5 most desperate female pirates in history, whose lives have been more exciting than any novel

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

What boy did not play pirates in childhood? It's so exciting and romantic to sail the seas on your own ship, capturing other people's ships. Who has not dreamed of such a dizzying adventure? However, contrary to popular belief, not only men, but also women were engaged in the pirate craft. Moreover, the ladies-corsairs achieved such heights in this difficult matter that they earned the unofficial status of "queens". There is significant historical evidence for this. About the most desperate pirates in history, further in the review.

These women turned out to be no less brave, cunning, and sometimes even more cruel and ferocious than the most famous corsairs of those times. The sea attracted the ladies with the opportunity to get rich quickly, to see different countries, and there was no shortage of worthy lovers. But the authorities did not particularly look at the sex of the pirates, whom they managed to catch doing their justice. The most famous females, who have chosen such a dangerous and criminal, but at the same time incredibly romantic craft, will be discussed further.

1. Cheng Yi Sao

One of the most powerful raiders in history began her career in a Chinese brothel. Cheng Yi Sao, or "Cheng's wife," was a Cantonese prostitute who married a powerful corsair named Cheng I. Soon, a team of husband and wife gathered one of China's most formidable pirate armies. Their detachment consisted of hundreds of ships and about 50,000 people. They plundered fishing boats, cargo junks, and coastal villages in southern China with impunity.

After the death of her husband in 1807, Ms. Cheng literally walked over the heads and took all power into her own hands. She took her confidant and part-time lover as a partner, a certain lieutenant named Chang Pao. For the next several years, they hunted for sea looting along the entire Asian coast. Ms. Cheng Yi Sao's powerful fleet could rival the fleets of many countries. She also drew up a strict code of conduct for her pirates. Rape of female prisoners was punishable by decapitation, and deserters had their ears cut off.

Ms. Cheng's bloody reign has made her public enemy number one for the Chinese government. It got to the point that in 1810 China teamed up with the navies of Britain and Portugal to put an end to this chaos and bring her to justice. The wise queen of the pirates did not engage in battle with such a formidable enemy in the person of the combined forces of several countries and prudently offered to voluntarily lay down her arms. In return, she asked for the right to keep all the wealth she had plundered. As a result, Ms. Cheng retired as one of the most successful and wealthy pirates in history.

2. Ann Bonnie

She was the illegitimate daughter of a very wealthy lawyer from Ireland. Father, in order to hide her very dubious origin, forced her to dress like a boy and impersonate his clerk. So the entire childhood and youth of the infamous pirate passed.

When Anne Bonnie grew up, she moved to America, a country that became a haven for all kinds of adventurers. In 1718 she married a sailor. In search of easy money, the couple went to the pirate island of New Providence, which is simply teeming with pirates. The marriage has cracked. Anne fell in love with a certain Jack Rakam, nicknamed "Calico", he was a pirate craft in the Caribbean. Jack's charm was so strong that Bonnie left her husband and followed her new love into a new life. He dressed her as a sailor and took her aboard.

Then she was like a fish in water. Affected, apparently, a difficult childhood in the imposed image of a boy. Ann didn't just act like a man, she would give odds to many of them in everything. Bonnie could whip rum, swear and fight as well as her male colleagues. Her tough temper was known to many. Once she almost beat to death one unfortunate man who dared to drive wedges to her. The fierce lady was just perfect in any weapon. In battle, she was merciless and bloodthirsty.

The eerie truth that she was actually a woman was revealed when Ann got pregnant. She was sent ashore. There the pirate gave birth to a boy, but gave him to the guardian. She herself returned to the pirate life. Colleagues, despite the prejudice about the presence of a woman on board, accepted Ann quite willingly. Everyone remembered her exploits, sensible advice and completely unfeminine courage and bloodthirstiness.

Fate brought Bonnie to another queen of the seas, Mary Reed. Bonnie took over their ship and was attracted by a pretty young sailor. Loving Ann wanted to sleep with a handsome man, but then it was revealed that he … is also a woman! After that, they became best friends. Together they committed daring robberies at sea, attacking small fishing boats and merchant sloops. The pirate chaos of the sweet couple did not last long. Less than a year later, Calico Jack's ship was hijacked. Jack himself and the rest of the pirate crew were executed. Mary and Anne were saved from the loop by the fact that they were pregnant. The rebellious but beloved daughter Anne was saved by her rich father, who bought her out. After that, he married and she began to live a completely calm home life, giving birth to her husband nine children. Anne died at a very advanced age.

3. Mary Reid

The future daring pirate was born in England at the end of the 17th century. Mary spent most of her youth pretending to be her late half-brother. The family lived in poverty and the mother thus deceived the boy's grandmother, for the sake of money. Reed liked this game very much. The girl was so carried away that she took the name Mark Reed and began to lead a traditionally male lifestyle. Thirst for adventure led Mary to the soldier's service, and a little later she became a sailor in the merchant marine.

Mary Reed retrained as a pirate in the late 1710s. This happened after sea robbers attacked a merchant ship where she served. The woman happily joined the ranks of the corsairs. She later became friends with Anne Bonnie and Calico Jack's team. The women became best friends and took up the pirate craft with enthusiasm.

Mary Reed has earned an intimidating reputation throughout her career. Her most famous feat was when they were taken prisoner, and she and Bonnie fought like wounded lionesses. The male pirates abandoned them and hid. Reed shouted, "If there are men among you, come up here and fight like men are supposed to!"

Despite all the military prowess of the brave women, Reed's heroism, she and the rest of the team were captured. They were brought to trial, the men were hanged, and the women were spared because of the pregnancy. True, Mary a little later fell ill with a fever in prison and died. So ingloriously ended her life full of adventures and adventures.

4. Grace O'Malley

It was in those not so distant times when most women were denied education and they were only keepers of the hearth. At this very time, Grace O'Malley led a fleet of two dozen ships, which was able to withstand the full might of the British Royal Navy. She was also known as "Granual" or "Bald". So she was nicknamed for her style of cutting her hair very short.

O'Malley was originally from Ireland. She was born into a family belonging to a powerful pirate clan the same year as the future Queen Elizabeth I. The clan ruled the entire coast of western Ireland. In 1560, Grace took over the family business and happily continued the ancestral tradition.

During her criminal career, she managed to give birth to three children. Grace changed husbands like gloves. For some reason, flimsy men were constantly dying. She did not remain an inconsolable widow. The sailors were replaced by aristocrats. Hugh de Lacey first, fifteen younger than her. Then Lord Burke, nicknamed "Iron Richard". She left the last one. And in a very original way. She locked herself in the castle and shouted from the window that she was leaving.

There were legends about her antics. No wonder the woman fought at sea the very next day after giving birth and was not inferior to men in valor. During her activities, Granual spent a year and a half behind bars after she was captured during one of her raids. When meeting with Queen Elizabeth I, the pirate refused to bow. Grace did not recognize her as Queen of Ireland. The impudent woman even carried a dagger to the meeting. The queen wanted to take the rebellious pirate into service, but she proudly refused. As a result, two strong women still understood each other and made peace.

O'Malley, despite her promise to the Queen, resumed looting. In the early 1590s, British authorities confiscated her fleet. Granual was then sixty-three years old. She asked for a royal audience and pretended to be a tired and broken old woman, asking only to return her ships to her. It is not known whether Elizabeth believed her or regretted her. The Queen ordered the release of Grace's son, who was captured by the authorities, and the return of the fleet. In return, the pirate promised to quietly retire. O'Malley did not keep her word. She and her sons continued the pirate business until Grace's death in 1603.

5. Rachel Wall

The romantic story of Rachel Wall's short life is richly seasoned with myths and legends. She was born into an ordinary decent pious family of Pennsylvanian farmers. Such a life was too boring for her rebellious nature. As a teenager, Rachel ran away from her parental home. The girl married a sailor named George Wall.

The couple settled in Boston and tried their best to earn a modest living for themselves. The couple were plagued by financial problems. There was a constant lack of money. In 1781, Wall bought a small schooner, teamed up with a few poor sailors, and began hunting merchant ships off the coast of New England. Their strategy was as ingenious as it was brutal. Every time, after a storm, they went out to sea and created the appearance of a wrecked ship. Pretty Rachel stood on the deck crying for help. The passing ship never ignored the Siren. They all rushed to her aid and found their destruction there.

Siren Wall's lamentable song lured about a dozen ships to death. Luck changed the couple in 1782. A real storm sank their schooner. George was killed. Rachel became a thief on land. The woman was soon arrested.

While in prison, she wrote a confession in which she confessed to "breaking the Sabbath, stealing, lying, disobeying parents and almost all other sins that a person can commit, except murder." Despite the frank confession and the fact that Wall herself never killed anyone, she was executed. On October 8, Rachel became the last woman to be executed in Massachusetts. She was hanged in Boston when she was only twenty-nine.

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