Pirate nicknames for women. The most famous female pirates in history

What boy didn’t play pirates as a child? It seems so romantic to capture other people's ships in distant seas, experiencing dizzying adventures. However, not only men, but also women were engaged in the pirate craft. There is historical evidence of this. At the same time, the most successful lady pirates achieved the unofficial status of “queens”.

Such women turned out to be no less brave, cunning, and sometimes cruel than the most famous corsairs of that time. The sea attracted 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 gender of the captured pirates when administering their justice. We will talk about the most famous ladies who chose such a dangerous, but also romantic craft.

Alvilda (5th century). This woman in the history of piracy is one of the first known representatives of the fairer sex. Alvilda carried out robbery in Scandinavian waters during the early Middle Ages. This woman's name appears in all popular stories of piracy. Legends say that this woman was actually a princess, her father was a king from the island of Gotland. When the monarch decided to marry his daughter to Alf, the son of the powerful king of Denmark, Alvilda decided to run away from home and become a pirate. On her robber voyage, the Amazon recruited a team of young women like herself. The robbers dressed as men, and Alvilda herself became the main robber in local waters. Soon, the raids of the brave female pirate began to seriously threaten merchant ships and residents of the coastal territories of the Danish kingdom, and Prince Alf himself was sent to fight the robbers. He had no idea that he would be pursuing his would-be bride. After the prince killed almost all the pirates, he entered into a duel with their leader. The man was able to defeat the pirate and forced him to surrender. Alf was very surprised when under the helmet he discovered the young face of Alvilda, whom he wanted to marry. The girl appreciated the prince's courage and his fighting skills, agreeing to marry him. The wedding took place right on board a pirate ship. The young people made vows to each other. The prince promised to love his chosen one forever, and Alvilda herself vowed to never go to sea without a husband. The veracity of this story can be questioned. Researchers discovered that the legend of Alvilda was first told to his readers by the monk Saxo Grammaticus, who lived in the 12th century. Mention of a female pirate is found in his “Acts of the Danes.” The image of Alvilda was born either thanks to the myths about the Amazons, or the ancient Scandinavian sagas.

Jeanne de Belleville (1300-1359). If the image of Alvilda is semi-legendary, then the avenger Jeanne de Belleville became the first truly famous corsair from the point of view of history. Around 1335, Jeanne remarried a Brittany nobleman, Olivier Claesson. It was a turbulent time - the Hundred Years' War was going on, and the country was torn apart by internal conflicts. Joan's husband turned out to be an accomplice in the conspiracy and was executed by order of King Philip VI. His loving wife decided to avenge her husband, vowing to do everything possible to achieve this. Jeanne took her two sons, the eldest was only fourteen years old, and went to England. There she obtained an audience with King Edward III. The monarch provided the avenger with a small fleet of three ships, it was called the “Retribution Fleet in the English Channel.” This small flotilla robbed merchant ships for several years, even attacking French warships. All the booty received was sent to England, and the sailors who surrendered were simply destroyed. The brave woman personally went to sea on ships in search of prey; Jeanne was one of the first to board and lead the assault on coastal French castles. Eyewitnesses said that the female pirate had excellent command of both a boarding ax and a saber. The fame of Jeanne de Belleville spread throughout France, where she was nicknamed the bloodthirsty lioness. Parliament even passed a special resolution on the expulsion of such a rebellious subject from the country and on the confiscation of all her property. The country's fleet received an order to finally clear the English Channel of English pirates. Soon Jeanne's flotilla was surrounded. She herself abandoned the pirates and set off towards England on a small rowing boat with her sons. For six days the sailors tried to row to the island, but the current constantly carried them out to sea. It turned out that the escape was carried out in such a hurry that the pirates forgot to take water and provisions with them. Six days later, de Belleville's youngest son died, and then several sailors. A few days later the unfortunates washed up on the shores of Brittany. Fortunately for Zhanna, she ended up with the comrades-in-arms of her deceased husband. Over time, the brave woman even married again; her chosen one was the nobleman Gautier de Bentley.

Lady Killigrew (?-1571). This female pirate became the threat of the same English Channel approximately two hundred years after the story of Jeanne de Belleville. Lady Mary Killigrew managed to lead a double life. In secular society, the lady was known and respected as the respected wife of the governor, Lord John Killigrew, who lived in the port city of Falmet. On the other hand, she secretly commanded the pirates who robbed merchant ships in Falmet Bay. And such tactics for a long time allowed the lady to act with impunity and secrecy. She simply never left behind living witnesses. One day a Spanish ship entered the bay, heavily laden with goods. The captain and crew did not have time to come to their senses when they were captured by pirates. The leader of the Spaniards managed to hide and was surprised to see that the corsairs were commanded by a young, beautiful, but very cruel woman. The captain managed to escape from the captured ship and reach the shore. In the city of Falmet, he went to the governor to inform him about the pirate attack. Imagine the captain’s surprise when he saw that same beauty sitting next to the governor! But Lord Killigru controlled two fortresses, which were supposed to ensure smooth sailing of merchant ships in the bay. Then the captain decided to remain silent and left for London. There he told the strange story to the king, who began his own investigation. Unexpectedly, it turned out that Lady Killigru had piracy in her blood - her father was the famous pirate Philip Wolversten from Sofolk. The woman herself began to take part in her father’s robberies from an early age. Marriage to a lord helped her achieve a position in society, as well as form her own pirate crew. So Lady Killigru began to rob ships in the English Channel and coastal waters. The investigation found out exactly how some ships disappeared, which were previously considered to have disappeared due to mystical forces. Lord Killigrew was convicted and executed for indulging his wife's interests. And the lady herself received a death sentence, which was later commuted by Queen Elizabeth I to life imprisonment. Interestingly, ten years later, pirates under the command of Lady Killigru appeared in the English Channel again. This time it was the daughter-in-law of the executed lord who acted.

Grain (Granual) O'Malley (1533-1603). This female pirate was, on the one hand, very brave, and on the other, cruel and insensitive towards her enemies. Grain came from an old Irish family, in which there were many pirates, corsairs or simply sailors. The family's ships flew a flag with a white seahorse and the inscription "Strong on Land and Sea." According to legends, Grainne O'Malley was born in the same year (1533) as the English Queen Elizabeth I. They write that the Irishwoman even met her crowned peer a couple of times, although the women fought with each other throughout their lives. From an early age, Grain showed a warlike character. When her father refused to take her to sea for the first time, the girl cut off her luxurious hair - a symbol of female beauty. This is how her nickname “Bald Graine” came about. On sea voyages, the girl also learned languages; she knew Latin perfectly. Soon, the brave girl rallied herself to the most selected pirates and corsairs and began to plunder the lands of people hostile to her clan. Grain decided to get rich this way. Over time, she either defeated her half-brother in battle and became the leader of the clan, or simply married the corsair O’Flaherty, leading his fleet. It must be said that even as a pirate, Grein managed to give birth to three children. After the death of her husband in battle, the widow managed to preserve her war fleet, and besides, her relatives ceded Clare Island to her for a pirate base. And the woman did not remain inconsolable. At first, Grainne was consoled in the arms of a young aristocrat, Hugh de Lacy, fifteen years younger than herself. After him, Lord Burkey, nicknamed Iron Richard, became the new husband of the brave woman. The fact is that on the Mayo coast only his castle was not captured by her. This marriage lasted only a year. The pirate divorced in a very original way - she simply locked herself in the castle and shouted from the horse to Richard Burke that she was leaving him. Grain showed her rebellious nature even at a meeting with Queen Elizabeth. At first she refused to bow to her, not recognizing her as the Queen of Ireland. And the rebel woman somehow managed to carry the dagger with her. As a result of that meeting, it was possible, if not to attract Greinne to the royal service, then to conclude at least the appearance of a peace agreement. Over time, the pirate began her activities again, still trying not to harm England. Grainne O'Malley died in 1603, the same year as the queen.

Anne Bonny (1700-1782). And this native of Ireland managed to go down in the history of piracy. At the age of five, thanks to her father, lawyer William Cormack, she came to North America. This happened in 1705. And already at the age of 18, Anne was known as a beauty with a stormy and unpredictable temperament. She was considered an enviable bride and her father began looking for rich suitors. But the girl met the sailor James Bonney and fell in love with him. The father prevented the relationship, which is why the young people got married and left for the island of New Providence. But the love soon passed and Anne began to live with the captain of the pirate ship, John Rackham. He, in order not to part with his passion, dressed her in men's clothing and took her into his service as a sailor. Anne became a pirate on the sloop Dragon, sailing between the Bahamas and the Antilles. During the moments of boarding merchant ships, Anne amazed even the best pirates with her courage. She was merciless to her enemies, rushing first into the thick of the battle. And after the end of the battle, Anne personally dealt with the prisoners, doing it extremely cruelly. Even battle-hardened pirates were frightened by the sadism of the young sailor, who, with or without reason, grabbed a knife and a pistol. They did not know that their colleague was a woman. After some time, Anne became pregnant, and the captain put her ashore, leaving her in the care of his friend. Having given birth, the woman left her little child to her guardian and returned to the pirates. There she and the captain decided to tell the pirates the truth. And although the crew remembered what it meant to be a woman on a ship, especially a pirate one, the mutiny did not take place. After all, everyone remembered how bloodthirsty and cruel Anne was. And her behavior and advice often saved pirates. And in one of the attacks, the “Dragon” captured an English ship. Ann liked the young sailor Mac and decided to sleep with him. But he also turned out to be a woman, an Englishwoman, Mary Read. She also became a pirate, no less famous than her friend. In 1720, Anne Bonny and her accomplices were captured. The woman's execution was constantly postponed due to her pregnancy. They say that the father managed to ransom his unlucky daughter and return her home. The once thunderstorm of the seas died in 1782, at a respectable age, having given birth to nine more children in a second, calm marriage.

Jaco Delahaye (XVII century). This lady was active as a French privateer in the 17th century. And she was born in exotic Haiti, however, the girl’s father was not a native, but a Frenchman. In the history of piracy, Jaco Delahaye remains a woman of extraordinary beauty. It is believed that she chose the path of a pirate after the death of her father. In fact, he was the only person close to her. The mother died during childbirth, and the older brother was mentally disabled, remaining in the care of his sister. Jaco Delahaye had to board the ship of her sailor father and become a robber. This happened in the 1660s. Over time, in order to hide from her pursuers, the pirate faked her own death. At one time, Jaco changed her name and lived in male guise. Upon her return, she earned the nickname "Red from the Dead", thanks to her beautiful fiery red hair.

Anne Dieu-Le-Vaux (Mary Ann, Marianne) (1650-?). This French female pirate was born in the middle of the 17th century. It is believed that she was taken from Europe to colonial lands as a criminal. A woman appeared in Tortuga in 1665-1675, when Governor Bertrand Dogeron De La Bure ruled there. On this island, a famous haven for pirates, Mary Anne married the corsair Pierre Lengs. In 1683, he died in a duel at the hands of the famous pirate Laurence de Graff. Then Marianne also challenged him to a duel. According to some information, the reason was not the death of the spouse, but personal insults. But the fight did not take place; Lawrence said that he was not going to fight with the woman. But admiring her courage, he invited Marianne to become his wife. In fact, de Graff was already officially married, so Marianne became his partner and mistress. You can really call Anna a pirate, since she followed her husband everywhere and fought next to him. Anne Bonny behaved in a similar way. However, unlike her, Dieu-Le-Vau did not hide her gender, which is why she attracted attention to herself, causing universal respect and even admiration. It is believed that Marianne was a brave, harsh and merciless pirate. She even got the nickname “Anna - God's will.” And although it is believed that a woman on a ship brings misfortune, this did not concern Marianne. It seemed that the pirates were lucky with her. In 1693, her husband took part in the capture of Jamaica, for which he received the title of chevalier and the rank of first lieutenant. But a year later, the British attacked Tortuga - Anna, along with her two daughters, was captured and remained a hostage for three years. The family was reunited only in 1698. The fate of the pirates is then lost; it is said that they even became colonists in Mississippi. But there is one interesting story dating back to 1704. There is evidence that it was then Anna, together with her husband Lawrence, who attacked the Spanish ship. The man was killed by a cannonball, then Marianne took command of the pirates. Unfortunately, there were fewer robbers and they lost the battle. All the pirates were sent to hard labor, but the name of their leader turned out to be too famous. The news of Anna's arrest, through the French naval secretary, reached Louis XIV himself, who asked the Spanish king to intervene. As a result, the female pirate was released. And one of her daughters lived in Haiti and became famous for defeating a man in a duel.

Ingela Hammar (1692-1729). This woman served as a privateer for the Swedish king Charles XII during his Northern War at the beginning of the 18th century. In 1711, a 19-year-old girl married the pirate Lars Gatenhilm, who officially received permission from the king to plunder enemy merchant ships. But the privateer robbed everything that came his way. And Ingela knew her future husband from childhood; their union had long been approved by their parents. This marriage was happy, five children were born in it. There is every reason to believe that Ingela was not just a beloved wife waiting for her husband on the shore, but also a faithful ally in his activities. Perhaps it was Ingela who was the brain of all Lars’s cunning operations, who stood behind all his activities. Most operations were planned at the Gothenburg base and managed from there. And in 1715 the family had already earned a huge fortune. In 1718, Lars died and his privateering business was inherited by Ingele. During the war, she further expanded her husband's privateering empire. It is no coincidence that the Swede was even nicknamed the queen of navigation. But after the conclusion of a peace agreement with Denmark in 1720 and Russia in 1721, there was no one to fight with. In 1722, the former pirate remarried and died in 1729. Ingela Hammar was buried next to her first husband.

Maria Lindsay (1700-1745). This Englishwoman was born in 1700 and her pirate activities are also associated with her husband’s name. Eric Cobham robbed ships in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and his base was located on the island of Newfoundland. The couple became famous for their cruelty bordering on sadism. The pirates preferred to sink captured ships, and all crew members were either killed or used as targets for shooting exercises. This corsair career lasted for the couple from 1720 to 1740. After this, the couple decided to start a new life in France. In Europe, the Cobham couple became respected in society, Eric even managed to get the post of judge. But for Maria, such a sedate life was not to her liking, and she simply went crazy. Either the woman committed suicide, or her husband killed her. And before his death, Eric Cobham told the priest about all his sins, asking him to tell everyone the story of his life. The book came out shameful and incriminating, and descendants even tried to buy back and destroy the entire circulation. But a copy remained in the National Archives of Paris.

Rachel Wall (1760-1789). The death penalty has long been abolished in many American states. The last person to be hanged in Massachusetts was Rachel Wall. She may be the first American-born woman to become a pirate. And she was born into a family of devout believers in provincial Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Rachel didn't like life on a country farm, which is why she chose to move to the city. One day, a girl was attacked at the port, and a certain George Wall saved her. The guy and the girl fell in love and got married, although Rachel's parents were against it. The young people moved to Boston, where George became a sailor on a fishing schooner and his wife became a maid. The family was constantly short of money, so George Wall suggested to his friends that they become pirates. At first, the crew, together with Rachel, operated on the Island of Shoals, off the coast of New Hampshire. The girl on the deck of the schooner pretended to be a shipwreck victim. When boats with rescuers arrived there, the pirates killed and robbed them. In 1781-1782, the Wall couple and their accomplices captured twelve boats and thus earned 6 thousand dollars and a bunch of valuables. 24 people were killed. But in the end, George Wall, like most of his team, died during a severe storm. Rachel had to return to Boston and resume work there as a servant. But the robber did not forget her past, from time to time robbing boats at the docks. And while trying to rob the young lady Margaret Bender, the bandit was caught. On September 10, 1789, Rachel Wall was convicted of robbery, but she asked to be tried as a pirate. The authorities agreed, although the woman did not kill anyone. On October 8, Rachel was hanged, having lived only 29 years.

Charlotte Badger (1778 -1816). There were female pirates in the history of Australia. The very first is considered to be Charlotte Badger, who was born in Worcestershire, England. She also made history by becoming one of the first two white female settlers in New Zealand. An Englishwoman was born into a poor family; in order to support herself, she began to engage in petty theft. In 1796, a girl was caught trying to steal a silk scarf and several coins. For this she was sentenced to seven years of hard labor in New South Wales, Australia. There she began working at a women's factory and even gave birth to a daughter. Together with her child, Charlotte boarded the Venus in 1806, planning to find work in the colonies. The captain of the ship, Samuel Chase, turned out to be a cruel man and liked to beat women with a whip just for fun. Badger, along with his friend, also an exile, Catherine Hagerty, did not want to tolerate the sadist’s bullying and persuaded the passengers to start a riot. Having captured the ship, the women and their lovers headed to New Zealand, choosing the difficult fate of the pioneers. There is information that the rebels from the Venus, together with two women and their lovers, took up piracy. However, this idea quickly failed, because the rebels did not understand anything about navigation. There is a story that the ship was captured by Maori natives. They burned the ship, eating or killing the crew. Catherine Hagerty died of a fever, but the fate of Charlotte Badger, a failed pirate, remained unknown. It is believed that she managed to hide on the island and then join the crew of an American whaling ship.

Saida Al Hurra Saida Al Hurra was born around 1485 into a prominent Muslim family in the Kingdom of Granada. Forced to flee after being captured by Christian Spain, Saida's parents settled in Chaoen, Morocco. After the death of her husband, Saida became Queen of Tetouan, which led to her later marrying the King of Morocco, Ahmed al-Wattasi. And although Saida was incredibly rich, her anger at the Christians who once forced her to leave her home prompted her to take up piracy. Capturing Christian ships helped fulfill her dream of returning home, at least for one day. Ultimately, the Queen of the Mediterranean, in the eyes of Christians, became the main intermediary for the Portuguese and Spanish governments as they tried to free captives held by pirates. In 1542, the woman was dethroned by her stepson. Nothing is known about her further fate.

Pirate Queen Teuta of Illyria. This amazing woman took the risk of capturing Rome, while many men could not even think about it. After the death of her husband, King Ardiein, Teuta inherited the kingdom of Ardiein in 231 BC. Trying to cope with the aggression of neighboring states, she supported the pirate population of her kingdom. With her support, the Illyrians captured the cities of Foenis and Dyrrhachium. Expanding their territories, its pirates attacked merchant ships of Greece and Rome. The result was a war between Rome and Illyria in 229 BC, in which the pirate queen was defeated.

Anne Bonny. Anne Bonny (or Annie) was an Irish pirate born between 1697-1700. After her mother's death, Anne's father made a small fortune through trading. However, Bonnie was not an angelic child - after a stabbing with a servant and marriage to a petty pirate, James Bonney, her father abandoned her. The girl moved to New Providence in the Bahamas, where she met Jack Rackham, captain of the pirate ship Revenge, and became his mistress. This was followed by a divorce from James and a wedding to Jack, and... piracy... Anne helped form a new crew and capture a large number of ships , many of which transported tea. It all ended with the Governor of Jamaica authorizing Captain Jonathan Barnett to deal with Bonnie and Rackham. Since most of their crew was drunk at the time, their ship was hijacked. Rackham was executed, and Bonnie disappeared - perhaps her father paid the ransom.

Jean de Clisson. A girl who lived in Brittany in the 1300s married Olivier III de Clisson, a wealthy nobleman who was tasked with defending the peninsula from English claimants. However, he went over to the side of the British. Captured in 1343, Olivier was sent to Paris and executed by order of King Philip VI. Full of anger, Jean swore revenge on the king. She sold her lands to rich nobles and bought 3 warships. The ships were painted black, the sails red. The woman killed the crew of the captured ships, leaving only a few sailors alive so that they could tell the King that “the Lioness of Brittany will strike again.” But even after Philip's death, she continued to attack French ships and did this until she left for England - the only place where people loved the French about as much as she did.

Chin Shi. Chin Shi is a Chinese sea robber who gained fame as one of the most successful female pirates in history. This short, fragile girl, leading the battle, held a fan in her hand instead of a saber. She was a contemporary of Napoleon and Admiral Nelson, but nothing was heard of her in Europe. But in the Far East and in the vast expanses of the South Chinese seas, everyone knew her name - both the poor and the rich. She went down in history under the name “Lady Qing,” the uncrowned queen of Chinese pirates of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She commanded a fleet of 2,000 ships and had more than 70,000 sailors under her command.

Anne Dieu-Le-Veuth. A criminal exiled from France to Tortuga sometime between 1665 and 1675, she married the pirate Pierre Langt. In 1683, her husband was killed by another pirate, Lorenzo de Graaf, during a bar fight. After the incident, the girl challenged Lorenzo and took out a weapon. The pirate refused to fight the woman, but, impressed by Anne's dark side, he proposed to her. Anne, apparently forgetting that she had just wanted to kill this man, accepted him. Together they began to sail the seas as pirates, capturing ships and even raiding Jamaica in 1693. A subsequent raid on Tortuga led to the capture of Anne and her two daughters. She and Lorenzo were reunited several years later. Their further fate is unknown.

Grace O'Malley. An unusually brave, but at the same time insensitive and cruel woman, she came from the old Irish family of O'Malley, known for many corsairs and pirates. Grace's father was the chief of the seafaring Clan O'Malley, left untouched by the English. O'Malley took over his role of collecting taxes from the fishermen in their territory. But the method of “collecting taxes” was not very usual - they demanded cash or cargo from ships for safe passage. Refusal was tantamount to death. Grace also attacked the fortresses of Irish and Scottish nobles. Some say she even kidnapped children of Anglo-Irish descent.

Lady Elizabeth Killigrew Born around 1525, Elizabeth became Lady Killigrew when she married Sir John Killigrew of Arwenack, Cornwall. In the 1540s, when Pendennis Castle was built on his husband's land by King Henry VIII, the Killigrews were given control of shipping in the area. They began to use this position to hunt the cargo of ships entering the area under their control, fortifying Arvenac Castle. After the death of her husband, Elizabeth took full control of the pirates. When she learned that the Spanish ship Mafri San Sebastian had taken refuge in Falmouth Harbor, the woman organized an attack on the ship, seizing it and its cargo. After she was caught, Killigrew was pardoned and pardoned by Queen Elizabeth.

Christina Anna Skitt. The daughter of Baron Jacob Skitt from Duderhof (Sweden) with her fiancé Gustaf Drake became partners in “business” - her brother, apparently not happy with great wealth, led a double life as a pirate, robbing ships in the Baltic Sea. After killing one of the conspirators who tried to leave, Christina proved that she was not a passive partner. In 1663, they attacked a Dutch merchant ship, killing the crew and stealing the cargo. This attack led to Gustaf's capture and Christina was forced to flee.

Jacot Delahaye. The death of her father and mother, as well as brain damage to her brother received at birth, forced the red-haired beauty Jacot to turn to piracy in the Caribbean - she had to somehow take care of her brother. In the 1660s, a girl faked her own death to avoid a government hunt. After several years of peaceful life, she returned to piracy and, as many believe, teamed up with Anne Dieu-Le-Vouet.

Alvilda - Queen of the Pirates One of the first pirates is considered Alvilda(Alvilda), who plundered the waters of Scandinavia during the early Middle Ages. Her name often appears in popular books on the history of piracy. According to legend, this medieval princess, the daughter of a Gothic king (or king from the island of Gotland), decided to become a “sea Amazon” in order to avoid the marriage forced on her to Alf, the son of a powerful Danish king. Having gone on a pirate voyage with a crew of young women dressed in men's clothes, she turned into the number one “star” among sea robbers. Since Alvilda’s dashing raids posed a serious threat to merchant shipping and the inhabitants of the coastal regions of Denmark, Prince Alf himself set off in pursuit of her, not realizing that the object of his pursuit was the coveted Alvilda. Having killed most of the sea robbers, he entered into a duel with their leader and forced him to surrender. How surprised the Danish prince was when the pirate leader took off his helmet from his head and appeared before him in the guise of a young beauty whom he dreamed of marrying! Alvilda appreciated the perseverance of the heir to the Danish crown and his ability to swing a sword. The wedding took place right there, on board the pirate ship. The prince swore to the princess to love her to the grave, and she solemnly promised him never to go to sea without him again. Is the story told true? Researchers have discovered that the legend of Alwilda was first told to readers by the monk Saxo Grammaticus (1140 - ca. 1208) in his famous work “The Acts of the Danes.” He got it either from the ancient Scandinavian sagas or from the myths of the Amazons.

Jeanne de Belleville - avengerJeanne de Belleville was the first corsair to gain widespread fame. Around 1335 she married a Breton nobleman. The Hundred Years' War was going on, to which internal conflicts were added. Her beloved husband, involved in the struggle for the throne, was executed by order of Philip VI. The widow vowed to avenge her husband. Together with her two sons, the eldest of whom was fourteen years old, she sailed to England, where she obtained a reception from the king. Edward III gave her three ships, which were called the “Retribution Fleet in the English Channel.” For several years, her flotilla robbed French merchant ships and even attacked warships. The booty was sent to England, the crew of the ships was exterminated. She herself led her ships in search of prey, was the first to board, and led her pirates in attacks on coastal castles. According to eyewitnesses, she was excellent at wielding both a saber and a boarding axe. In France, she was nicknamed the “bloodthirsty lioness.” Parliament decided to expel her and confiscate her property, and the French fleet was ordered to comb the English Channel. Jeanne's flotilla was surrounded, and, leaving her sailors, she escaped with her sons and a dozen oarsmen in a small boat. For six days the sailors tried to row to the shores of England, but the current carried them in the other direction. Having escaped in a hurry, they did not take food or water. On the sixth day, Jeanne's youngest son died, followed by several sailors. A few days later they washed up on the shores of Brittany. There, Jeanne received shelter from the followers of her deceased husband and soon married again - to the nobleman Gautier de Bentley. Lady Killigrew About two hundred years after Jeanne de Belleville, a new female pirate appeared in the English Channel: Lady Mary Killigrew. This lady led a double life: in society she is the respected wife of Governor Lord John Killigrew in the port city of Falmet, and at the same time secretly commands pirate ships that attack merchant ships mainly in Falmet Bay. Lady Kiligru's tactics proved successful for a long time, as she never left any living witnesses. One day a heavily laden Spanish ship entered the bay. Before the captain and crew came to their senses, the pirates attacked and captured him. The captain managed to take cover and was very surprised to discover that the pirates were commanded by a young and very beautiful woman, who could compete with men in cruelty. The Spanish captain reached the shore and quickly headed to the city of Falmet to inform the royal governor of the attack. To his new surprise, he saw the pirate sitting next to the governor, Lord Killigru. Lord Kiligru controlled two fortresses, whose task was to ensure the smooth navigation of ships in the bay. The captain kept silent about what happened and immediately left for London. By order of the king, an investigation began, which brought unexpected results. It turned out that Lady Killigru carried violent pirate blood in her, as she was the daughter of the famous pirate Philip Wolversten from Sofolk, and as a girl she participated in pirate attacks. Thanks to her marriage to a lord, she acquired a position in society, and at the same time created a large pirate company that operated not only in the English Channel, but also in neighboring waters. During the trial, many mysterious cases of disappearances of merchant ships were revealed, which until now were attributed to “supernatural forces.”

Lord Killigrew was condemned to death and executed. His wife also received a death sentence, but Queen Elizabeth I later commuted it to a short sentence. Grace O'Malley (Granual), pirate queen

Grace O'Malley was an unusually brave, but at the same time insensitive and cruel woman. She came from the ancient Irish family of O'Meli, known for many corsairs and pirates. A black flag fluttered on the masts of his ships, but not with a skull and crossbones, but with a white seahorse and the inscription: “Strong on land and sea.” According to legend Grace O'Malley was born in the same year as Queen Elizabeth I of England - in 1533, and even met her twice, although they opposed each other. From an early age, Grainne had the warrior nature of an Amazon. With a group of selected corsairs and pirates, she plundered villages hostile to the O'Malley family. With the sole purpose of getting rich. Later she became the wife of the brave corsair O'Fleherty, who came from another Irish family. Grainne could not devote herself entirely to pirate activity, since she had to look after three children. After some time, she became a widow, but did not remain lonely for long. She married Lord Burkey, famous in the world of corsairs, nicknamed Iron Richard by the British because he wore metal chain mail. For them, this turned out to be as unusual as the fact that Grain wore trousers. Grain continued her pirate activities, although she became pregnant again. They say that she left the captain's bridge only to give birth to her daughter, and immediately returned to the deck. Lady Berkey “kept under her thumb” both her husband and the crew. After one unsuccessful expedition, she greeted the lord with the statement “Quit,” and this meant the end of the relationship. (They were never officially married). The English queen tried to attract Grace to the royal service; for this she was invited to the palace twice. This greatly dulled the hatred of the crown, but she refused. Then, for “violating the ban on piracy,” Grain was imprisoned, where she spent a year and a half. She was released after she promised not to engage in pirate craft again. However, Lady Berkey did not change her principles and continued to engage in dangerous work. She also died in the same year as the Queen of England - in 1603.

Ruthless Anne and Bloody Mary

Another Irish woman enjoys considerable fame in the history of piracy - Anne Bonney. At the age of five, she was brought to North America by her father, lawyer William Cormack. It was in 1695 that Anne grew up to be a beauty with an unbridled temperament. At the age of 18, she met sailor James Bonney, against her father’s wishes, she married him and left for the island of New Providence. Soon, however, she grew tired of her husband, and Anne met the captain of a pirate sloop, John Rackham, who, in order not to part with his beloved, dressed her in a man’s robe and took her to sea as a sailor. On the sloop "Dragon", cruising between the Bahamas and the Antilles, attacking merchant ships, during boardings Anne amazed the crew, consisting of selected thugs, with her desperate courage. She was the first to rush into battle and was merciless to her enemies. And then she tried to personally deal with those captured and did this with sophisticated cruelty. Not at all sentimental pirates were disgusted by her sadism. But they didn’t know that Anne was a woman, and they were afraid of the young sailor, who grabbed a knife and a pistol for every reason. Some time later, Anne became pregnant, and Rackham put her ashore, entrusting her to the care of his old friend Jim Krohn. There she gave birth and, leaving the baby in the care of Krohn, returned to the sloop. Now she and the captain decided not to hide her gender, and the crew, although they met such a desecration of pirate traditions without enthusiasm, but, remembering Anne’s frantic temper and bloodthirstiness, did not dare to openly revolt, especially since her advice and behavior more than once rescued the sloop from troubles. In one of the attacks, the Dragon boarded an English privateer ship. Among the captives was a young sailor, Mack, who immediately took a liking to Anne; she did not kill him, deciding to try him in bed. However, Mac turned out to be an Englishwoman named Mary Read, whose fate was no less adventurous than that of Anne herself. At the age of 15, she was recruited as a cabin boy on a warship, naturally under a man’s name. In a Dutch harbor she deserted and joined an infantry regiment, then became a dragoon, managing not to reveal her gender. But she fell in love with a colleague and married him. The two of them did not live long; the dragoon was killed in battle. Mary again changed into a sailor's uniform and enlisted on a privateer ship, the same one that was captured by the Dragon. So Anne got a girlfriend, who, by the way, was quite consistent with her boundless cruelty, for which the sailors soon nicknamed her Bloody Mary. In 1720, the sloop "Dragon" was captured by the squadron of the governor of Jamaica. According to the laws of those times, the entire crew of the pirate ship was doomed to death by hanging. However, since both women were pregnant, their execution was delayed until after childbirth. However, Mary died of postpartum fever, and history is silent about Anne’s further fate. Zheng Shi (Lady Qing)

Zheng Shi (Lady Qing) (1785-1844) - Chinese sea robber who gained fame as one of the most successful female pirates in history. This short, fragile woman, leading the battle, held a fan in her hand instead of a saber. She was a contemporary of Napoleon and Admiral Nelson, but no one had heard of her in Europe. But in the Far East, in the vastness of the South Chinese seas, her name was known to the very last poor man and the very first rich man. She went down in history under the name “Lady Qing,” the uncrowned queen of Chinese pirates of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She commanded a fleet of 2,000 ships and had more than 70,000 sailors under her command.

The story of Zheng Shi has repeatedly attracted the attention of writers. She is the heroine of the Jorge Luis Borges story "The Widow of Ching, the Pirate" (1935). According to the preliminary script of the film "Pirates of the Caribbean 3", Zhang Bao, the stepson-husband Zheng Shi, became the prototype of one of the characters in this film. Zhang Bao's name is also associated with several romantic places in Hong Kong, where they even show the cave where he allegedly hid his treasures. It is said that one of the local attractions, the Tunzhong Fort on Lantau Island, was used by a pirate as a staging post for the opium trade.

It is believed that the key to Zheng Shi's success was the iron discipline that reigned on her ships. She introduced strict regulations that put an end to the traditional pirate freedom.

* the robbery of fishing villages allied to pirates and the rape of captive women were prohibited - punishable by death;

* for unauthorized absence from the ship, the pirate's left ear was cut off (according to some versions, the ears were pierced with a hot iron rod) in the presence of the entire crew, which was then presented to the entire crew for intimidation. In case of relapse - death penalty;

* it was forbidden to appropriate any things (small, large) that were obtained through thefts and robberies. The pirate received only two parts (20%) of the proceeds; the rest of the booty (80%) became common property, which, like any other extracted value, went to the warehouse. If someone tried to appropriate something from the general fund, then he faced the death penalty - death.

A few facts from the life of Zheng Shi:

2. “Madame Jing,” as she was also known, worked as a prostitute before meeting Zheng Yi, the most famous Chinese pirate of her time. They married in 1801 and went to Vietnam, where the civil war was in full swing. Madame Jing did not have any children of her own, so the pirates kidnapped and adopted fifteen-year-old Zhang Bao Cai from the fishermen, who later became the lover of first Zheng Yi, and after his death, Madame Jing.

3. This Chinese woman became a real robber after the death of her husband (he died during a storm in 1807), who controlled an entire pirate fleet. After his death, two captains came to her to ask the widow to choose a worthy person to take the place of the deceased. Listening to them, Qing put on her makeup, and when she finished, she suddenly turned around and... fired a pistol at the arrogant visitors. They dropped dead. After this, the question of who would be the pirate “admiral” no longer arose.

4. But not all researchers are inclined to think that the ascent to the pinnacle of power was painless for Mrs. Qing. It is believed that the opposition was still there, and its leaders had already begun to fight among themselves for supremacy when the Qing appeared on the scene. With the determination that has always distinguished her, she told the rebels that in memory of her beloved husband she was taking command of the fleet. Anyone who does not agree with this can go anywhere. Moreover, everyone who decides to leave the fleet will receive a junk and four sailors from Mrs. Qing. Their ships will remain part of the squadrons, because she will not allow anyone to weaken the power of the fleet.

5. The large fleet consisted of six squadrons, each of which had its own flag. And although there were six squadrons, the core of the fleet was the “family squadron” of the Qings, which carried red pennants on their masts. The remaining squadrons had black, white, blue, yellow and green identification colors, which helped guide the operation during battles.

6. She married her stepson Zhang Bao. Under their joint command, pirates not only attacked merchant ships off the coast of China, but also sailed far into the mouths of rivers, ravaging coastal settlements. The Qing Emperor Chia-ching (1760-1820) was so stung by the rise of piracy that in January 1808 he sent his fleet against Jing Shi, but a number of armed clashes with the authorities were unable to undermine the forces of the pirate coalition.

7. One of the pirate captains rebelled against Madam Jing and surrendered to the mercy of the authorities. Only when her fleet was weakened and her authority was shaken did Madame Zheng agree to a truce with the emperor. According to the agreement of 1810, she went over to the side of the authorities, and her husband received sinecure* in the Chinese government. After retiring from pirate affairs, Madame Zheng settled in Guangzhou, where she ran a brothel and gambling den until her death at the age of 60.

Alternative view

Most people associate the word “pirate” with the image of a bearded sea robber or a one-legged old man and names such as Edward Teach, Urouge Barbarossa and Calico Jack. However, among those who attacked ships and merchant ships, there were not only men, but also women, even more merciless, brave and fearless. This article will introduce you to the nine legendary robbers of the seven seas. 1. Anne Bonnie Anne Cormack (her maiden name) was born in a small Irish town in 1698. This red-haired beauty with a violent temperament...