Define: Marque

The term “marque” is an antiquated term meaning “reprisal,” and it refers to the authorization granted to individuals to attack ships or people from another country as a form of retaliation. This authorization, known as “letters of marque,” can only be issued by the government, although it has not been done in quite some time. Historically, some countries would provide these letters to their citizens who were mistreated in another country, allowing them to seek retribution by taking matters into their own hands and seizing property from individuals in the offending country.

Marque is an antiquated term that signifies “reprisal.” It pertains to a permit known as “letters of marque” that permitted a private individual to seek vengeance against citizens or vessels of another nation. This permit was granted by a country’s government to its own citizens. For instance, if a citizen of one country was mistreated by another country, the government of the former might issue letters of marque to that citizen. This would enable the citizen to seek retribution against the people or vessels of the latter country, which could involve confiscating their possessions or attacking their ships. However, this practice is no longer in use. The United States government has not issued letters of marque since the 19th century. One instance of letters of marque being employed was during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress granted letters of marque to American privateers, authorizing them to attack British ships and seize their cargo. This served as a means for the Americans to weaken the British economy and gain an advantage in the war. Another example occurred during the Napoleonic Wars, where the British government granted letters of marque to British privateers. These privateers were authorized to attack French ships and seize their cargo, thereby weakening the French economy and gaining an advantage in the war. These examples demonstrate how letters of marque were utilised in the past to empower private individuals to seek revenge against other nations. However, this practice is no longer employed as it is deemed illegal under international law.

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This glossary post was last updated: 17th April 2024.