Ms. Daniels’ Den

"Pretty and Deadly"

Piracy was a man's world as was most everything else in the 18th century. Women who dreamed of sailing the seas under the Jolly Roger had to dress, fight, and drink like men. Most of those who succeeded escaped the notice of history: today we only know of those who were unmasked. The bold exploits of female pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny seem amazing but they are not surprising. They form part of a long tradition of women adventurers who dressed like men to gain equal treatment.

What follows are brief biographies of a few of the better known women that sailed under the black flag.

ALVILDA
One of the first female pirate captains was Alvilda, who came from southern Sweden in the time before the Vikings. She went to sea with an all-woman crew to avoid an enforced marriage to Danish Prince Alf.

ANNE BONNY
When Anne Bonny met the pirate "Calico" Jack Rackham, she left her sailor husband to take up the life of piracy dressed as a man. Bonny met Mary Read when Read, also in male disguise, joined Rackham's crew. Read and Bonny became good friends. When Rackham's pirates were captured, the two women escaped the death penalty.

MARY READ
English pirate Mary Read found it easier to live her life  dressed as a man. She fought in the English army and navy, disguised in men's clothes. When "Calico" Jack Rackham's pirates captured her ship,  she joined them. Reade's bravery shamed the pirates she sailed with. During an attack, all but one hid while she and Anne Bonny fought. When they would not "come out and fight like men", Read shot the cowards.

CHARLOTTE DE BERRY
Born in England in 1636, Charlotte de Berry grew up dreaming of a life at sea. Dressed as a man, she followed her husband into the navy. Later, forced aboard an Africa-bound vessel, de Berry led a mutiny and took over the ship. Under her command, the crew became pirates and cruised the African coast capturing gold ships.

CHING SHIH
In the early 19th century, a huge pirate fleet terrorized the China Sea. Its commander was the brilliant female pirate Ching Shih. Chinese female pirate captains weren't unusual, but Ching Shih's empire was - she controlled 1,800 ships and about 80,00 pirates.