Konstam, Angus

Angus Konstam (born 2 January 1960) is a Scottish writer of popular history. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland and raised on the Orkney Islands, he has written more than a hundred books on maritime history, naval history, historical atlases, with a special focus on the history of piracy. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and in 2025 he was inducted into the International Pirate Hall of Fame, in recognition of his historical work on the subject.

Early life

Although born in Aberdeen, Scotland, he was raised in the Orkney Islands. In 1978, after leaving Kirkwall Grammar School at the age of 18 he left to join the Royal Navy. After initial officer training at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and undergoing further naval training at sea, he went on to study history at Aberdeen University. During this time he was attached to the Aberdeen University Royal Naval Unit, and its tender, HMS ''Thornham''. After receiving an MA degree, he returned to active service with the Royal Navy, during which time he visited many places that would later be written about in his books, including the Caribbean. He also gained useful knowledge of military service, customs, seamanship and navigation during this time. After leaving the service in 1983 he studied for a master's degree at the University of St Andrews. During this time he explored the new field of maritime archaeology and wrote his thesis on early naval artillery. Two decades later this formed the basis for ''Sovereigns of the Sea'', his history of Renaissance warships.

Career

United Kingdom

He left the navy in 1983, and the following year he began a Master of Letters in Maritime Studies at the University of St Andrews, a course which combined history with maritime archaeology. After completing his master's thesis on Renaissance Naval Artillery, he found a job in 1985 as a supervisor on an excavation in the River Thames near the Tower of London, paid for by the Royal Armouries.

While he was working in the Royal Armouries, the Tower and the Kremlin decided to swap exhibits – a "Treasures of the Tower" being shown in Moscow while "Treasures of the Kremlin" came to London. The curators of both museums were encouraged to exchange information, and to examine each other's collections. This ended up with Konstam studying the 18th-century Russian military. A mutual colleague introduced him to a historian working for Osprey Publishing, who wanted someone to write a book about Peter the Great's Army. The result was two small (15,000-word) books which first appeared in 1993 – the first easily accessible account of the foundation of the Russian army to appear in English.

United States

Konstam moved to Key West, Florida in 1995 and became the chief curator of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum. Mel Fisher was a treasure hunter who found the wreck of the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha off the Florida Keys. One of Konstam's jobs during this time was to create traveling exhibits which toured the United States. During the research for a pirate exhibition, he became increasingly interested in the subject of 18th-century piracy.

He spent six years in Key West and wrote several more books, there, including ''The History of Pirates'' (2002). As he gained more information through his research, he produced ''Piracy: The Complete History'' (2008), and then, to reach a wider audience, ''The World Atlas of Pirates'' (2009). In 2019 he published ''The Pirate World'', an adaptation of his 2009 work for the same publisher. His ''The Pirate Menace'' is his most recent pirate history, concentrating on the activities of the pirates of Nassau during the early 18th century. Konstam also published a biography of the pirate Blackbeard.

Present

In early 2001 he returned to the United Kingdom, and after living in London and then Edinburgh, he returned to Orkney in 2019. He now resides in Herston in South Ronaldsay.

Konstam continues to research and write about naval and maritime history. Since 2001 he has written extensively on a number of maritime subjects. He currently has over 120 books in print.

In 2022, Konstam became a fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FrHistS). He served a three-year term as the chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland and has also served on the board of Publishing Scotland, as well as on other heritage-related committees.

He has also been a "talking head" on many cable TV and radio shows, and makes frequent appearances at book festivals and history events. In May 2025, Konstam was inducted into the International Pirate Hall of Fame, in recognition of his historical work on the subject,

Complete list of works

General

*''The Pirate Menace: Uncovering the Golden Age of Piracy'' Osprey Publishing 2024
*''The Convoy: HG-76: Taking the Fight to Hitler's U-Boats'' Osprey Publishing 2023
*''100 Greatest Battles'' Osprey Publishing 2023
*''Mutiny on the Spanish Main: HMS Hermione and the Royal Navy's revenge'' Osprey Publishing 2020 .
*''Hunt the Bismarck: The pursuit of Germany's most famous battleship'' Osprey Publishing 2019 .
*''The Pirate World'' Osprey Publishing 2019 .
*''Viking Warrior: Operations Manual'' Haynes Publishing 2018 .
*''Big Guns: Artillery on the Battlefield'' Casemate Publishers 2017 .
*''Jutland 1916: Twelve hours to win the war'' Aurum Press 2016 .
*''Pirates: Predators of the Seas'' Skyhorse Publishing 2016 , with Roger Kean.
*''Battleship Bismarck, 1936-41:Owner's Workshop Manual'' Haynes Publishing 2015 .
*''Bannockburn: Scotland's greatest battle for Independence'' Aurum Press 2014 .
*''Naval Miscellany'' Osprey Publishing 2010 .
*''The World Atlas of Pirates'' The Lyons Press 2010 .
*''The Battle of North Cape: The death-ride of the Scharnhorst, 1943'' Pen & Sword Maritime 2009 .
*''There Was a Soldier: First-Hand Accounts of the Scottish Soldier from 1707 to the Present Day'' Hachette Scotland 2009 .
*''Piracy: The Complete History'' Osprey Publishing 2008 .
*''Sovereigns of the Sea: The Quest to Build the Perfect Renaissance Battleship'' John Wiley & Sons 2008 .
*''Cities of the Renaissance World'' Compendium Publishing 2008 , with Michael Swift.
*''Salerno 1943: The Allied invasion of Italy'' Pen & Sword Military 2007 .
*''Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate'' John Wiley & Sons 2006 .
*G''host Ships: Tales of Abandoned, Doomed and Haunted Vessels'' Greenwich Editions 2005 0.
*''Civil War Ghost Stories'' Thunder Bay Press 2005 .
*''PT Boat Squadrons: US Navy Torpedo Boats'' Ian Allen 2005 (Spearhead Series) .
*''The Pocket Book of Civil War Battle Sites'' Chartwell books 2004
*''The Pocket Book of Civil War Weapons'' Chartwell Books 2004
*''7th U-Boat Flotilla: Dönitz's Atlantic Wolves'' Ian Allen 2003 (Spearhead Series) , with Jak P. Mallmann Showell.
*''Hunt the Bismarck'' Naval Institute Press 2003 .
*''The Civil War: A Visual Encyclopedia'' PRC Publishing 2001 (General Editor).
*''Warships: From the Galley to the Present Day'' PRC Publishing 2001 , with Leo Marriott and Nick Grant.

Historical Atlas series

*''Historical Atlas of the Renaissance'' Checkmark Books 2004 , as Robert Ritchie
*''Historical Atlas of the Napoleonic Era'' The Lyons Press 2003 .
*''Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece'' Checkmark Books 2003 .
*''Historical Atlas of the Viking World'' Thalamus Publishing 2002 .
*''Historical Atlas of the Crusades'' Thalamus Publishing 2002 .
*''Historical Atlas of the Celtic World'' Checkmark Books 2001 .
*''Historical Atlas of Exploration'' Checkmark Books 2000 .
*''Atlas of Medieval Europe'' Checkmark Books 2000 .
*''The History of Shipwrecks'' Lyons Press 1999 .
*''The History of Pirates'' Lyons Press 1999 .

Osprey Publishing titles

* ''Super-Battleships of World War I: the lost battleships of the Washington Treaty'' (New Vanguard title 338) Osprey Publishing 2025
* ''Convoy PQ-17 1942: Disaster in the Arctic'' (Campaign title 414) Osprey Publishing 2025
* ''Royal Navy Grand Fleet 1914-18: Britain's Last Supreme Naval Fleet'' (Fleet title 10) Osprey Publishing 2025
* ''Borneo 1945: The Last Major Campaign in the South-West Pacific'' (Campaign title 406) Osprey Publishing 2024
* ''Sumatra 1944-45: The British Pacific Fleet's oil campaign in the Dutch East Indies'' (Air Campaign title 49) Osprey Publishing 2024
* ''British Lend-Lease Warships 1940-45: the Royal Navy's American-built destroyers and frigates'' ew Vanguard title 330) Osprey Publishing 2024
* ''Warships in the War of the Pacific 1879-83: South America's ironclad naval campaign'' [New Vanguard title 328Osprey Publishing 2024
* ''Royal Navy Home Fleet 1939-41: The last line of defence at Scapa Flow'' [Fleet title 5] Osprey Publishing 2024
* ''Cape Matapan 1941: Cunningham's Mediterranean Triumph'' [Campaign title 397] Osprey Publishing 2023
* ''Operation Pedestal 1942: The Battle for Malta's Lifeline'' [Campaign title 394] Osprey Publishing 2023
* ''German High Seas Fleet 1914-18: The Kaiser's challenge to the Royal Navy'' leet title 2Osprey Publishing 2023
* ''British Frigates and Escort Destroyers 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 319Osprey Publishing 2023
* ''British Aircraft Carriers 1945-2010'' ew Vanguard Title 317Osprey Publishing 2023
* ''Naval Battle of Crete 1941: The Royal Navy at Breaking Point'' ampaign title 388
* ''British/Commonwealth Cruiser vs Italian Cruiser 1940-43'' uel title 123Osprey Publishing 2022
* ''Barents Sea 1942: The Battle for Russia's Arctic Lifeline'' ampaign title 376Osprey Publishing 2022
* ''Warships in the Baltic Campaigns 1918-20'' ew Vanguard title 305Osprey Publishing 2022
* ''British Gunboats of Victoria's Empire'' ew Vanguard title 304Osprey Publishing 2022
* ''Warships in the Spanish Civil War'' ew Vanguard title 300Osprey Publishing 2021 .
*''Big Guns in the Atlantic: Germany's battleships and cruisers raid the convoys, 1939-41'' aid title 55Osprey Publishing 2021 .
*''Sinking Force Z 1941: The day the Imperial Japanese Navy killed the battleship'' ir Campaign title 20Osprey Publishing 2021 .
* ''North Cape 1943: The Sinking of the Scharnhorst'' ampaign title 356Osprey ''Publishing 2020 '' .
* ''British Battleship v German Battleship 1941-43'' uel title 107Osprey Publishing 2020 .
* ''British Battleships 1890-1905'' ew Vanguard title 290Osprey Publishing 2020 .
* ''American Privateers of the Revolutionary War'' ew Vanguard title 279Osprey Publishing 2019 .
* ''British Escort Carriers, 1941-45'' ew Vanguard title 274Osprey Publishing 2019 .
* ''Tirpitz in Norway: X-craft midget submarines raid the fjords, Operation Source 1943'' aid title 51Osprey Publishing 2019 .
* ''European Ironclads 1860-75 '' ew Vanguard title 269Osprey Publishing 2019 .
* ''British Ironclads 1860-75'' ew Vanguard title 262Osprey Publishing 2018 .
* ''Sink the Tirpitz, 1942-44'' ir Campaign title 7Osprey Publishing 2018 .
* ''British Destroyers 1939-45 (2): Wartime-built classes'' ew Vanguard title 253Osprey Publishing 2017 .
* ''British Destroyers 1939-45 (1):'' ''Pre-war classes'' ew Vanguard title 246Osprey Publishing, 2017 .
* ''River Plate 1939'':''The Sinking of the Graf Spee'' ampaign title 171Osprey Publishing 2016 .
* ''British Commando 1940-45'' arrior title 181Osprey Publishing 2016 .
* ''The Barbary Pirates 15th-17th Centuries'' lite title 213Osprey Publishing 2016 .
* ''Nile River Gunboats 1882-1918'' ew Vanguard title 239Osprey Publishing 2016 .
* ''U-47 in Scapa Flow: The Sinking of the Royal Oak,'' 1939 aid title 33Osprey Publishing 2015 .
* ''Taranto 1940: The Fleet Air Arm's precursor to Pearl Harbor'' ampaign title 288Osprey Publishing 2015 .
* ''Commonwealth Cruisers 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 226Osprey Publishing 2015 .
* ''Byzantine warship vs Arab warship, 7th - 11th centuries'' uel title 64Osprey Publishing 2015 .
* ''Gunboats of World War 1 '' ew Vanguard title 221Osprey Publishing 2015 .
* ''Salerno 1943: The Allies invade southern Italy'' ampaign title 257Osprey Publishing 2015 .
* ''British Battleships 1914-18 (2): The Super-Dreadnoughts'' ew Vanguard title 204Osprey Publishing 2013 .
* ''British Battleships, 1914-18 (1): The Early Dreadnoughts'' ew Vanguard title 200Osprey Publishing 2013 .
* ''Blackbeard's Last Fight: Pirate Hunting in North Carolina 1718'' aid title 37Osprey Publishing 2013 .
* ''British Light Cruisers 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 194Osprey Publishing 2012 .
* ''British Heavy Cruisers 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 190Osprey Publishing 2012 .
* ''The Great Expedition: Sir Francis Drake on the Spanish Main 1585-86'' aid title 11Osprey Publishing 2011 '.
* ''Warships of the Anglo-Dutch Wars'' ew Vanguard title 183Osprey Publishing 2011 .
* ''Nelson'' ommand title 14Osprey Publishing 2011 .
* ''The Bismarck 1941: Hunting Germany's greatest battleship'' ampaign title 232Osprey Publishing 2011 .
* ''Yangtze River Gunboats 1900-49 45'' ew Vanguard title 181Osprey Publishing 2011 .
* ''Pirate: The Golden Age'' arrior title 158Osprey Publishing 2011 with Dave Rickman .
* ''British Aircraft Carriers 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 168Osprey Publishing 2010 .
* ''Strongholds of the Picts: The Forts of Dark Age Scotland'' ortress title 85Osprey Publishing 2010 .
* ''Marlborough'' ommand title 10Osprey Publishing 2010 .
* ''British Motor Gunboat 1939-45 '' ew Vanguard title 166Osprey Publishing 2009 .
* ''Scapa Flow: The defences of Britain's great fleet anchorage, 1914-45'' ortress title 85Osprey Publishing 2009 .
* ''British Battleships 1939-45 (2): Nelson and King George V Classes'' ew Vanguard title 160Osprey Publishing 2009 .
* ''British Battleships 1939-45 (1): Queen Elizabeth and Royal Sovereign Classes'' ew Vanguard title 154Osprey Publishing 2009 .
* ''British Forts in the Age of Arthur'' ortress title 80Osprey Publishing 2008 .
* ''Tudor Warships (2): Elizabeth I's Navy'' ew Vanguard title 149Osprey Publishing 2008 .
* ''Tudor Warships (1): Henry VIII's Navy'' ew Vanguard title 142Osprey Publishing 2008 .
* ''The Forts of Celtic Britain '' ortress title 50Osprey Publishing 2006 .
* ''Confederate Submarines and Torpedo Vessels 1861-65'' ew Vanguard title 103Osprey Publishing 2004 .
* ''Spanish Galleon 1530-1690'' ew Vanguard title 94Osprey Publishing 2004 .
* ''Seven Days Battles 1862: Lee's Defense of Richmond'' ampaign title 133Osprey Publishing 2004 .
* ''Confederate Blockade Runner 1861-65 45'' ew Vanguard title 90Osprey Publishing 2004 .
* ''British Battlecruisers 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 88Osprey Publishing 2003 .
* ''British Motor Torpedo Boat 1939-45'' ew Vanguard title 74Osprey Publishing 2003 .
* ''Fair Oaks 1862: McClellan's Peninsula Campaign'' ampaign title 124Osprey Publishing 2003 .
* ''The Pirate Ship 1660-1730'' ew Vanguard title 70Osprey Publishing 2003 .
* ''Lepanto 1571: The greatest naval battle of the Renaissance'' ampaign title 114Osprey Publishing 2003 .
* ''Confederate Raider 1861-65'' ew Vanguard title 64Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''American Civil War Fortifications (1): Coastal brick and stone forts '' ortress title 14Osprey Publishing 2003 .
* ''Renaissance War Galley 1470-1590'' ew Vanguard title 62Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''Union River Ironclad 1861-65'' ew Vanguard title 56Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''Mississippi River Gunboat 1861-65'' ew Vanguard title 49Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''Guilford Courthouse 1781: Lord Cornwallis's ruinous victory'' ampaign title 109Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''Union Monitor 1861-65'' ew Vanguard title 45Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''Hampton Roads 1862: First clash of the Ironclads'' ampaign title 103Osprey Publishing 2002 .
* ''British Napoleonic Ship-of-the-Line'' ew Vanguard title 42Osprey Publishing 2001 .
* ''Privateers and Pirates 1730-1830'' lite title 74Osprey Publishing 2001 .
* ''Confederate Ironclad 1861-65'' ew Vanguard title 41Osprey Publishing 2001 .
* ''The Armada Campaign 1588: The Great Enterprise against England'' ampaign title 86Osprey Publishing 2001 .
* ''Elizabethan Sea Dogs, 1560-1605'' lite title 70Osprey Publishing 2000 .
* ''Buccaneers 1620-1700 '' lite title 69Osprey Publishing 2000 .
* ''San Juan Hill 1898: America's emergence as a world power'' ampaign title 57Osprey Publishing 1998 .
* ''Pirates 1660-1730'' lite title 67Osprey Publishing 1998 .
* ''Russian Army of the Seven Years War (2)'' en-at-Arms title 298Osprey Publishing 1996 .
* ''Russian Army of the Seven Years War (1)'' en-at-Arms title 297Osprey Publishing 1996 .
* ''Pavia 1525: The climax of the Italian Wars'' ampaign title 44Osprey Publishing 1996 .
* ''Poltava 1709: Russia Comes of Age'' ampaign title 34Osprey Publishing 1994 .
* ''Peter the Great's Army (2): Cavalry'' en-at-Arms title 264Osprey Publishing 1993 .
* ''Peter the Great's Army (1): Infantry'' en-at-Arms title 260Osprey Publishing 1993 .

References