Who was the most successful pirate in history?

July 13th, 2006 · No Comments

Captured and sank ships in acts of piracy? Check.
Waged wars? Check.
Commanded over 2000 ships and 70,000 sailors? Check.
Married her adopted son? Check. Er, hang on a minute …

Shih Shiang Gu was a prostitute before she married in 1801 to one Cheng I (Zheng Yi) who commanded a pirate fleet. The couple fought in a Vietnamese rebellion on the side of the Tay-son. They adopted a son named Chang Pao (Zhang Bao). By the time her husband died in a gale in 1807, he had united a pirate coalition numbering 400 ships and over 70,000 sailors. Ching Shih eventually commanded 2,000 ships, and is considered by some to be the most successful pirate in history.

A master of manipulation, Cheng I Sao …, now also known as Ching Shih …, took over the fleet after some political maneuvering. She shortly thereafter fell into an affair with her adopted son, Cheung Po Tsai, having already made him her lieutenant, and married him, cementing the family’s hold on the fleet.

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