Female Pirates

Female pirates have been around since about 600 B.C. Some are more famous than others. Some can be proven to be real and others are told of in legends and fables.

But, each seemed to have one real reason for becoming a pirate or privateer. Escape! Escape from prostitution, poverty, oppression, arranged marriages, servitude, and more. Each was determined to live their lives the way they chose – not by the laws, conventions and standards of the times.

From China to Morocco, from the Mediterranean to New York, from the British Isles to Spain and Norway, these women lived the exciting and adventurous lives of pirates. These female pirates cursed, drank, fought and plundered just the same as their male counterparts. Many dressed as men and fought in wars. For more, see our Pirate Items.

Some of the more famous female pirates are Mary Read, Grace O'Malley, Alfhild, Princess Rusla, Anne Bonney, Mary Harvey, Cheng I Sao, Flora Burn, Huang P'ei-mei, Jeanne de Montfort (The Flame) and Elissa, founder of Carthage.

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Mary Read was raised as a boy so she and her mother could be supported by her father's family after her father's death. She fought with the Flemish Army, She was married but it was brief, her husband died from an illness he contracted. Faced with the life of a tavern keeper, she decided to dress as a man and sail away. She joined Calico Jack's crew and was known to be a fierce fighter. She met Anne Bonney while sailing with Calico Jack. They shared their secret of being women to each other and some say became very close.

Ann Bonney was another wild child. Born Anne Cormache, she was the illegitimate daughter of an Irish lawyer and his wife's maid. Due to the scandal, the three of them moved to a colony in South Carolina where her father started a plantation. She rode and shot as well if not better than her male peers. Then, this independent young lady fell in love with a poor seaman and they ran away to a pirate stronghold in the Bahamas. It was there that she met Calico Jack. After some very sticky times, she, dressed as a man, joined the crew of Calico Jack. During this time she met and revealed her secret to Mary Read. They were captured in 1721 after a fierce battle. She and Mary Read claimed to be pregnant to escape the hangman. Some of the crew clamed that Read was the "father" of Ann's baby. After it being proven that both women were indeed pregnant they were spared to await the birth of their children. While Mary Read died of a fever, Ann was either bailed out by her father or she escaped.

Alfhild was a lady with an arranged marriage to a prince staring her in the face. Her father, a Scandinavian king, arranged for her to marry Prince Alf of Denmark. She strenuously objected to this and with some of her friends took to the high seas. They dressed as men and set sail for the Baltic where she met up with a pirate ship without a captain. She became the captain and they became very successful. This very success was also the downfall of her life as a pirate. Prince Alf was sent to stop this troublemaker. After a fierce battle, where she and her crew were forced to surrender, she changed her mind about the arranged marriage. She was so impressed with him that, marry him she did and eventually became Queen of Denmark. At least this is what legends tell us. Some historians are still debating whether she was real or fictional. Either way, it makes a good story.

Cheng I Sao took over her husband's place when he died. She led a confederation of pirates with over 1500 ships known as the Red Flag Fleet. It was either that or a life of prostitution. She was known for her fierce discipline and brutal punishments. The Chinese Navy lost 63 ships trying to stop her and finally had to offer amnesty to all pirates. She decided to take it but managed to negotiated well, got pardons for almost all of her men, kept her fortune and even got her 2nd husband a lieutenant's rank in the Chinese Army. It was woe betides any who came to attack her, villages would be burned and all the men killed if they resisted. The navies of Portugal and Britain could not stop her. She retired to run a gambling house, have a son and be known to some historians as "the best pirate who ever lived".

Rusla, described by some as an Amazon (woman warrior), was a Norwegian Viking princess who strongly opposed her brother being King. So with her followers she went to sea. She raided Ireland, Britain, Iceland, and Denmark. She also fought in Norway against her brother Omund. She finally beat him and became queen. However, she had angered many of her fellow countrymen and was conquered and killed by them. There seems to be some confusion over where she reigned, Denmark or Norway. There also seems to be some confusion over who actually brought about her downfall, her brother Thrond, her brother Omund, the people of Tellemark, or the King of the Danes. There is even some confusion over whether she even existed or not but the legend of the 7th century princess is still around.

Grace O'Malley learned life at sea from her father. She was a rebellious youth who decided she wanted to sail with her father. She cut off her hair and dressed as a boy. A marriage was arranged for her with another seafaring family. She learned well and became head of the family's trading enterprises. She managed to have four children, 2 husbands and become chieftain of her clan. When faced with living off of her husband's family instead of receiving her just widow's benefits she again went to sea. She returned to her own clan and fought against the English who were taking over Ireland. It is believed that she even managed to sail up the Thames river while under warrant of death to meet with Queen Elizabeth. She lived a very long life with many great adventures.

Mary Harvey was a not very successful pirate who in company with three men was sentenced to be hung in Virginia. As it seems with all female pirates there is some confusion. Is Mary Harvey the same as Mary Harley, Mary Farlee, Mary Crichett, Mary Crickett or Moll Harvey? If so then her life was one long piece of bad luck. As Moll Harvey she was in and out of the stocks and prison which would eventually have led to her being sent to the colonies. She may have used the name Mary Harvey here to start a new life but ended up sentenced to hang for piracy. Then along came Mary Crichett. Is this the same Mary or Moll? We know Moll was very good at escape. As Mary Harvey did she somehow manage to escape the noose and change her name yet again? It is very possible. While there are some very famous pirates, most were not as well documented. For the women there was even less documentation. So confusion, legends and some truths are how we know them.

Each of these women were pirates and each had their own reasons for going to sea. There were women who were forced into service at sea, some who followed their husbands and lovers and some who followed family tradition. And the ends they met were just as varied. Some were hung, some died in prison, some died in battle, some were pardoned, and a few changed their ways but most just disappeared from history. But each of these female pirates was just as individualistic as the men. Each sailed the seas along side the men and were their equals.

Resources

Grace O'Malley by Rosemarie Colombraro
Grace O'Malley by Judy Staleye
Wikipedia
About Women Pirates by Jacqueline Church Simonds
Girl Pirates on the High Seas by Sara Lorimer
Early 18th Century Newspaper Reports - a sourcebook compiled by Rictor
She Captains: heroines and Hellions of the Sea by Joan Druett
Encarta
Encyclopedia Britannicae

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