Letter of marque

:The Letter of Marque is one of the Aubrey-Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian.

Related Topics:
The Letter of Marque - Aubrey-Maturin series - Patrick O'Brian

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A letter of marque and reprisal was an official warrant or commission from a national government authorizing the designated agent to search, seize, or destroy specified assets or personnel belonging to a party which had committed some offense under the laws of nations against the assets or citizens of the issuing nation, and was usually used to authorize private parties to raid and capture merchant shipping of an enemy nation.

Related Topics:
Warrant - Commission - Agent

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The formal statement of the warrant was to authorize the agent to pass beyond the borders of the nation ("marque", meaning frontier), and there to search, seize, or destroy assets or personnel of the hostile foreign party ("reprisal"), not necessarily a nation, to a degree and in a way that was proportional to the original offense. It was considered a retaliatory measure short of a full declaration of war, and by maintaining a rough proportionality, was intended to justify the action to other nations, who might otherwise consider it an act of war or piracy. As with a domestic search, arrest, seizure, or death warrant, to be considered lawful it had to have a certain degree of specificity, to insure that the agent did not exceed his authority and the intent of the issuing authority.

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A private ship and its captain and crew operating under a letter of marque and reprisal was called a privateer.

Related Topics:
Ship - Privateer

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