Editing Privateer (section)

=== Malta ===
Corsairing ({{langx|it|corso}}) was an important aspect of Malta's economy when the island was [[History of Malta under the Order of Saint John|ruled]] by the [[Knights Hospitaller|Order of St. John]], although the practice had begun earlier. Corsairs sailed on privately owned ships on behalf of the [[List of Grand Masters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Grand Master]] of the Order, and were authorized to attack Muslim ships, usually merchant ships from the [[Ottoman Empire]]. The corsairs included knights of the Order, native Maltese people, as well as foreigners. When they captured a ship, the goods were sold and the crew and passengers were ransomed or enslaved, and the Order took a percentage of the value of the booty.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cassar|first1=Paul|title=The Maltese Corsairs and the Order of St. John of Jerusalem|journal=Scientia|date=January–March 1963|volume=29|issue=1|pages=26–41|url=http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Scientia%20(Malta)/Scientia.%2029(1963)1(Jan.-Mar.)/03.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203150721/http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Scientia%20(Malta)/Scientia.%2029(1963)1(Jan.-Mar.)/03.pdf |archive-date=3 February 2016}}</ref> Corsairing remained common until the end of the 18th century.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carabott|first1=Sarah|title=A history of plundering on high seas|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160202/local/a-history-of-plundering-on-high-seas.600981|work=[[The Times (Malta)|The Times]]|date=2 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203091225/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160202/local/a-history-of-plundering-on-high-seas.600981 |archive-date=3 February 2016}}</ref>