The origins of Caribbean piracy can be traced back to when Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas in 1492. The Pope quickly granted Spain the exclusive right to the Caribbean and most of the New World. The Spanish reaped an immense fortune in gold and silver, but the line between privateering and piracy quickly became blurred as England, France and Holland all looked to cash in on this new found wealth. This programme examines the golden age of piracy and how their deadly profession captured the imagination of the world.
