A Life Forged in Trade and Turmoil: The Remarkable Story of Nicholas Iquan Gaspard (Zheng Zhilong) The name Zheng Zhilong, or Nicholas Iquan Gaspard as he was known to many, resonates with a captivating blend of ambition, pragmatism, and the turbulent currents of 17th-century Asia. He wasn’t merely an admiral or a pirate; he was a master navigator of power, a merchant prince who rose from humble beginnings to command vast fleets and i…