She wasn’t called Sayyida al-Hurra at birth. It was a title she would earn, based on her fearlessness and fierce intelligence: 'Lady who is free and independent'. But it was thanks to her badass pirating, that she would forever be known as the 'Pirate Queen of Morocco'. Our future legendary pirate was born in 1485 in Andalusia, Spain, into a wealthy Muslim family. Some sources claim her birth name was Aisha, which means 'lively woman'. It certainly seems to have fit her personality! Bright and curious, Aisha excelled in languages, including Castilian and Portuguese, as well as theology and mathematics. But when she was seven years old, all Muslims were driven from Spain by Catholic rulers Ferdinand and Isabella. Aisha and her family became refugees.
For the rest of her life, her actions would be fueled by a bone-deep need for revenge. Aisha built a new life in Morocco and at 25, she married the governor of a town called Tétouan, a major seaport. Deeply impressed by her wits and diplomatic skills, he soon made her co-regent. Together, they turned Téoutan into bustling metropolis. After her husband passed away in 1515, Aisha officially became 'Sayyida al-Hurra' and came up with a brilliant plan. Tétouan had been a base for piracy before, why not make it one again? This way, she could enrich her beloved city while finally getting her revenge. A win-win situation!