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Wikipedia:
The rise in piracy is coupled to the discovery and subsequent exploitation of America and the conflicts between the great powers. Although the pirates, in theory, were out of control and the protection of any nation, they took advantage, and even came to support them, provided that the victims were his most staunch enemies, so sometimes you can confuse the difference between a pirate and a privateer. Azores and the Canary Islands became strategic locations in the maritime routes from Europe, America and Asia (on the path to the Indian Ocean along Africa). And the precious treasures of the new species were discovered a large ground for pirates booty. As these treasures Americans stopped in the Canary Islands or the Azores Islands on its way to Old Europe piracy soon emerge in the seas near the islands. Also this strategic situation that caused the boats that went to America pass through the islands to obtain supplies of food and water, road and attacked some coastal population.

In the Canary Islands acted pirates of all nationalities, but were mainly British, French, beberiscos and the Netherlands.


Representation of the attack of Admiral Dutch Pieter van der Does Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (1599). Since the early years of conquest occurred attacks that what was intended looting and the capture of indigenous Guanches to be slaves. Beberiscos also acted razing villages that existed in retaliation to the rides that were made in North Africa.

In the sixteenth century, reigned in Spain Carlos I and his new empire in addition to much of Europe was spreading across America. Because of the rivalry with France the first Spanish pirates who were active in the Canaries during his reign were French people who are not conformed with the boats but also entered the coastal villages and destroyed. The prey was customary in these early pirates.

But during the reign of Philip II, notably the death of his wife Mary Tudor England, English pirates began lashing the Canary coast due to the large Spanish-English rivalry. In the final years of the sixteenth century would join this activity the Dutch.

In the seventeenth century piracy in the Canary Islands is intensifying, thanks in part to the weakening of the Spanish empire and the many wars with France and Flanders. Insecurity, not only to navigate the islands, but also the lives of islanders opposed to pirate attacks are believed makes Captain General of the figure with both military and political functions. Also arriving in the Canaries a number of engineers to provide towers and castles to the Canary coast to deal with attacks by pirates and other enemy forces in Spain.

In the eighteenth century the English attack intensifies, not only for the purpose of obtaining treasures and prey, but also with the intention to invade and occupy the islands. They are repelled many of these attacks in major cities but in the "smaller islands" These pirates are successful because of the weakness of defensive stocks.
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