Moroccan diplomats #11 : Mohamed ben Askar, the Saadi dynasty's unlucky emissary

In the 1630s Morocco and England argued over piracy activities. By the end of 1638, Saadi sultan Mohamed Cheikh Es-Sghir sent diplomat Mohamed ben Askar to Charles I’s court to demand action against English corsairs. The mission was a complete failure. 

In 1627, Salé’s corsairs attacked a British island and used it as a base for raiding expeditions

In 1627, corsairs from the Republic of Salé raided a British island called Lundy. Led by Dutch renegade Jan Janszoon, Moroccan pirates used the island as a base for raiding expeditions.

Isaac de Razilly, when a member of the French navy blockaded Rabat and Salé

In 1629, French navy member Isaac de Razilly sailed to Morocco to free Christian subjects, enslaved by Rabat and Salé’s corsairs. Razilly blockaded the two cities, leading to a civil war that weakened the country’s pirates.

Helen Gloag, captured by corsairs to become Morocco's Scottish empress

Helen Gloag is a Scottish redhead beauty whose fate brought her to the Kingdom of Morocco in the 18th century. Daughter of a blacksmith, Helen was captured by Moroccan corsairs only to become later the empress of the North African empire and Sultan Mohamed ben Abdellah's favorite consort. History.

The First Barbary War, when North African corsairs fought against the United States

Between 1801 and 1805, the United States fought a war against North African corsairs. Piracy was an important part of Morocco, Algeria, Tunis and Tripoli’s history which was not really appreciated by the Americans.