Julie D’Aubigny aka Mademoiselle Maupin
Julie d’Aubigny was born in 1670, to a wealthy aristocratic family. Her father was in charge of training the king of Frances’s squires and brought his daughter up in the same way. Juliet dressed as a boy and learned how to ride, fight with a sword and her fists, as well as drink and gamble. By the time she was an adult, Julie had become the talk of society. She was known as a cross-dresser, a bisexual, an opera singer, a fugitive and an expert swordswoman. “Beautiful, valiant, generous, and supremely unchaste,” Julie D’ Aubigny did not hesitate to squash conventions and ignore the rules. Unsurprisingly, she fought a number of duels.
At 14, Julie became the mistress of the King’s Master of Horse and then the wife of Sieur de Maupin, who she left for her fencing master. However, Julie had always wanted to be an opera singer and so eventually ended up on the stage in Paris as La Maupin. It was during this time that she began her first affair with a woman. The girl was sent to a convent in Avignon because of the scandal but undeterred, Julie followed her. After taking holy orders, she and her lover faked the girl’s death and ran away- after setting the convent on fire. Julie was charged with kidnapping, body snatching and arson in her absence and sentenced to death.
Although she was eventually pardoned for these offenses, for a time Julie was on the run, dressed as a man. It was during this period that she encountered a young nobleman, the Count d’Albert. D’Albert offended Julie in some way, leading her to challenge him to a duel. She defeated the count and injured him, piercing his shoulder with her sword. However, the next day, she generously called upon him to see how he was. Before long, Julie and her former opponent were lovers and remained friends for the rest of her life.
No less than three consecutive duels occurred after Julie caused a scandal at a society ball. Julie attended in male dress, in no way attempting to disguise her sex but just for the fun of it. While there, a beautiful young lady caught her eye. Without any hesitation, Julie approached the girl and began to flirt with her, finally kissing her. Three of the young lady’s suitors witnessed the event and were so outraged that they challenged d’Aubigny to a duel. So, at midnight, Julie and the three offended young men went outside to fight. Julie took them on and defeated them, one after the other.
Christian Cavanagh and Julie D’Aubigny were not the only women to fight duels in male dress.