Catalina de Erauso

Catalina de Erauso alias Francisco Loyola (* 1592 in Donostia- San Sebastián, Spain, † 1650 in Cuitlaxtla, New Spain, now Mexico) was a Basque nobleman who lived several decades as a man.

Life

She was born, according to the parish register of the parish of St Vincent to San Sebastián in 1592. As a 4 - year-old she was sent to the monastery by their parents, but shortly before the consecration, at age 15, she managed to escape to freedom. Quick Catalina realized that they could not survive in the world as a woman. She disguised herself as a man - an unforgivable crime during the Inquisition - and got involved in a life full of danger, which led them to South America.

The remarkable thing about her life is that she managed to remain undetected for decades as a woman among men - and that, although she has lived as a sailor and a soldier ( in the Viceroyalty of Peru) in their midst. Only after a serious injury, she confessed her true gender to the supposed deathbed. It was shown to the Inquisition, which they still do not indicted - although they would have had the opportunity for this. Later Catalina Pope Urban VIII visited, allowed her to continue to dress as a man - a spectacular decision that has co-founded Catalinas fame.

Catalina's autobiography was published in German under the title The nun as an ensign.

Reception

• Markus Orth: Catalina. Historical novel. Goldmann, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-442-46159-6.
• Lea Korte: The nun with the sword. Historical novel. Droemer / Knaur, Munich 2007, ISBN 3-426-63386-8.
• Armin Frank: The Lady with the sword, Historical Novel. Lothar Del Rey publishing house in Berlin to acquire in 1955. Antiquarian.