Ching Shih

Born Shi Yang around 1775, she married pirate Zheng Yi in 1801 at age 26 and became known as Zheng Yi Sao among the Cantonese. When her husband died in 1807, she seized control of his confederation with backing from his adopted son Zhang Bao, whom she later married. By 1805 the fleet held roughly 400 junks and between 40,000 and 70,000 pirates, clashing with the British, Portuguese, and Qing forces across the South China Sea. After defeats by the Portuguese Navy, she cut a deal with Qing authorities in 1810: she and Zhang Bao kept 24 ships and over 1,400 crew, faced no charges, and walked away…