers understand the history of pirates, Enemies of All presents not only the historical evidence but, more importantly, explains the consequences of piracy's unique influence on colonialism and European imperial ambitions.

Richard Blakemore has been writing and teaching about historical piracy and maritime empire for over a decade, starting with his PhD at Cambridge University, continuing with postdoctoral work at Oxford University, and now in his current role as an associate professor in social and maritime history at the University of Reading. Much of his research involves "history from below,” while studying seafarers from the perspective of those working on deck, particularly during the Golden Age of Piracy, 1660–1730.  He lives in Reading, England.

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Endorsements & Reviews

“Although piracy was a felony, it could also be a bonanza, and sympathetic locals made prosecution difficult…Richard Blakemore’s new book, Enemies of All, addresses this theme. In Pennsylvania, Blakemore notes, a prominent pirate married the governor’s daughter and was elected to the legislature. An even more prominent pirate, Henry Morgan, was arrested and hauled to London. Then, after being released without punishment, he was knighted and returned to Jamaica, where he served several stints as the acting governor.” The New Yorker

“With an emphasis on the legal technicalities that define piracy, and a narrative thread of pop-culture pirate icons and images rooted in this era, Blakemore presents an informative and entertaining history.” Booklist

“Although a malefactor throughout history, the stereotypical pirate appeared in the turbulent decades from 1650 to 1730, and this is an entertaining account of that era. Blakemore concentrates on the Caribbean and Atlantic sea lanes but does not ignore the rest of the world, and he pays close attention to European governments, which became increasingly concerned with suppressing piracy and, despite severe difficulties, enjoyed some success. Compelling maritime history.” Kirkus Reviews

“A rollicking and fresh account of the Golden Age of Piracy! Blakemore has added an essential new work to the field of pirate history." Dr. Rebecca Simon, author of Pirate Queens and The Pirates’ Code