Piracy is a practice of organized looting or maritime banditry, probably as old as the same navigation. It consists of a private boat or a State amotinada attacks to another in international waters, or in places not subject to the jurisdiction of any State, with the purpose of stealing your cargo, demanding ransom for the passengers, turning them into slaves and often take possession of the same ship. Its definition under international law can be found in article 101 of the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea.2
Along with the activity of the pirates who stole on his own by his pursuit of profit, include Corsairs, a marine hired private who served on ships private licence to attack ships of an enemy country. The distinction between pirate and Corsair is necessarily partial, as privateers as Francis Drake or the French fleet in the battle of Terceira island were considered vulgar pirates by the Spanish authorities, since there was a war declared with their Nations. However, having a licence if offered certain guarantees to be treated as another Army soldier and not a simple thief and murderer; at the same time he carried certain obligations.
