The Treaty of Utrecht ended the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713, helping create conditions for the Golden Age of Piracy.
The settlement involved a series of agreements signed in Utrecht between 1713 and 1715. It recognized Philip V as king of Spain, although Spain and France were barred from uniting under one monarch. Britain gained important strategic and commercial advantages, including Gibraltar and Minorca.
The treaty also contributed to the growth of piracy because thousands of privateers lost their wartime commissions when hostilities ended. Many experienced sailors had ships, weapons, and few employment prospects. Some continued attacking merchant vessels illegally, becoming pirates. This transition was especially important in the Caribbean and Atlantic after 1713.
The treaty did not instantly begin piracy, and piracy did not disappear when the agreements were signed. Instead, Utrecht is commonly treated as a major political event that helped expand the postwar pirate population.