Many countries and cultures have legends, either mythical or based on fact, of women who fought in battle to defend their people from an enemy. Can you name three -- or more -- such women, their nations, and the eras in which they lived? (Factual women preferred, but interesting myths welcomed.)

gmackematix

Joan of Arc, Boudicca and the legendary Amazons aside, I come across instances of Japanese, Native American and Celtic women fighting alongside their men. Here is something on the subject of military women: http://www.enotes.com/women-military-article/ Aug 31 05, 7:15 PM

gmackematix

Have a "have" to stick in that last post. Aug 31 05, 7:18 PM

lanfranco

A reasonably good site, gmack, and I did expect Joan and Boudicca to be mentioned. Americans have another heroine besides Margaret Corbin, however, and the Asians have a few specific women as well. Any other takers? Aug 31 05, 7:35 PM

Flem-ish

Christine de Lalaing of Tournai defended her city against the Duke of Parma and the Spaniards in 1581. She has her statue on the market-square. See http://www.trabel.com/tournai/tournai-history.htm and http://41.1911encyclopedia.org/T/TO/TOURNAI.htm Aug 31 05, 9:56 PM

Flem-ish

"Women as warriors" can also be found at http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women.html A fictional heroine is Angélique, "la Marquise des Anges", whose story is situated in the era of Louis Quatorze. Aug 31 05, 10:21 PM

Arpeggionist

Then there are Deborah and Judith of course. Aug 31 05, 11:39 PM

Brinjal

Mbuya Nehanda was a spirit medium who encouraged the people of Zimbabwe to fight against the colonists during the the 1896, 97 uprisings. This was called the first chimurenga. She was hanged for her part and before her execution is reported to have said "My bones shall rise again." Sep 01 05, 12:32 AM

bolasanibk

LaxmiBai from India fought the britishers for her kingdom in the 1850s Sep 01 05, 4:12 AM

lanfranco

All interesting, and thank you. Can anyone come up with a woman or two in the Far East? Sep 01 05, 6:43 AM

robboy

There are a few here from the American Revolution--always a good source of legendary pickings. http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvets.html I gather frankie's talking about Molly Pitcher as a better known legend here than Ms Corbin, but that story is almost ragged with inconsistencies and may well be totally untrue. Here's a museum-style site that gives the story. http://earlyamerica.com/molly_pitcher.html My personal favorites are the nurses from the Vietnam War, who may not have wielded a weapon, but are heroines to me. Sep 01 05, 6:43 AM

lanfranco

Enjoyable site, robboy, and the nurses are, indeed, worthy of enormous admiration. As for Molly, that story has probably been much embellished or even entirely fabricated, but it's one of the interesting myths many American children learn. Sep 01 05, 6:53 AM

robboy

The Far East would have to include Mulan, the heroine(s)of China. There are a couple versions, shown here. http://discoverychannel.co.in/warriorwomen/feature4.shtml Sep 01 05, 8:02 AM

lanfranco

Excellent, robboy. And speaking of Vietnam, I was also thinking of the Trung sisters and Trieu Au, who fought the Chinese in the 1st and 3rd centuries respectively. http://www.geocities.com/imperialvietnam/Trieu_Au.html Sep 01 05, 8:28 AM