Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas

In the first-ever Seven Seas history of the world's female buccaneers, Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, & Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas tells the story of women, both real and legendary, who through the ages sailed alongside—& sometimes in command of—their male counterparts. These women came from all walks of life but had one thing in common: a desire for freedom.

History has largely ignored these female swashbucklers, until now. Here are their stories, from ancient Norse princess Alfhild & warrior Rusla to Sayyida al-Hurra of the Barbary corsairs; from Grace O'Malley, who terrorized shipping operations around the British Isles during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; to Cheng I Sao, who commanded a fleet of four hundred ships off China in the early nineteenth century.

Author Laura Sook Duncombe also looks beyond the stories to the storytellers & mythmakers. What biases & agendas motivated them? What did they leave out? Pirate Women explores why and how these stories are told & passed down, & how history changes depending on who is recording it. It's the most comprehensive overview of women pirates in one volume & chock-full of swashbuckling adventures that pull these unique women from the shadows into the spotlight that they deserve.