Throughout the middle ages noble women vigorously, and often successfully, defended their own or their male relatives, lands and castles.
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Around 890 AD Thyra, Queen of Denmark, ruled in her husband's absence. She led her army against the Germans who invaded Sleswick and Jutland and over a 3 year period built the Danneverke, a great wall which was Denmark's major defense for centuries and portions of which still exist. |
In 945 Igor of Russia was killed by the Drevelians during a tax revolt. His wife, Olga, raised an army which attacked Drevelian strongholds forcing them to cease their revolt and pay taxes. In 1075 Emma, Countess of Norfolk held Norwich Castle against repeated attack and siege. When it became evident that the castle could not be taken the Countess was offered safe conduct for herself, her troops and her possessions to join her husband who had fled to France. She accepted and relinquished the castle.
| Urraca, Queen of Aragon became sole ruler of Leon-Castile in 1094 when her husband died. She married Alfonso of Aragon in 1098 and spent the remaining 13 years of her reign at war with him to protect the inheritance rights of her son by her first marriage. Both she and her half-sister Teresa who ruled in Portugal personally led their armies into battle. |
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In Italy, Alrude, Countess of Bertinoro, led an army to break the siege of Aucona in 1172. She forced the Imperial forces to abandon the siege and engaged in several battles on her return to her castle. Nicola de la Haye, was the daughter of Baron de la Haye, hereditary castellan of Lincoln. She successfully defended the town against several rebel raids and in 1216 was made sheriff of Lincolnshire.
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Jeanne of Navarre (1271-1304) ruler of Navarre, Brie and Champagne and wife of King Philip the Fair of France led her army against that of the Count de Bar when he attempted to rebel against her. Although Philip was entitled by marriage to claim rulership over Jeanne's lands he never did so. |
| In 1334 Lady Agnes Randolph, wife of Patrick, Earl of Dunbar and March, held the castle of Dunbar against the forces of the Earl of Salisbury for more than 5 months. (Click on picture for link to additional information) |
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During the wars of Brittany in the mid 1300's, several women defended their lands on the battlefield. One of the best known was Jane, Countess of Montfort, who personally led her troops in defeating Charles of Blois at Hennebonne. She later fought a sea battle off the coast of Guernsey. Charles' wife, Jeanne de Penthierre, took to the battlefield to free him after he was taken prisoner by the English. Jeanne de Belleville, whose husband Oliver III of Clisson was beheaded by Charles of Blois, led her troops in sacking several towns loyal to Charles. She later obtained 3 ships from Edward III of England which she used to sink French merchant and military vessels. She kept her two young children with her on her military campaigns until she eventually retired and remarried.
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Phillippa of Hainault, queen of Edward III of England, was named regent while he fought the French. In 1346 she led an army of 12,000 soldiers against the invading Scots and captured David Bruce, their king. |
| Margaret of Denmark (1353-1411) became ruler of Denmark and nominal Queen of Norway on the death of her son Olaf II in 1387. Denmark, Norway and Sweden were at war and Margaret led her armies against key cities and fortresses, eventually forcing the Swedes and Norwegians to withdraw from Denmark. She was elected Queen of Norway in 1388. The following year she was offered the Swedish throne after she defeated the Swedish king and took him prisoner. She persuaded the Diets of the three countries to accept her grand-nephew, Eric of Pomerania, as heir to their thrones. In 1397 she forged the Calmar Union, uniting the three nations under a single monarchy and becoming the most powerful ruler in Scandinavian history. |
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Jacqueline of Bavaria, Countess of Holland, Hainault and Zealand (1402-1437) became ruler of her lands when her father died on May 13, 1417. Her most powerful vassal, the lord of Arkell, rebelled against the rule of a 15 year old woman and led a revolt to overthrow her, laying siege to the fortified city of Gorkum. Jacqueline led an army of 300 ships and 6,000 knights to relieve Gorkum. She personally led her reserve troops in a charge against the castle gate and defeated Arkell's forces. |
| In 1429 Isabella of Lorraine led an army to free her husband Rene, Duke of Anjou, who had been imprisoned by the Duke of Burgundy. She later took to the field to fight for Rene's recognition as King of Sicily. Her daughter Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482) married Henry VI of England and defended the Lancastrians during the War of the Roses. Leading her armies she defeated both the Duke of York and the Earl of Warwick. In 1471 she landed at Weymouth expecting to join her forces with those of Jasper Tudor, but his army was delayed and Margaret's greatly outnumbered forces were defeated at Tewkesbury. She fled the battlefield on foot carrying her infant son and eventually escaped with him to Flanders. She raised a new army and returned to England where she fought for a number of years before being captured by the Yorkists, who allowed Louis XI of France to ransom her after obtaining her oath that she would cease fighting. |
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Isabella I of Castile (1451-1504), wife of Ferdinand of Aragon and queen regent of Spain, who sponsored Columbus' voyage and brought the Inquisition to her country, led her armies into battle early in her reign to protect her succession. Later during the conquest of the Moors, she sometimes rode into battle or mounted sieges with and without Ferdinand, but she was better known as a genius at military tactics and supplying armies in the field. |
In 1524 the King of France and the Constable de Bourbon were at war. The King's armies laid siege to Marseilles. Ameliane du Puget, the governor's daughter, led a troop of women who broke the siege. They dug a mined trench known as the Tranchee des Dames which became the modern day Boulevard des Dames. Lady Ann Cummingham led a cavalry troop of men and women in the Battle of Berwick on June 5, 1639. In 1643 during the English Civil War, Blanche the Countess of Arundel, defended Wardour Castle against a Parliamentarian army while Brilliana the Countess of Harley, who was pregnant at the time, defended Brampton Castle against the King's army. 
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