A Pirate's Life for Me, Due June 21, 2019

Most pirates didn’t last very long. It was a tough line of work: many were killed or injured in battle or in fights amongst themselves, and medical facilities were usually non-existent. Even the most famous pirates, such as Blackbeard or Bartholomew Roberts, only were active in piracy for a couple of years. Roberts, who had a very long and successful career for a pirate, was only active for about three years from 1719 to 1722.
 
MORE pirate information:

In 1805 Madame Cheng’s husband, Cheng Yih, formed what quickly became the largest pirate confederation in history. Upon his death two years later, Madame Cheng took over the business and expanded it even further, commanding an estimated 1,800 ships and 70,000 men at the height of her powers. With the help of Cheung Po Tsai—the adopted son of her husband and also her lover—she demanded protection money from coastal communities, attacked ships in the South China Sea and once even kidnapped seven British sailors. Madame Cheng then took a pardon in 1810 when Chinese authorities began cracking down on piracy. A prostitute in her youth, she lived out her golden years running a large opium smuggling operation.
 
I got started recently! I printed out female pirates. That is actually very sad about the female pirate you mentioned. She actually didnt seem to live a very glamorous or fun life: full or protitution, and drug smuggling. She must have actually has a very sad and hard life.

Oh so bummer time over, My female pirates will be on the sunny side of life.
 
Oh, CastleQueen5...I didn't mean to bring you down! :(

Here's some "happier" facts:

The skull and crossbones flag at the top of a pirate ship is called a Jolly Roger. Although the origin of the name “Jolly Roger” has been lost, one theory stems from the use of red flags. Centuries ago, a red flag was commonly used during naval warfare to signal that no mercy would be given, and anyone captured would be killed immediately. Called a Joli Rogue (“pretty red”) by the French, theorists claim this was then translated into English as Jolly Roger. Another theory suggests Jolly Roger derived from “Old Roger”, a term for the Devil. Oh these pirates, they’re so mysterious!
 
Oh you didnt bring me down, I just really was touched by her events in there life. I even went to google to learn more. They sure didn't make it sound like she was anything but a successful pirate. I wonder why I picked up on the sadness? Maybe she was very happy.
 
Not every pirate ship used a Jolly Roger flag. Pirates from The Bahamas had their flags specially made by a sail-maker’s widow who took payment in brandy, while Blackbeard had his own black flag featuring a skeleton with horns. The skeleton held an hourglass in one hand, and in the other he carried a spear pointing to a heart dripping with three drops of blood.

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Fabulous cards, CQ5! Love them all!

I'm still lurking by the way - I have been collecting some images but haven't had a chance to create any cards. Hoping I can get some done and in the mail but won't commit until I've at least started making the cards.
 
In honor of your female pirates, CastleQueen5 (don't let it upset you ;) )

Question: During the "Golden Age of Piracy" just two women were ever convicted of piracy. One was Anne Bonney, but who was the other?

Answer: Mary Read

English woman Mary Read spent her childhood disguised as a boy by her mother. This was because her older (legitimate) brother had died, and their mother wanted to keep getting money from his paternal grandmother. Mary stayed living as a man until she fell in love with a soldier, and revealed herself as a woman so they could be married.

After the untimely death of her husband, she took ship for the West Indies. When the ship was attacked and boarded by pirates, Mary joined them.

In 1720, Mary took the "king's pardon" turned and Privateer, and then joined forces with Anne Bonney and her lover Jack Rackham after they took her ship. The three, along with their crew, were captured that same year and sentenced to death by a court in Jamaica, but both Bonney and Read were spared as they were pregnant.

Records show that Mary Read died in childbirth, in jail in Jamaica, in 1721. It was not recorded what happened to her child, but it is assumed he or she died too.
 
Speaking of those lovely ladies, I had those for show up at my house today! Thank you for the extra hostess card. Your ladies are both fragile and formidable! Quite lovely!
 
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