Erauso, Catalina de, approximately 1592-

Antonio de Erauso, born as Catalina de Erauso (San Sebastián, Spain, 1585 or 1592 — Cotaxtla near Orizaba, New Spain, 1650), was best known as a Basque explorer. Although born female, from the age of 15 the youth dressed and lived as a boy. He went by Alonso Díaz and some other masculine names, later taking on the name Antonio de Erauso, which he used for the remainder of his life. He is also known in Spanish as La Monja Alférez (The Ensign Nun or The Nun Lieutenant). Sent to a convent as a young child, Erauso never took vows, and escaped the convent in 1600 at age 15. From then on, using mostly male identities, he travelled around Spain. In 1603, he migrated to Spanish America, where he lived and fought in the first half of the century. Erauso's life was the subject of his own autobiography, as well as historical studies, biographies, novels, movies and comics.