Ching Shih

A notorious pirate who operated in the South China Sea during the early 19th century. She is known for commanding one of the largest pirate fleets in history, and for establishing a code of conduct that governed her crew.

Ching Shih began her career as a prostitute in Guangzhou, China. She was taken captive by the pirate Cheng I and eventually became his wife and partner in piracy. After Cheng I's death, Ching Shih took control of his fleet, which consisted of around 300 ships and up to 40,000 men. She then expanded her fleet by forming an alliance with several other pirate leaders, and her fleet eventually grew to over 1,500 ships.