Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc was born in 1412 to two tenant farmers in a small village located in Domrey, France. 

According to Biography, she was charged with 70 counts, which included witchcraft, heresy and dressing like a man. On May 29th, 1431, Joan was found guilty of these charges and on May 30th she was taken to the marketplace and burned at the stake. Legends have said of how her heart made it out of the fire completely unharmed.

At the age of 18, Joan led the French army to victory over the English during the Hundred Years' War regardless of constant complications trying to get in the way.

Following her death, the Hundred Years' War continued on for 22 more years. In 1456, King Charles VII ordered an investigation which determined that Joan was innocent on all charges. 

On May 16, 1920, 500 years after her death, Joan was canonized a Roman Catholic Saint. Joan of Arc has inspired many works of literature and art over centuries of time. She is known as an endearing symbol of French unity and nationalism. 

I believe that Joan of Arc is a woman warrior because no matter what her place in society was, she persisted time and time again to achieve what she felt was right. I can recall learning briefly about Joan of Arc when I was in grade school and I remember thinking about how interesting she seemed to me because she was so young when she embarked on this journey and how I wanted to be as brave as she was. At a young age she put her safety aside and fought a battle that was way bigger than her. She did not let the fact that she was a female stand in the way of her mission even though she knew that it was a risk for her life from the beginning. Joan of Arc is a woman warrior because regardless of the life she had in France, she chose to follow her visions and do what she felt was best. 

Grace O'Malley

Grace O'Malley

    Grace O'Malley was a heroine to the Irish and a controlling pirate to the English. She helped overcome gender bias and fought England for the independence of Ireland. ("Grace O'Malley, the 16th Century Pirate" 2014).  She embraced her sea life after her father, a nobleman and a sea trader, passed away. Due to her inheritance, she was able to run 20 ships and their crews along with many government officials who tried to control her.

 



  Although she was looked at as a courageous woman to many, she ruled the seas by demanding money from others who passed through in exchange for protection. If they did not give what she demanded from them, she would become violent which at some points led to murder. Her intent was to control the seas that surrounded her land so that she was able to protect her country from the rulers trying to take over it, England.

O'Malley was a strong warrior woman who not only stood up for her country, but for women around the world. Even though she had killed people and was viewed as a pirate, she fought for her country and what she believed was right. She is one of the many warrior women that not only stood up for the rights of many, but was an actual warrior. With her knowledge of the seas the she gained from her father and experience, she was able to stand up for her country in their time of need. She proved that man or woman, anyone could do anything as long as they put their mind to it. Her passion for her country led her to great victory and high standings within the political world not only in Ireland but in England as well. She never let anything stand in her way of getting things done, which is why I admire her was a warrior woman.













Works Cited
Aprilholloway. “Grace O'Malley, the 16th Century Pirate Queen of Ireland.” Ancient Origins,                   Ancient Origins, www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/grace-o-malley-16th-century-           pirate-queen-ireland-001773.
Trowbridge. "Meeting Grace O'Malley, Ireland's pirate queen." The National                                            Archives,http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/meeting-grace-omalley-irelands-pirate-queen/.

Princess Olga of Kiev

Princess Olga of Kiev

Princess Olga of Kiev is viewed as the absolute most vicious and ferocious rulers in the history of the Kievan Rus (a loose federation of East Slavic tribes that existed from the late 9th century to the mid-13th century, under the Rurik Dynasty). Olga was born in 890; with no solid evidence of her place of birth, Emily Upton of Today I Found Out: Feed Your Brain, places her birth in either Pskov, or Veshchy. Pskov is the more reliable location of Olga's birth, because in addition to Emily Upton, according to the "Prominent Russians: Princess Olga of Kiev" article, the author places her birth in Pskov, as well. Much of Olga's upbringing is practically unknown; the earliest event that happened to Olga after her birth, that we know of, is her marriage to Prince Igor sometime before 912. Because in 1912, Olga and Igor became rulers of the Kievan Rus after the death of the previous ruler, Oleg Veshchy.

Olga's story continues to stagger throughout, because the next event we have to is the birth of her child, Svyatoslav, in 1942. Following the three years that passed after that, in 1945, Prince Igor took a trip to the Slavic tribe of the Drevlyans to gather tributes. After he demanded a higher payment than we they gave him, the Drevlyans took matters into their own hands and killed the prince. Following the death of Prince Igor, according to the article "Prominent Russians: Princess Olga of Kiev," the question was raised to see who would become the next ruler. Technically, the next in line was her son, Svyatoslav. However, he was only three-years-old. Due to all these unforeseen events Olga took matters into her own hands and became the ruler of the Kievan Rus, this was going to be Olga's regency. According to the article "Prominent Russians: Princess Olga of Kiev," she had the full support of the Rus army - attesting to the amazing respect she held among people.

Olga did take lightly the account of her husband's death. She never once subdued her feelings about the situation, because what follows is an absolute bloodbath of events.
According to the "Russian Primary Chronicle," there are a total of four different acts of vengeance that Olga had followed through with against the Derevlians (a different spelling for Drevlyans, within the Russian Primary Chronicle). The four vengeances occurred as followed:

1.) Once the Derevlians found out about the new female ruler, they sent 20 of their ambassadors (matchmakers) to negotiate a marriage between their prince, Prince Mal and Olga. Once the 20 ambassadors arrived in Kiev, Olga had them return to their ships for the night so she could be able to have her people's presence present. She had even given them the opportunity to be carried back into the city within their boats. Once they had left, Olga had a deep ditch dug out, and when her people were carrying them into the city the following morning, they had dropped the Derevlians in the ditch along with the boat. She then ordered them to be buried alive.

2.) Princess Olga then asked the Derevlians to send their finest ambassadors, to which she would be able to go to their Prince with such honor. The Derevlians did send more ambassadors, once they arrived, they were asked to only appear to Olga after they have bathed. The bathhouse was heated, and once the ambassadors entered they were locked in, and the bathhouse was set on fire.

3.) Princess Olga then decided to go to the Derevlians for the chance to mourn over her husband's grave. She also ordered for large quantities of mead to be made for her arrival. Once she arrived, she went to her husband's grave and mourned. She then ordered for there to be a funeral feast in honor of her husband. Once the Derevlians were drunk, Olga and her followers slaughtered 5,000 of them. Olga returned to Kiev to prepare an army to kill the survivors.

4.) The surviving Derevlians offered Princess Olga honey and furs, as a treaty. However, Princess Olga knew they had neither of the sorts, so she then asked for three pigeons and three sparrows from every home. Once she was given all the pigeons and sparrows, she told the Derevlians she would leave their city the following day. She then gave everyone in her army a pigeon, or a sparrow, and tied a piece of sulfur bound in cloth. She had the birds released at night and once they birds flew back to every home, everything was set on fire. Nothing was safe from the flames; the survivors from the conflagration were either killed by her army, or given as slaves to her followers.

Needless to say, you do not want to anger Princess Olga of Kiev. She is a powerful, revenge-driven woman, who speaks volumes to the culture shock of having a woman as a leader. She thrived in a time where blood and war were a constant routine. According to Emily Upton, one would think it'd be strange to see such a vengeful woman convert the Kievan Rus from a pagan society, to Christianity, be baptized sometime between 945 and 957, and turn into a saint in Roman Catholicism, and Russian Orthodoxy.

She even has a monument dedicated to her in the present day in Mihaylovskaya square in Kiev; her statue is raised higher than the other three men who have statues next to hers: Apostle St. Andrew the First-Called, and the enlighteners Cyril and Methodius.

Through the madness that is her life, Princess Olga passed away in the year of 969. Her efforts were never forgotten, because in 1547 she was declared a saint by the Orthodox Church. According to Emily Upton, she is called, "isapostolos," meaning, "equal to the apostles". She is one out of five women who have had the honor of this status in the history of Christianity, and Princess Olga of Kiev deserves every single recognition possible.

Sources:

"Prominent Russians: Princess Olga of Kiev." Russiapedia, Russiapedia (Get to Know Russia Better), russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/history-and-mythology/princess-olga-of-kiev/.

"Russian Primary Chronicle."

Upton, Emily. "The Saint Who Buried People Alive and Burned Down a City in Revenge." Today I Found Out, Today I Found Out: Feed Your Brain, 27 Jan. 2014, www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/

2014/01/saint-buried-people-alive-burned-city-revenge/.

Anne Bonny: Irish-American Pirate

http://www.thepirateking.com/bios/bonny_anne.htm

Anne Bonny is one of the few female pirates noted in history and she's known for being strong and independent, even as strong as the male pirates as stated on The Way of the Pirates website. She was born around the 1700s, according to several sources such as the Encyclopedia Britannica, her exact birth date is unknown. But, it is estimated she lived during the early 18th century. She is typically associated with another woman pirate, Mary Read, her partner in crime. Anne Bonny and Mary Read are described by Karen Abbott from Smithsonian.com as being "as renowned for their ruthlessness as for their gender" and she says that these women destroyed the myth that "a woman's presence on shipboard invited bad luck."

Bonny was born and raised in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland according to most historians as the Way of the Pirates website states. The Encyclopedia Britannica explains that Bonny is said to be "the illegitimate daughter of Irish lawyer William Cormac and of a maid working in his household." It also says that upon the discovery of his affair, he and his wife divorced and Bonny was under the custody of her father. Her father and the maid moved to the United States, but at the age of 16, Bonny fell in love with the pirate, James Bonny, and she married him against her father's disapproval l as The Way of the Pirates explains. James Bonny struggled to support the two and he became an informant for the government, but as The Way of the Pirates states, Anne Bonny had become close with many of the pirates and it was her way of life now; she eventually fell for "Calico Jack" Jack Rackham, a captain pirate.

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/t/569e0bc30e4c1148e6c211e2/1502976079581/pirates+anne+bonny+and+mary+read

As a pirate, Anne was a dominating force. As mentioned earlier, it was thought that women aboard a pirate ship was bad luck, so Calico Jack was ahead of his time in inviting her to join them. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Bonny didn't hide that she was a woman from the pirates, but when they pillaged, she would dress as a man, similar to the Fau Mulan story. Anne was a powerful pirate as she had to take care of herself early on in life after losing her mother to illness. She was able to hold her own with the male pirates and was a major influence in their success. They terrorized the Caribbean and Anne became a force to be reckon with, one of the crew's most powerful pirates. However, their luck eventually ran out. The Encyclopedia Britannica says that when Calico Jack's pirate crew was finally caught, the men were tried and hung. However, Anne and her pal, Mary Read, were found to be pregnant and saved. 

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/9e/19/4
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As detailed on The Irish Story website, until the late 1600s, Ireland was suffering from the aftermath of a famine and many of its citizens were poor. So, Anne Bonny is representative of the culture and values at the time because she was pillaging for money and food with other pirates as many Irish people were struggling to make ends meet at the time. Anne was strong and independent because in tough times, you can really only depend on yourself and need to count on yourself to make it. So, Anne is a representation of Irish values and survival modes for her time period. The fact that she was a female pirate, even when it was so unheard of for women to be aboard pirate voyages, demonstrates her strength and determination to fend for herself, like many Irish people had to do at that time because of economic circumstances. 

Anne Bonny is a character that still can resonate with individuals today. She is a strong and independent woman who was able to fight with the boys; this is certainly valued by women today. Anne Bonny left her husband for the man she truly loved, despite society's outlook on it. This is inspiring because it is often hard to leave a person we are in a relationship for a variety of factors. Although Anne Bonny was convicted of crimes, she is a character that many women can still connect to because she overcame many obstacles in her life to be a fierce leader in Calico Jack's pirate crew.

Sources:

Abbott, Karen. "If There's a Man Among Ye: The Tale of Pirate Queens Anne Bonny and Mary Read." Smithsonian.com Accessed October 29, 2017.

Dorney, John. "War and Famine in Ireland, 1580-1700." The Irish Story. http://www.theirishstory.com/2012/01/03/war-and-famine-in-ireland-1580-1700/. Accessed on October 29, 2017.

"Famous Pirate: Anne Bonny." The Way of the Pirates. http://www.thewayofthepirates.com/famous-pirates/anne-bonny/ Accessed October 30, 2017

Pallardy, Richard. "Anne Bonny: Irish American Pirate." Encyclopedia Britannica, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2017.

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc- Heroine of France

Joan of Arc was born in 1412 in a small village of Domrey, France. She came from the home of two tenant farmers. According to Biography.com, she spent her early years taking care of animals and sharpening her skills as a seamstress. However, by age 18, she would one of the most well known women of France.

During her lifetime, the crown of France was called into question. Both the British and French felt that they should have a claim at the crown. Encyclopedia Britannica gave one of the best accounts of Joan's military journey. They stated that in 1428, Joan traveled to Vaucouleurs, which was the nearest area that still remained to the French Dauphin. Once she arrived, she asked to speak to the Captain. Although, he sent them away. He did not take a group of young girls seriously. She traveled back in 1429 and insisted that she needed to speak to the Dauphin. This time, her request was granted and she was taken to him. On her journey there, she dawned mens clothing and was accompanied by six guards in order to make it safely across enemy lines. At first, the Dauphin and his counselors were leery of accepting her, but they decided to hear what she had to say. However, she was soon sent away to be examined. The examiners soon reported back to the Dauphin that he needed to make use of her.

Joan of Arc under examination 

On May 4th, Joan moved to attack a British fort. As she continued to attack, she continued to capture British outposts. These battles continued through May 7th. Without Joan these successes the French success would have been impossible. Biography.com reported that the Dauphin was crowned King of France on July 18th, 1949. Joan was by his side during the time of his crowning. Joan's good fortune would soon run out. Although the date is unclear, Joan was captured and turnover to the British in the spring of 1430. The King himself made no motions to have her released, as he still remained unsure whether or not to trust her. She was turned over to the church and was tried for over 70 counts including witchcraft, heresy, and dressing like a man. She was then transferred to a military prison where she was interrogated, beaten, and threatened with rape. Finally, on May 29th, 1431 she was executed in the market square of Rouen, France. Although, it is said that her heart survived the burning. According to Portraits of a Saint, she was canonized as a Saint on May 16th, 1920.



Joan of Arc is one of the most fascinating female warriors I have read about. In a time when women had absolutely no rights, she knew she must fight for her country. While she faced prejudice throughout her whole military journey, but still continued to fight for what she believed was right. Even after her successes she was abandoned by her people, and sentenced to death. I was disappointed to find that not even the King, whom she helped regain his crown, refused to help her. I think that in this age, any woman who did something out of the norm could not be trusted. I am glad to see that Joan's legacy continues on to this day. Without the courage of Joan of Arc, France could have ended up an entirely different country.

In the summer of 2015, I was able to travel to France and visit the town of Rouen. Here, we saw the site where Joan was burned. Near the actual site of her execution a monument was erected in her honor. The St. Joan of Arc church was erected there. Inside the church, beautiful stained glass windows tell Joan of Arcs story of becoming a Saint. Below are a few of the pictures I took during my visit:

Marking the site of Joan of Arc's execution 

Monument erected in honor of Joan of Arc

Stained glass windows depicting the story of Joan of Arc

Works Cited:

"Joan of Arc." Biogrpahy.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017, www.biogrpahy.com/people/joan-of-arc-9354756

Lanhers, Yvonne, and Malcom G.A. Vale. "Saint Joan of Arc." Encyclopedia Britannica, Encylopedia Britannica, Inc., 1 Feb 2016, www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc#toc27051

"Portraits of A Saint." Joan of Arc: Becoming a Saint, saint-joan-of-arc.com/becoming-a-saint.htm.

Khawlah bint al-Azwar: Woman Warrior Across Cultures

Khawlah bint al-Azwar was a famous Muslim Arab warrior who was born sometime in the 7th century, according to Wikipedia. This was around the same time as the famous Islamic prophet, Muhammad, was alive. Although little is know about her early life, Fatimah Saleem writes that Khawlah started out her professional life as a nurse and soon used her courage and healing ability for battle. She was the sister of a soldier and commander of the Rashidun Army, Dhiraar ibn Azwar. According to Wikipedia, Dhiraar taught Khawlah swordsmanship and the art of poetry while he remained by her side through battles across what is known today as Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. Daughter to one of the chiefs of the Bani Assad Tribe, her family is also known as one of the first to convert to Islam.

A famed conquest that woman warrior Khawlah is most notable for is the Battle of Yarmouk. Ben Thompson describes a version of the legend on badassoftheweek.com. Standing on a ridge near the fighting ground, Khawlah sees her brother get thrown off his horse and captured by the Byzantine Empire to be tortured. Rather than stand by and accept her brother's defeat, legend holds that Khawlah adorned a black robe with a green sash, a suit of armor, and a concealing ninja mask to disguise herself as a man and followed Khalid ibn Walid's army to rescue the prisoners. Because of her great fury and fighting abilities, she was mistaken for Khalid and the army joined her in combat in order to force the Byzantine to flee. 

The most surprising part of this story is that after she reveals her true identity as a woman, Khalid honored Khawlah's bravery and asked her to lead their army to defeat the Byzantine and find her brother. Her fellow soldiers did not allow her femininity to limit her but rather respected her wit and power.

Khawlah is also well-known for her ability to influence others and stand up against the patriarchy. In the Battle of Ajnadin, Khawlah's horse was shot out from under her and she was captured by the Byzantines, then taken to a prisoner camp. The biggest advantage the Byzantine army gave her was placing her in a tent completely filled with other Arab women prisoners. Ben Thompson describes how when a general orders Khawlah to be taken to his bunk for him to essentially rape her, Khawlah stood up and rallied her fellow women prisoners to fight for their freedom and honor or die. The women joined together and with tent poles as spears, they fought and killed 30 enemy soldiers and were able to flee to allied lines. It is said that Khawlah is famous for liquifying the brains of five soldiers with just a chunk of wood. This story shows how Khawlah never accepted defeat and was able to influence other women to stand up for themselves through warrior tactics. 

A Jordan stamp created in honor
of Khawlah

Khawlah's story truly exemplifies bravery and empowerment to the Muslim women community. Fatimah Saleem perfectly captures the importance for the spread of Khawlah's tales by stating, "The stories that we are told growing up of Muslim women are those who were good wives and daughters and mothers. Khawla’s story is one that should be told with vigor and passion." Her stories of perseverance and equality can be relatable to Muslim women who are fighting both those who oppose the Muslim faith and those who support it. In addition to Khawlah being an uplifting, cultural figure to be passed down through oral traditions, Wikipedia provides how her legacy also lives on in other ways. In Saudi Arabia, many schools and buildings are named after Khawlah and even both an Iraqui all-women military unit and the first women's military college in the United Arab Emirates are named in Khawlah's honor.

Women from the Khalwah bit al-Azwar
military unit. 

Fatimah Saleem is so inspired by the noble acts of Khawlah and concludes her article about this famous woman warrior with the morals that these stories may teach. "[Women] are often the powerhouse of education which teaches loyalty, love, honesty, and kindness but let us also not forget that we also have a duty to develop strength, integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice." Khawlah represents how being a Muslim woman does not equate to being an oppressed, helpless person. She inspires Muslim women to stand up for their moral beliefs, principals, and protection and discourages the idea that feminity can limit your abilities. 

References:

"Khawlah bint al-Azwar." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2, Sept. 2017. Web. 28, Oct. 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khawlah_bint_al-Azwar

Saleem, Fatimah. You've Probably Never Heard of This Female Badass Warrior. Mvslim, 28, Dec. 2016, http://mvslim.com/youve-probably-never-heard-ofthis-female-badass-warriors/. Accessed 28 Oct. 2017.

Thompson, Ben. Khawlah bint al-Azwar. Badass of the Week, n.d., http://www.badassoftheweek.com/khawla.html. Accessed 28 Oct. 2017.

The True Story of the Native American People of the Great Plains and the Fearless Warrior Buffalo Calf Road Woman

Buffalo Calf Road Woman

 The Fight Where the Girl Saved Her People

A Hero

 

(Wikipedia)

Not much was entirely known about Buffalo Calf Road Woman for over a century up until recently, due to the fact that, according to The League of Extraordinary Ladies, much of her story has been kept in secrecy for many years by her fellow people.  Born approximately in 1844 in Wyoming as a Northern Cheyenne Native American, Buffalo Calf Road Woman from early childhood came to know and understand tragedy and loss (League).

The Cheyenne tribes lived scattered across the Great Plains Western States such as Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas, and lived there for many centuries prior to invading colonization of European descendants (League), feeding primarily on a hunting diet of wild buffalo, as described in the article,"A Young Mother at the Rosebud and Little Bighorn Battles," found at montanawomenshistory.org.  During the time of her birth, the Cheyenne tribe lived under the Treaty of 1825, in which the Cheyenne agreed to the "supremacy" of the United States government, and this included obeying several trade restrictions (League).  The United States "allowed" them to live in their homelands as they pleased and things seemed peaceful, but not for very long, because hundreds of thousands of white settlers came rushing through the indigenous peoples' territory under the authority known as "Manifest Destiny".  This gave rights to white settlers passing through Cheyenne territories to get to gold-rush states such as California (League).  This created problems because the settlers were using much of the tribe's local resources, and they also brought with them a deadly infectious disease known as cholera (League).  Buffalo Calf Road Woman and her brother, Comes In Sight survived this epidemic, but they lost between one third to one half of their people (League).  As you can imagine, this harbored much resentment within the remaining Cheyenne people towards the settlers and the United States government. 

Seeing what was left of their tribe and how the United States government treated the Cherokee, the Cheyenne began to resist and much more bloodshed occurred, specifically where more Native American people were killed, including even children and elderly (League).  This dangerous and unsafe environment allowed Buffalo Calf Road Woman to learn at a young age to defend herself, and to know how to hunt for food, which meant she knew how to shoot a gun with precision (League).  She learned the warrior ways of her tribesmen, and although the Cheyenne tribes participated in similar gender roles such as the white man, having women cook and keep after the children while the men labored and hunted, this non typical behavior went without a question because of the hostile, violent situation many faced in this day (League).  

Another treaty was again offered to the Cheyenne people from the United States Army, in hopes to stop the bloodshed, called the Treaty of Fort Wise, where the tribe was offered a plot of land in Colorado one thirteenth the size of their current land (League).  Some of the peaceful elders proposed accepting this treaty, but much more of the Cheyenne people, including the very fed up Buffalo Calf Woman, firmly rejected it (League).  

Amidst the chaos, as Buffalo Calf Road Woman grew older she married a fellow warrior, Black Coyote, and they had two children (League).  During their marriage together they often fought side by side (Women's History), and as tensions rose between their people and the white man, it seemed both of them knew that there was not much hope left for them and their kin.  The treaties the white man gave fell through, and many of the Cheyenne that previously surrendered and moved, now faced starvation (League).  Buffalo Calf Road Woman, Black Coyote, and Comes In Sight began noticing a retaliation army led by Crazy Horse, a Lakota Native American, and quickly joined forces, leaving her child behind in the care of her tribe (League).  

The first large battle they fought together against the U.S. Army was called, "The Battle at Rosebud Creek", where Buffalo Calf Road Woman gained her warrior reputation by rushing on horseback in the heat of battle to save her injured brother as the warrior tribesmen were retreating, since it seems no one else had the courage to retrieve him (Women's History).  The warriors were so moved by her rescue, that the army rallied and ended up winning the battle.  The Cheyenne also call this battle, "The Battle Where the Girl Saved Her Brother" (Women's History).  This wasn't the last heroic deed of Buffalo Calf Road Woman, though.  She also fought in, "The Battle of the Little Bighorn", again alongside her husband that same year, which they too won (League).  According to various Native American accounts, Buffalo Calf Road Woman knocked the leader of the opposing army, General Custer, off his horse which led quickly to his defeat (League).  Buffalo Calf Road Woman inspired both men and women of Native American tribes to keep fighting and although she was one of the few women courageous enough to actively participate in battle, she clearly encouraged women of her kind to be fearless in any circumstance. 

After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the Natives spent most of their days on the run from the U.S. Army, and during this time period Buffalo Calf Road Woman had her second child (League).  Months passed by and facing starvation, however, the Cheyennes eventually had to surrender.  The rest of the story is even more grim than the beginning.  Instead of allowing the Cheyenne to return to a nearby Sioux reservation, the United States forced them to march fifteen hundred miles to Indian territory, where they were held prisoners, and on this journey many more had perished (League).  Buffalo Calf Road Woman ended up dying the winter of 1879 of diphtheria, and then a heartbroken and imprisoned, Black Coyote, committed suicide (League).

Although this story does not have a happy ending, it is a story that must be told and heard by young people across the nation.  Not only is our government guilty of mistreating the Natives of this land, but warrior heroes are not all men.  Buffalo Calf Road Woman proves a woman can fight successfully in battle, guns and ammunition and all, and can even inspire and lead thousands.  It is so important to note that a woman is capable of doing so, because we often find these women go unaccredited in our history books.  Her fearlessness and love of her sisters and brothers lives on forever in spirit.  Buffalo Calf Road Woman was not just a warrior, but also a wife, a mother, a sister, and a friend.  She had no trouble being all of those things together; being married didn't stop her from fighting and having children didn't keep her from battle, because she did what was absolutely necessary in attempts to save her people.  I might not truly know Buffalo Calf, or really understand the true character that she was, but it is enough to know the heroic deeds she performed during such violent, dark times did somewhat save the Cheyenne tribesmen.  They will live on forever in honor and spirit, known for fighting in dignity, entirely more than the white men.  I always knew women were capable of such heroic acts, but now I can spread the word and tell the story about the fight where the girl defended and saved her people.  

 

 

 

Works Cited

“Buffalo Calf Road Woman: Custer's Killer.” The League of Extraordinary Ladies, 3 Apr. 2015, theleagueofextraordinaryladies.com/2015/04/buffalo-calf-road-woman-custers-killer/.  

 

Buffalo Calf Road Woman. 28 Oct. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Calf_Road_Woman. 

 

F., L. K. “A Young Mother at the Rosebud and Little Bighorn Battles.” Women's History Matters, 28 Oct. 2017, montanawomenshistory.org/a-young-mother-at-the-rosebud-and-little-bighorn-battles/. 

Ching Shih

Ching Shih

While most modern interpretations of pirates have been illustrations of white, European outlaws, these pirates paled in comparison to Ching Shih, a woman who very well might be the most successful pirate in history. Ching Shih was born in 1775 in the Guangdong province of China and became a prostitute. in 1801, Ching Shih met Zheng Yi, who commanded the Red Flag Fleet. The two were married and together ran the Red Flag Fleet.


For six years, the two ran the Red Flag Fleet and in that time the fleet "quickly grew from 200 ships to more than 600 ships, and eventually to 1700-1800 ships," (Reese). in 1807, six years after Ching Shih and Zheng Yi married, Zheng Yi died in battle. Ching Shih had the choice to make. She could step down from the Red Flag Fleet and allow Zheng Yi's second in command to take over the fleet or she could continue to lead. Ching Shih choose to take control of the Red Flag Fleet, craving the power and glory that came with that leadership, (Reese).

During her reign as leader of the Red Flag Fleet, Ching Shih had a strict set of rules, specifically about the treatment of female prisoners. Ching Shih would have her men release "ugly women" completely unharmed. She would allow her men to marry beautiful women they held captive but she required they must be faithful. the punishment for unfaithfulness was beheading. Rape was also a capital offense that was punished through execution.

Ching Shih was one of the few pirates who instead of being killed in battle, managed to retire from the pirate life after being offered a universal pirate amnesty in exchange for peace by the Chinese government, (Koerth). Ching Shih took the deal and retired. She died in 1844 at age 69.  

Ching Shih deserves more recognition. White, European male pirates dominate the media representation of pirates yet they were barely a footnote in the world's history. Ching Shih was likely the most successful pirate in history. She held strong beliefs about the treatment of women that were way ahead of her time. She provides a new illustration for pirates.

Works Cited

Koerth, Maggie. “Most Successful Pirate Was Beautiful and Tough.” CNN, Cable News Network, 28 Aug. 2007,                                                   
Reese. M. R “Ching Shih – from Prostitute to Pirate Lord.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 18 Jan. 2015,                                              

Anacaona

Anacaona: Woman Chief

Every year we celebrate Christopher Columbus for a mistake that he made which led to the enslavement of many indigenous people. Kreyolicious.com explains how when he landed in Haiti he was welcomed by the men and women of the island, when he departed he took unknown flora and fauna along with gold back to Spain. However, when he left he did not take all the men who had traveled with him. The men who were left in this tropical place began to take over the island. This leads me to our hero and ultimate woman warrior before it was cool, Anacaona.

Anacaona, meaning “golden flower” was the sister of Bohecio, Xaragua territory chief, and wife of the Maguana territory chief, Caonabo. In addition to her roles as a leader and diplomat, Anacaona was also claimed to be very beautiful and skilled at creating songs, poems and dances. Now as most island visitors soon called conquerors Columbus and his people began as kind but as the enslaving began the relationship began to turn. When Anacaona’s brother died, she succeeded him, and when her husband was captured by Columbus’s men and sent to Spain as a slave, she succeeded him, too.

According to the Modern Notion despite the swift loss of both her husband and her brother Anacaona worked with her oppressors to ensure her peoples safety. She was vigilant and shared her kindness and generosity with the Spaniards only to be deceived. Nicolás de Ovando, the new Spanish governor, saw Anacaona as a threat and thought she must have some secret plot to overthrow him. In an attempt at to rid himself of the perseved threat and gain control over the entire island, Ovando rounded up the area’s lesser chiefs and locked them in a building, which he then ordered to be set on fire, burning them alive. Anacaona was spared this, because he planned it during a feast she had thrown him, and was brought up on false charges.

As if it wasn’t enough for them to take over her entire island and kill all the chiefs before executing her they offered her two other options….that’s right you guessed it wife or concubine.

Now the story of Anacaona lives on as she has inspired many works. She holds true still as a fearless, dignified Caribbean icon and symbol of resistance against tyranny. There is an island in her name and an statue in her honor.

I believe that Anacaona is a prime example of a warrior woman. She fought to protect her people in a non-violent way. She didn’t allow for the death of her brother and enslavement of her husband keep her from accomplishing what needed to be done. 

Works Cited

Anacaona. N.p., n.d. Web.

"Anacaona: The Woman Chief Who Stood Up to Christopher Columbus." Modern Notion. N.p., 11 Mar. 2015. Web.

"Haiti History 101: Guacanagaric, Anacaona, Caonabo, The First Haitians, Part 2." Kreyolicious.com. N.p., 30 Jan. 2014. Web.

Cleopatra VII

CLEOPATRA VII:
The Last Pharaoh
By: Colin Romano

You have probably heard of the Egyptian Pharaoh, Cleopatra, but do you really know anything about her? Or why she is an important female figure in history? You might have only heard of her from the famous 1963 film: Cleopatra featuring Elizabeth Taylor. But the film is not 100% accurate and has some pretty big flaws that were made for the sake of a good movie. Here is the real story and legacy of Egypt's last Pharaoh.

Cleopatra was born a princess with 4 four other siblings. After her father's death, Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy XIII, became married (yes, I know incest is gross) and took over the as co-leaders of Egypt. Ptolemy XIII became jealous of how much power Cleopatra had and kicked her out of her spot as co-leader and became the sole Pharaoh. (Jarus)

Cleopatra was pissed at that and decided to meet with Julius Caesar and planned to take back her spot as rightful Pharaoh with his help. Ptolemy XIII died while trying to escape Caesar from battle. Julius and Caesar fall in love and had a son named Ptolemy Caesarion, with whom she ruled Egypt with. Three years after Caesar's assassination, Cleopatra meet and fell in love with another Roman leader, Marc Antony. They had three kids. Together they formed a strong military alliance and plotted against one of the other Roman leaders: Octavian *dun dun dun*. They wanted Octavian to fall as one of Rome's leaders because he was the heir to the Roman throne after Julius Caesar died. Cleopatra wanted her and Caesar's son, Ptolemy Caesarion, to be the next heir. She thought that Marc Antony could help her achieve her wishes for son. (Jarus)

This is where it goes downhill for Cleopatra and Egypt. Cleopatra and Marc Antony go into battle against Octavian and lose badly. After the battle, Cleopatra returns to Egypt but Marc Antony returns to battle only to get captured. While in captivity, Marc Antony hears fake news that Cleopatra has died. He is so heartbroken that he takes his own life. When word of Marc Antony's death reaches Egypt, Cleopatra also decided to take her own life by allowing a poisonous cobra to bite her. After her death, Octavian took over Egypt and made it part of the Roman Empire. With no king, the Egyptian Empire fell and Cleopatra was known as the last Pharaoh. (Jarus)

Cleopatra was a very popular Pharaoh among the Egyptian people. Even though she was romantically involved with Caesar, she wanted Egypt to remain independent from Rome. She wanted this because she worked very hard to boost the economy with newly available trade routes with many other nations (Unknown). 

Many people don't know that Cleopatra also had a huge impact on the health of women during her time. Her family was known for their practices in medicine and science. She studied gynecological diseases and knew a lot about how to treat them. She even wrote a book about it so I guess you could call her a doctor of some kind. Cleopatra was also seen as a goddess living among the mortals. Her divine beauty can be distinguished from her heavy use of make-up, as it was popular in that time to use a lot of it (Tsoucalas).

I feel that Cleopatra VII is worthy of warrior women status because she is a powerful leader who cares about her family and her country. She fought many battles for the greater good of Egypt. It took strength, courage, and bravery to accomplish what she did. She made Egypt a better place while she could.

Works Cited

Jarus, Owen. “Cleopatra: Facts & Biography.” LiveScience, Purch, 13 Mar. 2014, www.livescience.com/44071-cleopatra-biography.html.

Tsoucalas, Gregory, et al. "Queen Cleopatra and the Other 'Cleopatras': Their Medical Legacy." Journal of Medical Biography, vol. 22, no. 2, May 2014, pp. 115-121. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/0967772013480602.

(unknown author) ://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_egypt/cleopatra_vii.php