This is a break from my regularly-scheduled newsletters by bringing in some of the research I’ve found over the years, items I’ve come across that amazed me.
Catalina was a nun from San Sebastián. She was born in 1592 and at around 15 her parents sent her and her sisters into the convent. The reason for this was logical—her father, a solider who almost died during battle, made a vow to the Virgin of Atocha that if he survived, all of his sons would be soldiers and his daughters would be nuns.
But Catalina was not just any nun—she was a ninja Basque nun!
Catalina escaped from the convent with a bit of stolen money, cut her hair, and began to seek work disguised as a man. She entered different homes in Spain as a page boy and then at 19 she set off for Cádiz to be a cabin boy in the navy. She joined the army in Veracruz and began to make a name fighting and killing.
Unable to grow a beard, many fellow soldiers believed her to be a eunuch. She claimed that at a young age she used a remedy that dried up her breasts. She was quite violent, with a proclivity to gambling and fighting. Not only did she kill any cheating soldiers while playing cards, she was also known to have fought bravely in battles.
While traveling in Peru, she was struck with an illness that she believed would kill her. Thinking she was on her deathbed, she confessed to her priest that she was a nun. The way she explained it, she said that she felt a special calling to take up arms to defend the Catholic faith (I never said she was perfect—this is the time of Spanish Expansion, mind you). Her confession and her explanation were enough for the priest to view her as a hero. He made a promise that if she recovered, he would have her return to Spain.
Euraso received praise in Peru and then in Madrid where she was brought to the court of King Felipe IV. She received a military pension and a royal license to wear men’s clothing. This was a big deal. The Inquisition was still in full swing and many actors and playwrights would get into trouble if they had a character dressed as the opposite sex. Nonetheless, Euraso was considered unique, provided with the privileges based on her behavior to serve the crown.
If you are interested in learning more about this warrior nun, I suggest checking out the episodes of Vulgar History.
This was fascinating! Thanks for the introduction to the Vulgar History podcast :)