Timeline of women in Medieval warfare
Encyclopedia
Women in the Medieval era
5th century
- 5th century: Saint GenevieveGenevieveSt Genevieve , in Latin Sancta Genovefa, from Germanic keno and wefa , is the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition...
is credited with averting Attila from Paris by rallying the people in prayer.
6th century
- 6th century: A SaxonAnglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
woman is buried with a knife and a shield in LincolnshireLincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England.
7th century
- 624624Year 624 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 624 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* After 70 years of Byzantine rule,...
: Quraish ArabArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
priestess Hind al-HunnudHind al-HunnudHind al-Hunnud was a member of the Quraish tribe of the kingdom of Kindah. She was involved in fighting early Muslims. The climax of this campaign came at the Battle of Badr, which she led in 624 AD, against Muhammad himself, but the Quraysh were defeated and her father, brother and uncle were...
leads her people against MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
in the Battle of BadrBattle of BadrThe Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
. Her father, uncle, and brother are killed. - 625625Year 625 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 625 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* March 23 – Battle of Uhud Year 625...
: Hind al-HunnudHind al-HunnudHind al-Hunnud was a member of the Quraish tribe of the kingdom of Kindah. She was involved in fighting early Muslims. The climax of this campaign came at the Battle of Badr, which she led in 624 AD, against Muhammad himself, but the Quraysh were defeated and her father, brother and uncle were...
is among fifteen women accompanying troops in a battle near MedinaMedinaMedina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, singing songs to inspire warriors. She exults over the body of the man who killed her father, chews his liver, and makes jewellery from his skin and nails. - 625625Year 625 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 625 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* March 23 – Battle of Uhud Year 625...
: Nusaybah Bint k’ab Al MaziniyyahNusaybah Bint k’ab Al MaziniyyahNusaybah bint Ka’ab was an early convert to Islam, and the first female to fight in defence of the religion....
fights in the Battle of UhudBattle of UhudThe Battle of Uhud was fought on March 19, 625 at the valley located in front of Mount Uhud, in what is now northwestern Arabia. It occurred between a force from the Muslim community of Medina led by the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a force led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb from Mecca, the town from...
on behalf of MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
after converting to IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. - 628628Year 628 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 628 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* January – Third Perso-Turkic War: Emperor...
: Juwayriya bint al-HarithJuwayriya bint al-HarithJuwayriyya bint al-Harith was married to Muhammad, the Islamic prophet when he was 58 years old and she was 20, thus placing the marriage in 628...
is taken captive when her father is defeated in battle by MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. She marries Muhammad. - 656656Year 656 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 656 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Battle of Bassorah between Ali and Aisha,...
: AishaAishaAisha bint Abu Bakr also transcribed as was Muhammad's favorite wife...
, widow of MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, leads troops at the Battle of the Camel. She is defeated. - 7th century: Poetess Al-KhansaAl-KhansaTumāḍir bint ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥarth ibn al-Sharīd al-Sulamīyah , usually simply referred to as al-Khansā’ was a 7th century Arabic poet. She was born and raised in the Najd region...
composes elegies for her relatives who had been killed in battle. - 7th century: Princess Pingyang of China helps overthrow the Sui DynastySui DynastyThe Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
by organizing a "women's army". - 7th century: KhaulaKahulaKahula bint Azwar was a Muslim Arab warrior, sister of Zirrar ibn Azwar, the legendary Muslim soldier and commander of the Rashidun army during the 7th century Muslim conquest. She fought side by side with her brother Zirrar in many battles, including a decisive Battle of Yarmouk in 636 against the...
, along with several other women, takes command of the Rashidun armyRashidun armyThe Rashidun Caliphate Army or Rashidun army was the primary military body of the Rashidun Caliphate's armed forces during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century, serving alongside the Rashidun Navy...
at the Battle of Yarmuk against the RomanRoman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Byzantine EmpireByzantine EmpireThe Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. She was nearly beaten by a Byzantine GreekByzantine GreeksByzantine Greeks or Byzantines is a conventional term used by modern historians to refer to the medieval Greek or Hellenised citizens of the Byzantine Empire, centered mainly in Constantinople, the southern Balkans, the Greek islands, Asia Minor , Cyprus and the large urban centres of the Near East...
when one of her female companions, Wafeira, beheaded her opponent with one blow. This act rallied the Arabs and they defeated the Greeks. - 7th century: KahinaKahinaal-Kāhina was a 7th century female Berber religious and military leader, who led indigenous resistance to Arab expansion in Northwest Africa, the region then known as Numidia, known as the Maghreb today...
leads BerberBerber peopleBerbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
resistance against Umayyad conquest of North AfricaUmayyad conquest of North AfricaThe Umayyad conquest of North Africa continued the century of rapid Arab Muslim expansion following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE. By 640 the Arabs controlled Mesopotamia, had invaded Armenia, and were concluding their conquest of Byzantine Syria. Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad caliphate....
.
8th century
- 8th century: ShieldmaidenShieldmaidenA shieldmaiden was a woman who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology. They are often mentioned in sagas such as Hervarar saga and in Gesta Danorum. Shieldmaidens also appear in stories of other Germanic nations: Goths, Cimbri, and Marcomanni. The mythical Valkyries...
s fight at the Battle of Bråvalla on the side of the Danes. - 722722Year 722 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 722 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Americas :* January 3 – K'inich Ahkal Mo' Naab...
: Queen Aethelburg of Wessex destroys the town of TauntonTauntonTaunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
. - 730730Year 730 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 730 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Charles Martel defeats the last independent...
: A Khazar noblewoman named ParsbitParsbitParsbit, also known as Prisbit, was a Khazar noblewoman active in the 730s CE. In Muslim sources, Parsbit is called "the mother of the khagan."...
commands an army against ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. - 750750Year 750 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 750 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Gopala is proclaimed as the first ruler of...
: VeborgVeborgVeborg , was a Legendary Scandinavian Shieldmaiden, famous for having participated in the legendary Battle of Bråvalla, which occurred in Sweden in approximately 750...
, as well as many other ShieldmaidenShieldmaidenA shieldmaiden was a woman who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology. They are often mentioned in sagas such as Hervarar saga and in Gesta Danorum. Shieldmaidens also appear in stories of other Germanic nations: Goths, Cimbri, and Marcomanni. The mythical Valkyries...
s, participate in the Battle of Bråvalla in Sweden. - 783783Year 783 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 783 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Campaigns of the Byzantine...
: SaxonSaxonsThe Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
women throw themselves barebreasted into battle against CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
's forces. Among the participants is FastradaFastradaFastrada was an East Frankish noblewoman.* In 783, Fastrada, along with other Saxon women, entered barebreasted into battle against Charlemagne's forces.She became the third wife of Charlemagne, marrying him in 784. She bore him two children:...
, who eventually became Charlemagne's fourth wife.
9th century
- Early 9th century: CwenthrythCwenthrythCwenthryth was an early 9th century Mercian princess, the daughter of Coenwulf of Mercia and sister of Saint Cenelm. After Coenwulf's death, his son was killed fighting the Welsh, possibly due to Cwenthryth's treachery....
fights WulfredWulfredWulfred was an Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury in medieval England. Nothing is known of his life prior to 803, when he attended a church council, but he was probably a nobleman from Middlesex. He was elected archbishop in 805 and spent his time in office reforming the clergy of his cathedral...
, Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, for control of her abbey estates. - 9th century: EuphrosyneEuphrosyne (9th century)Euphrosyne , a daughter of Byzantine emperor Constantine VI, the last representative of the Isaurian dynasty, and Maria of Amnia.- Life :...
warns Emperor TheophilosTheophilos (emperor)Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
of a rebellion in ConstantinopleConstantinopleConstantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
while he was fighting the Arabs, prompting his return. - 811811Year 811 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :...
: After suffering great human losses, Khan Krum mobilizes the Bulgar women, who then take part in the Battle of PliskaBattle of PliskaThe Battle of Pliska or Battle of Vărbitsa Pass was a series of battles between troops, gathered from all parts of the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Nicephorus I Genik, and Bulgaria, governed by Khan Krum...
. - 880880Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...
: ErmengardaErmengard of ProvenceErmengard was the only surviving daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 876, she married Boso, from the Bosonid, Count of Vienne, who declared himself King of Provence in 879....
defends VienneVienneVienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
.
10th century
- 912912Year 912 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Second rebellion of the Kutama tribesmen against the Fatimid Caliphate in two years.- Europe :...
–922922Year 922 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Khitan Empire, led by Abaoji, raids Hebei, China.- Deaths :* March 26 – Mansur Al-Hallaj, Sufi writer...
: Reign of EthelfledaEthelfledaÆthelflæd , was the eldest daughter of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and Ealhswith, wife of Æthelred, ealdorman of Mercia, and after his death, ruler of Mercia...
, ruler of MerciaMerciaMercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
. She commanded armies, fortified towns, and defeated the Danes. She also defeated the Welsh and forced them to pay tribute to her. - Mid 10th century: Queen ThyraThyraThyra was the consort of King Gorm the Old of Denmark. She is believed to have led an army against the Germans. Gorm and Thyra were the parents of King Harald Bluetooth....
of Denmark leads an army against the GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
. - 971971Year 971 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Kenneth II of Scotland succeeds Culen as King, though he will not be sole king until 977....
: The Scandinavian rulerSviatoslav I of KievSviatoslav I Igorevich ; , also spelled Svyatoslav, was a prince of Rus...
of KievKievKiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
attacked the ByzantinesByzantine EmpireThe Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
in BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
in 971. When the NorsemenVarangiansThe Varangians or Varyags , sometimes referred to as Variagians, were people from the Baltic region, most often associated with Vikings, who from the 9th to 11th centuries ventured eastwards and southwards along the rivers of Eastern Europe, through what is now Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.According...
had been defeated, the victors were stunned at discovering shieldmaidenShieldmaidenA shieldmaiden was a woman who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology. They are often mentioned in sagas such as Hervarar saga and in Gesta Danorum. Shieldmaidens also appear in stories of other Germanic nations: Goths, Cimbri, and Marcomanni. The mythical Valkyries...
s among the fallen warriors. - Late 10th century: JudithGuditGudit is a semi-legendary, non-Christian, Beta Israel, queen who laid waste to Axum and its countryside, destroyed churches and monuments, and attempted to exterminate the members of the ruling Axumite dynasty...
rebels against the Axumite Dynasty in EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
11th century
- Early 11th century: Freydís EiríksdóttirFreydís EiríksdóttirFreydís Eiríksdóttir was a daughter of Erik the Red who was associated with the Norse exploration of North America. The only medieval sources which mention Freydís are the two Vinland sagas, believed to be composed in the 13th century but purporting to describe events around 1000...
, a VikingVikingThe term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
woman, sails to VinlandVinlandVinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
with Thorfinn KarlsefniThorfinn KarlsefniThorfinn Karlsefni was an Icelandic explorer who circa 1010 AD led an attempt to settle Vínland with three ships and 160 settlers. Among the settlers was Freydís Eiríksdóttir, according to Grœnlendinga saga and Eiríks saga rauða, sister or half-sister of Leif Eriksson...
. When she faced hostile natives while pregnant, she exposed her breasts and beat her chest with a sword. This caused the natives to run away. - 1040–1090: SichelgaitaSikelgaitaSikelgaita was a Lombard princess, the daughter of Guaimar IV, Prince of Salerno, and second wife of Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia....
of SalernoSalernoSalerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
second wife of Robert GuiscardRobert GuiscardRobert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...
, Duke of Apulia, accompanies her husband on military campaigns, and regularly puts on full armor and rides into battle at his side. At the Battle of DyrrhachiumBattle of Dyrrhachium (1081)The Battle of Dyrrhachium took place on October 18, 1081 between the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, and the Normans of southern Italy under Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria...
(1081) she rallied Robert's troops when they were initially repulsed by the Byzantine army. - 1046–1115: Lifetime of Matilda of TuscanyMatilda of TuscanyMatilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
, who conducted wars to defend the papacy. - 1047: AkkadeviAkkadeviAkkadevi , 1010-1064 CE, was a princess of the Chalukya dynasty of Karnataka and governor of an area known as Kishukādu, situated in the present day districts of Bidar, Bagalkot and Bijapur. She was the sister of King Jayasimha II of the Western Chalukyas, and aunt of Somesvara I.Akkadevi was...
, an Indian princess, sieges the fort of Gokage. - 1071: Richilde, Countess of Mons and HainautRichilde, Countess of Mons and HainautRichilde, Countess of Mons and Hainaut .Since the county of Hainaut would pass to the Counts of Flanders through marriage to her, she has often been mistakenly recorded a daughter of Regnier V of Mons, who was actually her father-in-law.She was married firstly to Herman of Mons, count of Hainaut,...
is captured fighting in the Battle of CasselBattle of Cassel (1071)The Battle of Cassel was fought on 22 February 1071 between Robert I of Flanders and his nephew, Arnulf III . The battle was a victory for Robert I of Flanders, Arnulf III was killed in the battle....
. - 1072: Urraca of Zamora, Infanta of Castile, defends the city of ZamoraZamora, SpainZamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
against her brother, Sancho II of CastileSancho II of CastileSancho II , called the Strong, or in Spanish, el Fuerte, was King of Castile and León .He was the eldest son of Ferdinand I of Castile and Sancha of León, the eventual heiress to the Leonese crown...
. - 1075: Emma de Guader, Countess of NorfolkEmma de Guader, Countess of NorfolkEmma de Guader was the wife of Ralph de Guader and the daughter of William Fitz-Osbern, who, as the Lord of Breteuil and later 1st Earl of Hereford , was a cousin and close adviser of William the Conqueror...
defends NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
castle while it is under siege. - 1090: NormanNormansThe Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
woman Isabel of ConchesIsabel of ConchesIsabel of Conches, wife of Ralph of Tosny, rode armed like a knight during a conflict in northern France during the late 12th century.Orderic Vitalis described Isabel of Conches, daughter of Simon de Montfort, as brave as "several Amazons and the legendary Camilla, who fought as ally of the Italian...
rides armed as a knight.
12th century
- 1121:Urraca of CastileUrraca of CastileUrraca was Queen regnant of León, Castile, and Galicia, and claimed the imperial title as suo jure Empress of All the Spains from 1109 until her death in childbirth, as well as Empress of All Galicia.- Childhood :...
fights her half-sister, Theresa, Countess of PortugalTheresa, Countess of PortugalTheresa of Portugal was the first ruler of independent Portugal...
when she refuses to surrender the city of Tuy. - 1130: Female Chinese general Liang HongyuLiang HongyuLiang Hongyu was a Chinese general of the late Northern Song Dynasty and the early Southern Song Dynasty. She became famous during the war against the Jurchens. Her real given name was lost in time. She was simply referenced in the official Chinese history books as Liang Shi， meaning "the...
, wife of general Han ShizhongHan ShizhongHan Shizhong was a Chinese general of the late Northern Song Dynasty and the early Southern Song Dynasty. He dedicated his whole life to serving the Song Dynasty, and performed many legendary deeds. It is said that he had scars all over his body and, by the time he retired, there were only four...
of the SongSong DynastyThe Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
army, blocks the advance of the Jin army with her husband. Her drumming invigorated the Song army and rallied them to defeat the Jin. - 1131–1160: Melisende of JerusalemMelisende of JerusalemMelisende was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153, and regent for her son between 1153 and 1161 while he was on campaign. She was the eldest daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, and the Armenian princess Morphia of Melitene. She was named after her paternal grandmother, Melisende of...
ruler of the crusader Kingdom of JerusalemKingdom of JerusalemThe Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
is one of the rulers involved in the Second CrusadeSecond CrusadeThe Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
. - 1136: WelshWelsh peopleThe Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
princess Gwenllian ferch GruffyddGwenllian ferch GruffyddGwenllian ferch Gruffydd was Princess-consort of Deheubarth in Wales, and married to Gruffydd ap Rhys, Prince of Deheubarth. Gwenllian was the daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan , Prince of Gwynedd, and a member of the princely Aberffraw family of Gwynedd. Gwenllian was the sister of Prince Owain...
leads an army against the NormansNormansThe Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. She is defeated and killed. - 1141: Matilda of BoulogneMatilda of BoulogneMatilda I was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also queen consort of England as the wife of King Stephen.-Biography:...
raises an army to continue the fight for the crown of England, after her husband, King Stephen is captured by the Empress MatildaEmpress MatildaEmpress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
. - 1145: Eleanor of AquitaineEleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
accompanies her husband on the Second CrusadeSecond CrusadeThe Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
. - 1172: Alrude Countess of BertinoroAlrude Countess of BertinoroAlrude, Countess of Bertinoro was a 12th century Italian noblewoman who, in 1172, ended the siege of Aucona. "Aucona" is likely to have been a reference to the city of Ancona, now in the Marche region of Italy...
ends a siege of Aucona by leading an army into battle and crushing imperial troops. - 1180–1185: Female Japanese warrior Tomoe GozenTomoe Gozen, pronounced , was a late twelfth-century concubine of Minamoto no Yoshinaka.Tomoe was a rare female samurai warrior , known for her bravery and strength...
fights in the Genpei WarGenpei WarThe was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
alongside men. - Late 12th century: Eva MacMurroughEva MacMurroughAoife MacMurrough , also known by later historians as Eva of Leinster, was the daughter of Dermot MacMurrough , King of Leinster, and his wife Mor O'Toole .-Marriage:...
conducts battles on behalf of her husband, the Earl of Pembroke. - 1184–1212: Reign of queen Tamar of GeorgiaTamar of GeorgiaTamar , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was Queen Regnant of Georgia from 1184 to 1213. Tamar presided over the "Golden age" of the medieval Georgian monarchy...
. Georgia achieved military superiority in the Middle East under her rule.
13th century
- 1201: Japanese woman Hangaku GozenHangakuwas a female warrior samurai, one of the relatively few Japanese warrior women commonly known in history or classical literature.-Early life:She lived during the end of the Heian and the beginning of the Kamakura periods. Her other names include Itagaki...
defends a fort as an archer until she is killed by an arrow fired by the enemy. - 1221: A daughter of Genghis KhanGenghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, KhaganKhaganKhagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
of the Mongol EmpireMongol EmpireThe Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
, massacred the residents of NishapurNishapurNishapur or Nishabur , is a city in the Razavi Khorasan province in northeastern Iran, situated in a fertile plain at the foot of the Binalud Mountains, near the regional capital of Mashhad...
to avenge the death of her husband who was killed in action. - Mid 13th century: Eleanor of CastileEleanor of CastileEleanor of Castile was the first queen consort of Edward I of England. She was also Countess of Ponthieu in her own right from 1279 until her death in 1290, succeeding her mother and ruling together with her husband.-Birth:...
accompanies her husband on his crusade. According to legend, she saved his life by sucking poison from his wound when he was injured. - 1236-1294: The Mongol female warriors attended Mongol campaigns.
- 1261–1289: Reign of Indian queen Rani Rudrama DeviRani Rudrama DeviRani Rudrama Devi was one of the most prominent rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty on the Deccan Plateau, being one of the few ruling queens in Indian history. She was born, as Rudramba, to King Ganapathideva...
. She leads her troops in battle, and may have been killed in battle in 1289. - 1264: Eleanor of ProvenceEleanor of ProvenceEleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
raises troops in France for her husband during the Baron's WarSecond Barons' WarThe Second Barons' War was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort, against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward , in the name of Henry III.-Causes:...
. - 1271: Isabella of AragonIsabella of AragonIsabella of Aragon , infanta of Aragon, was, by marriage, Queen consort of France in the Middle Ages from 1270 to 1271.-Life:...
dies at Consenza on the way back from the Crusades. - 1290: Manuscript I.33I.33Royal Armouries Ms. I.33, also known as "the Tower manuscript" because of its long stay in the Tower of London, is the usual name for the earliest known surviving European fechtbuch, although it deals only with the sword and buckler. The illuminated manuscript, of German origin, is now in the...
is written. It depicts fighters. An illustration of a woman named Walpurgis training in sword and buckler techniques is in the manuscript among others. - Late 13th century: KhutulunKhutulunKhutulun , also known as Aiyurug or Khotol Tsagaan, was the most famous daughter of Kaidu and the niece of Kublai Khan. Her father was most pleased by her abilities, and she accompanied him on military campaigns. Marco Polo and Rashid al-Din both wrote of her.Khutulun was born about 1260...
, a relative of Kublai KhanKublai KhanKublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
, is described as a superb warrior and accompanies her father Khaidu on military campaigns.
14th century
- 14th century: UrdujaUrdujaUrduja is a legendary warrior princess who is recognized as a heroine in Pangasinan, Philippines. The name Urduja appears to be Sanskrit in origin, and a variation of the name "Udaya", meaning "arise" or "rising sun", or the name "Urja", meaning "breath"...
, a FilipinoFilipino peopleThe Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
princess, takes part in several battles. Many historians believe that she was mythical, however. - 14th century: Jane, Countess of MontfortJoanna of FlandersJoanna of Flanders , also known as, Countess Jeanne, Jehanne de Montfort, and Jeanne la Flamme, was consort Duchess of Brittany by her marriage to John IV, Duke of Brittany...
leads troops into battle. Countess Jeanne de Penthièvre was among her antagonists. - 1319: The Mongol Imperial princess, BuluganBuluganDowager Empress Khanum Bulugan was a Mongolian political leader and Empress of the Yuan Dynasty that ruled Mongolia, Tibet, Korea and China. She was born as Princess Bulukhan of the Baya'ud tribe. Her husband Great Khan Temur, ruled from 1294 to 1307....
, supported her husband, Irenjin of the Keraits, against ChupanChupanAmir Chupan, also known as Choban or Coban , , was a Chupanid noble of the Ilkhanate, and nominal general of the Mongol Empire. His father was named Malek of Mongol Suldus clan...
and Abu Sa'id (Ilkhanid dynasty)Abu Sa'id (Ilkhanid dynasty)Abu Sa'id also Abusaid Bahador Khan, Abu Sayed Behauder , was the ninth ruler of the Ilkhanate state in Iran ....
. - 1326: Isabella of FranceIsabella of FranceIsabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
invades England with Roger de Mortimer, and overthrows Edward II, replacing him with her son Edward III, with her and de Mortimer acting as regents. - 1334: Agnes DunbarAgnes DunbarAgnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar and March , known as Black Agnes for her dark hair and eyes, and sallow complexion, was the wife of Patrick, 9th Earl of Dunbar and March...
successfully defends her castle against a siege by England's earl of Salisbury. - 1335: The Scots defeat a company led by the Count of Namur. Amongst the Count's casualties was a female lancer who had killed her opponent, Richard Shaw, at the same moment that he had killed her. Her gender was only discovered when the bodies were being stripped of their armour at the end of the engagement. "The chronicler Bower seems to have been at least as impressed by the rarity of two mounted soldiers simultaneously transfixing one another with their lances as with the fact that one of them was a woman."
- 1347: Philippa of HainaultPhilippa of HainaultPhilippa of Hainault, or, Philippe de Hainaut was the Queen consort of King Edward III of England. Edward, Duke of Guyenne, her future husband, promised in 1326 to marry her within the following two years...
persuades her husband not to execute The Burghers of CalaisThe Burghers of CalaisLes Bourgeois de Calais is one of the most famous sculptures by Auguste Rodin, completed in 1889. It serves as a monument to an occurrence in 1347 during the Hundred Years' War, when Calais, an important French port on the English Channel, was under siege by the English for over a year.-History:The...
, whom he had defeated. - 1354: Ibn BattutaIbn BattutaAbu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
reports seeing female warriors in Southeast Asia. - 1351–1363: Han E serves as a soldier in the Chinese army as a man under the name Han Guanbao, and is promoted to lieutenant.
- 1358: Richardis of SchwerinRichardis of Schwerin, Duchess of SchleswigRichardis of Schwerin, also called Richardis of Lauenburg or Rixa, , was a Duchess consort of Schleswig and possibly a Danish queen consort, married to Valdemar III of Denmark . She was the daughter of Gunzelin VI, Count of Schwerin-Wittenburg and Richardis of Tecklenburg...
defends Sönderborg Castle on Als against Valdemar IV of DenmarkValdemar IV of DenmarkValdemar IV of Denmark or Waldemar ; , was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375.-Ascension to the throne:...
. - 1364–1405: Tamerlane uses female archers to defend baggage trains.
- 1383: Eleanor of ArboreaEleanor of ArboreaEleanor ; 1347 – 1404) was the giudicessa of Arborea from 1383 to her death. She was one of the last — and most powerful and significant — Sardinian judges; as well as the island's most renowned heroine....
, ruler of Sardinia, conducts a defensive war against AragonAragonAragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
.
15th century
- 15th century: Maire o CiaragainMaire o CiaragainMaire o Ciaragain was a woman who led Irish clans in revolt against the English in the 15th century.-References:...
leads Irish clans in rebellion. - 15th century: Isabella, Duchess of LorraineIsabella, Duchess of LorraineIsabella was suo jure Duchess of Lorraine, from 25 January 1431 to her death in 1453. She was the first wife of Duke Rene of Anjou, King of Naples, and the mother of his children, which included Margaret of Anjou, Queen consort of England as the wife of Henry VI.From 1435 to 1442, Isabella was...
, leads an army to rescue her husband from the Duke of BurgundyDuke of BurgundyDuke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
. - 15th century: Mandukhai KhatunMandukhai KhatunMandukhai Khatun was the Empress of the Post-imperial Mongolia. She united the warring Mongols with her husband Batmunkh Dayan Khan.- Background :...
takes command of the Mongol army and defeats the OiratsOiratsOirats are the westernmost group of the Mongols who unified several tribes origin whose ancestral home is in the Altai region of western Mongolia. Although the Oirats originated in the eastern parts of Central Asia, the most prominent group today is located in the Republic of Kalmykia, a federal...
. - 1429: Joan of ArcJoan of ArcSaint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
leads the French army. Yolande of AragonYolande of AragonYolande of Aragon, , was a throne claimant and titular queen regnant of Aragon, titular queen consort of Naples, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Provence, and regent of Provence during the minority of her son...
supports her. PierronnePierronnePierronne was a contemporary of Joan of Arc, who, like Joan, also heard voices and fought for the king of France. She was burned at the stake.-References:...
, a contemporary of hers, also hears voices and fights for the king of France. - Mid 15th century: Zaydi YemenYemenThe Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i chieftain Sharifa FatimaSharifa FatimaSharifa Fatima was a Zaydi chief in 15th century Yemen, and conquered San'a. She was the daughter of Imam al-Zayel al-Nasir Li Din Allah.-References:**...
conquers San‘a’. - 15th century: Claude des ArmoisesClaude des ArmoisesClaude des Armoises was a female adventuress living in the 15th century. She was reportedly a soldier in the Pope's army in Italy. She married the knight Robert des Armoises....
was a soldier in Italy. - 1451–1452 : Brita TottBrita TottBrita Olovsdotter Tott or Birgitte Olufsdatter Thott , , called the Lady of Hammersta, was a Danish and Swedish noble, landowner, royal county administrator, spy and forger. She was judged for treason and for the forgery of seals...
serves as a spySPYSPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
in the war between Sweden and Denmark - 1461: Queen Margaret of AnjouMargaret of AnjouMargaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
defeats the Earl of Warwick in the Wars of the RosesWars of the RosesThe Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. - 1461: Lady KnyvetLady KnyvetDuring the Wars of the Roses, Lady Knyvet was left in charge of the defence of her husband's castle, and refused to surrender it to Sir Gilbert Debenham....
defends Buckingham CastleBuckingham CastleBuckingham Castle was situated in the town of Buckingham, the former county town of Buckinghamshire, on the north side of the River Ouse.The castle was first mentioned in documentary sources in 1154-64 and was possibly demolished 1208-1215. It was possibly held by the Giffard family...
at Norfolk against Sir Gilbert of Debenhem. - 1471: Queen Margaret of AnjouMargaret of AnjouMargaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
is defeated in battle at TewksburyTewkesburyTewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
. She and her son escaped to Flanders. The Yorkists eventually captured her and ransomed her to Louis XI, after she had sworn an oath not to go to war anymore. - 1472: Onorata Rodiana from CremonaCremonaCremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, Italy is mortally wounded in battle. She had disguised herself as a man to become a soldier. - June 27, 1472: Jeanne HachetteJeanne HachetteJeanne Laisné was a French heroine known as Jeanne Fourquet and nicknamed Jeanne Hachette .All that she is currently known for is an act of heroism on 27 June 1472, when she prevented the capture of Beauvais by the troops of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy...
rips down the flag of the invading Burgundians at BeauvaisBeauvaisBeauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, inspiring the garrison to win the fight. - 1481: Dutch noblewoman Swob SjaardaSwob SjaardaSwob Sjaarda was a Dutch noble, daughter of Douwe Tjaerts Aylva and Sjaarda Edwert and from 1455 married to Epes Jarich Hottinga.In 1475, she became a widow with the responsibility of a castle. This was a period of conflicts between different noble clans in the Netherlands, and her castle was...
defends her castle during a siege in the - 1494: Ats BonningaAts BonningaAts Bonninga , was a Dutch noble, known for her defence of the fortress in Varnar in Gaasterland during the conflict between the Schieringers and the Vetkopers party in 1494....
defends her fort in Friesland. - 1496: Bauck PoppemaBauck PoppemaBauck Poppema or Bauck Foppesd. of Popma and Bauck Hemmema, born in Terschelling, died in Berlikum, Friesland 1501, was a legendary Dutch heroine, known for her defence of the fort Hemmemastate during the conflict between the Schieringers paarty and the Vetkopers party in 1496.Poppema was the wife...
defends her fort in Friesland.
See also
- Timeline of women in ancient warfareTimeline of women in ancient warfareWarfare throughout written history mainly has been portrayed in modern times as a matter for men, but women also have played a role. Until very recently, little mention of these exploits was included in the historical records made available in most countries....
- Timeline of women in early modern warfareTimeline of women in early modern warfareWarfare through history has mainly been a matter for men, but women have also played a role, often a leading one. The following list of prominent women in war and their exploits from about 1500 AD up to about 1750 AD suggests the wider involvement of numerous unnamed women, some of them thrust into...