almuhtada.org – While pirates are usually known for being men, there was once a woman who became a famous pirate. In fact, she was even nicknamed the Pirate Queen.
Unexpectedly, the Pirate Queen was a strong Muslim woman who is famous throughout history. This strong Muslim woman was Sayyida al-Hurra, who was born in 1485.
Sayyida came from a well-known Muslim family in Andalusia. At the age of 7, Sayyida had to escape to Morocco to seek protection.
This was because she was being chased by Ferdinand and Isabella, who had successfully defeated the Islamic kingdom of Granada in Spain.
Then, at the age of 16, Sayyida married Sultan al-Manduri, who was a governor.
Together with her husband, she fought against the Portuguese.
When her husband died in 1515, Sayyida was elected Governor of the Tetouan region to replace her husband. She then remarried one of the kings of Morocco named Ahmed al-Wattasi.
The name Sayyida al-Hurra actually means a noble woman who is independent and free.
In fact, Sayyida was the last Muslim woman in Islamic civilization to hold the title of al-Hurra.
The title al-Hurra itself means the highest female leader in Islam.
As a female governor, Sayyida had great and admirable leadership skills.
So why was Sayyida al-Hurra dubbed the world’s first Muslim pirate queen? Apparently, while ruling Morocco, Sayyida wanted to reclaim her homeland, which was then under Spanish control.
She searched for a strategy to recapture Andalusia.
She then discovered that sea battles were one of the most effective ways to recapture Andalusia.
Sayyida tried to control one of the sea routes between Europe and the Middle East by forming an alliance with Barbarossa al Algeirs, the Chancellor of Turkey.
In this alliance, she agreed that Barbarossa would control the northeastern Mediterranean, while she would control the western region.
From that moment on, Sayyida became the most feared Pirate Queen of the 16th century.
She succeeded in terrifying Europe with her actions in monopolizing the sea lanes. Sayyida once pirated ships owned by her enemies.
Sayyida even succeeded in capturing a Portuguese royal ship fleet in 1520.
She became a Muslim Pirate Queen who was greatly feared throughout Europe.
After the death of her first husband, Sayyida’s toughness as a female ruler was unmatched.
She successfully proved that she had what it takes to be a leader. At that time, Sayyida successfully started an alliance that encouraged Muslims to fight against European colonization.
Even the Ottomans considered them as warriors who always fought for independence on the front lines until their last breath.
From then on, Sayyida al-Hurra became an unbeatable ruler and pirate leader in the Western Mediterranean.
Unfortunately, Sayyida al-Hurra’s leadership fell due to a coup carried out by her son-in-law in 1542. Sayyida returned to her hometown of Chefchaouen and died in 1561.[]Fahdina Dean Yustisia
