Highwaymen were active during various periods throughout history, but the term is mainly associated with the 17th and 18th centuries in England. During this era, highwaymen, often depicted in literature and folklore, used their horses to swiftly attack travelers on horseback or in carriages. They would rob their victims of valuables and sometimes even resorted to violence. The golden age of highwaymen in England occurred during the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714).