History of Female Pirates - Podcast Flashcards
What are some main reasons of why people go into pirating?
1) Economic necessity (poverty)
2) Unemployment after wars
3) Forced into as there is no other jobs
4) Merchant sailors were maltreated
5) Idea of equality and democracy
6) No clear captain, every man has a say in the voyage
7) Awareness of a short life
8) Forced pirates - when encountering a pirate ship at sea and held at gunpoint to join
9) Weak central authority/colonial governors
Pirate
Somebody who robs at sea
Privateer
A private with papers aka governmental permission to attack others at sea (time of war)
Blurred lines - a “private” is usually defined in the eyes of the beholder
The role of royal governments in piracy
1)Hired pirates to become privateers through pardoning them
2)Used their experience to track down other pirates
3) Takes a share of the earned lot of the privateers
Golden Age of Piracy
Misleading name as it implies “niceness”, but covers a period of pirate peak between 1660s to 1730s. Three phases, in which the latter is the “pure phase” right after a Spanish war, extreme unemployment rates and many famous pirates were operating.
Female Piracy
Less than 1% involvement, yet it still occurred, often through disguising as men on the ship, having a husband as a pirate, being conquered at sea an taken in etc. Eg Mary Read and Anne Bonny
Anne Bonny
Disowned by family when she married a poor sailor. Met a pirate ship at journey and abandoned husband for Rackham. Meets Mary Read and a farfetched story about how they find each other attractive as men or some yap.Absolutely butchers her husband as he is a coward when found by the government. Pardoned due to pregnancy.
Mary Read
Disguised as a man from a young age, husband dies and she sails the West Indies. Stopped by pirate ship and joined disguised as a man. Pardoned due to pregnancy.
Grace O’Malley
Irish celebrated queen. Lots of piracy in the 16th cent Ireland due to turbulent times. English colonizers all over the place, lords and chiefdoms fighting. She becomes a sea captain with second husband, and harrasses English merchant ships and governors. As active as her husband. Son is taken to jail and she claims loyalty to the queen of England (Elizabeth) to release him. Can also be considered a fighter, nationalist hero and active commander, depending on the eye of the beholder.
Agency of women in pirate fields
Women were involved massively, often through selling goods, as landladies renting out rooms, or prostitution.
Pirates want to spend their money asap as they know their risk of dying / getting caught.
Women not wanted on ships as they could be a cause of conflict between men based on desire
Some raped women or used them as human shields, other respected them
Some women have lots of agency through negotiation and were braver than their husbands.
