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Papers by Sarah Craze

International Journal of Maritime History, 2020

In late 1827, the crew of a Brazilian slaver, the Defensor de Pedro, mutinied and became pirates.... more In late 1827, the crew of a Brazilian slaver, the Defensor de Pedro, mutinied and became pirates. The article follows the narrative of their attacks on ships, including the British Morning Star off Ascension Island in February 1828 and the American merchant Topaz. The Spanish authorities in Cádiz captured most of the crew and tried and executed them. Their captain, Benito de Soto, was tried and hanged in Gibraltar. Using trial papers the article reconstructs the events. It then examines how reworkings of the narrative have changed mass murderers and rapists into popular heroes, both in the general literature on piracy (e.g. Phillip Gosse and Basil Lubbock) and in more recent academic literature and in public celebrations. It argues that this has resulted from misunderstanding and misusing the theories of social banditry and working-class revolt put forward by Eric Hobsbawm and Marcus Rediker, and from commercialisation. Keywords Benito de Soto, Defensor de Pedro, Morning Star, piracy, pirate images, popular celebrations of piracy Lucette Valensi used the word 'chronophage', not in its usual sense of 'time-wasting', but with its literal meaning of 'eating time'. 1 She was talking about how governments created political symbols out of past events, leaving blank pages in national histories

Journal of International Maritime History, 2016

In the late 17th century, the battle for the English throne between the anointed King James II an... more In the late 17th century, the battle for the English throne between the anointed King James II and his usurper and son-in-law William would create a catalyst for a shift in legal approaches to piracy. The 1694 trial of eight of King James’s privateers and specifically the position of their advocate, William Oldish significantly influenced this shift. Oldish would claim that allegiance to a sovereign was a choice, not an obligation and this influenced the development of piracy law from a crime of treason to a crime of property. However, the resulting 1698 Piracy Act expired after only seven years. This meant the passing of a Prize Act by Queen Anne in 1708 would occur in a legislative environment at odds with the precedents being set in courts at the time. This article examines this historic era of piracy and privateering law.

Journal of International Maritime History, 2019

This article uses prize to examine the end of war in the twentieth century. By enshrining the vic... more This article uses prize to examine the end of war in the twentieth century. By enshrining the victor’s right to seize enemy merchant ships after the cessation of military hostilities, the 1918 Armistice changed how war ended. This disconnection turned prize into a strategic tool for victors to use over belligerents. This appeared again in World War II, when prize courts condoned the taking of prize after Germany’s surrender. Egypt then used prize as a strategic tool in their opposition to Israel. The article concludes prize was not just a historical curiosity, but also a strategic imperative for victors.

Teaching Documents by Sarah Craze

Drafts by Sarah Craze

A summary of life on board a Russian privateer in 1789 during Russia's war with Turkey over Crimea.

This short paper forms part of a larger research project on the historical narratives surrounding... more This short paper forms part of a larger research project on the historical narratives surrounding Benito de Soto.

Books by Sarah Craze

Boydell Press, 2022

“The pirate attack on the British brig Morning Star, en route from Ceylon to London, near Ascensi... more “The pirate attack on the British brig Morning Star, en route from Ceylon to London, near Ascension Island in 1828 was one of the most shocking episodes of piracy in the 19th century.

Although the captain and many members of the crew were murdered by the pirates, led by the notorious Benito de Soto, some survived, escaped and sailed the ship back to Britain.

This book, based on extensive original research in Britain, Spain and Brazil, retells the story of the Morning Star, provides much new detail and corrects errors present in the many contemporary accounts of the attack.
It sets the attack in the wider context of piracy in the period, and discusses many issues which the episode highlights:

How pirates’ careers began and developed;
How they were pursued and tried, often with difficulty;
What became of their treasure;

How stories of the attack and of the survivors were sensationalized;
How the women passengers on the ship endured their ordeal at the hands of the pirate and then, back in Britain, had to endure potential loss of their reputations.

Overall, the book skilfully uses the one shocking episode to illuminate the nature and extent of piracy in the period.”

Available from Amazon and Booktopia.

International Journal of Maritime History, 2020

In late 1827, the crew of a Brazilian slaver, the Defensor de Pedro, mutinied and became pirates.... more In late 1827, the crew of a Brazilian slaver, the Defensor de Pedro, mutinied and became pirates. The article follows the narrative of their attacks on ships, including the British Morning Star off Ascension Island in February 1828 and the American merchant Topaz. The Spanish authorities in Cádiz captured most of the crew and tried and executed them. Their captain, Benito de Soto, was tried and hanged in Gibraltar. Using trial papers the article reconstructs the events. It then examines how reworkings of the narrative have changed mass murderers and rapists into popular heroes, both in the general literature on piracy (e.g. Phillip Gosse and Basil Lubbock) and in more recent academic literature and in public celebrations. It argues that this has resulted from misunderstanding and misusing the theories of social banditry and working-class revolt put forward by Eric Hobsbawm and Marcus Rediker, and from commercialisation. Keywords Benito de Soto, Defensor de Pedro, Morning Star, piracy, pirate images, popular celebrations of piracy Lucette Valensi used the word 'chronophage', not in its usual sense of 'time-wasting', but with its literal meaning of 'eating time'. 1 She was talking about how governments created political symbols out of past events, leaving blank pages in national histories

Journal of International Maritime History, 2016

In the late 17th century, the battle for the English throne between the anointed King James II an... more In the late 17th century, the battle for the English throne between the anointed King James II and his usurper and son-in-law William would create a catalyst for a shift in legal approaches to piracy. The 1694 trial of eight of King James’s privateers and specifically the position of their advocate, William Oldish significantly influenced this shift. Oldish would claim that allegiance to a sovereign was a choice, not an obligation and this influenced the development of piracy law from a crime of treason to a crime of property. However, the resulting 1698 Piracy Act expired after only seven years. This meant the passing of a Prize Act by Queen Anne in 1708 would occur in a legislative environment at odds with the precedents being set in courts at the time. This article examines this historic era of piracy and privateering law.

Journal of International Maritime History, 2019

This article uses prize to examine the end of war in the twentieth century. By enshrining the vic... more This article uses prize to examine the end of war in the twentieth century. By enshrining the victor’s right to seize enemy merchant ships after the cessation of military hostilities, the 1918 Armistice changed how war ended. This disconnection turned prize into a strategic tool for victors to use over belligerents. This appeared again in World War II, when prize courts condoned the taking of prize after Germany’s surrender. Egypt then used prize as a strategic tool in their opposition to Israel. The article concludes prize was not just a historical curiosity, but also a strategic imperative for victors.

A summary of life on board a Russian privateer in 1789 during Russia's war with Turkey over Crimea.

This short paper forms part of a larger research project on the historical narratives surrounding... more This short paper forms part of a larger research project on the historical narratives surrounding Benito de Soto.

Boydell Press, 2022

“The pirate attack on the British brig Morning Star, en route from Ceylon to London, near Ascensi... more “The pirate attack on the British brig Morning Star, en route from Ceylon to London, near Ascension Island in 1828 was one of the most shocking episodes of piracy in the 19th century.

Although the captain and many members of the crew were murdered by the pirates, led by the notorious Benito de Soto, some survived, escaped and sailed the ship back to Britain.

This book, based on extensive original research in Britain, Spain and Brazil, retells the story of the Morning Star, provides much new detail and corrects errors present in the many contemporary accounts of the attack.
It sets the attack in the wider context of piracy in the period, and discusses many issues which the episode highlights:

How pirates’ careers began and developed;
How they were pursued and tried, often with difficulty;
What became of their treasure;

How stories of the attack and of the survivors were sensationalized;
How the women passengers on the ship endured their ordeal at the hands of the pirate and then, back in Britain, had to endure potential loss of their reputations.

Overall, the book skilfully uses the one shocking episode to illuminate the nature and extent of piracy in the period.”

Available from Amazon and Booktopia.