“A Foe to All Christians”: The Notorious English Corsair Captain and Ottoman Reis John Ward in Early Seventeenth Century English Literature

Öz Privateering, which permitted private ships to attack enemy vessels and claim their prize (ship, goods, crew etc.) was only possible under a licence commissioned by a sovereign, better known as a ‘letter of marque’. In the Elizabethan Period (1558-1603), English privateering proved to be an effective way of dealing with Catholic Spain, especially during the Spanish War (1585-1603). When King James I ended the war with Spain in 1604, however, privateers such as John Ward –left without valid licenses permitting them to capture enemy merchant ships and confiscate their goods– had to find other means of support. Under these new circumstances, the former privateer Captain John Ward, also known as Jack Ward, first became pirate, then a Barbary corsair (Yusuf Reis) and Muslim operating from Tunis. This study deals with the representation of John Ward, someone who has excited the interest of audiences across England as well as being vilified by King James I, in early seventeenth century English literature. In this respect, literary texts that allude to John Ward such as broadsheet ballads, Samuel Rowlands’ poems, and Robert Daborne’s play A Christian turn’d Turke (1610-1612) will be examined with special reference to two pamphlets, Andrew Barker’s A true and certaine report of the beginning, proceedings, overthrowes, and now present estate of Captaine Ward and Danseker (1609) and the anonymous Newes from Sea, of Two Notorious Pirates Ward the Englishman and Danseker the Dutchman (1609).

Anahtar Kelimeler:

John Ward, Andrew Barker, Ballad, Robert Daborne, A Christian turn’d Turk

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