Privateers could be considered as hired mercenaries who ran a kind of private British navy, sanctioned by the Government. Even though it was legal and dates back centuries, it’s a role that epitomises a sense of lawlessness that emanates from the 18th century. Privateering was at its height during the Georgian era since Britain was at war for most of this period.
Despite their reputation, privateers were not the same as pirates who operated outside the law and were executed if apprehended. Privateers operated via a kind of official licensing system, although their description as ‘legalised pirates’ is not entirely inaccurate. Accordingly, it was not considered a very respectable line of work even though, privately, many wealthy people such as Samuel Pepys invested in them in order to make money.