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Quando la gente pensa ai pirati

0:00:01.365,0:00:02.906
immagina omoni paurosi

0:00:02.906,0:00:05.754
con nomi tipo Barbanera[br]o Long John Silver.

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Anche se nel corso della storia [br]la maggior parte dei pirati

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sono stati maschi,

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tra quelli più famosi e temuti

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mai vissuti, c'è stata

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Ching SHih --

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una giovane donna di Cantone che diresse

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una delle più grandi flotte della storia

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e fu l'organizzatrice

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di un impero criminale nautico[br]così potente

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che nemmeno l'esercito cinese[br]lo poté fermare.

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Non sappiamo molto della sua gioventù,

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salvo che a un certo punto

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lavorò in un bordello di Cantone.

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Nel 1801 Ching Shih sposò[br]un pirata comandante

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chiamato Ching I

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e presto governò a suo fianco

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man mano che allargava il proprio impero

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unificando piccoli equipaggi dispersi di pirati

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in una coalizione organizzata

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e incredibilmente potente.

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Quando suo marito morì ad un tratto nel 1802,

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Chin Sih seppe esattamente cosa fare.

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Gli subentrò e rivendicò il comando,

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assumendo il controllo di

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40'000-60'000 pirati.

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Il loro accettare una donna[br]come comandante

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è un'egregia testimonianza

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sia della sua abilità politica[br]sia del rispetto

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che si era guadagnata tra i marinai.

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Presto nominò Chang Pao,[br]suo figlio adottivo,

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comandante della sua flotta[br]più possente

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e alla fine lo sposò.

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Era un po' sinistro

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ma i due formarono[br]una squadra impressionante

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i cui attacchi erano temuti

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in tutto il Mar di Cina meridionale.

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Non conosciamo esattamente[br]l'aspetto di Ching

0:01:14.784,0:01:16.075
anche se certi storici hanno ipotizzato

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che sedusse il suo marito pirata

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più per la sua bellezza fisica

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che non per una notevole intelligenza.

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