End of the First Barbary War
The Barbary states of North Africa included Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli, loosely united by the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th century onward, the pirates and privateers patrolled the Atlantic with corsairs and galleys, crews of 100 men and cutlasses. They raided the Iberian coasts, enslaving hundreds of thousands of people and pushing settlements inland. As nation-states developed frigates and cannons, the Barbary galleys would simply flee, and states had little choice but to pay tribute for protection. The period of terror is comparable to the reign of the Vikings and the dangers were recorded in songs like High Barbary.
The Barbary Wars refer to international conflicts in which the newly-formed United States joined with Sweden, Sicily, and mercenaries in refusing to pay tribute and ransoms. The alliance enacted a blockade and raids on Tripoli and other ports. The largest loss for the US occurred when the USS Philadelphia ran aground and its crew was enslaved. The immobile ship’s guns were used for months against the Americans until Stephen Decatur’s Marines detachment sailed a captured ship close enough to board and burn the Philadelphia. Meanwhile, 500 soldiers marched from Egypt to capture the city of Derna on “the shores of Tripoli”. On June 10, 1805, hostilities were ended and all hostages were released. Although the US paid a sum for the balance of prisoners and piracy soon resumed, the country’s armed services and reputation were forever changed.