Were There any Female Pirates?

Yes, although the harsh life on a pirate ship was not considered to be suitable for a women at the time, there were some badass pirates who proved that you didn’t have to have a beard to be feared across the seven seas. Here are examples of some of the most exceptional ones:

Famous Female Pirates

Queen Teuta of Illyria had a fleet of pirates in the Adriatic Sea that were a constant headache to the Romans. After failed negotiations, the Romans were forced to declare war on her

Sayyida al Hurra was married to the King of Morocco, but turned to piracy and became infamous on the Mediterranean Sea. If Spanish or Portuguese governments wanted their captives freed, they had to negotiate with Sayyida.

Stikla was a Norwegian pirate as recorded in the Gesta Danorum. She turned to piracy in order to avoid marriage.

Ching Shih ruled the Sea of China during the 19th century. This former prostitute was captured by pirates, but charmed their captain and finally married him. After his death, Ching took over from her husband and ruled a fleet consisting of more than 300 junks and 40,000 men. Both the British and Chinese governments greatly feared Ching Shih and her men.

Jacquotte Delahaye was a Caribbean pirate, known for her red hair. After the death of her father, piracy was the only way for Jacquotte to fend for herself and her family. She was said to have faked her own death and having lived as a man for many years, she returned to piracy. This gave her the nickname “Back From the Dead Red.”

Sadie Farrell, known as “Sadie the Goat” for her violent deeds, was a pirate in an unusual place: The Harlem and Hudson Rivers, where she raided mansions and farmhouses all along the riverside.

Anne Dieu-le-Veut was a Caribbean pirate whose nickname meant “God wills it.” It was said that God gave her anything she wanted. Anne was married to a pirate and after Laurens de Graaf, another pirate, killed her husband, she challenged him to a duel. She later became his partner, shared his command and fought by his side.