Spain led Europe in colonizing the Americas in the 16th century. As a result, they profited greatly from the natural resources (e.g., gold) plundered from the American Indians.
Queen Elizabeth I of England was very envious of the Spanish.
The strategy she adopted in lieu of outright war with the Spanish, was to authorize private citizens (captains) to steal Spanish gold from Spanish ships in transit. This is known as piracy.
Going back to Caesar, piracy has generally been condemned as a violation of international law.
The Spanish confronted Elizabeth, accusing her of engaging in piracy and threatening war as a result.
DECISION: You are Queen Elizabeth I. Should you remain "above" the level of engaging in piracy? When confronted by the Spanish with the charge of piracy, how would you respond?