Anne Bonny Female pirate of Irish descent Date of Birth: 08.03.1700 Country: Ireland

1. Biography of Anne Bonny
2. Marriage and Pirate Life
3. Pirate Life Continued
4. Capture and Later Life

Biography of Anne Bonny

Anne Bonny, an Irish-born female pirate, was born on March 8, 1700, in a small town near Cork, Ireland. Her father, Edward Cormac, was a lawyer. However, Anne was not his legitimate daughter, which contradicted the old English saying that "bastard children are the happiest." She was the child of a servant who had a known relationship with her father. When Anne was born, a scandal erupted, initiated by her father's wife, causing Edward to lose his clientele. He, along with the servant and Anne, boarded a ship bound for Carolina. Initially working as a lawyer to support themselves, Edward soon ventured into trade and became successful enough to acquire a large plantation. After the servant, whom he continued to pass off as his wife, died, Edward entrusted all the household responsibilities to his daughter Anne, who was known for her strong and fearless personality.

Marriage and Pirate Life

While living with her father, Anne was considered a good match and he had already begun searching for a suitable husband for her. However, she made him unhappy by secretly marrying James Bonny, a penniless sailor. Enraged by his daughter's actions, Edward disowned her. With no other options, the newlyweds boarded a ship bound for New Providence Island, where James intended to find work. Upon arrival, Anne quickly became involved with the wealthy plantation owner Childy Bayard. However, a scandal occurred, implicating Anne in the murder of the governor of Jamaica's cousin. She was briefly imprisoned but was soon released thanks to a hefty bribe paid by Childy. Anne and Childy then embarked on several trading trips around the New World.

Pirate Life Continued

Eventually, Anne grew unhappy in Childy's company. In May 1719, she met the pirate Jack Rackham in a tavern, where he began showing her constant attention. Rackham convinced her to leave Childy, and she eventually did. Anne Bonny disguised herself as a man and followed Rackham to sea. After some time, she discovered she was pregnant. When the time came, Rackham left her on Cuba and entrusted a few of his friends to take care of her. Anne eventually gave birth to a child with severe deformities, who died shortly after birth. To escape the tragedy, she returned to the sea with Rackham. When King's Proclamation, which granted pardon to pirates who ceased their plundering, was published, Rackham complied and left piracy. However, he later joined Governor Rogers in a sea expedition against the Spanish, but the crew mutinied and took over Rogers' ship. This happened partly due to the governor's suspicions that Anne and Rackham were conspiring to kill him. In retaliation, Rackham was flogged at sea, and Anne and Rackham plotted their revenge and returned to their pirate ways.

Capture and Later Life

Anne Bonny, as always, accompanied Rackham and proved her courage and fighting skills. However, they were captured at sea by pirates under the leadership of Mary Read. A misunderstanding occurred between them, but it eventually turned into a strong friendship. In October 1720, Anne, Mary, and Rackham were finally captured by Governor Lawes of Jamaica. During the battle, Anne, Mary, and Captain Rackham were the only ones who dared to stay on the upper deck. Anne's father, Edward Bonny, was known as an honest man among the nobles who owned plantations in Jamaica. Due to this reputation, many tried to assist him when they remembered Anne Bonny from his home. However, her abandonment of her husband to follow a pirate further aggravated her crime against society. When Rackham was sentenced to death, he was allowed to see Anne as a great mercy, but instead of providing comfort, she scolded him for his pathetic appearance. "If you had fought like a man, they wouldn't hang you like a dog!" Shortly after, Mary Read died in prison. Anne Bonny remained imprisoned until she went into labor. Her execution was repeatedly postponed, and eventually, the sentence was never carried out. Interestingly, there are several hypotheses about her fate. According to one, she joined an expedition into the American mainland and died of illness. Another suggests she reunited with pirates and perished in one of their raids. There is also a hypothesis that she allegedly returned to Ireland.