The Ruthless Conquerer Who Cross-Dressed Her Way to Infamy

From OZY:

After 20 years of roaming the Americas brawling, gambling and murdering close to a dozen people, the man known as Alonso Díaz Ramírez de Guzmán had one last option. Having often turned to the church for sanctuary when waist-deep in trouble, and now facing execution, the soldier and explorer chose the nuclear option: admitting to the bishop that he was actually a woman.

Now known as Catalina de Erauso, a mesmerizing and confusing figure in Basque history, the prisoner not only avoided being executed but also got to meet the pope. Given the protection of Peru’s Bishop Agustín de Carvajal following an examination that determined she was not only a woman but also a virgin, Erauso was sent back to Spain, where she wrote a MEMOIR that remains eye-poppingly off-putting to this day.

read more here

@ OZY

@ Women of History - Catalina Erauso

@ The Female Soldier

@ Penguin Unearthed

@ Wikipedia

MEMOIR OF A BASQUE TRANSVESTITE IN THE NEW WORLD

By 

Joan of Portugal

The following is a guest post by Laura Diaz on an intriguing woman from Spanish history.  Please enjoy!

Joan of Portugal

Joan of Portugal is one of the most misunderstood women in history as her role during her time as Queen of Spain during the late 15th Century has never truly been agreed upon. Some have described her as power-hungry, while others saw her as a victim to an unsupportive husband. Joan, sister of the King of Portugal, married into the Spanish royal family during King Henry IV's reign—brother of the future Queen Isabella the Catholic.

Joan was the second wife of Henry IV as his first three-year marriage was granted an annulment, as it had never been consummated. Seven years after their marriage, Joan finally had her first daughter, also named Joan, but her paternity was always in doubt. Detractors of the court claimed that Joan was having an affair with Beltran de la Cueva, advisor to the court, and that he was the real father. Joan and Henry denied that claim, and insisted she was the rightful heir to the throne.

During this period, Joan insisted that Henry's teenaged brother and sister, Alfonso and Isabella, forcefully be brought to the castle and away from their sick mother. Many saw this as a way of making sure her daughter's path to the crown would encounter no obstacles.

The growing state of discontent amongst the Spanish kingdom, led noblemen and peasants to support Henry's brother, Alfonso, to be the next king, alleging he was the legitimate heir to the throne. Joan forcefully opposed this using all her political connections to try and stop this growing movement.  As rumors of Joan's sexual indiscretions grew, one of the nobles terms in negotiation was that Henry banish his wife from the court to live with Bishop Fonseca, one of his greatest supporters during the conflict. Henry agreed, trying to remain in power and please those around him.

Scandal broke that Joan had a love affair with the Bishop's nephew and became pregnant with twins. This confirmed the previous rumors and, combined with the weakness of King Henry, the nobility was successful in forcing him to step out of power and name his middle brother Alfonso as King of Castile.

Alfonso's reign only lasted a few years as he mysteriously died soon after taking the thrown. A new war emerged looking for the heir to the throne. Joan once again tried to push her daughter as the legitimate heir, but all the previous conflicts had left her essentially powerless. Isabella proved to be stronger, married King Ferdinand of Aragon, and garnered the support of the nobles. She was declared Queen.

Eventually Joan died in Madrid, away from all the power she once sought. There is no evidence to prove or refute all the claims that were made about her, but it is clear that she was a divisive figure. Perhaps all she wanted was to remain in power through whatever means necessary or maybe she was just a women looking for love and supporting her family, but all in all, no one can deny she was a strong and powerful woman.

Images come from the Spanish series Isabel, a modern hit telling the story behind this amazing period of time in the Spanish court.

Links to the Spanish series "Isabel":

• RTVE - Isabel
• Hollywood Spy - Isabel
• Drama Fever - Isabel

Spain: Abortion Protests

From Associated Press:

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Madrid Saturday to condemn plans by Spain's socialist government to liberalise abortion laws in the overwhelmingly Catholic country.

In warm autumnal sunshine, protesters staged an early evening march across the city behind a huge banner reading "Every Life Matters" to protest the plan, which would allow girls of 16 to undergo abortions without their parents' consent.

The crowd, which included many families and people of all ages, rallied in the central Plaza de Independencia, where pop music blared over loudspeakers and 300 white helium balloons were released.

The proposed abortion law, approved by the cabinet last month, would allow the procedure on demand for women of 16 and over up to the 14th week of pregnancy, and up to 22 weeks if there was a risk to the mother's health or if the foetus was deformed.

Women could also undergo the procedure after 22 weeks if the foetus had a serious or incurable illness.

Spain decriminalised abortion in 1985, a decade after the death of right-wing dictator Francisco Franco, but only for certain cases: up to 12 weeks of pregnancy after a rape; up to 22 weeks in the case of malformation of the foetus; and at any point if the pregnancy represents a threat to the physical or mental health of the woman.

ETA: Women in Control

From the Telegraph:

It is thought that following the recent arrests of three military leaders of Eta two women, both in their thirties, have stepped up to take control of the terrorist group.

Iratxe Sorzabal, 37, and Izaskun Lesaka, 33, are both known to authorities for previous terrorist activity. They are now suspected of leading military operations alongside two men named as Iurgi Mendinueta and Andoni Sarasola.

Elvira of Aragon

Elvira of Aragon

(Also known as Elvira of Castile)

Princess of Aragon and Countess of Toulouse

Elvira was one of the very first noblewomen to go on Crusade.

Elvira was the illegitimate daughter of Alfonso VI of Castile. She married (c.1094) Raymond of St. Gilles, Count of Toulouse as his third wife. Raymond was one of the first great magnates to "take the Cross" (November 1095).

Elvira and her children accompanied Raymond and the Crusading army throughout its journey, across the Alps and down through Italy, crossing over to Dalmatia and then onto the wonder that was Constantinople (21/4/1097).

After remaining at the Byzantine Court, the Crusaders moved through Asia Minor. After taking the city of Nicaea, the Crusaders were joined by the Emperor Alexius I (June 1097). Elvira remained with the Crusaders during the siege of Antioch - her husband was gravely ill (1098).

After the city was taken, Raymond decided to continue on towards Jerusalem with those Crusaders who remained. With the taking of the city of Jerusalem (June 1099), Raymond was considered as one of the candidates for the Crown - he did not however, have the required support.

In the end, Raymond decided he wanted his own "kingdom" and moved onto Lattakieh. Following a blockade, Raymond entered the city as its ruler (September 1099). The following year, Raymond left Lattakieh for Constantinople (June 1100). Elvira and her children remained in the city, under Byzantine protection.

Raymond abandoned Lattakieh (1101) and Elvira accompanied Raymond to the city of Tortosa. Form there, Raymond placed the city of Tripoli under siege. He built a castle as his headquarters, Castle Mount Pilgrim (1104).

Around this time a son was born to Elvira - Alphonse-Jordan (c.1104). The following year, Raymond received extensive burns during the siege of Tripoli, and just prior to his death (28/2/1105), concluded a truce.

By now, all of Elvira's older children who had survived the perils of the Crusade, were dead - only Alphonse-Jordan remained, and he succeeded to Raymond's land in the East.

However, Elvira much preferred the lands in southern France, and arranged to exchange these with Raymond's older son, Bertrand, and so she and her young son returned to Toulouse (1108).

Elvira was said to have married a second time (c.1117) before her death (c.1151).

~~~ Melisende

Catalina Erauzo

Catalina de Erauzo
(1585 - 1650)

Catalina was a Spanish Novitate, who aged 15yo (1607), escaped from her convent in boys clothing. She assumed the name of "Antonio Ramirez de Guzma; and embarked upon a life in which she would develope a reputation for purse-snatching, gambling, dueling and womanizing.

Catalina accidentally killed her own brother in a fight that took place at night - she could not she who she shot at (c.1620 - 1621). She was then convicted of murder (1623) and hid in a Church for 8 months. When she made her escape, Catalina found herself convicted for a different murder altogether.

On the day of her execution, Catalina confesses all to her enemies and reveals her true sex to a clergyman. Catalina is taken to a convent for examination by nuns who discover not only is she a woman, but she is also a nun and a virgin.

Catalina is freed. She is given permission to wear men's clothing and absolved of his sins by Pope Urban VIII.


For a more in depth biography: Catalina de Erauzo


~~~ Melisende

Berengaria of Navarre

Berengaria of Navarre
(1163/65-1230)

Queen of England

Berengaria was the Queen of Richard I of England. A Princess of Navarre, Berngaria was the daughter of Sancho VI of Navarre. She was said the have been very beautiful and well educated. It was said that Berengaria saw and fell in love with Richard when he was still a prince attending a tournament held by her father. It was as a result of this first "meeting" that she became affianced/betrothed to Richard, to whom she was devoted.

Richard's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine travelled to Navarre to escort Berengaria to Sicily to join Richard, who had already arrived with the Crusade. There Berengaria was left in care of Joanne/Joanna Plantaganet, widow of King William II of Sicily and Richard's sister. With Joanna, Berengaria travelled by ship toward the Holy Land - but fate stepped in, and the fleet that carried the two women was shipwrecked off the coast of Cyprus. Here they were treated with base discourtesy by the usuper Isaac Comnenus.

Richard arrived with the rest of the Crusader fleet and rescued the two women from certain dishonour. Richard and Berengaria were married in Limassol, Cyprus (1191). After the wedding, Berengaria followed Richard to Holy Land, and stayed in Acre with Joanna. After the failure of Third Crusade, Berengaria set sail, reaching Aquitaine (Poitou) ahead of Richard. It was from here that she learned of Richard's capture and imprisonment, and it was here that she remained during Richard's imprisonment (1192 - 1194), helping to raise the enormous ransom.

Berengaria never went to England - she is the only know Queen of England never to have actually stepped foot in England. When Richard was freed four years later and returned to England to be re-crowned, Berengaria remained in Aquitaine. There was said to have been some marital disharmony - she had to put up with the snide rumours of Richard's alleged homosexuality (though he did father a son). Berengaria was reconciled to Richard on Continent (1196), and from this point onwards they were never parted for long. There were no children from this marriage. When Richard died in France, Berengaria was present at his death (1198). So devoted to Richard, Berengaria never remarried. Instead she entered a convent, and from then-on devoted her life and (considerable) income to charitable works. Berengaria built the Abbey at L'Epau, where she was buried after her death.

~~~ Melisende (first pub: 1998 - Women of History)