Neretva pirates

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The Neretva Pirates existed from the 9th-15th centuries near what is today's island of Korcula.

[edit] History

Beginning as early at the 9th century and in to the 15th-century forefathers of Komin were a ruthless band of pirates who regularly stole out to sea from the sheltering reeds of the Delta to prey on Venetian merchant ships trading with the then Dubrovnik Republic.

The Pirates chose their hiding place and escape route well. The Neretva Delta, a dense maze of reed beds, provided ample shelter and cover for their escape. Their secret village was established far enough upriver to avoid capture, as their small boats could navigate the narrow and shallow waters without fear of pursuit. No bridges connected Komin to the mainland, and the village was (and remains) hidden from the open sea by the mountainous Pelješac Peninsula, which today gives access to the island of Korcula.