The most successful pirate of all time - Dian Murray

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At the height of their power, infamous Caribbean pirates like Blackbeard and Henry Morgan commanded as many as ten ships and several hundred men. But their stories pale next to the most successful pirate of all time, who commanded 1,800 vessels, made enemies of several empires, and still lived to old age. Dian Murray details the life of the fearsome Madame Zheng.
Lesson by Dian Murray, animation by Steff Lee.
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[@TEDEd]

Interested in history? Here's a playlist with 5 of our most popular history lessons: bit.ly/2InfFnB

[@sunguyen3866]

Quang Trung Nguyen Hue?

[@camellias.7106]

Please, make a video about Catherine the Great! She was absolutely awesome too!

[@MrDgrt]

I though the most successful pirate of all time was "Dian Murray".... hehe

[@kmfrog]

Henry every the king of pirates

[@arnavsharma1767]

Jack sparrow is the best of all even salazer couldn't defeat him

[@just-trying-my-best-everyday]

_Oh no, my ship sank mysteriously. I'm afraid I won't be able to go after Madame Zheng. Such a shame..._

[@springyard20xx42]

Guess we have to wait until next year

[@brandonchan5387]

_Oh no, my priest tells me there will be a plague in a few hundred years time in China, and it might spread throughout the rest of the world! Looks like I have to stay indoors instead of go after Madame Zheng. Such a shame..._

[@Detectorists_321]

@@brandonchan5387 shut up

[@drama3751]

@@Detectorists_321 why its just a joke

[@zeldafan4727]

@@Detectorists_321 can you take a joke

[@bottasheimfe5750]

her career as a pirate revealed many problems with the Chinese navy, problems that the Emperor wasn't too keen on fixing, and these problems were later exploited by the British during the First Opium war.

[@Shukri-The-Great]

Can you please elaborate on what problems your referring too?

[@aurora____303]

Isn't this a quote from the Extra History video about the same pirate? lol

[@aurora____303]

@@Shukri-The-Great I think that the problem was how the emperor didn't try to inprove their navy or their mairetime tecnology after the pirate fleet disovoled. Depite all the problems that the pirates caused. Causing more powerful navys like the Brittish being able to easily take advantage and win wars.

[@unapersonaqualunque8422]

Do you mean kaido?

[@hiddencursor8363]

And don't forget that she also exploited many flaws in Tatooine's government, causing many to live in poverty

[@marcinkuleta8264]

All these animations look so friendly that I almost forgot the video is about a pirate.

[@Jasmine-gk4re]

Same XD

[@x8sNaKe8x]

That's how you make a propaganda

[@APAstronaut333]

Let’s hug the pirate gang 💯

[@pazan6288]

never watched one piece huh?

[@Just_A_Guy_Here.]

I'm your 1k liker here & bye.

[@homeaccount5206]

Madame Zheng was no simple pirate, she was a naval super power. A warlord with deep recourses, and a strategist unmatched in combat. But overall, an administrator.

[@user-iq7mk3gb9w]

While other pirates impressed with their combat skills, Madame Zheng rose to power with her genius strategical mind. That's the reason why she was able to achieved such successes.

[@justforrow]

@@user-iq7mk3gb9w No she was a terroist and raider just like her friend Blackbeard who plundered innocent Chinese people's lands for wealth

[@426mak]

@@justforrow And she became a noble lady, died rich, happy and surrounded by her loved one.

[@justforrow]

@@426mak That still doesn't excuse her actions. What's your point?

[@myouniverse0613]

@@justforrow No one's saying she's an angel, just that she's extremely intelligent, so what is _your_ point.

[@cheesecakelasagna]

Damn! She even outlived two husbands!

[@trcndc2]

I thought it was just his protege.

[@galarxa]

Father and son husband 😂😂

[@milomhoek]

Just like my grandma!

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

One of them was her son well her stepson but still

[@Devincan90]

I have heard this story I believe she killed her first husband as well.

[@jordanwong9957]

The chinese pronunciation is 10/10 I never heard someone with an American accent ever pronounced chinese words properly 👏🏻🙌🏻

[@reemtri]

The narrator may also be a Chinese person...

[@Blahblahyah]

Jordan Wong *pronounce You lose.

[@DawnsWR]

They used bots :D

[@Hoangdaide]

Jordan Wong but the vietnamese pronunciation was ..... bad

[@myyoutube2251]

Except that because it was in Guangzhou, they should probably narrate in Cantonese.

[@uria3679]

If Mulan fails in the writing department, someone convince Hollywood to make a movie about her

[@friendlyyoutubecommenter4527]

Looks like someone could see into the future

[@shalmali-379]

omg that would be a beautiful animated movie but more like a ghibli rather than disney one

[@lof406]

well it did

[@ayatoculus]

hollywood shouldn't be doing it.

[@rot6662]

hollywood is incapable of doing things justice, don't

[@swahat1713]

Wealth, fame, power. Madame Zheng the king of the pirates obtained this and everything else the World had to offer. And her dying words drove countless souls to the seas. “You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered Together in one place. Now you just have to find it!”

[@Leafeon-gd5en]

cue the opening!

[@japhethsahle4866]

@@Leafeon-gd5en no

[@amgm1996]

she trolled them lol

[@faridhabibullah30]

@@Leafeon-gd5en ur anime pfp's story really matches with @Swahat 's comment

[@joelikespotatoes8321]

*drums* then *percussian*

[@dickmacgurn590]

This deserves a Netflix series lol

[@ST0AT]

Don't you *dare* suggest that!

[@EzioIlMentore]

NOPE

[@bananaborealis9515]

NETFLIX WILL RUIN IT

[@ericboynton5884]

That'd be fun

[@anvutrong6870]

I prefer HBO

[@jaykay6249]

The pronunciation is on fleek.

[@jakubswitalski7989]

She may be chinese

[@megancress1384]

yeah i think this accurate pronunciation is only possible with native chinese speakers

[@Zorooooooooooooooooooooooooooo]

yah she said Guangzhou pretty much perfectly

[@MukulApple]

I’d have agreed with that only if I knew what ‘fleek’ meant.

[@alyssawu9025]

Zoro but my Cantonese self will never be satisfied

[@WOWS-KeDoG3]

Would love to see a biopic made about her with big time production value or even a Game of Throne esque series. Imagine how interesting that would be

[@devinreis5811]

That'd be so dope.

[@Vernardo]

Hmm, should I going to made one with IQiYi?

[@blurryface1427]

"That's got to be the best pirate i've ever seen" - Ted-ed, probably

[@brandonchan5387]

Disney: Or so it may seem...

[@abouttime837]

the animation is lighthearted for a video on a dangerously successful criminal would’ve been badass if it was fierce like in the Macbeth video

[@sator6754]

A T Honestly, these were the worst animations by far, it looks like one of those kid Science vids, just my opinion.

[@cannae920]

Ibno Zizou Everybody gets that. Now you can stop copy pasting the same comment.

[@abouttime837]

Ibno Zizou how does “dangerously successful criminal” mean “great” to you

[@johnnychang4233]

Make this into another Telemundo soap opera ;)

[@ittesafyeasir3438]

A T it would just be demonetized

[@vicenteortegarubilar9418]

I knew it, I knew it, my favourite pirate since I knew about her, when I was a kid and I used to read about pirates. Cool animation too, it makes a bunch of assasins and thiefs look really adorable.

[@whatever.1765]

Vicente Ortega Rubilar same

[@whitegradient5182]

I like blackbeard better

[@bobwilson679]

Ibno Zizou That’s why its cool. No one ever said what the pirates did were good or right. But it is still cool. She was the greatest pirate because she was the most successful at what she did, not because what she did was good.

[@ian3236]

And then in 50 to a 100 years from now, people will have their favorite terrorist. That Osama was a real badass...

[@ezekiel0606]

check extra history by extra credits

[@hiya1514]

This is legendary. This for me is like getting my forever childhood doubt answered within 5 mins." How come there wasn't any female pirate ever?". Amazing work

[@peterghoulferatu3555]

Anne Bonny

[@movienaut]

Princess Sela Alfhild Lagertha Grace O'Malley Mary Wolverston Anne Bonny Mary Read

[@hserpoe54]

The most successful pirates My first thought Captain Jack Sparrow

[@putikeswarasudarsono]

And even in the movie he wasn't successful either. He was betrayed so many times by the very same people.

[@kjiell2852]

@@putikeswarasudarsono yet still survived

[@little_boy_blue]

@@kjiell2852 Just surviving does not really equate to being successful. Really.

[@kjiell2852]

@@little_boy_blue he is succesful, succesful in surviving that is

[@anthonyc4138]

@@outlaw9889 he got killed

[@MIZORAM_mafaka_hnamte]

_Hollywood should make movie about her_

[@bigbigmurphy]

Better be with Asian cast. I heard the Mulan reboot was heavily criticized by having a lot of none Asian cast, forced Disney to change cast. LOL.

[@EagleZtoTheGrave]

Tamerlane DAT EDGE, HURT ME MORE! lol

[@LordShehap]

Couldn't be what Keira knightly played in pirates of the Caribbean ?

[@AnonymousRandomDude]

Knowing Hollywoood, it'll star Angelina Jolie probably.

[@meathead2934]

FullMetalChicken especially that fact we all want the Szechuan sauce to be released with it

[@thefortisian1124]

She died at the age of 69 Nice

[@m.fakhruddin634]

I am waiting for this

[@slayerplaysgenshin9842]

Please don't like this comment any further.

[@CoolBird420]

to late @@slayerplaysgenshin9842

[@luan4810]

Nice

[@memelord5855]

Nice

[@Animewatcher5953]

You know this pirate is powerful when the enemy destroyed their own ship so they can't fight her

[@ciel-bell]

Wealth, fame, power. Madame Zheng, king of the pirates obtained this and everything else the world had to offer.

[@mohammadfarooqi6255]

Queen of pirates you mean

[@KafuKemeh]

​@@mohammadfarooqi6255 King of the Pirates

[@fqidz]

I am the most successful pirate... I pirated thousands of games and movies and never got caught.

[@fezii9043]

*FBI OPEN UP!!!*

[@KhanhNguyen-mh5ec]

Well now you do

[@Fracpanda7414]

Good job bobby

[@neilprice4915]

And books

[@PolishGigaChad180]

amazing_dude Welp the FBI is coming for u

[@johnbagel2560]

Extra history made a more specific video if you are really interested 😎

[@math3000]

I see you're a man of culture as well.

[@surinameseworkerclassfight7067]

Was about to comment this

[@craigpo2927]

World History With Dan *a man of culture*

[@nanda-re2yp]

Walpole would be proud

[@megaagentj2248]

World History With Dan but walople commented this and you stole it

[@creslyadambardon6580]

She became so successful and got to live a long life because she had 70 million powers at a time. She was one of the powerhouses in our alliance.

[@Vertutame]

"Cut their head and throw the body in to the sea" -Madam Zheng

[@ari3903]

@platonik filofOz they get wet

[@lazijix]

your pronunciation is so good i feel like crying

[@knguyennguyen5559]

Her name is Pen-Pen Chan so she probably know how to pronounce Chinese

[@jonarbuckle3629]

The Qing government is too useless. They have no modern navy.

[@HVLLOWS1999]

Cry let it out !

[@Neverdyingpride]

then cry

[@dazhibernian]

"Thats got to be the best pirate i've ever seen".

[@yourfriendlyneighbourhoodh4700]

*so it would seem*

[@connorfox1551]

* pirates of the Caribbean music intensifies*

[@ebrissy5680]

dazhibernian jack sparrow

[@minhaophu3289]

U know that you not actually seen right?

[@starflarethewizard1490]

“That’s gotta be the best pirate I have ever seen.” “So it would seem.”

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

"That must be the best pirate I've ever seen." "So it would seem"

[@gameme3747]

You must have not watched one piece

[@np7145]

Greatest pirate : Piratebay

[@Trackrace29582]

P P I took a screenshot of this comment

[@jonelbolanos3980]

you think you are funny ?

[@robintheundeaddevil]

@@jonelbolanos3980 why are you planning to hire him.

[@SniperPIKACHU]

This is going to make a good Assassin Creed story. She sounds like a good guy, a rebel (against the emperor/ Templar). Also, she has on/off relationship with allies which makes it very dramatic. Not to mention a bunch of side quests for her business as she must raise funding and maintain the large fleet.

[@akivaforrester2837]

They should teach this in textbooks.

[@zm1639]

Didn’t have that many big impacts on the world

[@user-fi5op1nb8f]

No because it’s interesting and it is illegal in the current terrible education system to teach something interesting

[@zm1639]

?? In America we aren’t really taught much about outside the country

[@user-fi5op1nb8f]

The Dark Knight Guard really, why?

[@zm1639]

?? Because most Americans don’t leave their state much less their country (mostly due to economic status and or they don’t know other languages). Unless their gonna teach world history or history on a certain part of the world they don’t bother learning

[@ScalyFriend]

She’s now my favorite pirate.

[@eskuires]

So sad i never heard of her before. Everything is so skewed. I'm glad there are so many out there trying to make things better, truly.

[@TheRealDoctorHuong]

You said 广州(GuangZhou) correctly 😭😭😭😭 Idk why but I'm so proud

[@CampaignerSC]

TBH I think mispronouncing the names of terrible criminals from history would make me prouder.

[@happycreeperlol5235]

CampaignerSC GuangZhou, as clearly said in the video, is a province.

[@bleach4038]

@@happycreeperlol5235 guangzhou is a city not a province

[@Cooliealot]

Wealth, fame, power Pirate empress, zheng yi sao, the one who has attained everything the world has to offer.

[@KaliTakumi]

Tfw Chinese names are pronounced correctly in an English video

[@maplemaple1439]

Kali Takumi *Y E S*

[@alexsbarricades8218]

Because Pen-Pen Chen is Chinese herself

[@soerika2964]

so... that is vietnamese, language which is spoken in a country on the south of china

[@KaliTakumi]

Soerika What are you talking about

[@CampaignerSC]

It sounded like they just inserted a robotic voice clip for their names.

[@waterofkirkland6855]

Most successful pirate was obviously Gold D Rogers

[@geranong2435]

Gol D Roger

[@reniflal]

i know right

[@ragnardanneskjold6509]

Nope

[@2d839]

He's the father of Kenny Rogers?

[@saladcaesar7716]

One piece

[@leslievega8035]

I’m ready for the rest movie now. Thank you.

[@nyxiekitsune6]

This video has some of the best Chinese pronunciations I have ever heard uttered by a foreigner on KZbin.

[@xmvziron]

I wouldn't call her a foreigner; her name is Pen Pen Chan

[@wildreams]

Best pronunciation (both English and Chinese) I have heard on KZbin.

[@lukapaulos7505]

wildreams i dont know she is vietnamese or chinese?

[@user-kd8nt9pb8n]

Luka Poulos I think she from Singapore (ﾟωﾟ)

[@abdullahimohamed9462]

look at me... "I AM THE CAPTAIN"

[@c.i.a5101]

U WANT TO CHECK THE SHIP

[@ajaythakuri6300]

Very informative with lovely animation/Illustrations.

[@khisus20]

Beautiful animation and a very interesting video!

[@chinmayarankalle4389]

Could you do a video on ancient Indian empires like Cholas, Pallavas, Guptas and Mauryas

[@dropj3]

I second this! I would love to learn about the empires around the hindus

[@inanjarif1388]

I was forced to learn these things in school and I really hated it,so I'm really interested in how they'll make it more fun.

[@forstborngaming6928]

@@inanjarif1388 ya but in animation they are super easy to learn and cool

[@renataellian7537]

Mandarin pronunciation was really nice !

[@RJavierYepesDeV]

Love your videos! Quito-Ecuador 2020

[@Rabbittomaru]

00:20 That will be *Monkey D. Luffy* 🐵

[@ginsan8198]

It is cool that people are calling her badass or whatever, but she was still a pirate, probably getting by with murders, violence, and the sorts during her lifetime, so yeah.

[@nickbagrationi2015]

It's not like the government did different things at that time though. She was a thief, true, that's dishonorable. But she was also a warrior and a great strategist, and that's something to respect.

[@jakboom5013]

but she was a women so it's okay

[@MofoMagnificent]

If she wasn't a someone who embraced murder and violence then she wouldn't be much of a stand-out pirate would she?

[@456rakki]

Pacifist😒

[@mingolaflare6224]

She was very brutal, not hesitating to kill anyone in her way (just like every other pirate). She beheaded A LOT of people. Many of her underlings as well. She was definitely a “badass” in regards to her skill in commanding, bravery, and fierceness...but she wasn’t a saint whatsoever.

[@cchangg]

Zheng Yi's ancestor was part of a even bigger pirate group, Koxinga. Love to hear your video comparing these two groups.

[@trollmcclure2659]

Not just a pirate group, he ruled over a Ming loyalist dynasty in Taiwan and wanted to conquer mainland China

[@lamthoinhat401]

I'm surprised when heard the Zhengs served for Tây Sơn dynasty. Thank for this information.

[@RedFrog_191]

I would love to watch these events back in time from a Birds Eye view perspective

[@owowhatsthis4395]

0:54 le epic death

[@SkybusGrizwald]

That's got the be the best pirate I've ever seen *So it would seem*

[@yourfriendlyneighbourhoodh4700]

*meme intensifies*

[@lprophit]

thats unfathomably amazing what a successful lady

[@javisernabox]

Great video!!!

[@bababoi769]

"That's gotta be the best pirate i have ever seen"

[@xyon9090]

*Thoughty2 taught me this*

[@adiz02]

42*

[@benknight932]

but he called her ching shi

[@mustasimnur1744]

ANOTHER THOUGHT-NAUT!!

[@kylenetherwood8734]

TED-Ed taught me this

[@dipro001]

wow! Didnt knew that. This is so cool

[@cannancursed820]

beautiful story.

[@luyandzabavukiledlamini4693]

She was indeed the greatest pirate and naval commander that ever lived

[@liangyuwu8580]

russia: exists china: WE HAVE MDM ZHENG

[@picollojr9009]

What it have to do with russia?

[@liangyuwu8580]

@@picollojr9009 idk, cus russia has a country of fbi XD

[@picollojr9009]

@@liangyuwu8580 ?????

[@joycechen7169]

FBI and pirates aren't the same...

[@elisea2431]

Beautiful story

[@shko1259]

I watched this 5 times and I still like it.

[@cluckcluck6494]

I know the most successful pirate when it comes to pirating children... Captain Hook

[@brianholmes1812]

"That's got to be the best pirate I've ever seen...."

[@Mat-in6gy]

Very interesting!

[@nandakishore7070]

TED-Ed is not only producing great knowledgeable videos with awesome animations, but also giving ideas for movie scripts.

[@rgilbride]

YES MY QUEEN I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE HER

[@hoangkimviet8545]

Hmm, what about Jack Sparrow? :0

[@robbiekennedy4913]

Thats *Captain* Jack Sparrow

[@thehh5118]

Captain Jack *"Why is the rum gone?"* Sparrow

[@casonkm9030]

Hoàng Kim Việt and Edward Kenway

[@mack5383]

Cason KM Best Assasin

[@aaronm.1622]

Jack has a fleet of 1 dying gull and 6 men. The men left him tho...

[@nblack7314]

wooow i wish someone made a movie about her..or series😍

[@adamjarrar9937]

best youtube channel big fan respect

[@dageogaming4478]

That's got to be the best pirate i've ever seen...

[@MONKEYDLUFFY-ci6wh]

The most successful pirate ? The last riddle was about pirates I seriously think Ted-Ed love one piece

[@shahidhusain1289]

She was amazing.. She lived her life to the fullest. We need such amazing womens. She was a great leader. Fascinated to hear her story

[@hieron9366]

Expected to see Barbarossa brothers, saw something new to me. Nice.

[@badassoverlordzetta]

Extra Credits did a pretty epic fan retelling of this story, but they could stand to take some serious pronunciation lessons from the TED-Ed crew.

[@xoid_6729]

I thought that Gold Roger was the pirate king...

[@bharatgao1435]

Gol D Roger

[@justarandomguy.6365]

who is he

[@triangulum8869]

nobody explain

[@thedstorm8922]

No no his name is Gol *D* Roger

[@Pravasith]

@@triangulum8869One and only man who found the greatest treasure on earth, the ONE PIECE!! His real name is Gol D. Roger, but due to a big secret that the world government has been suppressing since centuries, the government calls him Gold Roger. Kaizouku oni orai wa naru!

[@Knightshade08]

I want to see this movie/series/whatever! This would make a great streaming series/movie!!

[@21mrvasquez]

Great video’

[@browntooth8621]

I bet she sailed the Cho Lee Roger

[@lamestar9382]

This comment is so underrated

[@cicek8658]

Love this

[@dsoegiarto]

This needs to be a movie.

[@lonex6873]

I thought Monkey D. Luffy was the best pirate

[@maplemaple1439]

Lonex He's not real though.

[@fernisplant]

Bowen Chen BOOOOOOO! BOO TO YOU! */BOO/*

[@maplemaple1439]

Newbs UnLite Lmao, and I thought I was a weeb. Don't get to worked up. *B U G G Y - S A M A I S T H E B E S T*

[@fernisplant]

Bowen Chen *BOO TO YOU!* EVERYONE KNOWS THAT NARUTO IS THE BEST SAIYAN PIRATE!

[@maplemaple1439]

ok, now i'm really concerned about you, are you ok?

[@newCoCoY6]

Cough. Sounds pretty odd when someone says a pirate made "strict laws"

[@dhruvpatwardhan4394]

God I love this story. This would really make a good movie

[@witherrose2731]

Beautiful

[@OutlawzNT]

History Teacher: who was the greatest pirate ever? Me: Ummm, Madame Zheng... History Teacher: Then why did you write Monkey D. Luffy? Me: 😑😐

[@SiddheshNan]

the best pirate i've ever seen....

[@zxin5]

Perfect pronunciation 👌

[@lazerbeam6746]

that has got to be the best pirate i've ever seen

[@cyzhouhk]

My Chinese self can’t stand the wrong hairstyles for the wrong dynasties.

[@Omg_im_scared]

Did you say Wong?

[@dogeskyfighter4982]

Was it won't?

[@jiangciyang3860]

they always mess it up they keep mixing up Manchurian culture with Cantonese culture.

[@tdf_worldkey6666]

ZOMBIE CAP lmao stop

[@adnansafar7008]

She carried Kuina's will -One Piece

[@goldphoenix9.]

as a chinese person, the pronunciation is beautiful

[@alexb5179]

Really cool story

[@a.i.g9916]

"look at me I am the captain now"

[@syndicaterx]

It’s Con D. Oriano edit: OMG! Chapter 901. The true pirate king returns!1!1!1

[@astropiu4753]

syndicaterx ya

[@jeanpaulbetancesabreu6431]

I see a nakama here

[@maplemaple1439]

syndicaterx NO! IT IS... *B U G G Y - S A M A*

[@crimsonwing4029]

This is far better than anything anita could hope to dream of producing.

[@herchannel1355]

I can imagine how charismatic n smart she is.

[@dsharma6115]

Most successful pirate was Gold D. Roger

[@ensi-kitaka]

D sharma Isn't he fictional?