The Comtesse De Saint- Belmont
In the late 1600s, an aristocratic French lady, the Comtesse de saint Belmont was forced to assume her husband’s identity to defend herself and her property from a very ungentlemanly squatter. The Comtesse’s husband, the Chevalier de Saint Belmont had been away, fighting for King Louis XIV. However, his absence looked to be a protracted one as during the fighting he was taken, prisoner. This unfortunate event left his wife on her own and solely responsible for the maintenance and protection of their lands and property.
At some point during the Comte’s absence, a French cavalry officer arrived at the estate. Instead of announcing himself to the Comtesse, he merely moved into the chateau, making himself quite at home and treating the place like a hotel. The poor Comtesse was at an initial loss as to how to manage this breach of good manners. Initially, she took a polite, restrained approach. She decided that, rather than confront her ‘guest’ face to face; it would be more prudent to confront him indirectly. So, she wrote him a letter, complaining at his discourtesy in setting himself up in her home uninvited and asking him to leave.
However, the officer was no gentleman. Not only did he not comply with the Comtesse’s request- he ignored the letter altogether. Finally, the Comtesse decided she had had enough of being ladylike and disregarded. So she hit upon another plan. She wrote a further letter to the officer, challenging him to a duel. However, this time she did not sign the letter as herself but rather as “Le Chevalier de Saint Belmont,” her husband. This time, the officer did reply to her message. The Comtesse’s unwanted houseguest had accepted the challenge.
So, dressing as a man, the Comtesse went out to meet her opponent. In a matter of minutes, she had disarmed the officer. Then, while holding his sword, she compounded the man’s defeat with humiliation by revealing her sex. “You thought monsieur, “she told him, “that you were fighting the Chevalier de Saint Belmont but you are mistaken. I am Madame de Saint Belmont. I return you your sword, Monsieur and politely beg you to pay proper respect to any request made by a lady in future. Finally, the Comtesse dismissed the man and told him to leave”This time, he was more than happy to comply.
Other women also fought over property-but with fatal results.