Letter Of Mark And Reprisal (Noun)
Meaning
A license to a private citizen to seize property of another nation.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- A letter of marque and reprisal was issued to privateers during wartime, authorizing them to capture enemy ships and cargo.
- Historically, this document granted the recipient the right to seize assets from a foreign country as a way of exacting revenge or restitution.
- The practice of issuing letters of marque and reprisal fell out of favor after the 1856 Declaration of Paris prohibited privateering.
- During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress issued several letters of marque and reprisal, which led to the capture of many British ships.
- In modern times, the term 'letter of marque and reprisal' has largely become a relic of the past, although some may still refer to it in a historical context.