La Nonne Alferez

While the galley Saint‑Joseph cuts through the tropical seas in September 1624, a weathered figure sits on the deck, dictating a confession that reads like a wild adventure novel. Doña Catalina de Erauso, known later as the Nonne Alferez, recounts her childhood in the Basque country, her daring escape from a convent, and the years she spent disguised as a man, riding across the Andes and fighting in the armies of the New World. Her voice is blunt and direct, rarely slipping into feminine self‑reference, giving the impression of a soldier more comfortable with a sword than a pen.

The manuscript, rescued by later editors and illustrated with striking engravings, blurs the line between legend and documented history. Readers are invited to follow her early exploits—her daring duels, daring escapes, and the relentless quest for freedom—before the story reaches the courts of Spain where her reputation precedes her. The work offers a rare glimpse into a life that challenged gender norms and the rigid social order of the 17th‑century Spanish empire.