A Chinese woman named Cheng I Sao (also referred to as Cheng Shih) controlled a fleet of more than 1,500 ships and upwards of 80,000 sailors in the early 19th century. She ruled with an iron hand, became extremely wealthy, and managed to talk her way out of legal troubles and retire peacefully. Link -via Reddit
A Chinese woman named Cheng I Sao (also referred to as Cheng Shih) controlled a fleet of more than 1,500 ships and upwards of 80,000 sailors in the early 19th century. She ruled with an iron hand, became extremely wealthy, and managed to talk her way out of legal troubles and retire peacefully. Link -via Reddit