18. A Warrior Poetess
Khawla bint al Azwar (flourished 600s AD) was a Muslim Arab poet and warrior who accompanied her elder brother during the Islamic conquests of Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. She fought at her brother’s side, and at the head of her own forces in independent command in numerous battles, and became famous for her fighting skill, courage, and toughness. The daughter of a tribal chief, in her youth she was taught warrior skills such as swordsmanship and horseback riding at the side of her brother.
Khawla also learned poetry at her sibling’s side, who became a noted poet and warrior. When her brother converted to the then-new religion of Islam, Khawla followed his suit and adopted the new faith. She first gained note as a formidable warrior in 634, in the Arab siege of Damascus, when her brother was wounded and taken prisoner by the city’s Byzantine defenders. Khawla donned armor and arms, covered her face with a shawl to hide her gender, and charged the Byzantine rearguard alone. She fought until reinforcements arrived to rescue her brother from captivity.
