While piracy was predominantly a male occupation, a minority of pirates were women. On many ships, women (as well as young boys) were prohibited by the ship's contract, which all crew members were required to sign.
Because of the resistance to allowing women on board, many female pirates did not identify themselves as such. Anne Bonny, for example, dressed and acted as a man while on Captain Calico Jack's ship. She and Mary Read, another female pirate, are often identified as being unique in this regard.
This article contains a list of female pirates who are recognized by historians, listed in the time period they were active.
Video Women in piracy
Early pirates
Maps Women in piracy
Viking Age and medieval pirates
16th-century pirates
17th-century pirates
Female interaction with pirates in the 18th century
Business interactions
During the Golden Age of Piracy, many men had to leave home to find employment or set sail for economic reasons. This left women with the responsibilities of taking on traditionally male roles and filling the jobs that were left behind. The need for women to fill these roles led them to be granted rights that had historically been exclusive to men. Women were allowed to trade, own ships, and work as retailers. Often they were innkeepers or ran alehouses. In some seaside towns, laws were even written to allow widows to keep their husbands' responsibilities and property. This was important to local economies, as alehouses and other such establishments were centers of commerce, where pirates would congregate and trade with each other and with the people onshore.
As heads of these establishments, women had a considerable amount of freedom in business. They boarded and fed pirates, bought illegally pirated goods, acted as pawnbrokers for pirates, and even gave out loans - something many men, let alone women, viewed with great caution in that time period. At times, female business owners would even hide their clients when authorities came looking to arrest them for piracy.
Marriage
Some women chose to marry pirates. These men were often very wealthy, but their wives tended not to gain wealth as a result of their marriages, as it was difficult for pirates to send home wages and booty earned overseas. These women's houses and establishments were often used as safe havens for pirates, who were considered enemies of all nations.
Piracy
Women sometimes became pirates themselves, though they tended to have to disguise themselves as men in order to do so. Pirates did not allow women onto their ships very often. Many women (and men) of the time were unable to perform the physically demanding tasks required of the crew. Additionally, women were often regarded as bad luck among pirates. It was feared that the male members of the crew would argue and fight over the women. On many ships, women (as well as young boys) were prohibited by the ship's contract, which all crew members were required to sign.
Because of the resistance to allowing women on board, many female pirates did not identify themselves as such. Anne Bonny, for example, dressed and acted as a man while on Captain Calico Jack's ship. She and Mary Read, another female pirate, are often identified as being unique in this regard. However, many women dressed as men during the Golden Age of Piracy, in an effort to take advantage of the many rights, privileges, and freedoms that were exclusive to men.
18th-century pirates
19th-century pirates
20th-century pirates
In fiction
While most fictional and dramatic depictions of pirates have been male, some notable female pirates have been depicted.
Animation
- Emeraldas from the anime: "Space Pirate Captain Harlock", "Galaxy Express 999", and "Queen Emeraldas" by Leiji Matsumoto
- Nami, Nico Robin, Boa Hancock, Charlotte Linlin, and Jewelry Bonney, among others from the manga and anime series, One Piece.
- Revy from the manga and anime series Black Lagoon
- Space Pirate Sheila from Korean anime "Space Thunder Kids."
- Captain Marika Kato of the Bentenmaru from Bodacious Space Pirates.
- Captain Dola of Laputa - Castle in the Sky, by Ghibli Studios.
Comics
- Dragon Lady depicted in Milton Caniff's comic series Terry and the Pirates was inspired by Lai Choi San
- Janme Dark from Aoike Yasuko's "Sons of Eve" manga series.
- Blackboots from Mary Hanson-Roberts' graphic novel Here Comes A Candle.
- Marquise Spinneret Mindfang from the webcomic Homestuck.
Film and television
- Morgan Adams (played by Geena Davis) from the 1995 film Cutthroat Island.
- Nebula (Gina Torres) from the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
- Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean films.
- Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean films.
- Mistress Ching (Takayo Fischer) from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End film.
- Angelica (Penelope Cruz) from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides film.
- Elizabeth Bonny (Anna Friel) from SyFy Network's Neverland (miniseries).
- The "surprisingly curvaceous" pirate (voiced by Ashley Jensen) from the 2012 animation The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!.
- Anne Bonny (Clara Paget) in the pirate-themed TV series Black Sails.
Literature
- Bêlit from Robert E. Howard's Conan short-story "Queen of the Black Coast" and related media.
- Mary "Jacky" Faber, from the young adult novel, Bloody Jack, and its sequels.
- Art Blastside, a.k.a. Piratica, Little Goldie Girl, and several others from Tanith Lee's Piratica Series.
- Missee Lee, a Chinese woman pirate captain in Missee Lee by Arthur Ransome
- Ezri Delmastro (Ezrianne de la Mastron) and Zamira Drakasha from the second novel in the Gentleman Bastards Sequence Red Seas Under Red Skies, by Scott Lynch (author)
- Nancy Kington and Minerva Sharpe in Pirates by Celia Rees.
- The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate from Gideon Defoe's The Pirates! series of books.
- Emer from A.S. King's young adult novel The Dust of 100 Dogs.
- Peg Polkadot from Julia Donaldson's picture book 'The Troll'
- Fanny Campbell, from Fanny Campbell: Female Pirate Captain, by Maturin Murray Ballou
- Esmerelda from "The Price of Freedom", a book based on the young life of Captain Jack Sparrow from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean.
Theatre
- Ruth from the Operetta Pirates of Penzance
- Charlotte Badger from Euan Rose's 2008 play Charlotte Badger - Buccaneer
Video games
- Elaine Marley in the Monkey Island series
- Faris in Final Fantasy V
- Isabela in the Dragon Age series
- Fina and Aika, among many others, in Skies of Arcadia
- Tetra / Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- Elizabeth Ramsey in Age of Empires III
- Seth Balmore in Lost Odyssey
- Risky Boots in the Shantae series
- Catalina Erantzo in Uncharted Waters: New Horizons
- Patty Fleur in the PlayStation 3 port of Tales of Vesperia
- Briggid in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
- Governor / Pirate Princess Olivia in Fantasy Life
- Anne Bonny and Mary Read in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
- Anne Bonny in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Multiple media and other depictions
- Multiple fictional depictions of Anne Bonny and Mary Read
- Elena Dugan (Lady Galbraith) in The Seas of Fionnghuala
See also
- Piracy
- Pirate code
- List of pirates
- List of fictional pirates
- Gender and crime
- Feminist school of criminology
References
Further reading
- Cordingly, David. Seafaring Women: Adventures of Pirate Queens, Female Stowaways, and Sailors' Wives
- Driscoll, Sally (2009). Anne Bonny: "revenge". Great Neck Publishing.
- Druett, Joan (2000). She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea. Simon & Schuster.
- Lorimer, Sara (2002). Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas. Chronicle Books.
- Nelson, James L. The Only Life That Mattered (Also published as 'The Sweet Trade' under the pseudonym 'Elizabeth Barrett')
- Riley, Sandra. Sisters of the Sea
- Stanley, Jo. Bold in Her Breeches
Source of article : Wikipedia
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