Pirates of the Golden Age

This book by Arne Zuidhoek is about the Dutch pirates who operated in the Mediterranean in the seventeenth century. Men like Claes Compaen and Simon de Danser, who saw an opportunity to acquire a fortune through piracy. The adventures of these Dutch pirates have captured the imagination of Arne Zuidhoek to such an extent that he has immersed himself in their fate and the world in which they operated. He has depicted their lives with drawing and writing, which has led to a combination of historiography and artistic imagination. Zuidhoek shows that the pirates have a fascinating piece of history to tell us, in which many political, cultural and economic factors have played a role. The Dutch seafarers have also had an important influence on the development of the Central European ship types, such as Simon de Danser, who is said to have taught the Algerians the use of square sails. The book offers a colourful piece of historiography of a fascinating episode from our maritime history, told and depicted by the gifted artist Arne Zuidhoek.