What is corsarios?

Corsarios were privateers or pirates who operated in the Mediterranean during the early modern period. They were authorized by various states, such as Spain, to attack enemy ships and towns and to seize their goods. In exchange for this service, they were allowed to keep a portion of the loot. Corsarios were often experienced sailors and skilled fighters, using tactics such as boarding and surprise attacks to outmaneuver their targets. They played a significant role in the Mediterranean conflicts between the 16th and 18th centuries. However, corsarios were also notorious for their brutality and their tendency to take captives as slaves.