During China's Qing Dynasty, a fearsome female pirate queen named Ching Shih ruled the South China Sea. She led the Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and around 80,000 pirates.

Zheng Yi Sao’s Influence on the Pirate Fleet A portrait of the pirate Zheng Yi Sao. (Artwork: ArtStation – Sandrahl89) Zheng Yi Sao’s influence on the Red Flag Fleet was significant. Prior to her ...

For the next six years, they built up a coalition of local pirate fleets, called the "Red Flag", and in 1804 ... immediately cemented her position as fleet commander. In particular, she secured ...