Charlotte de Berry facts for kids

Charlotte de Berry was a famous female pirate captain whose exciting adventures are told in old stories. She was born in England around 1636. Her tales describe a brave and daring woman who faced many challenges on the high seas.

Was Charlotte de Berry a Real Pirate?

Portrait of Edward Lloyd

The tall ship Irving Johnson, a replica of 17th-century ships, lies near the entrance to Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, California, March 2005.

The first known stories about Charlotte de Berry appeared in 1836. They were published by Edward Lloyd in a book called History of the Pirates. This book was a "penny dreadful," which was a cheap, exciting storybook popular back then.

Edward Lloyd was known for publishing many thrilling and sometimes made-up tales. There is no clear proof that Charlotte de Berry truly existed in the 1600s. However, parts of her story are similar to other popular adventure books from Lloyd's time. Stories about Charlotte de Berry after 1836 usually followed Lloyd's original version.

Charlotte's Adventures at Sea

Joining the Crew

When Charlotte was a teenager, she fell in love with a sailor. She married him even though her parents did not approve. To be with him, she dressed like a man. She joined his ship and fought bravely by his side.

An officer on the ship discovered her secret. He kept it hidden because he wanted to get rid of Charlotte's husband. The officer gave her husband the most dangerous jobs. But Charlotte helped him survive these difficult tasks.

A New Beginning

Sadly, Charlotte's husband was later wrongly accused of a serious crime. He was punished and died. After this, Charlotte secretly left the ship when it was in port. She dressed as a woman again and found work on the docks.

While working, a merchant ship captain saw her. He kidnapped Charlotte and forced her to marry him. He took her on a long trip to Africa. This new husband was very cruel.

Becoming a Pirate Captain

Charlotte decided she had to escape her new husband. She earned the respect of the ship's crew. She then convinced them to take over the ship. After the crew mutinied, Charlotte became the captain of the ship herself!

She spent many years as a pirate captain. Later, she fell in love with a man from Grenada. Some stories say he was a Spanish man named Armelio or José Gonzalez. Charlotte married him.

A Daring Rescue

One day, Charlotte and her husband were shipwrecked. Luckily, a Dutch ship rescued them. But then, pirates attacked the Dutch ship! Charlotte and her husband bravely defended their rescuers.

During the fight, Charlotte was hurt and fell into the sea. Her crew, seeing they were losing, blew up their own ship. This way, they would not be captured.

See also

• Jacquotte Delahaye – Another female pirate from the 1600s whose story also appeared in the 1800s.