Best of the Best: Famous Female Pirates Quiz

Answer: Elizabeth I

Grace inherited the business of international trade and ships from her father. Her habit of boarding ships sailing in the waters off her property and demanding cash or cargo for safe passage, brought her to the attention of the English government. After members of her family were taken captive, Grace traveled to England to petition Queen Elizabeth I for their release; the conversation between the two ladies was held in Latin, because neither spoke the other's language! Wealthy, well-known in her day, and the topic of many legends, Grace is sometimes called "The Sea Queen of Connacht".

Answer: Spain

Sayyida al Hurra and her family, wealthy Muslims who lived in Granada, were forced to flee to Morocco after the conquest of Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella. Though she eventually married the king and was fabulously wealthy, she led a group of pirates who attacked Christian ships; when negotiations were held to release Spanish and Portuguese captives, she was the one who made the final decision. Respected by all and recognized as "the undisputed leader of pirates of the western Mediterranean", Sayyida al Hurra is considered to be "one of the most important female figures of the Islamic West in the modern age".

Answer: Tortuga

It is believed that Anne may have been sent to Tortuga (off the coast of Haiti) as a criminal. However, after her arrival there she married and subsequently lost two pirate husbands within the span of nine years. The second husband, Joseph Cherel, had been killed in a duel with another buccaneer, who then proposed marriage to Anne after she challenged him to a duel to avenge her husband's death! She accompanied her third husband, Laurens de Graaf, on pirate voyages, and was considered to be his "good luck charm".

Information regarding their ultimate fate is uncertain; Tortuga was closed as a pirate base in 1697; some sources suggest that the couple resettled in Louisiana.

Answer: Black Fleet

During the Breton War of Succession (1341-1364) Jeanne and her second husband, Oliver, supported the French choice, Charles de Blois, as the leader of the Duchy of Brittany. It was de Blois who later accused Oliver of treason and ordered his execution. For thirteen years Jeanne and her ships patrolled the waters of the English Channel, capturing the ships of the French king and killing most of the crew members, while leaving some to report back. During the Battle of Crécy, she used her fleet to supply English troops. Known in legend as "The Lioness of Brittany", it is said that she eventually returned to Clisson Castle, where her ghost walks the halls.

Answer: Alfred

Known as the "Lady of the Mercians", Queen Æthelflæd ruled Mercia in her own right after the death of her husband. Until then, they fought together to protect their kingdom from the Vikings by fortifying towns. After his death, she built fortifications and took to the sea, not to acquire wealth, but to intercept Norse invaders before they reached her land.

It is said that once she pledged an alliance with her brother, Edward the Elder, who was king over much of England, he was able to successfully take action again the Danes who were in the southern part of his kingdom.

Answer: Balkan Peninsula

Believed by many to be one of the first female pirates, Queen Teuta reigned for four years over the Ardiaei tribe after the death of her husband. Operating from the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea, her pirates became very wealthy, but they also gained a very powerful enemy.

When the Romans asked for a meeting, Teuta said that her actions were just part of lawful trade. After a two year war with Rome, Teuta was not only forced to surrender, her rule was restricted to a small region, and she had to pay annual tribute to Rome.

Answer: Rachel Wall

Born in the colony of Pennsylvania in approximately 1760, Rachel joined with her husband, George, and his mates to raid unsuspecting passing ships. Rachel would stand on the deck and scream for help; when help came, the people would be killed and all wealth would be taken.

In one year it is estimated that the group captured twelve ships, $6,000 in cash, and untold valuables. When George's boat and crew disappeared in a storm, Rachel went to Boston, where she worked as a servant. After a foiled robbery attempt, Rachel was sentenced to hang; it was the last time a woman was hanged in Massachusetts.

Answer: Any money taken belonged to the seizer.

In addition, anyone disobeying the orders of a superior was beheaded on the spot. After seized booty was registered, the original seizer was awarded 20%, and the rest was put in a public fund. If any actual cash money was taken, a small amount was retained by the seizer, the rest was distributed to unsuccessful ships for the purpose of purchasing supplies.

A first-time offense, as far as booty was concerned, was punishable by whipping, but any further breaking of the code resulted in death. Ching Shih and her pirates were eventually offered an amnesty by the Chinese government.

She ended her career with a pardon, all her loot, and married to a Chinese government official!

Answer: Mary Read

It is said that when Mary was a young girl, her mother would dress her up as her dead brother to extort money from her paternal grandmother, so masquerading as a man was nothing new to her! Mark (Mary) also joined the British military, as well as the Dutch military. That is when she met her first husband.

After he died, she resumed her military career in Holland; when peace was made, she left Holland for the West Indies. There she met Anne Bonny and her husband, Calico Jack, and joined their crew.

After being arrested and brought to trial, both Anne and Mary "pleaded their bellies", claiming to be pregnant, and received a stay of execution. Mary died of a fever in prison; there was no information regarding the birth of a baby.

Answer: Lagertha

What list of female pirates would be complete without a Viking shieldmaiden? According to the account in "Gesta Danorum", Lagertha became a raider after being rescued by Ragnar Lothbrok. A member of the household of King Siward of Norway, she and the other women were forced to join a brothel after his murder by King Frø of Sweden. Aiding in the battle which freed her by leading the women of her family, she dressed in men's clothing and is said to have "had the courage of a man, and fought in front among the bravest..." Ragnar won her hand in marriage after killing both the bear and great hound who guarded her home, and together they went "a-viking" (raiding) for a time! Their marriage was brief, however.

It was written that Lagertha later used her fleet of 120 ships to come to Ragnar's aid during a civil war.