Nefertiti

Nefertiti

The Mystery Queen of Egypt

Who was the Egyptian queen? What made her so inexplicable and robust?

Nefertiti, which refers to “a beautiful women has come”, was the queen of Egypt in the 15th century B.C., who played an acclaimed role in the a system of religious veneration, of the son god (also known as the Aton). Queen Nefertiti, the most vigorous women, was as influential as she was alluring. Her partner and husband in power, King Akhenaten, together unconditionally converted Egyptian religion. Throughout her reigning as queen, Egypt endured many revolutionary religious changes and everything they once knew was being exchanged for a new concept called Monotheism. Monotheism is defined as “as the belief in the existence of only one god that created the world, is all-powerful and intervenes in the world. A broader definition of monotheism is the belief in one god”. She was efficient in shutting down the idea of the old gods, temples were terminated, and priests were forced to change their teachings.

In early images Nefertiti is depicted as the stereotypical young beautiful woman but in later years she looks more like her husband Akhenaten. The author of The Mysterious Disappearance of Nefertiti, Ruler of the Nile states, “Nefertiti is depicted in images and statuary in a large image denoting her importance. Many images of her show simple family gatherings with her husband and daughters. She is also known as the mother-in-law and stepmother of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun”(Aprilholloway 1). She is often shown is positions of power and authority such as leading worship of Aten and steering a chariot.  According to the article Nefertiti, history editor’s state “Nefertiti disappears from the historical record around the 12th year of Akhenaten’s 17-year reign. She may have died at that point, but it is possible she became her husband’s official co-regent under the name Neferneferuaten”. In Akhenaten’s 12 year of reign, Nefertiti disappears from any historical record. She is believed to have died, but there are myths that believe she became her husband’s co-regent under the new name Neferneferuaten. Another theory that was contrived was she became the ruler of Egypt under the name Smenkhkare, which in the time period was not allowed. One of the major causes of this belief as Zahi Hawass makes prominent:  

This king [Smenkhkare] is shown as a male in the company of Meritaten as `his’

queen; however, his throne name was virtually identical to that of Akhenaten’s coregent, now convincingly identified as Nefertiti. Whether this king was Nefertiti herself or an otherwise unattested son of Akhenaten’s (or Amenhotep III’s) he or she died only two years after ascending the throne, and left Egypt in the hands of a young boy named Tutankhaten [later Tutankhamun] (47).

This has become the most believes and well developed theory because it is realistic that she would go to great lengths to rule Egypt, even if it required her to dress as a male.

If Nefertiti was to have reigned after Akhenaten’s, she would be responsible for the nullification of her husband’s religious policies. There have been several theories proposed that would interpret her unexpected disappearance. Some of these theories would include “She fell out of favor with her husband because she could not produce a male heir and so was replaced by Kiya” and “She abandoned the religion of Aten and was banished by Akhenaten”. None of these theories are able to be confirmed which leaves room for interpretation of the uncertain. Under the reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, Egypt prospered in the enjoyment of wealth and triumph, and perhaps the most fortune it had ever seen. Nefertiti is depicted much more in the drawings and artwork than her husband is. She often was found in the position of the pharaoh such as striking enemies and embellishing the throne with prisoners. Nefertiti was one of the most powerful queen that Egypt had ever seen. As a queen, she embodied characteristics that only Egyptian kings would.

Work Cited:

1.https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/nefertiti
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotheism

2. https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/mysterious-disappearance-nefertiti-ruler-nile-001988

3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/women_01.shtml

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotheism

The Woman in Front of the Man: Jeanne d'Arc

"Martyr, saint and military leader Joan of Arc, acting under divine guidance, led the French army to victory over the English during the Hundred Years' War." (1)

(Photo Credit)

A Historical Account of Joan of Arc

Born in 1412 in the middle of the Hundred Year War between France and England, Joan grew up a poor peasant farm girl with her mother and father. Through the early years of her life, Northern France became a lawless battleground for the armies of the French and English as they fought over the heir to the French throne. It was in this time of peak turmoil that Joan began having divine visions to lead a more pious life. Following this divine guidance, Joan sought audience with the would-be heir Charles VII to fight on his behalf and seat him as king. (1)

Initially stopping at the stronghold of Vaucouleurs, Joan persuaded loyalists to Charles of her divine purpose and garnered a band of followers to her cause. At this same time, Joan took upon the visage of a man to further garner respect and authority; she cropped her hair short and began dressing as a man. From there, Joan and her followers made the trek to Chinon where Charles VII resided. (2)

(Photo Credit)

Upon arrival at Chinon, Joan went immediately to the castle of the dauphin Charles, and was met with a mixed response as to whether she was worthy of his audience and trust. Joan was eventually granted entrance to his court, and to test her he hid himself amongst the rest of the audience. She was not fooled by any means as she easily picked Charles out, and requested to fight the English forces to properly crown Charles VII as king of France at Reims. In attempt to be sure of her intent, Charles VII had Joan interrogated for three weeks for fear of heresy and malicious, alternative motives. The interrogations ended with Joan claiming she would provide proof by ending the ongoing English siege at Orléans. She was granted permission to undertake this mission, and Charles VII provided Joan of Arc a fighting force to take on the English. (3)

(Photo Credit)

Prior to engaging the English troops, Joan declared the King of England must withdraw his forces from French soil. As might be expected, the English commanders were outraged that woman would assume a position of authority, and Joan took advantage of the situation and rapidly engaged the English forts surrounding Orléans. Within two weeks time, the English forces were overwhelmed and the siege on Orléans was lifted, although Joan was injured during the exchange. Joan, egged on by the divine voices in her head, sought to continue her campaign despite the hesitancy of the King and his advisers. (4)

(Photo Credit)

After sufficient convincing, Joan carried on her campaign and was successful in several battles culminating in a victory at Patay. At this point, the route to Reims, their final destination, was practically open, but once again the King and commanders were reluctant to carry on to finish their mission. Joan, who would not be deterred, persevered through the reluctance and delivered Charles VII to Reims. (6)

(Photo Credit)

"On Sunday, 17 July, 1429, Charles VII was solemnly crowned, the Maid standing by with her standard, for — as she explained — 'as it had shared in the toil, it was just that it should share in the victory.'" (4)

Following the conclusion of Charles VII's coronation, Joan pursued a number of subsequent campaigns with mixed results. Joan sought to recapture Paris from the English, and despite her best efforts, her impatience to succeed was her undoing and she was forced to retreat. The battles to follow included some victories, but also a number of defeats that resulted in her capture. (5)

The capture of Joan of Arc
(Photo Credit)

Joan was placed on trial, after ransomed for 10,000 francs, and tried for heresy before a church court. Throughout her trial she was defiant of the court, though they were Frenchmen they were enemies of Charles VII. After long and numerous proceedings, Joan was sentenced to death by immolation. Those who witnessed her death were quoted to say she died a faithful Christian. (3)

(Photo Credit)

Almost 20 years post-mortem in 1450, after a thorough investigation into the trial, Pope Calixtus III revoked and annulled the sentencing placed on Joan in 1431, though it did little to bring her back from the dead. A few hundred years later, Pope Benedict XV canonized her as a martyr and granted her Sainthood in 1920 to grant her the honors she rightly deserves. (5)

(Video Credit)

Joan of Arc for the Modern Era

Joan of Arc's story has been recounted and retold many times and many forms of art and media have been produced of her and her feats. May statues have been erected in her visage, most often ahorse as seen in Paris, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.

(Photo Credit)

(Photo Credit)

(Photo Credit)

In my opinion, Joan of Arc's heroism and unfaltering dedication to her country are admirable qualities that easily make her a feminist by today's standards. Even in facing the threat of death, Joan believed her cause to be more valuable than her own life. I was aware of Joan of Arc by name and that she was a notable figure in war, but researching her story in detail gave me a newfound respect for her. The adversity she faced not only from the English forces, but also from internal conflict with the French only further stacked the odds against her. However, her faith and belief in carrying out God's will, as she believed, drove her forward in seemingly hopeless situations to achieve amazing feats in battle.

Though the average person in today's society may not be driven to pursue battle with their enemies, the moral lessons and perseverance Joan exhibited can still resonate with the contemporary audience. Adversity is still felt in many ways today, and sometimes we need a Jeanne d'Arc to engage the masses and rally them to incite greater change within society.

Works Cited

Editors, Biography.com. “Joan of Arc.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 27 Feb. 2018, www.biography.com/people/joan-of-arc-9354756. (1)

Editors, History.com. “Joan of Arc.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 21 Aug. 2018, <www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/saint-joan-of-arc>. (2)

Lanhers, Yvonne, and Malcolm G.A. Vale. “Saint Joan of Arc.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 14 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc. (3)

Thurston, Herbert. "St. Joan of Arc." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 23 Oct. 2018 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08409c.htm>. (4)

Wikipedia contributors. "Joan of Arc." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Oct. 2018. Web. 24 Oct. 2018. (5)

Williamson, Allen. “Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'Arc) Archive.” Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'Arc) Archive, 20 Apr. 2015, <archive.joan-of-arc.org/>. (6)

Bellona-Goddess of War

Bellona is the ancient Roman Goddess of War. Of course she has a male counterpart, Mars, but she is associated with (1)destruction, bloodlust, war, and conquest which is usually what we only see with men. Her gear seems to be the same armor a man would wear which means that she isn't being sexualized in any type of way. Her shield is decorated with the face of Medusa. She is truly this badass woman that is a source of power and war. When going to war she can be seen (2) holding a spear and a flaming torch or riding in a chariot and waving a blood-stained sword. She highkey makes me wanna be her for Halloween. (3)The last century of the Roman Republic is when she was introduced to Roman soldiers in Asia Minor under General Pompey and Sulla. Bellona (3)ignited a warlike frenzy where Romans would fight with uncontrollable fury and rage. Now there isn't any mention of her in actual battle, however, her being a true symbol of war is almost greater than her being in battle stories. She's a symbol for one of the most powerful things known to mankind and her people celebrate her because she is this powerful woman who stands for rage and bloodshed. 

I feel that her story does resonate with a contemporary audience. From a feminist view she's someone who resonates power and represents such a brutal event which we normally don't see coming from a woman. Men make themselves bleed for her and sacrifice themselves for her. (3) In ancient Rome they hold a festival in honor of her on March 24th, Bellona's Day, called Dies Sanguinis which means Day of Blood. I feel that she does represent her culture pretty well. There's always talk about Gods and Goddesses  that are linked to the Romans and they were essentially war driver and were heavily involved in violence. Even though women are still seen as less valuable in the Roman culture they are completely worshipped and very few Romans would go against their Gods or Goddesses. Romans have built Temples dedicated to her where generals and military matters take place.

Works Cited

1. https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/bellona-roman-goddess-war-and-artistic-muse-009998

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellona_(goddess)

3.http://www.talesbeyondbelief.com/roman-gods/bellona.htm

Khutulun - The Princess Wrestler

 

"The Princess Wrestler"

Khutulun Painting
Pic credit

     Khutulun was the most famous female wrestler starting off in circa 1260, and ending around in 1306 when she died. Khutulun was born in Mongolia, and lived there her whole life. She was apart of the Khan's Mongol empire, which is one of the most known and biggest empires that spread throughout China, Europe, and the Middle East. Khutulun's family line is based off of very powerful rulers, such as her father, Kaidu, and her uncle, Kublai Khan. These two were both well-known emperors of the Khan's Mongol empire. Khutulun's father became the emperor around the age of 1280; he became the most powerful ruler of Central Asia. This helped Khutulun become well-known to all the people in this area, due of the fact that her father considered her the favorite daughter. This was because her father was most pleased by Khutulun's abilities, so she travelled with him on military campaigns. (1). 

     Khutulun grew up with fourteen brothers, meaning she learned the saying "shove or get shoved" as a way of life because of how the boys always wrestled each other. This helped her gain her strength and toughness to become the most powerful female wrestler. In Mongolian culture, wrestling is known as a gender-netural sport. What makes Mongolian culture even better is that Mongolian people considered every activity a uni-sex activity. A good example of this would be that both males and females could participate in warfare because speed, agility, and a good aim to shoot could be shown by both genders. This was why Mongolian citizens were very accepting and supportive of Khutulun being a wrestler. (2).

Khutulun Riding Horse
Pic credit

     In wrestling, the fighters wrestled for the winning prize, which were horses. Horses were very important in this culture and empire because the warfare fighters need strong, healthy horses to help them ride into battle. Legend has it that Khutulun had more horses than the emperor of China. It was told that she gathered a herd of ten thousand horses from winning all of the wrestling matches she participated in. What makes her even more strong and brave is that the game of wrestling in their eyes of Mongolian people was not based on height/weight like how United State culture does it (2). Mongolian wrestlers were paired up with whoever wanted to fight, no matter their weight or size. No matter what size, gender, or weight the opponent was, Khutulun still won all of her matches (3). Khutulun was so powerful that she told herself she would get married to the man who is able to beat her, but sadly no one could beat her (2).

Khutulun Wrestling
Pic credit

     Her father very dearly wanted her to fight a husband instead of bringing home more horses each day, but Khutulun stuck to her words by waiting for a guy that could beat her. As she kept getting older and was still single, a rumor began to spread. Because Khutulun was so close to her father, the other citizens began to think that the two were having an incestuous relationship. Khutulun realized that her family was going keep getting slandered by this rumor, so she made a deal with one of her father's soldiers to wrestle her for marriage (3). She told the soldier she would go easy on him because Khutulun knew she could beat him. Once the soldier "won" the match, they got married and the rumor died off (4).

     A couple years later, her father decided to step down from and hand the role of emperor to Khutulun. Her brothers were mad that she got the throne, and honestly, so was Khutulun. She didn't really want to become the emperor because she enjoyed fighting in the armed forces, instead of being trapped in a palace (2). Despite her frustration of that, she did end up taking the throne, becoming one of the last warrior princesses to rule. Unfortunately, after a couple years being emperor, Khutulun died unexpectedly, leading the Khan empire to fall to pieces (3).

Claudia Kim as Khutulun
Pic Credit 

     In popular culture of Western countries today, the story of Khutulun is brought back to life in a Netflix series called Marco Polo. In the trailer, viewers will see bits and pieces of her wrestling, but all throughout the show, her storyline in thoroughly followed as the legend is told (5). The character Khutulun is played by Claudia Kim, who is an Asian actress and model (6). In addition to that, there is a racing horse who is named Khutulun. This name must bring luck because this racing horse has won around $500,000 as of August 2018. The fact that the horses name is Khutulun is so ironic because of how many horses Khutulun had, and the luck she had (1).

     In my own opinion of the story of Khutulun, I greatly appreciated the fact that both males and females could participate in any sport, hobby, or on the battlefield. I feel like this is a very proactive storyline more citizens in Western culture should read to understand the concept that both genders are equally capable to participate in "more tough" environments. I think this a great story to show a girl who wants to join wrestling, or a male-dominated sport/hobby (for example: football, hunting). I also appreciated how Khutulun beat all of the men she wrestled, and how she was a female emperor, making a huge power statement because most stories in Western culture are based on the male being more powerful than a female. Overall, I wish that the culture of the United States was a replica of the Mongolian culture, based off of the social construction -- where the genders are equal and the sports/hobbies are defined as "uni-sex", rather than "feminine" and "masculine".


Works Cited

(1) “Khutulun.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khutulun.

(2) Wikarski, N S. “Khutulun and the V-Neck T-Shirt.” Khutulun, www.mythofhistory.com/Khutulun.html.

(3) Porath, Jason. “Khutulun: The Wrestler Princess.” Rejected Princesses, 2018, www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/khutulun.

(4) “Khutulun: The Undefeated Bad-Ass Mongolian Warrior Princess.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 2013, www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/khutulun-0010840.

(5) “Marco Polo | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Nov. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB-ltNasHVw.

(6) “Claudia Kim.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/name/nm2263791/.

Boudicca: Ancient Queen

Boudicca (sometimes spelt as Boadicea) was a warrior queen who led the Iceni tribe in a revolt against the Romans in around 60 CE.

The History of Boudicca

The Iceni were an ancient tribe with territories in Norfolk and Suffolk in England, UK. Boudicca's husband was king of the tribe, and left his wealth and possessions to their two daughters, as well as the Roman emperor Nero, hoping this would mean imperial protection for the family. (Tucker)

Instead, when he died in 60 CE, the Roman forces attacked their realm and plundered their villages. Female rulers were common in the Iceni tribe, yet it is thought that, because of their disbelief in female leaders, the Romans instead enslaved the tribes people, whilst Boudicca was beaten and her daughters raped. Records from Roman historian Tacitus state that:

"The Icenian chiefs were deprived of their hereditary estates as if the Romans had been given the whole country. The king's own relatives were treated like slaves. And the humiliated Iceni feared still worse, now that they had been reduced to provincial status. So they rebelled. " (Mark)

Painting "Boadicea Haranguing the Britons" by John Opie (1761–1807)
(Photo Credit)

The Iceni tribe were not the only ones under Roman oppression; the Celtic religious culture was repressed by Roman rule, and as a result heavy taxes were imposed and tribal land was taken. Shortly after, other tribes throughout East Anglia joined the Iceni in a revolt against Roman forces.(Biography.com)

 Boudicca firstly led them to the city of Camulodunum (what is now Colchester), which was also the capital of Roman Britain at the time. Killing the inhabitants and burning the city to the ground, the imperial forces were no match for the Celtic army. Boudicca then went onto attack the city of Londinium (London), but was defeated whilst destroying the city Verulamium (Saint Albans), and it is thought that she committed suicide by poisoning to evade capture, whilst some argue she died of her battle wounds. (Mark)

A map of the UK, showing London.
(Click to enlarge. Photo credit)

A map of modern day East Anglia, showing Norfolk
and Suffolk, sites of the Iceni territory. Marked in red are
the sites where Boudicca's army battled Roman forces.
(Click to enlarge. Photo credit)

Boudicca for a Contemporary audience

Since the Victorian era, Boudicca has been a fascination for historians and British culture alike. Often named the first feminist, she is celebrated for her determination to fight back against the Romans and maintain the culture and heritage or her family, and her tribes people. Certainly for British people, she is what comes to mind with the phrase "woman warrior". 

Her legacy is often recreated through artwork. The most famous example would be the "Boadicea and Her Daughters" bronze statue, created by Victorian artist Thomas Thornycroft. It stands near the Houses of Parliament in London, facing towards Big Ben. It's awe-inspiring to see a woman depicted with power rather than simply demonstrating her beauty:

(Photo credit)

(Photo credit)

The city of Colchester also features Boudicca prominently in its vast Roman history. Its Castle Museum contains many Roman artifacts, including ash excavated from local sites, thought to be remains of the structures she destroyed during her army's rampaged. It is known as "Boudican layer".

The town hall also features a statue of Boudicca, and an image of her in a stained glass window. In 1999, artist Jonathan Clarke created a statue of her that now resides near the town's train station. 

Statue from the Town Hall.
(Photo credit)

The stained glass window piece in the Town Hall's Moot Hall.
(photo credit)

Jonathan Clarke's 1999 statue.
(photo credit)

The "Boudican layer" of ash; all that remains of the buildings
and homes Boudicca destroyed.
(photo credit)

Bouddica's name comes from the Celtic word "boudda", meaning "victory" (Tucker), and many historical sources describe her as being tall and red-headed; Greek writer Dio Cassius described her as "‘very tall in stature, most terrifying in appearance, most fierce in the glance of her eye, with a harsh voice and a great mass of red hair that fell to her hips’. Of course, there is no way of telling if this is true, and it's thought that Roman historians depicted her in a negative, barbaric way, as Roman leaders wouldn't want to entertain the idea of a beautiful female leader. (Museum of London)

Unsurprisingly, today Boudicca is still seen as an inspirational figure, with the Celtic revolt remaining a core part of History curriculum in the UK. The British cultural fascination with her has led to many media platforms telling her story, including a 2003 film starring Alex Kingston. More recently, the children's educational TV series Horrible Histories sees her played by Martha Howe Douglas.

Alex Kingston in a shot from the 2003 film.
(Photo credit)

Clip of song from Horrible Histories.

I personally love Boudicca because she fought for herself as well as her people; she fought back against the Roman forces for the honour of her family, as well as to preserve the culture and heritage of the Iceni people and many other Celtic tribes. She refused to let oppressive rulers destroy her identity and let her people's land be lost.

She also has a personal connection to me as I am from Suffolk myself, but I have seen Boudicca's story resonate with a contemporary audience. At home I am a student of the University of Essex, a UK university which is situated in Colchester. I've visited the museums in the town and local area and it's so exciting to see that Boudicca is still talked about and loved by both historians and the general public as a whole. It shows that clearly, Boudicca's story will not be forgotten anytime soon. 

Works cited: 

Biography.com, "Boudicca Biography", www.biography.com/people/boudicca (March 2018, last accessed 22nd October 2018) 

Encyclopedia Britannica, "Boudicca", www.britannica.com/biography/Boudicca (2017, last accessed 22nd October 2018 

Mark, Joshua J., "Boudicca", www.ancient.eu/Boudicca (2013, last accessed 22nd October 2018)

Museum of London, "Queen Boudica In London", www.museumoflondon.org.uk/application/files/1214/5433/9990/queen-boudica-in-london.pdf (last accessed 22nd October 2018) 

Stewart, Terry, "Boudica and The Slaughter at Camulodunum", www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Boudica-and-the-Slaughter-at-Colchester/ (last accessed 22nd October 2018)

Tucker, S.C, as quoted in "Boudicca - The Celtic Queen who defied Rome", https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/boudicca/boudicca-celtic-queen-defied-rome/ (last accessed 22nd October 2018)

Visit Colchester, https://www.visitcolchester.com/explore/historic-colchester/roman-colchester.aspx (last accessed 22nd October 2018)

Wikipedia, www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boadicea_and_Her_Daughters (last accessed 22nd October 2018 

Agustina de Aragón

Who is Agustina de Aragón?
She is a Spanish war hero and military figure who fought during the Peninsula War (1808-1814) during the Spanish War of Independence. Born on March 4th in 1786 as Agustina Raimunda Maria Saragossa Domenech. Although it is not sure where she was born, many places claimed to be the origin of this brave soldier such as Reus, Provincia de Tarragona, and Cataluna, Spain.
Early life
According to findagrave.com, Agustina was reportedly married to a young Spanish soldier named Joan Roca Vila-Seca at the age of 16. She was always interested in the military life and wanted to help as much as she could. Therefore, when the war started in a small town called Zaragoza in the summer of 1808, she did as much as a woman in her time was capable of doing. She arrived with a basket of apples for the soldiers in the town of Zaragoza, at the same moment the French Army launched an attack, and when she saw many of the Spanish soldiers injured and unprepared for the attack, she jumped into action and loaded a cannon launching at the French. When the fellow Spaniards saw her bravery they jumped into action as well, fighting beside a woman, which was never seen before. The town had been cut off from supplies and ammunition for weeks and the Spaniards were losing the fight against the French Empire. Thanks to Agustina the assault by the French failed but the French continued to attack the city for many weeks to come. Agustina was later captured by the French and the city Surrendered to Napoleon’s army. She later escaped and formed a group of Spanish guerrilla fighters which were armed civilians in the countryside and helped organized attacks against the French. She later became the only female officer in the Duke of Wellington’s British Army and fought with the British to defeat the French in the Battle of Victoria in June 1813.
Later life 
After the war, she married a doctor and lived in Zaragosa for the remainder of her life. The locals admired her and she became a legend not only in the small town of Zaragosa but all throughout the world with monuments, literary works, songs, philately, and movies made about her. The town dedicated a monument for Augustina and till this day it stands in the same spot that she first fired the cannon against the French. Agustina de Aragón later died in May 29th, 1857  at the age of 71 in Ceuta, Spain.

War Hero 
This war hero not only represents a woman’s bravery during a time of war but also the capability that any woman could have. Her story is very important for young girls all around the world because Agustina is capable of not only expiring the troops of the Spanish Army but also any girl that ever wanted to fight for what she believed in. What I found amazing and extraordinary about her story is that an entire village united as one no matter the gender to fight a common enemy, without any prejudice and or sexism and after the war was over they gave credit when it was due and acknowledge a woman as their hero, which was rare thing to see at that time period. Her story goes to show that women are strong and capable of doing anything that men can do as well.




Work Cited 
Figure 1 García, Rubén. "¿Quién Fue Agustina De Aragón? - ¡O César, O Nada!". ¡O César, O Nada!, 2018, http://www.ocesaronada.net/quien-fue-agustina-de-aragon/. Accessed 22 Oct 2018.

Findagrave.Com, 2018, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19180016/agustina-de-arag%C3%B3n. Accessed 22 Oct 2018.

"Heritage History - Products". Heritage-History.Com, 2018, https://www.heritage-history.com/index.php?c=resources&s=char-dir&f=agustina. Accessed 22 Oct 2018.

Figure 2 "Monumento A Agustina De Aragón - Picture Of Monumento A Agustina De Aragon, Zaragoza - Tripadvisor". Tripadvisor.Co.Za, 2018, https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g187448-d7195608-i114893467-Monumento_a_Agustina_de_Aragon-Zaragoza_Province_of_Zaragoza_Aragon.html. Accessed 22 Oct 2018.

"The Peninsular War 1808-1814". Peninsularwar.Org, 2018, http://www.peninsularwar.org/penwar_e.htm. Accessed 22 Oct 2018.

The Marriage Terminator

Senior Chief Theresa Kachindamoto (2)

           Theresa Kachindamoto, Senior Chief in the Dezda District in Central Malawi, is a woman warrior to all, but more importantly the young women of Malawi. She is well known for dissolving child marriages and focusing on education for young boys and girls. Theresa is the youngest of twelve siblings in a family of traditional rulers of the Dezda District. She married and became the mother of five boys. She worked for twenty-seven years as a secretary at a college in the Zomba District until being called home in 2003 to her current position as Senior Chief. She had been chosen to lead 900,000 people in her district and continue to represent her family (2).

Malawi Country Map (2)

          Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa. Lake Malawi covers around a third of the country, in which the Dezda District is located at the southern tip of, at Monkey Bay (2). Malawi is among the world's least developed countries with its economy focused on agriculture and relies heavily on outside aid. This is a large factor in the countries history of childhood marriages. Half of the population lives below the poverty line continuing the culture of childhood marriages to ease a family's financial burdens. A dowery, a transfer of goods for the marriage of a daughter, is done throughout the country as a way of making ends meet. This in turn takes a young girl away from home too soon and out of the school system. When Theresa came home to become Chief, she was disturbed by the amount of young girls she saw with babies on their hips. She began by raising the legal age to marry to 18, but parental consent was still being used as a loophole. She ordered fifty of her sub-chiefs to sign an agreement to end child marriages in the Dezda District. When four sub-chiefs continued to allow for child marriages to occur, she suspended them until those marriages were annulled. With this she also annulled all previous marriages of girls who were considered to be underage. She is now pushing for the legal age to be married to once again be raised to age twenty-one this time. Over the past three years, she has annulled over eight hundred and fifty childhood marriages (3). Child marriage is one of the biggest factors holding girls back around the world in a large number of underdeveloped countries. When young girls are pulled from the education systems early on, their opportunities are limited within society thus limiting their potential. This has been seen as an issue for the community and country as a whole since in hurts economic growth, another factor in Malawi. A study done by the United Nations in 2012, showed that over half of the girls in Malawi are married before their eighteenth birthday (4). Annulling the marriages in the Dezda District was only the start of Theresa's goal in her new position.

Chief Kachindamoto with children of her District (3)

          Education for young girls was not being accomplished in the Dezda District. Childhood marriages were keeping young girls from finishing their schooling. They were being pulled out of school to be married off and also beginning families at a much younger age limiting their potential. After annulling the marriages, they were to be sent back to school. She pushed for families to understand that if they educate their daughters, they will have more in the future rather than trading them for a dowery. She has instilled a secret network of mothers to help her ensure that children are attending school. When a family cannot afford to pay for school fees, she finds a way to help them either through donors or by paying them herself. Chief Kachindamoto insisted that, "They must go to school. No child should be found at home or doing household chores during school time" (4). Here you can see how dedicated she has been to her community as a whole in its children and their futures (1).

Chief Kachindamoto representing her fight
for abolishing sexual initiation (2)

          Chief Theresa Kachindamoto has abolished childhood marriages and is continuing to ensure that children are receiving an education and now she is now focused on abolishing sexual initiation. Girls as young as seven years old are sent off to camps to learn how to please their future husbands. Ceremonies have been known to include sexual dances, acts and even having sex with their teacher to complete their sexual initiation. This can even escalate further to the parents hiring a male community member to take their daughter's virginity to prove what she has learned. She has threaten to dismiss sub-chiefs for approving of this. Along with this, she is trying to prevent the spread of HIV. One of ten people is positive for HIV in Malawi (2). Girls are put at a high risk of contracting the disease with sexual initiation especially at a young age.

      Chief Theresa Kachindamoto has created a lot of change for young girls of the Dezda District since 2003 and continues this as well. She is pushing for not only Women's Rights, but also the Rights of young girls. She has received pushback from parents and community members, even receiving death threats for her efforts, but she has not and will not stop pushing her district to be better. She has changed laws and minds of her community and believes in the future of their young females (2).

1. “Ending Child Marriages in Malawi.” YouTube, YouTube, 25 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8roblU_UchA.

2. “Meet the Brave Female Chief Who Stopped 850 Child Marriages in Malawi.” Global Citizen, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/malawi-chief-woman-ends-sex-initiation-and-child-m/.

3. Ph. “Theresa Kachindamoto: How This Female Chief Broke Up 850 Child Marriages In Malawi.” How Africa News, 21 Sept. 2018, howafrica.com/theresa-kachindamoto-how-this-female-chief-broke-up-850-child-marriages-in-malawi/.

4. Ruiz-Grossman, Sarah. “How This Female Chief Broke Up 850 Child Marriages In Malawi.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 1 Apr. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/woman-chief-breaks-up-850-child-marriages-in-malawi_us_56fd51c2e4b0a06d580510da.