Maria Quitéria de Jesus
In Brazil, there is a woman who is considered their own Joan of Arc. Her name was Maria Quitéria de Jesus and she was born on June 27, 1792, in the Bahia state of Brazil. She was the eldest daughter of a farmer and though she never received a formal education, unusually she was given instruction in skills that would normally be given to a farmer’s son such as hunting, fishing, and horse riding – skills that would be invaluable in her later military career.
In 1822, the Brazilian War of Independence broke out pitting the newly independent Brazilian Empire against her former colonial master, Portugal. Maria Quitéria refused to stay on the sidelines of the conflict and joined the Brazilian army disguised as a man by cutting her hair and dressing in a man’s clothing. She fought in several battles until she was outed by her very father who was furious at her joining the army against his wishes. But due to her bravery and skill in battle, she was allowed to continue to serve in the army. By August 1823, she was recognized by the Brazilian government and given a promotion to the rank of lieutenant.
After the war, she did marry and had one daughter. Sadly, her fame did not translate into fortune and she died in poverty and relative obscurity in 1853. However, one hundred years later, her memory was revived by the government and a bronze medal was cast called the “Medal of Maria Quitéria” to be issued to outstanding civilians and soldiers for contributions to military efforts. She was also declared a Patron of the Corps of Support Staff Officers in the Brazilian Army in 1996.
