Nothing sounds better to the ear than a firm, stern, and quickly memorable pirate name. When people became sea robbers, they often changed their names in order to make it difficult for the authorities to identify them. For others, the name change was purely symbolic: the newly minted pirates mastered not only new activity, but also absolutely new life, which some people preferred to log in with a new name.
In addition to the many pirate names, there are also many recognizable pirate nicknames. Nicknames have always been an integral part of gangster culture, and pirates were no exception in this regard. We will talk about the most common pirate nicknames, analyze their origins and provide a list of the most popular ones.
- Blackbeard. The origin of the nickname is very trivial. had a thick black beard, and, according to legend, before battle he wove burning wicks into it, the smoke of which made him look like the devil himself from the underworld.
- Calico Jack. Nickname pirate, so he was dubbed for his love for various decorations made of chintz fabric.
- Spaniard Killer. This is what they called the famous man who was cruel and ruthless towards the Spaniards.
- Red, Bloody Henry. Two nicknames that belonged to the famous pirate. The first nickname has a direct relation to the color of his hair, and the second - to his far from merciful deeds.
- Gentleman Pirates. A nickname given to him due to his aristocratic origins.
- Vulture. Nickname of a French pirate. It is not entirely clear why this nickname stuck to him; apparently, it somehow better reflected his character and temper.
- Lanky John. Pirate nickname of a fictional pirate. In addition to this nickname, he had one more - Ham.
- Black Corsair. Nickname of the main character in the novel of the same name by Emilio Salgari.
These were the nicknames of the most famous real and fictional pirates. If you need unique thematic names, then in the Corsairs Online game, when creating a character, you have at your disposal a pirate nickname generator, you can try to pick up something interesting for yourself.
Pirate nicknames for a party
If you are throwing a pirate-themed party and need to somehow name everyone present, then the list below should help you with this.
My grandmother smokes a pipe in her little room in her Khrushchev house,
My grandmother smokes a pipe and through the smoke she sees the waves of the seas.
All the pirates in the world are afraid of her and are rightfully proud of her
Because grandma robs and burns their frigates,
But it spares the elderly and children!
Sukachev Garik and the Untouchables
M
ama is a pirate... what could be more authoritative for a child, and it helps to keep her husband in line.
Most people associate the word “pirate” with the image of a bearded sea robber with one leg and a pinned eye. However, among the successful famous pirates there were not only men, but also women. This post is about some of them.
Listen or download My Grandmother Smoking a Pipe for free on ProstoPlayer
Scandinavian pirate princess Alvilda
Alvilda is considered one of the first pirates, who robbed the waters of Scandinavia during the early Middle Ages. 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.
Everyone died... Hallelujah! Is the story told true? Researchers have discovered that the tale of Alwilda was first told to readers by the monk Saxo Grammaticus (1140 - ca. 1208) in his famous work “The Acts of the Danes.” Most likely he learned about it from the ancient Scandinavian sagas.
Jeanne de Belleville
The Breton noblewoman Jeanne de Belleville, who was married to the knight de Clisson, became a pirate not out of love for adventure and wealth, but out of a desire for revenge.
In the period 1337-1453, with several interruptions, there was a war between England and France, which went down in history as the Hundred Years' War. Jeanne de Belleville's husband was accused of treason.
King Philip II of France ordered his arrest, and without any evidence or trial, on August 2, 1943, he was handed over to the executioner. The widow Jeanne de Belleville-Clison, known for her beauty, charm and hospitality, vowed brutal revenge. She sold her property and bought three fast ships. According to another version, she went to England, achieved an audience with King Edward and, thanks to her beauty... received three fast ships from the monarch for corsair operations against France.
She commanded one ship herself, the others - her two sons. The small fleet, dubbed the "Channel Fleet of Vengeance", became the "scourge of God" in French coastal waters. The pirates mercilessly sent French ships to the bottom, devastating the coastal areas. They say that everyone who was to cross the English Channel on a French ship first of all wrote a will.
For several years the squadron plundered French merchant ships, often even attacking warships. Zhanna took part in battles and was excellent at wielding both a saber and a boarding axe. As a rule, she ordered the crew of a captured ship to be completely destroyed. It is not surprising that Philip VI soon gave the order to “catch the witch dead or alive.”
And one day the French managed to surround the pirate ships. Seeing that the forces were unequal, Jeanne showed real cunning - with several sailors she launched a longboat and, together with her sons and a dozen oarsmen, left the battlefield, abandoning her comrades.
However, fate cruelly repaid her for her betrayal. For ten days, the fugitives wandered around the sea - because they had no navigational instruments. Several people died of thirst (among them Jeanne's youngest son). On the eleventh day, the surviving pirates reached the shores of France. There they were sheltered by a friend of the executed de Belleville.
After this, Jeanne de Belleville, who is considered the first female pirate, left her bloody craft and married again. Popular rumor said: she began to embroider with beads, got a lot of cats and settled down. This is what the life-giving cross does, what a successful marriage means...
Leat Kiligra
Some two hundred years after Joan of Belleville, a new female pirate appeared in the English Channel: Lady Kiligru. This lady was driving double life: In society, she is the respected wife of Governor Lord John Killigru 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 for a long time was successful because it 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, which 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 Kiligru. 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 Kiligru 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 process, many mysterious cases of disappearances of merchant ships were revealed, which until now were attributed to “supernatural forces.”
Lord Kiligru was condemned to death and executed. His wife also received a death sentence, but the king later commuted it to life imprisonment.
Mary Ann Blyde
Irish Mary was exceptionally tall for her time - 190 cm and unearthly beauty. She became a pirate completely by accident, but devoted herself entirely to this dangerous activity. One day she was heading on a ship to America and was captured by the most famous sea pirate in history - Edward Titch, nicknamed Blackbeard. Thanks to her good upbringing, Mary Ann Blyde remained with her captor. She soon proved herself to be an excellent student of Tichch and received her own ship. Her passion was jewelry and precious stones. They say that together with Tichch she accumulated treasures worth $70 million, and together they buried them somewhere on the shores of North Carolina. The treasure has not yet been discovered.
All pirates, both men and women, who do not die in battle end their lives ingloriously: they are usually sentenced to death or life imprisonment. Mary Ann, however, had a different fate. In 1729, during an attack on a Spanish ship, she fell in love with a young man who was traveling on this ship. The young man agreed to marry her, but on the condition that she give up her occupation. The two of them run away to Peru, and there their traces are lost...
Anne Bonney
Anne Cormack (her maiden name) was born in a small Irish town in 1698. This red-haired beauty with a wild temperament became an icon of the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1730s) after secretly throwing in her lot with a common sailor named James Bonney. Anne's father, a respected man, upon learning of his daughter's marriage, disowned her, after which she and her newly-made husband were forced to leave for the Bahamas, which at that time was called the Pirate Republic, a place where slackers and slackers lived. Happy family life Bonnie didn't last long.
After divorcing her husband, Anne met the pirate Jack Rackham, who became her lover. Together with him, she went on the ship “Revenge” to the open sea to rob merchant ships. In October 1720, members of Rackham's crew, including Anne and her bosom friend Mary Read, were captured by the British. Bonnie blamed her lover for everything. On their last meeting in prison, she told him the following: “It’s a pity to see you here, but if you had fought like a man, you wouldn’t have been hanged like a dog.”
Rackham was executed. Bonnie's pregnancy allowed her to obtain a reprieve from her death sentence. However, it is nowhere recorded in historical records that it was ever put into action. Rumor has it that Ann's influential father paid a huge sum of money to have his unlucky daughter released.
Mary Read
Mary Read was born in London in 1685. Since childhood, by the will of fate, she was forced to portray a boy. Her mother is a widow sea captain, dressed an illegitimate girl in the clothes of her early deceased son in order to lure money from a wealthy mother-in-law, who did not know about the death of her grandson. Pretending to be a man in the Renaissance was easy, since all men's fashion was very similar to a woman’s (long wigs, big hats, fluffy outfits, boots), which Mary managed to do.
At age 15, Mary enlisted in the British Army under the name Mark Reid. During her service, she fell in love with a Flemish soldier. Their happiness was short-lived. He died unexpectedly, and Mary, again dressed as a man, set off on a ship to the West Indies. On the way, the ship was captured by pirates. Reid decided to stay with them.
In 1720, Mary joined the crew of the ship Revenge, owned by Jack Rackham. At first, only Bonnie and her lover knew that she was a woman, who often flirted with “Mark,” making Anne wildly jealous. After a couple of months, the entire team knew about Reed’s secret.
After the ship Revenge was captured by pirate hunter Captain Jonathan Barnet, Mary, like Anne, managed to defer her death sentence due to pregnancy. But fate still overtook her. She died in her prison cell on April 28, 1721, from puerperal fever. What happened to her child is unknown. Some suspect he died during childbirth.
Sadie "Goat"
Sadie Farrell, an American sea robber of the 19th century, received her rare nickname due to the strange way she committed her crimes. On the streets of New York, Sadie gained a reputation as a merciless robber who attacked her victims with severe headbutts. It is said that Sadie was kicked out of Manhattan after she got into an argument with a fellow criminal, Gallus Mag, which resulted in her losing part of her ear.
In the spring of 1869, Sadie joined the Charles Street street gang and became its leader after she stole a moored sloop on a bet. Farrell and her new crew, flying a black flag with the Jolly Roger, sailed the Hudson and Harlem rivers, along the way plundering the farm estates and mansions of the rich along the banks, and sometimes kidnapping people for ransom.
By the end of the summer, such fishing became too risky as farmers began to defend their property by shooting without warning at an approaching sloop. Sadie Farrell was forced to return to Manhattan and make peace with Gallus Mag. She returned a piece of her ear, which she kept for posterity in a jar with a special solution. Sadie, from then on known as the "Queen of the Harbor", placed it in a locket, which she never parted with for the rest of her life.
Illyrian Queen Teuta
After Teutha's husband, the Illyrian king Agron, died in 231 BC, she took the reins of power into her own hands, since her stepson Pinnes was then too young. In the first four years of her reign over the Ardiei tribe, which lived on the territory of the modern Balkan Peninsula, Teuta encouraged piracy as a means of struggle against the powerful neighbors of Illyria. Adriatic sea robbers not only robbed Roman merchant ships, but also helped the queen recapture a number of settlements, including Dyrrachium, and Phoenicia. Over time, they expanded their influence into the Ionian Sea, terrorizing the trade routes of Greece and Italy.
In 229 BC, the Romans sent envoys to Teuta, who expressed dissatisfaction with the scale of the Adriatic pirates and called on her to influence her subjects. The queen responded to their requests with ridicule, declaring that piracy, according to Illyrian ideas, was a legitimate craft. How the Roman ambassadors reacted to this is unknown, but apparently not very politely, since after meeting Teutha one of them was killed and the other was sent to prison. This was the reason for the start of the war between Rome and Illyria, which lasted two years. Teutha was forced to admit defeat and make peace on extremely unfavorable terms. Ardiei was obliged to pay Rome a onerous tribute annually.
Teuta continued to oppose Roman rule, for which she lost her throne. There is no information about her further fate in history.
Jacotte Delaye
Jacotte Delaye was born in the 17th century to a French father and a Haitian mother. Her mother died in childbirth. After Jacotte's father was killed, she was left alone with her younger brother, who suffered from mental retardation. This forced the red-haired girl to take up the pirate trade.
In the 1660s, Jacotte had to fake her own death in order to escape persecution by government troops. She lived for several years under a man's name. When everything calmed down, Jacotte returned to her previous activities, taking the nickname “Red-haired, returned from the other world.”
Breton lioness
Jeanne de Clisson was the wife of the wealthy nobleman Olivier III de Clisson. They lived happily, raising five children, but when the war between England and France began, her husband was accused of treason and executed by beheading. Joan swore revenge on King Philip VI of France.
The widow de Clisson sold all her lands in order to buy three warships, which she christened the Black Fleet. Their crew consisted of merciless and cruel corsairs. Between 1343 and 1356 they attacked ships French king, sailing across the English Channel, killed crew members and beheaded with an ax any aristocrats who had the misfortune of being on board.
Jeanne de Clisson engaged in sea robbery for 13 years, after which she settled in England and married Sir Walter Bentley, a lieutenant in the army of the English King Edward III. She later returned to France, where she died in 1359.
Anne Dieu-le-Veux
The Frenchwoman Anne Dieu-le-Veux, whose surname translates as “God wants it,” had a stubborn and strong character. She arrived on the island of Tortuga in the Caribbean in the late 60s or early 70s of the 17th century. Here she became a mother and a widow twice. Ironically, Anne's third husband was the man who killed her second husband. Dieu-le-Veux challenged Laurence de Graaff to a duel to avenge the death of her late lover. The Dutch pirate was so fascinated by Anne's courage that he refused to shoot himself and offered her his hand and heart. On July 26, 1693, they got married and had two children.
After her marriage, Dieu-le-Veux went to the open sea with her new husband. Most of his crew believed that the presence of a woman on the ship promised bad luck. The lovers themselves laughed at this superstition. No one knows exactly how their love story ended.
According to one version, Anne Dieu-le-Veux became the captain of de Graaff's ship after he was killed in a cannonball explosion. Some historians suggest that the couple fled to Mississippi in 1698, where they may have continued to engage in piracy.
Saida Al-Hurra
A contemporary and ally of the Turkish corsair Barbarossa, Saida Al-Hurra became the last queen of Tetouan (Morocco); She inherited power after the death of her husband in 1515. Her real name is unknown. “Saida Al-Hurra” can be roughly translated into Russian as “a noble lady, free and independent; a female overlord who does not recognize any power over herself.”
Saida Al-Hurra ruled Tetouan from 1515 to 1542, controlling along with her pirate fleet western part Mediterranean, while Barbarossa terrorized the eastern. Al-Hurra decided to take up piracy in order to take revenge on the “Christian enemies” who forced her family to flee the city in 1492 (following the conquest of Granada by Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile).
At the peak of her power, Al-Hurra married the King of Morocco, but refused to give him the reins of Tetouan. In 1542, Saida was overthrown by her stepson. She lost all power and property; nothing is known about her further fate. It is believed that she died in poverty.
Grace O'MailBald Grainne"
Grace was also called the “pirate queen” and “the witch of Rockfleet.” . ABOUT It’s impossible to write briefly for this woman))) everything in her life was so interesting and confusing. Dumas smokes nervously. She was so famous that Queen Elizabeth I of England herself met her.
Grace was born around 1530 in Ireland, in the family of the leader of the O'Malley clan, Owen Dubdara (Umall-Uakhtara). According to legend, she “went bald” by cutting off her hair in response to her father’s remark that the woman on the ship was Bad sign, and after the death of her father she defeated her brother Indulf in a knife fight, becoming a leader.
Having married O'Flaherty's taniste, Domhnall the Warlike, Granual became the head of her husband's fleet. The marriage produced three children: Owen, Murrow and Margaret.
In 1560, Domhnall was killed, and Granual went to Clare Island with two hundred volunteers. Here she (continuing her pirate activities) fell in love with the aristocrat Hugh de Lacy, who, however, was killed by the McMahon clan hostile to him. Granual, in response to this murder, took their fortress and killed the entire clan.
A year later, she announced a divorce and did not return the castle; however, she managed to give birth to a son, Tibbott, in this marriage. According to legend, on the second day after giving birth, her ship was attacked by Algerian pirates, and Granual inspired her people to fight, declaring that giving birth was worse than fighting. Considering that men won’t have to give birth anyway, this is a questionable motivation. Apparently women's logic was the most logical back then....
Gradually capturing the entire coast of Mayo, except for Rockfleet Castle, Granual married (according to Irish tradition, in the format of a “trial marriage” for a year) Iron Richard from the Berk clan.
There were defeats in Grania's life; One day the British took her prisoner and placed her in Dublin Castle. Somehow the pirate managed to escape, and on the way back she tried to spend the night in Howth. She was not allowed in; the next morning she kidnapped the burgomaster's son, who had gone out hunting, and released him free of charge, but with the condition that the doors of the city were to be open to everyone seeking lodging for the night, and there should be a place for them at every table.
Queen Elizabeth hosted her twice and wanted to attract her to her service. The first time, at the entrance, Grace's hidden dagger was taken away and Elizabeth was very concerned about the fact that it was there. Grace then refused to bow before the queen because she “did not recognize her as the Queen of Ireland.”
When Grace took a sip of snuff, one of the noble ladies handed her a handkerchief. Having used it for its intended purpose, that is, blowing her nose, she threw the handkerchief into the nearest fireplace. Responding to Elizabeth's astonished look, Grace stated that in Ireland, once used, a handkerchief is thrown away.
This meeting was captured in an engraving, the only lifetime depiction of the pirate; Even the color of her hair is unknown, traditionally considered black, according to her father’s nickname, but in one of the poems called red. History is silent about why she was called bald.
The pirate queen died in the same year as the Queen of England - in 1603.
Zheng Shi
Zheng Shi gained fame as the most merciless sea robber in history. Before meeting the famous Chinese pirate Zheng Yi, she made her living as a prostitute. In 1801, the lovers got married. Yi's fleet was huge; it consisted of 300 ships and about 30 thousand corsairs.
On November 16, 1807, Zheng Yi died. His fleet passed into the hands of his wife, Zheng Shi ("Zheng's widow"). Zhang Bao, the son of a fisherman, whom Yi kidnapped and adopted, helped her manage everything. They turned out to be a great team. By 1810, the fleet consisted of 1,800 ships and 80,000 crew members. Zheng Shi's ships were subject to strict laws. Those who violated them paid for it with their heads. In 1810, Zheng Shi's fleet and authority weakened, and she was forced to conclude a truce with the emperor and go over to the side of the authorities.
Zheng Shi became the most successful and richest sea robber of all time. She died at the age of 69.
Madame Shan Wong
200 years after the death of the first Chinese “pirate queen”, in the same waters where her fleets robbed, a completely worthy successor to her work appeared, who rightfully won the same title. A former Cantonese nightclub dancer named Shang, who became famous as China's most seductive diva, married no less famous person. His name was Wong Kungkim, he was the largest pirate chieftain in Southeast Asia, who began robbing merchant ships back in 1940.
His wife, Madame Wong, as she was called by friends and foes, was a loyal friend and intelligent assistant to the pirate in all his operations. But in 1946, Wong Kungkit died. The story of his death is mysterious; it is believed that the pirate’s competitors are to blame. When in the end, two of Wong Kungkit's closest assistants came to the widow so that she would purely formally (since everything had already been decided by these two) approve the candidacy they named for the post of head of the corporation. “Unfortunately, there are two of you,” the madam answered, without looking up from the toilet, “and the company needs one head...” After these words, the madam turned sharply, and the men saw that she was holding a revolver in each hand. This is how Madam Wong’s “coronation” took place, because after this incident there were no people willing to talk to her about power in the corporation.
Since then, her power over the pirates has been unquestioned. Her first independent operation was an attack on the Dutch steamer Van Heutz, which was boarded at night at the anchorage. In addition to capturing the cargo, everyone who was on board was robbed. Madam Wong's haul amounted to more than 400 thousand pounds sterling. She herself rarely took part in raids and in such cases always wore a mask.
The police of coastal countries, knowing that the pirates were led by a woman named Madame Wong, could not publish her portrait, which negated the possibility of her capture. It was announced that a reward of 10 thousand pounds would be awarded for her photograph, and whoever caught or killed Madame Wong could name the amount of the reward, and the authorities of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines would guarantee payment of such a sum.
And one day the chief of the Singapore police received a package with photographs on which it was written that they were related to Madame Wong. These were photographs of two Chinese men being cut into pieces. The caption read: They wanted to take a photo of Madame Wong.
That's almost all...
The theme of beautiful women among pirates is glorified by cinema... and will only gain popularity every year.
Pictures (C) on the Internet. If they are highly artistic and colorful, then they have no relation to the pirate being described. I apologize to them and to you, I am sure real life they looked more impressive...
When you mention sea robbers, images of bearded men in a cocked hat with a bottle of rum in one hand and a saber in the other usually pop up in your head. However, the glory of dashing sailors and the thirst for easy money also excited the minds of the weaker half of humanity. Neither dysentery, nor scurvy, nor the fact that the ship smelled so bad that their eyes watered, did not frighten them. Among the most courageous pirates of all times and peoples, we are our 10 women who preferred this dangerous craft to a peaceful life.
After Jeanne de Clisson's husband, nobleman Olivier III, was accused of treason and executed, she decided to avenge him. She gave five children to be raised by her family, and she herself hired a team of pirates and bought three ships, on which, on her orders, they were installed Scarlet Sails. For 13 years, she kept the crews of all ships sailing through the English Channel at bay. All the aristocrats who met on her way faced one fate - to be beheaded with an ax. The rest of the team was sent to feed the fish. Deciding to end piracy, Jeanne de Clisson moved to England. She returned to France only just before her death to be close to her children.
Grace O'Malley
Grace O'Malley, known as Granual, joined the ranks of the pirates after getting married. After her marriage to O'Flaherty, Domhnall the Warlike, Grace took charge of her husband's fleet. When he was killed, Grace continued her pirate activities on Clare Island. Over time it took over the entire Mayo coast. In 1588, Grace O'Malley participated in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. 10 years later, the lands of Granual were devastated by Irish rebels because Grace was helping the British, and Granual returned to Clare Island. According to one version, she died in battle during the boarding of an enemy ship, according to another - by her own death in Rockfleet.
Lady Elizabeth Killigrew
Having decided to become pirates, respected subjects of the court of Queen Elizabeth I, Elizabeth Killigrew and her husband John Killigrew, put together a pirate gang from local residents in Cornwall. Together with them they attacked ships passing along the southern coast of England. Elizabeth led the raids, but not from the deck of the ship, but from land. She hid the loot in the castle garden. When the Killigrew family's business was discovered, most of the men were executed. Elizabeth was pardoned.
Saida Al-Hurra
After the capture of Granada by Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the family of Banu Rashida, together with their daughter Saida, was forced to look for a new refuge. At the age of 16, the girl was married off, and after the death of her husband she became the ruler of Tetuan. Saida's second husband was the King of Morocco. Wanting retribution for fleeing Granada, she shared the Mediterranean Sea with Barbarossa and became a pirate. Saida ruled Tetuan for more than 30 years until her son-in-law overthrew her from the throne. According to historical data, Saida Al-Hurra died in poverty.
Jacotte Delaye
When Jacotte’s father was killed, the native of Haiti could not come up with anything better than to join a pirate in order to feed herself and her younger brother suffering from dementia. Trying to escape persecution by the authorities, she faked her own death and lived for several years under a man's name. After returning to pirate ranks, the girl received the nickname Red-Haired, Returned from the Other World. Together with a gang of pirates in 1656, she captured a small island in the Caribbean. A few years later, the pirate died in a shootout while defending this small piece of land surrounded by the sea.
Anne Dieu-le-Ve
Presumably, she was deported to Tortuga as a criminal. In 1684, she got married there and gave birth to a child, but after 6 years of a happy marriage, her husband was killed in a fight. A year later, Anne Dieu-le-Ve married again and a second child was born. However, soon Anne Dieu-le-Ve's second husband died. Ironically, her third husband was the killer of her second husband: Anne Dieu-le-Ve challenged him to a duel to avenge the death of her lover, but the pirate, admiring his courage, refused to shoot, offering his hand in marriage instead. After the wedding, she began to surf the seas with her husband Laurence de Graaf, and, along with other members of the crew, participated in attacks and was engaged in robbery. According to some versions, the couple landed on land and settled in Louisiana or Mississippi.
Baroness Christina Anna Skitt
Another pirate gang was organized by the baron family. Baroness Christina, together with her husband Baron Gustav Drake and brother Baron Gustav Skytt, robbed ships in the Baltic Sea in the 17th century. After one of these attacks on Dutch merchants, the Dutch authorities finally decided to put an end to the pirates. Gustav Skytt was caught and killed, Christina and her husband returned to Sweden, where they were pardoned due to their titles.
Rachel Wall
Rachel wrote her name in history as the first American pirate. Together with her husband George Wall, they gathered the pirates and commandeered the ship. The pirates waited for a storm, during which they pretended that the ship was in distress. When a ship passed by, Rachel would go out on deck and call for help. The sailors who responded to the call were killed, all valuables were taken, and the ship was sunk. Rachel got caught stealing on land. At her trial, she demanded that she be tried as a pirate, and not as a common thief. She was found guilty and hanged in 1789.
Anne Bonney
In the early 18th century, Anne Bonny, her pirate lover Jack Rackham, and Mary Read were the most feared pirates in Caribbean waters. In 1720, the trio was captured by the British. All were sentenced to death. Jack was executed immediately, Mary died in prison from a fever, Bonnie's execution was postponed, taking into account the fact that she was pregnant. However, it is not known for certain whether the sentence was put into effect. According to some reports, Bonnie's wealthy father helped her get out of prison and escape.
Sadie Goat
In the 19th century, Sadie Farrell was the "harbour queen" of New York. Having decided to engage in criminal activity, Sadie looked for victims on the streets, hit them with her own head and took their wallet. For this robbery technique, Sadie received the nickname Goat. Over time, she moved from land to the waters of the Hudson, where, together with a gang of mercenaries, she attacked the ships of wealthy sailors.
Read on Don’t Panic: http://dnpmag.com/2016/06/13/povelitelnicy-morej/
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 beckoned to give me 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 famous representatives the weaker 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 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 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 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 gave her Clare Island 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, although 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 mid-17th century 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, 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 senior 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, dated 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 the very Louis XIV, 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. early XVIII 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’ 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 lot 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.
In general, the most famous pirates in history were male pirates, although in fact women were also quite successful corsairs. They were distinguished not only by their intelligence, but by their excessive cruelty towards their enemies. They struck fear into the most powerful empires. We offer 10 of the most famous and fearless female pirates.
Sadie Farrell was a famous river pirate in the 19th century. She spent her childhood on the streets of New York, engaged in vagrancy and theft, and she received her nickname for her habit of head-butting her enemies. After she lost her ear in one of the fights with her enemy Gallus Mag, Sadie ran away from New York and organized a gang of robbers, which soon began to trade in piracy. The gang traveled along the Hudson and robbed farms, houses, and kidnapped people and then demanded ransom. Sadie returned to New York later and made a truce with Meg.
9. Queen Teutha of Illyria
One of the earliest known female pirates is Teutha, queen of Illyria, who lived in the 3rd century BC. e. The ruler of the Ardiaean tribe extended her power to the entire Adriatic Sea, attacking Roman and Greek ships. The Romans tried to negotiate with the militant queen, but all negotiations were in vain. During one of the negotiations, the queen killed the ambassadors, which resulted in a war that lasted from 229 to 227 BC. Theuta was defeated in the war, although she was allowed to continue to rule Illyria, but was prohibited from sailing.
8. Grace O'Malley
Also known as Granual, Grace O'Malley was a hereditary pirate. In the 1560s, she became the leader of the Irish pirates and became a real headache for British and Spanish merchant ships. In 1574 she was captured by British troops. Grace spent 18 months in prison; after her release, she returned to piracy. She was captured again, but by order of Elizabeth I, Grace received her fleet back. Grace died in 1603.
7. Jacotte Delahaye
Jacotte Delahaye was born in the 17th century and was a famous pirate. She chose this job because she had to raise her brother herself after the death of her mother, who died in childbirth. In order to disappear from the sight of the authorities, Jacotte Delais faked her death and changed her appearance, becoming like a man. After some time, she returned to piracy and became a threat to merchant ships in the Caribbean, paired with another female pirate, Anna, nicknamed "God's Will". Jacotte Delahaye was killed while defending the island she had captured.
6. Rachel Wall
Rachel Wall, one of the first American female pirates, was born Rachel Schmidt in the 1760s. She married George Wall and began piracy with several of his friends. Their base was an island in the Gulf of Maine. Pirates captured ships and killed sailors. After the death of her husband and his friends in a shipwreck, Rachel returned to Boston and worked as a maid, occasionally stealing. During one of the robberies she was caught and hanged in 1789. She became the last woman to be hanged for crimes in Massachusetts.
5. Saida al-Hurra
A pirate queen and ally of the Turkish pirate Barbarossa, Saida al-Hurra was the ruler of the Moroccan city of Tetouan. By the way, Saida al-Hurra is a title, but the real name of this woman is not known. From 1515 to 1542 it controlled the western Mediterranean. She became a pirate to take revenge on the Christian rulers. She later married the Moroccan king, who was soon dethroned by his son-in-law. Nothing further is known about her fate.
4. Jeanne de Clisson
Known as the Lioness of Brittany, Joan was the wife of nobleman Oliver III Clisson and the mother of five children. She became a pirate to take revenge on Philip VI, King of France, for the death of her husband. Jeanne de Clisson sold all her property and acquired three warships. Her pirate crew terrorized the English Channel, capturing French ships and killing sailors. She retired in 1356 and later married Lieutenant Sir Walter Bentley.
3. Mary Read
A female captain, Mary Read was Anne Bonny's companion. She was known for her art of dressing up as men and posed as her brother Mark for years. Reid joined the British Army and fell in love with a soldier. After his death, she went to the Caribbean and became a sailor. There she fell into the hands of pirates and joined their ranks. That's how she met Anne Bonny and became a member of Calico Jack's gang. Only a few people knew that she was a woman. In 1720, Reed and Jack were arrested by the English army. Although she managed to avoid execution, she died in prison a few years later from fever.
2. Anne Bonny
Anne Bonny was the daughter of an Irish lawyer. After she married the pirate, James Bonney, she moved to the Bahamas in 1718. Here she fell in love with Calico Jack and separated from her husband. Having remarried, she became a member of her new husband's team. Paired with Mary Reed, they kept the Caribbean at bay. In 1720, Calico Jack and his crew were arrested by English troops and executed. Anne and Mary escaped execution because they were pregnant. Anne's fate is not fully known.
Often called the most feared female pirate in history, Jing Shi was a Chinese pirate who dominated the waters of the China Sea in the early 19th century. In the past she was a prostitute. In 1801, she was kidnapped by pirates and married captain Zheng Yi. Jing Shi leads the Red Flag fleet after her husband's death and attacks British and Chinese ships. Its fleet grew rapidly. The Chinese government was forced to negotiate and make peace with her in 1810. She ran a brothel until her death in 1844.
