Born: 1636 (England)
Biography:
Charlotte de Berry was a female pirate captain, believed to have been born in 1636 in England. While there is no concrete evidence for de Berry’s existence in 17th-century sources, her story has persisted through various retellings and has become a popular legend in pirate lore.
According to the earliest known reference to de Berry in Edward Lloyd’s 1836 penny dreadful called History of the Pirates, de Berry’s life was filled with daring adventures and tragic events. In her mid-to-late teens, she fell in love with a sailor and, against her parents’ wishes, married him. Determined to be together, she disguised herself as a man and secretly joined him on board his ship, where she fought alongside him.
De Berry’s true identity was ultimately discovered by an officer, who kept this knowledge to himself for a sinister purpose. The jealous officer assigned de Berry’s husband to the most dangerous tasks on the ship, hoping he would perish. However, thanks to de Berry’s help, her husband managed to survive. Eventually, the officer falsely accused him of mutiny, and he was found guilty based on an officer’s word against that of a common sailor. He was then punished and killed by flogging.
After her husband’s unjust death, the officer made advances towards de Berry, which she adamantly refused. Seizing an opportunity, de Berry killed the officer and fled, disguising herself once again as a woman and finding work on the docks.
Some versions of the story vary, omitting the officer’s lust for de Berry and claiming that de Berry’s husband, Jack Jib, had offended the officer, resulting in his flogging. In this version, de Berry seeks revenge for her husband’s death by killing the officer while they are ashore.
While working on the docks, de Berry’s life took yet another unexpected turn. A captain of a merchant ship spotted her and kidnapped her, forcing her into marriage and taking her on a voyage to Africa. However, her new husband proved to be a brutal rapist and tyrant. Determined to free herself, de Berry gained the respect of the crew and incited a mutiny. In a dramatic act of revenge, she decapitated her husband and assumed command of the ship.
For years, de Berry led a life of piracy, gaining a fearsome reputation on the high seas. During one of her voyages, she met and fell in love with a planter’s son from Grenada, whom she married. Their happiness was short-lived, as their ship was wrecked, leaving them stranded and starving. With no other options, they resorted to cannibalism, and de Berry’s husband was tragically chosen by lot to be their meal.
Just when all hope seemed lost, the survivors of de Berry’s crew were rescued by a Dutch ship. However, in a twist of fate, that very ship was attacked by pirates. Displaying remarkable courage and loyalty, de Berry and her crew bravely defended their rescuers. While the others celebrated their victory, de Berry chose to jump overboard, presumably to be reunited with her departed husband.