Catalina de Erauso — The Lieutenant Nun
Catalina de Erauso escaped from a Basque convent at age 15, adopted male clothing and identity, and went on to live as a man for over 20 years. Travelling to the Spanish Americas, Erauso served as a soldier, fought in battles across Chile and Peru, and rose to the rank of lieutenant. After being exposed, Erauso petitioned both King Philip IV of Spain and Pope Urban VIII — both of whom granted permission to continue living as a man. Erauso's autobiography became one of the most remarkable accounts of gender non-conformity in early modern history.
Impact & Significance
One of the best-documented cases of gender non-conformity in the early modern period, demonstrating that both secular and religious authorities could accommodate gender variance when confronted with it directly.
Reference Record
- Date
- c. 1600s
- Era
- 1800s
- Sources
- 1
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