| Brethren of the Coast |
| The Brethren of the Coast was a loose-knit group comprised predominately of privateers holding "letters of marque" which authorized them to raid enemy shipping and towns. The origins of the Brethren of the Coast can be traced to the Thirty Years' War (1618– 1648) and they were primarily private individual merchant mariners of Protestant background usually of English and French origin. Generally they were considered nothing but pirates by the Spanish which were the primary victims of their actions. Rather than an official organization today they would be considered as independent contractors that shared the same goals (raiding for profit) and often banded together for raiding "enemy" shipping and towns. In many instances they departed from the limitations of their "letters of marque" and resorted to attacking any ship on the high seas and became nothing more than common pirates. The International Brotherhood of Buccaneers is loosely based upon the Brethren of the Coast. |
| For additional information, some accurate and some less so, visit the Brethren of the Coast website. |