35. Special Exhibition - Arab History Month

Barbary pirates were a notorious group of North African pirates who operated from the 16th to 19th centuries and hailed from the coastal regions of North Africa, called the Barbary Coast. The Barbary states included Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Morocco. One of the most well-known groups of Barbary pirates were the Corsairs of Algiers, who operated under the authority of the Ottoman Empire.The Barbary pirates were infamous for acts of piracy, including raiding ships, capturing crew members, and plundering cargo. These pirates demanded ransom for the release of captives or would sell them into slavery. European nations, particularly those bordering the Mediterranean, were forced to pay “tribute” to the Barbary states to ensure the safety of their ships and crews.The United States faced challenges dealing with the Barbary pirates. The First Barbary War (1801-1805) and the Second Barbary War (1815) were fought between the United States and the Barbary states to put an end to piracy and ransom demands against American shipping. Ultimately, the rise of American and European naval power, coupled with the decline of the Ottoman Empire, contributed to the suppression of Barbary piracy by the 19th century.