Yet, on the whole, countries trading in the Mediterranean found it more convenient to pay tribute than to undertake the expensive task of eliminating piracy. Toward the end of the 18th cent. the power of the piratical states diminished. read more
The Barbary states are an Islamic state under an Absolute Monarchy. They operate on the northern coast of Africa and in the Mediterranean. The Barbary States act much as the pirate faction of Europe, pilfering trade routes and being a general nuisance to almost every nation (aside from the Ottoman Empire, to whom they are protectorates). read more
The Barbary States were a collection of North African states, many of which practiced state-supported piracy in order to exact tribute from weaker Atlantic powers. Morocco was an independent kingdom, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli owed a loose allegiance to the Ottoman Empire. read more