French corsairs now a small museum. French corsairs Corsairs () were privateers, authorized to conduct raids on shipping of a nation at war with France, on behalf of the French crown. Seized vessels and cargo were sold at auction, with the corsair captain entitled to a portion of the proceeds. Although not French Navy personnel, corsairs were considered legitimate combatants in France (and allied nations), provided the commanding officer of the vessel was in possession of a valid letter of marque ( or , the latter giving "corsairs" their name), and the officers and crew conducted themselves according to contemporary admiralty law.
Crusader raids on the Red Sea Crusader raids on the Red Sea In 1182 Raynald of Châtillon the Crusader Lord of Oultrejordain launched a squadron of ships on the Red Sea in order to conduct raids on Muslim Red Sea ports and to attack the Muslim holy cities of Mecca or Medina. Raynald already had a reputation as a rogue Crusader lord, having conducted a brutal raid on Cyprus and having tortured Aimery of Limoges, the Patriarch of Antioch, to force him into giving him funds for his military adventures. Raynald had the materials for five ships carted overland in 'kit form' from his castle at