MARIE SANGUINE

The most famous female pirate of the early 1700s (and one of the most famous pirates of all time) is Marie Sanguine. Born in 1684 on the island of Tortuga, Marie and her mother Ariane were captured by the notorious John Teach when their ship to France was taken by pirates. Ariane was killed soon after, while Marie, who had disguised herself as a boy, as taken in by Teach himself. In time she was forced to reveal her true sex, but by then her skill with the sword was enough to gain the respect of the rest of the crew. In fact, she was capable (and trusted) enough to be named quartermaster, and when Teach retired, the crew voted Marie to be their new captain (mainly due to her ferocity and fearlessness in battle). She then went on to be the terror of the Caribbean, raiding settlements, striking at Spanish shipping, and often equipping herself with Letters of Marque so she could "legally" take enemy prizes. In time she crossed the Atlantic, and made a name for herself along the African coast and in the Indian Ocean. Interestingly, her being a woman didn't seem to matter to her fellow pirates, many of who flocked to her ship. Apparently they felt she some sort of living "good luck charm," who brought prizes and wealth to all who served with her.

Marie's final fate is unknown. She was never captured by the British (who called her "Bloody Mary" for good reason), with popular rumor stating she retired to the island of Madagascar, to live out her days on the fortune she'd made as a pirate and privateer.

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