Links to Information about William Eaton and the Barbary Wars

Tripoli: The Movie
William Monahan wrote a screenplay for Tripoli, which was picked up by Director Ridley Scott. The movie's release date is TBD but both Monahan and Scott are enthusiastic about it's eventual release.

Times Online Interview with Ridley Scott. October 5, 2006: “Bill Monahan is maybe one of the two best writers I have ever worked with and I am developing something with him now that will take us back to Muslim countries next year. It’s called Tripoli, is set in 1805 and is about the bad behaviour of Pasha of Tripoli, who was kidnapping ships, particularly American ships, and demanding ransoms while Jefferson was broke, having emptied his coffers of $11 million to complete the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon, who needed the money to feed his army. It is a fascinating period.”

Collider.com interview with William Monahan, February 18, 2007: Collider.com: What is the status of Tripoli?

Monahan: I own Tripoli. Ridley and I were just talking about it recently. I think that the reason that Tripoli did not get made at Fox at that time—and this is my own appraisal of tea leaves several years old— it’s because Tripoli and Master and Commander were set in the same era and both had Russell Crowe. The guys upstairs made a decision and went with Master and Commander, possibly because of franchise considerations that have obviously not played out. Decisions get made, sometimes they’re right, sometimes they’re wrong, but they’re made and you move on. I might have made the same decision if I already had money sunk into one picture set in 1804, even if the other film was Tripoli. We were very fortunate to have been able to move straight into Kingdom of Heaven. And that's a masterpiece, so what was lost? Nothing. Tripoli will get made. There's no way it can't be. It'll be made when the time's right.

Stephen Decatur

For information about Stephen Decatur, visit The Stephen Decatur House Museum

William Eaton

For information about William Eaton Papers, visit The Huntington Libary

Ships

For information about the USS Constitution, visit The USS Constitution

Google Earth
One of the pivotal battles of the war was fought at Derna, in what is now Libya. To view a satellite image of Derna, Use Google Earth and search for "Darnah, Libya"

Presley O'Bannon
For information about Presley O'Bannon, visit Wikiepedia