Conflicts between Early Modern European States about Rescuing Their Own Subjects from Barbary Captivity

Abstract

This article is concerned with special cases of the ransoming of Northern European sailors from the so-called Barbary corsairs in the 18th century. Until 1730 these sailors usually were only ransomed when their nationality overlapped with the respective flag of the ship on which they had served. Since the ships' crews in early modern Europe were a largely international workforce, this left a huge group of sailors unprotected from the risk of slavery. This centuries-old practice came to be seen as scandalous in the years from 1730 to 1753 and led to intense diplomatic conflicts between Denmark and Sweden on the one side and Hamburg on the other. These conflicts are presented in detail to highlight a general change of attitudes in Protestant Europe towards the rights of individuals.