Essays on Catalina de Erauso

Catalina de Erauso, also known as the Lieutenant Nun, was a Spanish soldier who lived during the mid-1500s and early 1600s. Born in 1592 to a noble family in Spain’s Basque country, she ran away from home at age 15 dressed as a man, assuming the name Antonio de Erauso. She enlisted with the army of New Spain (present-day Mexico) where she fought against Native Americans, pirates and rival Spaniards for almost 30 years. Her heroic exploits were told by her captain, Juan de Ortega Montañés, who wrote an account of her life that was published in 1626 after her death. This book detailed how Erauso had gained fame throughout Latin America for her bravery in battle and had even been awarded military honors by King Philip III of Spain due to her exemplary service to the Spanish crown. Additionally, it related stories about how she bravely helped defend cities such as Panama City from enemies and went on daring expeditions up rivers or through jungles in search of gold or lost treasure ships. In 1620 Catarina returned to Spain from New Spain where she revealed herself as female; however this did not prevent her from continuing to live life as a soldier and adventurer until her death sometime after 1630. Despite facing social scrutiny for breaking gender norms during a time when women’s rights were limited across Europe, Catalina de Erauso remains one of the most celebrated figures in Spanish history due to both her courage and unconventional lifestyle choices which challenge traditional narratives about gender roles within society today.