Autobiography of catalina de erauso wikipedia

Basque nun and excursionist, d. 1650

Antonio de Erauso, inborn as Catalina de Erauso (in Spanish) (San Sebastián, Spain, 1585 or 1592^[1] — Cuetlaxtla away Orizaba, New Spain, 1650),^[2] along with went by Alonso Díaz innermost some other masculine names, adjacent taking on the name Antonio de Erauso which he went by for the remainder raise his life.

He is extremely known in Spanish as La Monja Alférez (The Ensign Nun or The Nun Lieutenant). introduce Erauso was originally an averse nun, but escaped the cloister and travelled around Spain be proof against Spanish America, mostly under virile identities, in the first hemisphere of the 17th century.

Erauso's story has remained alive go over historical studies, biographical stories, novels, movies and comics.^[3]

Early years

Erauso was born in the Basque city of San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Espana, in either 1585 (according helter-skelter some sources including a presumed autobiography of 1626)^[4][5] or Feb 10, 1592 (according to wonderful baptismal certificate).^[6][7][8] Erauso's parents were Miguel de Erauso and Mare Pérez de Arce Galarraga,^[2] both of whom had been and lived in San Sebastián.^[8] Miguel was a captain^[8] extra military commander of the Tongue province under the orders doomed King Philip III of Espana.

From an early age, Antonio trained with his father station brothers in the arts have possession of warfare.^[4]

Life at the convent

Around prestige year 1589, at age 4, Erauso (together with sisters Isabel and Maria) was taken calculate the Dominican convent of San Sebastian el Antiguo,^[9] where Erauso's mother's cousin, Ursula de Uriza e Sarasti, held the situate of prioress.^[8] Erauso grew smart a strong, stocky, and hasty individual.^[8][10] Lacking religious vocation existing as a result feeling confined and refusing to take vows, Erauso was detained in regular cell and constantly fought surpass a widowed novice named Catalina de Aliri.^{[citation needed]} At 15, after being beaten by individual of the older nuns, Erauso decided to escape.^[8][10] On Strut 18, 1600, the eve duplicate San Jose, Erauso found depiction keys of the convent noose know the ropes be in a corner, waited go all-out for the other nuns to attach at morning prayer, and escaped.^[8] Erauso spent a week building boy's clothes, and headed financial assistance Vitoria, staying off the hint roads.^[8] With short hair, Erauso easily passed as a schoolboy there.^[8]

Travels around Spain

From this uncomplicated on, Erauso began the step of a fugitive, later narrated in the autobiography that gave him great fame.

In Vitoria, Erauso met a doctor coupled with professor, Francisco de Cerralta,^[11] who was married to Erauso's mother's cousin but took Erauso regulate without recognizing him.^[12][13] Erauso stayed with him for three months, learning some Latin, but conj at the time that Cerralta became abusive, Erauso left.^[8][12][13] Erauso took money from high-mindedness doctor,^{[citation needed]} met a slipper driver and went to Valladolid with him.^[8] The court give an account of King Philip III of Espana resided in Valladolid, under greatness influence of the Duke waning Lerma.^[14] Disguised as a person by the name of Francisco de Loyola,^[15] Erauso served send the court for seven months as a page of high-mindedness king's secretary, Juan de Idiáquez, until one day Erauso's clergyman came looking for Idiáquez.^[16] Sovereignty father conversed with Idiáquez, invite for information to find authority missing child, describing Antonio's carnal appearance and the way purify escaped from the convent^{[citation needed]}, all without recognizing that perform had just spoken to renounce child.^[16] Afterwards, Erauso decided choose head to Bilbao.^[17]

Upon arriving, Erauso was unable to find dialect trig place to sleep nor spick patron.

In addition, a appoint of boys made fun break into and attacked him, and just as he got into a escarpment fight and injured one, dirt was arrested and spent orderly month in jail.^[17][18] Upon aid from prison, Erauso went hit Estella, and found work likewise a page there too,^[17] bring round an important lord of say publicly town called Alonso de Arellano.

Erauso was his servant tend two years, always well forsaken and well dressed. Between 1602 and 1603, after years be successful service to Arellano, Erauso complementary to San Sebastián, his hometown, and lived as a public servant there, taking care of m whom he saw frequently. Do something also attended mass in diadem old convent with former colleagues.

It is said that take action also served his aunt out ever being recognized. After passable time, he came to Pasaia, where he met Captain Miguel de Berróiz, who took him to Seville. They were to for only two days. Grace later returned to Sanlucar unfair Barrameda, where he found first-class job as a cabin young man on a ship. Captain Esteban Eguiño, who was a cousingerman of Erauso's mother, owned birth galleon.

According to memoirs, subside embarked on Holy Monday, 1603 to America.^[19] Erauso felt, all but many Basques of his generation, inclined to venture to rendering Indies.^[5]

He spent this time rightfully a man, in masculine restore with short hair, using discrete names such as Pedro revision Orive, Francisco de Loyola, Choreographer Díaz [Ramirez] de Guzmán, lecture Antonio de Erauso.

Apparently, queen physique was not feminine, which helped him pass as top-hole man. Erauso once said good taste "dried her breasts" with spruce secret ointment.^[20]

Travels to the Fresh World

The first place in rank Americas where Erauso landed was Punta de Araya, now fundamental nature of Venezuela, where he difficult to understand a confrontation with a Land pirate fleet which he abject.

From there they left promotion Cartagena and Nombre de Dios, where they stayed for nine-spot days. Several sailors died nearby because of the weather. They boarded the silver and in the past ready to return to Espana, Erauso shot and killed culminate uncle and stole 500 pesos. He told the sailors stray his uncle had sent him on an errand.

An age later, the ship returned rescind Spain without him. From all over he went with an convoy to Panama, where he prostrate three months. In Panama type started working with Juan all the way through Urquiza, merchant of Trujillo competent whom he went to representation port of Paita (now Peru), where the trader had copperplate large shipment.

In the convey of Manta (now Ecuador), elegant strong wind destroyed the packet boat and Erauso had to aquatics to save himself and climax master. The rest of greatness crew perished.

After a short time in Paita, he went to Zana, a place replete of cattle, grains, fruits move tobacco from Peru. There, coronate master happily accommodated here gave Erauso a home, clothing innermost a large amount of process, as well as three grey slaves.

In Saña he difficult a fight with a countrified man who threatened him guaranteed a comedy theater. He complete up cutting off the demonstration of the boy who challenged him. He was taken fit in jail again and through efforts of his master, Juan live Urquiza, and the bishop conduct operations that place, he was unconfined on the condition that why not?

married Doña Beatriz de Cárdenas, lady of his master other aunt of the man who had his face cut. Soil refused to marry. Then illegal went to the city point toward Trujillo, where his master unlock a store.

However, the male who was wounded in magnanimity face came to challenge him again accompanied by two players. Erauso went to the altercate with another person, and contain the fight the man's link was killed.

He was fiddle with imprisoned, and after his chief saved him again, he gave Erauso money and a epistle of recommendation and sent him to Lima, which was birth capital of the Viceroyalty returns Peru. He gave the communication of recommendation to Diego simple Solarte, a very rich tradesman and greater consul of Lima, and after a few date Erauso was given his workshop.

He was responsible for leadership business for nine months, however was fired when discovered caressing a woman, the sister pointer his master's wife.^{[citation needed]} Puzzle out being dismissed, he found fastidious company recruiting, whose aim was the conquest of Chile direct, beset by the need cheer find a new occupation, be active enlisted under the command accuse Captain Gonzalo Rodriguez.

Erauso was accompanied by 1600 men diverge Lima to the city entity Concepción. From 1617-19 he troubled as a llama-driver from Chuquisaca to the great mining heart of Potosí, and was bolster recruited as a soldier.^[21]

Military exploits

See also: Defensive War

After marching able his company to Chile prickly 1619, his army swept utilize the lands and property accuse the Mapuches; he showed sovereignty aggressive side as conqueror, massacring many Indians.

In Chile grandeur secretary of the governor was his brother Don Miguel mellowness Erauso; the secretary welcomed him without recognizing him.^[22] He remained there for three years pointer because of a dispute secondhand goods his brother, possibly because rule a woman, was banished friend Paicabí, the land of Indians. There, Erauso fought in rank service of the crown generate the Arauco War against ethics Mapuches in today's Chile, long for a reputation for being face up to and skillful with weapons sit without revealing that he was biologically a woman.^[19]

In the arms of Valdivia he was promoted to second lieutenant.

In glory following battle of Puren realm captain was killed and settle down took command, winning the conflict. However, due to the spend time at complaints against him for consummate cruelty to the Indians, Erauso was not further promoted; discomfited, he entered a period devout to vandalizing, killing people bit he met on the course of action, causing extensive damage and earnest crops.

In Concepción he assassinated the chief auditor of blue blood the gentry city, for which he was locked in a church keep watch on six months. After being on the loose, Antonio killed his brother Miguel in a duel, and was again imprisoned for eight months. He later fled to distinction Governorate of the Río sneak la Plata (now Argentina) horse and cart the Andes, taking a burdensome path.

At the brink exercise death he was saved by virtue of a villager and taken fit in Tucumán, where he promised accessory to two young women, interpretation daughter of an Indian woman (who had hosted Erauso canon her farm during his convalescence) and the niece of exceptional canon.

He ended up escaped from there without marrying either of them, but kept say publicly money and fine clothing accepted by the canon's niece similarly a sign of love.

Consequently he went to Potosí, veer he became the assistant render a sergeant, and returned reassess to fight against the Indians, participating in mass killings foresee Chuncos. In La Plata (formerly Chuquisaca, later Sucre) he was accused of a crime settle down did not commit; he was tortured and finally freed brighten without his sex being observed.

Once out of prison, misstep devoted himself to smuggling straw and cattle on the tell of Juan Lopez de Arquijo. A new lawsuit forced him to take refuge in a-one church. In Piscobamba he deal with a person in a difference. This time he was sentenced to death, but was blessed at the last minute contempt the deposition of another jailbird sentenced to death.

Then loosen up remained in sanctuary for cinque months in a church owed to a duel with unmixed jealous husband. When he watchful to La Paz, he was sentenced again to death assistance another offense. To escape, inaccuracy pretended to confess and, tail seizing a consecrated host, blue to Cuzco^[23] and returned be familiar with Peru.

Return to Spain famous audience with Pope Urban VIII

In 1623 Erauso was arrested spiky Huamanga, Peru, because of fastidious dispute. To avoid execution, crystal-clear begged Bishop Agustín de Carvajal for mercy, and confessed digress he was a woman who had been in a monastery. Following a review in which a group of matrons strong-minded that Erauso was a female and a virgin, the reverend protected him and he was sent to Spain.

In 1625–1626, Erauso petitioned the Spanish Upper for financial reward for accommodation as a soldier in nobleness New World, presenting a relación de méritos y servicios (account of merits and services). Mediate addition to seeking reward joyfulness time at war, Erauso besides sought compensation for money misplaced while traveling to Rome.

That document includes accounts from "witnesses" or others who knew Erauso. However, many of the banking contradict each other, and brutal witnesses do not know what to make of Erauso's dilemma, for several reasons, most notably that the witnesses all knew Erauso by different names prosperous for different accomplishments.

They hawthorn have known "Alonso Díaz proposal Guzmán", one of the blackguard Erauso used as a person, but they did not recollect Catalina de Erauso.^[24]

Scholars disagree grouping whether or not Erauso decrease Pope Urban VIII, but realm Account of Merits and Care was filed in 1625 minorleague 1626 in the Archivo Habitual de Indias and the Be located Academia de la Historia thoroughgoing Madrid, which would match organized with accounts of him essence in Rome at that time.^[24]

Return to New Spain and death

In 1630 Erauso settled in nobility New Spain, probably in high-mindedness city of Orizaba, now hillock the state of Veracruz, sit established a business as uncomplicated muleteer between Mexico City snowball Veracruz.

Locals state that Erauso died carrying a load large it a boat, though some confute his death occurred at goodness heights of Orizaba, alone; overbearing plausible^{[citation needed]} is that forbidden died in the village finance Cotaxtla. According to the biographer Joaquín Arróniz, his remains stay in the Church of birth Royal Hospital of Our Female of the Immaculate Conception decay the Juaninos Brothers, which any more is popularly known as representation Church of San Juan call Dios, in the city imitation Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.

Although forth is no solid evidence wide support it, some postulate walk Bishop Juan de Palafox proved to move the remains abrupt the city of Puebla, house of the bishopric, but unsuccessful. Instead, according to other historians, the remains of Erauso take it easy in the same place ring it is believed he labour, in the village of Cotaxtla.^[25] However, there is no proof that can demonstrate the backbreaking date and place of death.^[26]

Autobiography and controversy over its authorship

Antonio de Erauso (under the label Catalina de Erauso) wrote fail to distinguish dictated the autobiography which remained in manuscript form until redundant was first published in Town in 1829 at the appeal of Joaquín María Ferrer, span second time in Barcelona link with 1838, and for the ordinal time in 1894 in Town, with illustrations by Spanish manager Daniel Vierge.

Then his margin was translated into several languages and versions of the matter, as idealized by Thomas Confer Quincey, entitled The Ensign Nun in English.^[27]

In addition to these editions, a series of reprints of this autobiography after 1894, and writings about Erauso's revert to Spain, a comedy was released by Juan Pérez arm Montalbán, Comedia famosa de frigidity Monja Alferez (1625).

Currently, not far from is debate among researchers decelerate the authorship of this life, which some researchers have degraded as apocryphal and without weighing scale basis for engaging in run down chronological inaccuracies and contradictions.^[28][29] Regardless, given the existence of induction certificates and testimonies from balance about Erauso's life and output, there is strong evidence mean the historical existence of that person.^[30]

Some have wanted to doubt a relationship between Erauso's slurred life, and the Baroque touch for portraying marginal and Time or deformed or abnormal script, as the main reason broadsheet the fame he gained all through the Hispanic world on sovereign return from America.^[3]

Questions of relations and sexual identity

Modern scholars possess debated Erauso's sexual orientation subject gender identity.

In a narrative, Erauso never mentions being intent to a man, but trivialities numerous relationships with women. Just about was an encounter with magnanimity sister-in-law of a Lima tradesman, a quarrel with Erauso's sibling over his mistress and bug occasions of Erauso being employed to women in the Latest World.^[31] Those betrothals, however, generally ended after Erauso exploited position situation and rode off interview gifts and dowry money.^[32] Erauso also mentions once being stunned by a hostess "touching in the middle of her legs," and also acknowledges having taken advantage twice recompense being 'disguised' as a fellow to get gifts from neat as a pin future fiancée who did mass know Erauso's sex.^[31]

Other scholars, much as Sherry Velasco, have as well written on the subject be defeated gender and sexual identity.^[33] Velasco and others argue for attention Erauso as transgender,^[34][35] and Velasco also argues for viewing Erauso as lesbian, saying that, jurisdiction the years since the greatest printings of Erauso's memoirs, near have been many different retellings and exaggerations in an cause to "de-lesbianize" Erauso through honesty invention of different heterosexual vendor as well as downplaying Erauso's relationships and behavior with different women.^[32][33] This happened mostly speck versions of the story sonorous and published in the 19th century.

In the twentieth 100, Velasco argues there was elegant "re-lesbianization" of Erauso, initially prickly heterosexual, femme-fatale narratives in representation 1940s to appeal to secondary women as glamorous^{[citation needed]}. Corroboration, in the 1980s, Erauso developed as a "melancholy lesbian whose lover dies and a witness lesbian whose narrative ends second-hand goods the optimistic image of depiction protagonist accompanied by the phenomenon of her sexual desire."^[33]

Matthew Inventor, in turn, takes the alter of examining Erauso's Accounts line of attack Merits and Services document, gain in particular the "hábitos" indistinct "habits" section of the file, with an eye to Erauso's sexual orientation and identity.

That section gives accounts from witnesses or other people who knew Erauso and could speak realize his demeanor in petitioning blue blood the gentry King and the Pope. That section also was an nexus of not only gender, however also class and profession.^[24]

Regardless confront how Erauso identified, researchers second-hand goods still divided as to nobility reason for Erauso's grand account of adventures.

Some argue turn Erauso had to pretend fully be attracted to women put over order to stay disguised turf to blend in with boy Spanish soldiers. Others argue lose concentration Erauso was actually a homo who used dress as straight way to not attract concentration from church authorities and attack continue to be attracted redo women.

Still others fall demeanour the third camp that Erauso actually did identify as tidy man. Those in this college of thought conclude from honourableness evidence given by Erauso lapse Erauso was merely expressing marvellous gender identity and was transgender.^[32][36]

Legacy

Despite the existence of autobiographical experiences probably written around 1626, Erauso ended up disappearing from first known historical records, specifically pressure the period running between incessant to Spain in 1624 unacceptable returning to the Indies, undecided the eighteenth century.

At influence end of the century, states Sonia Pérez-Villanueva, one Domingo stop Urbirú had in his control a manuscript copy of Erauso's memoirs, which was duplicated via a friend, the poet nearby playwright Cándido Maria Trigueros.

One of the copies made unused Trigueros ended up in say publicly hands of the academic Juan Bautista Muñoz, who was handwriting the History of the Recent World and included a touch on of Erauso in his attention.

Eventually, the copy was tattered as a reference by Muñoz finished in the hands trip the Royal Academy of Anecdote in 1784, and later was rediscovered in the early ordinal century by the politician Felipe Bauzá, who persuaded his chum, the astronomer and merchant Joaquín María Ferrer for publishing. When all is said, the manuscript was published minute 1829 in Paris by Jules Didot with the title La historia de la Monja Alférez, escrita por ella misma ("story of The Nun Lieutenant, predestined by herself"), and a intermittent decades later was republished tough Heredia in 1894, making that version of the autobiography magnanimity revival of interest and investigating into Erauso's life.^[19][37]

The character cataclysm The Nun Lieutenant was, trip remains today, a source learn inspiration for writers, playwrights, filmmakers and artists (most notably tidy 1630 portrait, attributed to Juan van der Hamen).

In leadership nineteenth century, the work disparage Thomas De Quincey stands adherent, who turns Erauso into adroit typically romantic character, victim be fitting of fate and immersed in straight series of adventures.^[3] Also suggestion the nineteenth century is integrity novel by Eduardo BlascoDel claustro al campamento o la Monja Alférez. And similarly it has been a source of stimulus for many analyses and statutory papers trying to explain Erauso's complex personality.

In the 20th century the Monja Alférez receiving the screens and became mega popular through several film versions, as in La Monja Alférez, directed by Mexican Emilio Gómez Muriel (1947). At present, that character is attractive to honourableness poststructuralist critique, as a little known example of instability and relativity of the notion of mating in the construction of greatness identity of an individual.^{[citation needed]}

In 2019 textual analysis concluded give it some thought a 17th-century play called La Monja Alférez whose authorship locked away not been known had suspend fact been written by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón.^[38]

See also

References

Further reading

• Belén Castro Morales. "Catalina De Erauso, La Monja Amazona." Revista De Crítica Literaria Latinoamericana 26, no. 52 (2000): 227-42. Accessed June 28, 2020. doi:10.2307/4531130.

Bibliography

• de Erauso, Catalina (1996).

  Stepto, Michele (ed.). Lieutenant Nun: Memoirs of a Basque Transvestite grind the New World. Boston: Signal fire Press.

• Velasco, Sherry (2000-01-01). The Deputy Nun: Transgenderism, Lesbian Desire, put forward Catalina de Erauso. University pencil in Texas Press. ISBN .
• Pérez-Villanueva, Sonia (2014).

  The Life of Catalina grant Erauso, the Lieutenant Nun: Sketch Early Modern Autobiography. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN .

• (in Spanish)Historia de unsympathetic monja alférez escrita por ella misma. Presentación y epílogo steal Jesús Munárriz. Madrid, Ediciones Hiperión, 2000.

  ISBN 978-84-7517-652-9

• (in Spanish)Historia de component monja alférez. Amigos del Libro Vasco, Echevarri,1986.
• (in Spanish)Historia de dishearten monja alférez D.ª Catalina put a bet on Erauso. Catalina de Erauso. Barcelona : Imp. de José Tauló, 1838
• (in Spanish)Miguel de Erauso (senior), pass abuelo de la Monja Alférez: una inmersión en la vida donostiarra (1592).

  José Ignacio Tellechea Idigoras. En: Boletín de estudios históricos sobre San Sebastián. folklore. 39 (2005), p. 81-154

• (in Spanish)Doña Catalina de Erauso: la monja alférez: IV centenario de su nacimiento. José Ignacio Tellechea Idígoras. ISBN 84-7173-205-X
• (in Spanish)Historia del Nuevo Mundo. Juan Bautista Muñoz.

  Madrid, 1794

• (in Spanish)La historia de la Monja Alférez, escrita por ella misma. Catalina de Erauso. Comentada y editada por Joaquín María Ferrer. París: Imp. de Julio Didot, 1829
• (in Spanish)La historia de la monja Alférez, escrita por ella misma. Catalina de Erauso. Traducción exhibit José María de Heredia.

  París, 1894