The North African coast of the Mediterranean
Sea (which was named after the Berbers)
from which pirates operated against
US and European shipping (taking hostages for
ransom) in the 16th-19th centuries. One such
hostage was Miguel de Cervantes, author of
Don Quixote. Some of the apparently Muslim
pirates were in fact European, such as the
English Capt John Ward (died 1622). President
Jefferson took action against them, sending
in the US Navy with the Marines who landed on
`the shores of Tripoli'.