200 Years of LGBTQIA+ History

From Shadows to Pride — UK & Global Timeline

Source Record

Catalina de Erauso (c. 1592-1650)

Why this source is used

Reference biography for Catalina de Erauso, the Lieutenant Nun, supporting the early modern gender nonconformity milestone.

Start with the answer

Start with the answer What do ancient and early modern queer lives show? They show that same-sex love, queer social spaces and gender nonconformity existed long before modern LGBTQ+ identity language. Read the topic guide Ancient and Early Modern Queer and Gender-Diverse Lives Long before modern LGBTQ+ labels, historical records preserve same-sex love, queer social spaces and gender-diverse lives across empire, courts, taverns and seafaring worlds.

Source Status

Publisher
Encyclopedia.com
Type
secondary
Reliability
medium
Cited by
3 pages

Source Links

Open original source https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/catalina-de-erauso-c-1592-1650 Accessed 4 June 2026 Open archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/catalina-de-erauso-c-1592-1650

Used by Topics

Ancient and Early Modern Queer and Gender-Diverse Lives

Used by Questions

What do ancient and early modern queer lives show?

Used by Timeline Events

c. 1600s CulturalTransPeople

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.