During the 17th and 18th centuries, marooners became synonymous with pirates of the Caribbean, perhaps because they would maroon one of their own on a desert island with little or no food. The intent was to have the pirate die a slow death, but Alexander Selkirk survived his marooning. Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is based on Selkirk. During the Golden Age of Piracy, pirates attacked and plundered ships of all countries for their own profit. Before setting sail, they drew up a set of rules that spelled out conduct, division of prizes, compensation for maiming, and punishments for disobedience.
Pirates continue to plague merchant shipping today.
What set a privateer apart from a pirate was a piece of paper called a Letter of Marque. Governments bestowed these commissions on privately owned ships during times of war as an inexpensive way to weaken the enemy. In exchange for providing the privateer with a safe haven and license to attack, the issuer shared in the profits. Sometimes, privateers turned to piracy during times of peace. While Henry III of England was the first to employ privateers, they fought in European and North American wars into the 19th century.