Maria Quitéria de Jesus

Brazil's first female soldier who fought in male-dominated military campaigns during the 19th century

Maria Quitéria de Jesus (1813-1884) became Brazil's first documented female combat soldier when she disguised herself as a man to join the Brazilian War of Independence (1822-1824). Later revealed as female, she was granted an officer's commission and pension - unprecedented for women at the time. Continuing her military service, she fought in Paraguayan and Cabanagem conflicts, earning the nickname "Amazona da Amazônia." Her defiance of gender roles inspired later women's rights movements. Despite her bravery, her story was suppressed in official histories until recent scholarship. Explore her legacy through Portuguese Wikipedia or the Brazilian National Archives. Her life is immortalized in the Salvador monument.