Sir Oliver Tressilian, a Cornish sea-faring gentleman, was betrayed by his jealous half-brother. He was then forced to serve as a slave on a Spanish Galley, but was soon liberated by Barbary pirates. After deciding to join the pirates, they give him the name "Sakr-el-Bahr" which means the hawk of the sea. Sakr-el-Bahr swears vengeance against his brother for his evil wrongdoings.