Operation Manual
The Great Pirate concept is explained in depth, and the source of their power is that they are masters of information in a time where people are focused locally.
Power struggles for waterways ensue, requiring people like Leonardo DaVinci and Michelangelo to design better defenses for the Great Pirates.
As engineers become involved with Great Pirates many new concepts appear, but the main one was of the Navy. As the size of the people in the Great Pirates' employment grow, training becomes a necessity, and the beginnings of schools and colleges ensue.