Zheng Yi Sao led 1,800 ships and anywhere between 40,000-60,000 pirates before peacefully retiring on her own terms.
When most people hear the word "pirate," they picture Pirates of the Caribbean or Black Sails. But real-world piracy stretches back centuries and included women who wielded authority on their ships ...
When we imagine pirates, we often picture rugged, bearded men with eye patches like Blackbeard or Captain Jack Sparrow.