Barbary Common Corsair

While not the brightest or wisest pirates to ever roam the seas, The Barbary Corsairs operate mainly out of North Africa west of Carthage and south of Corduba.  The Corsairs are often called pirates but they are less pirate than privateers and slavers.  The Corsairs are known to raid as far north as Norway, Iceland, and England, and as far west as the Carribbean where they act as an early colonial force for the Malian Empire, but are largely kept at bay by the Alliance of Rivers.  Not shy about raiding anyone's shipping, they'll even raid their own members if a captain is deemed too weak or ineffective.

The Average Corsair is not bright by any measure, but makes up for it with a bit of charm.  There is a bit of prestige in being a member of the Corsairs.  These are largely sailors who are less morally inclined than others, and joined quickly enough to avoid death or enslavement.