Historical figures as Slayers?

When I tried to write the Camilla story, I was trying to include Penthesilea as a past Slayer. If I knew her time, I'd write something.... She was an Amazon queen, as was Myrine, but she was like a Libyan Amazon or something. I was thinking about her. In Witchblade, a lot of powerful women in history wielded the blade, so there are some possibilities.

I was thinking about the same exact whole potential thing with the Amazons too, KD! That's really, really weird....

(BTW, just me being a nitpicker, isn't potential-in-training kinda redundant?)

Also, Sigurd was a guy if I remember correctly. Hmm...who were you thinking of?

Now I get it, I think you meant Signy! This is extremely odd, because I just put her in my bookmarks as a potential candidate for being a Slayer! Do we have the same mind or something?

Also, I've just been thinking...in the Tales of the Slayer Novel Volume 2, they mentioned a Nubian and/or Egyptian Slayer who was called around 1530 BC....Maybe she was Hatshepsut .....
 
kd turns the knobs on a huge machine with many tubes and hoses

Same brain? No, I don't think so...now, just turn a bit to your left, will you, so I get a clear signal...😉
 
kd turns the knobs on a huge machine with many tubes and hoses

Same brain? No, I don't think so...now, just turn a bit to your left, will you, so I get a clear signal...😉

Haha...

But, seriously, are you planning on writing any stories concerning those peeps? If someone does Signy, she has a sort of Romeo and Juliet storyline with Hagbard. That would make for an interesting TOTS entry!
 
Also, I've just been thinking...in the Tales of the Slayer Novel Volume 2, they mentioned a Nubian and/or Egyptian Slayer who was called around 1530 BC....Maybe she was Hatshepsut .....

in this story, the Slayer is not supposed to be the Queen, or the Pharaoh or whatever. the Pharaoh was there, and apparently, she allowed the Slayer to live in her palace, or whatever it was. so perhaps Hatshepsut was the Watcher?
 
Was doing some research and found some more useful info about historical figures that could be slayers.

Below is a random selection of historical (and mythological) references to warrior women from various sources.


Penthesilea leading the Amazons - Christine de Pisan - c 1460
Historical references to women fighting -
Prehistory and the Ancient World
Ancient warrior queens included Vishpla, Aahhotep I, Zabibi, Samsi, Tomyris, Himoko, Jingo Kogo, Mavia, Saimei and Dihya al-Kahina. There are depictions of Hittite women warriors dating from 1300 BC. The Bible describes the Judge, Deborah, as a war leader and the Greeks had legends of the Amazons which may have been based upon Scythians or women from Turkey or Libya. Vietnamese rebels included Trung Trac, Trung Nhi, Tran Thi Doan, Phung Thi Chinh and Trieu Thi Trinh. Fa Mulan fought in the Chinese army.
more information and pictures

Celtic and Roman
Roman gladiatorial shows included "women of rank" in 63 AD. There was also a female chariot fighter competing against men. Women gladiators were described again in 88 AD. Women were members of the venatores, (gladiators who fought wild animals in the Roman arena). Emperor Alexander Severus issued an edict prohibiting women combatants in the arena in 200 AD.
A display of captured enemies in the 3rd Century included several women warriors.

Legendary Celtic women warriors included Medb (Maeve) of Ireland, Aife (Aoife) of Alba (Scotland), and Queen Scathach of Skye.
The Romans in Britain fought against Queen Boadicea (or Bodiecia, Bouddica, Voadica, Voada) of the Iceni in 61AD, but they were allies to Queen Cartimandua of the Briganties in a war against her consort in 43AD.
more information and pictures


Vikings and Saxons
An English Saxon Princess led an invasion of Jutland in the 6th Century. In the 8th Century Queen Aethelburgh destroyed Taunton. In the 9th Century Queen Thyra of Denmark led her army against the Germans.
In the 10th Century Aethelflaed, Lady of Mercia led troops against the Vikings and Olga of Russia ended a revolt in which her husband had died.

The Viking Sagas and Saxo Grammaticus' "History of the Danes" mention many warrior women. Hetha, Visna and Vebiorg led companies of the Danish army. Sela and Alvid were pirates. Stikla ran away from home to become a warrior. Rusilla fought against her brother for the throne. Gurith took part in a battle to help her son. Freydis Eiriksdottir, Auðr and Þórdis all used weapons against their enemies.
more information and pictures


11th Century
Aristocratic ladies who led troops in seige and battle included Emma Countess of Norfolk, Matilda Countess of Tuscany (and her mother), Sichelgaita Princess of Lombardy, Urraca Queen of Aragon, and Teresa of Portugal.
Matilda of Ramsbury (mistress of the Bishop of Salisbury) held the Bishop's Castle in his absence.
more information and pictures


12th Century
Aristocratic ladies who led troops in seige and battle included Alrude Countess of Bertinoro, Eleanor of Castile, Queen Urraca of Aragon, Marguerite de Provence, Florine of Denmark and Berengaria of Navarre, Queen Tamara of Georgia and the Empress Maud (also known as Matilda, Empress of Germany, Countess of Anjou, Domina Anglorum, Lady of the English, Matilda Augusta and Matilda the Good)
Maude de Valerie was a Welsh revolutionary.
Women took part in the Crusades in the armies of Emperor Conrad and William Count of Poitiers in spite of a papal bull forbidding them to do so.
more information and pictures


13th Century
Nicola de la Haye, daughter of the castellan of Lincoln defended the town against several raids and was made sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1216.
Jeanne of Navarre led her army against that of the Count de Bar.
Ladies were admitted to the Chivalric Order of the Dragon, The Order of St Anthony in Hainault and the Order of the Garter.
more information and pictures


14th Century:
Isobel MacDuff Countess of Buchan, Jeanne de Danpierre Countess de Montfort (also known as Jane, Countess of Montfort), Isabelle of England, Christian Lady Bruce, Marjory Bruce, Mary Bruce, Phillipa of Hainault, Lady Agnes Randolph (also known as Black Agnes), Agnes Hotot of Dudley, Adelaide Ponthiey, Jeanne de Belleville, Margaret of Denmark
Ladies were admitted to the Chivalric Order of the Dragon, The Order of St Anthony in Hainault and the Order of the Garter.
more information and pictures



15th Century
Margaret of Denmark, Jacqueline of Bavaria (Countess of Holland, Hainault and Zealand), Jehanne la Pucelle (better known as Joan of Arc), Isabella of Lorraine, Maire o Ciaragain, Isabella I of Castile. The Bridport muster roll (a list of ordinary citizens called up for a battle) of 1457 lists Alis Gare, Alis Hammel, Sally Pens, "Condefer Wife" and Margaret Athyn, three of these women brought their own weapons and armour with them.
Ladies were admitted to the Chivalric Order of the Dragon, The Order of St Anthony in Hainault and the Order of the Garter.
more information and pictures


16th Century
Graine Ni Maille (also known as Grace O'Malley) was an Irish pirate. A group of 350 girls defended fortifications in Paris. Ameliane du Puget led a troop of women in Marseilles. Beatriz de Pardes and María de Estrada fought with the Conquistadors in the New World. Lilliard led the Scots into battle against the English. Isabella I of Castile led her army. Marguerite Delaye and Captain Mary Ambree fought in battles. Explorers in South America reported seeing native women leading warbands.
more information and pictures


17th Century
Kit Cavanagh (also known as "Mother Ross") started her military career disguised as a man, but later fought open;y as a woman soldier. Mme de Saint Baslemont de Neuville and La Maupin, as well as two unnamed aristocratic sisters fought duels. Other notable women included Lady Ann Cummingham, Blanche the Countess of Arundel, Brilliana the Countess of Harley, Alyona of Russia, Anne Chamberlyne and Anne Marie Louise d'Orleans Montpensier.
During the English Civil War ordinary women frequently reloaded guns, as well as carrying powder and bullets to the front during battles. The Scots army which marched on Newcastle in 1644 is reported to have included women regular soldiers.
more information and pictures


18th Century
Women involved in the Jacobite Rising in Scotland in 1745-6 included Jean (Jenny) Cameron, Lady Anne Macintosh, Lady Margaret Oglivy, Margaret Murray and Lady Lude.
Women soldiers included Ann Mills, Phoebe Hessel, Virginie Ghesquiere, Angelique Brulon, Margaret Catchpole, Olympe de Gouges, Rose Lacombe, Theroigne de Mericourt, Mademoiselle de la Rochefoucalt, Jemima Warner and Hannah Snell
Duellists included Mademoiselle La Maupin, Mademoiselle de Guignes, Mademoiselle d'Aiguillon, Mademoiselle Leverrier, Lady Almeria Braddock, Mrs Elphinstone, Comptesse de Polignac and Marquise de Nesle.
Catherine the Great of Russia led her army in several campaigns.
more information and pictures


19th Century:
Women soldiers and rebels included Augustina the "Maid of Saragossa", Marie Schellinck, Gertrudis Bocanegra, Elizabeth Hatzler, Dr "James" Barry, Mary Ann Riley, Ann Hopping, Jane Townshend, Louisa Battistati, Clemence Louise Michel, Sylvia Mariotti.
Duels were fought by many women including Princess Pauline Metternich, Countess Kilmannsegg, Lady Almeria Braddock and a Mrs Elphinstone.
more information and pictures


20th Century:
Increasingly accurate records and improved communications mean that many more women are recorded as regular troops, pilots, rebels, partisans, martial artists etc.
more information and pictures



Warrior Women in Scotland
These include the Celts, Aife of Alba and Scathach of Skye.
Isabelle of England: (A.D. 1285?-1313?) took up arms against her husband and she was forced to flee to Scotland by Edward III.
In 1297 the Countess of Ross led her own troops during William Wallace and Andrew de Moray's battles with the English.
Isobel MacDuff, Countess of Buchan (1296-1358) fought for Robert de Bruce.
Christian, Lady Bruce defended Kildrummy Castle from the English during the Wars of Independence.
During the same war, the widow of David of Strathbogie defended the island fortress of Lochindorb against three thousand Scots.
Lady Agnes Randolph (1300?-1369?), known as Black Agnes, fought for de Bruce. In 1334, she successfully held her castle at Dunbar against the besieging forces of England's earl of Salisbury for over five months.
Phillipa of Hainault, Queen of Edward III, led twelve thousand soldiers against invading Scots in 1346 and captured their king, David Bruce.
In 1545, Lilliard led the Scots at the Battle of Ancrum.
The Scots army which marched on Newcastle in 1644 during the English Civil War is reported to have included women regular soldiers.
Jean (Jenny) Cameron, Lady Anne Macintosh, Lady Margaret Oglivy, Margaret Murray and Lady Lude were all involved in the Jacobite Rising in Scotland in 1745-6.











http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women.html


Sorry for the double postage, tried to edit, it wouldn't let me.
 
in this story, the Slayer is not supposed to be the Queen, or the Pharaoh or whatever. the Pharaoh was there, and apparently, she allowed the Slayer to live in her palace, or whatever it was. so perhaps Hatshepsut was the Watcher?

Lol...whoops, forgot that tad detail. However, I did find someone else who died in 1530 BC....Aahhotep, so she might be a candidate.

Sarah, good job, lol, but that link was posted earlier in the thread. heh...
Ooh, Helen of Troy, though! There's a possibility!
 
Oops didn't know, lol. And yes wikipedia is such a useful site to find stuff for historical figures to be possibilities.
 
YES! I've found a way to make Artemis a slayer (although when she died would be an issue of debate)....on Wiki, in her article, it mentions her and something about Agamemnon in the Trojan War, which lasted ca. 1194-1184 BC. I've got some very interesting plans concerning Artemis and the Amazons....😉
 
I do like the possible use of some of the courageous women throughout history in the role of Slayer but you seem to want to turn all of them into Slayers....lol
I think there is something more to be said about them as regular women performing these great deeds and feats rathyer then diminish all their accomplishments by making them 'super-powered' instead of regular...

just my 'two-penneth'
 
I get what you're saying, DDLM. A lot of women in history were powerful not because they were Slayers, but for other reasons, and they were strong on their own without any superpowers. You're right, we really shouldn't just say that they're so special only because they were Slayers. So, on my count, I'm sorry.
 
Hey, i'm writing Joan of Arc as a Slayer(when i have time).....i get that some make excellent choices.
Personally i think that the Amazons as a Potential Army is really intriguing along with a few others....just i think that there are some that should possibly be left as Regular, yet special in their own right, women.

🙂
 
I think it's cool it gives the slayer past and the whole legend more of a real feel to it u know? If u can conect something fake with something real it feels like ur a special part of it u know? I think its cool cuz they chose strong women from the past...
 
Hey, i'm writing Joan of Arc as a Slayer(when i have time).....i get that some make excellent choices.
Personally i think that the Amazons as a Potential Army is really intriguing along with a few others....just i think that there are some that should possibly be left as Regular, yet special in their own right, women.

🙂

Mmhm...I agree with you about the Amazons. I mean, the fact that they were all tall and muscular and everything is kinda Slayer-like, but some others were great on their own. You're totally right.
 
The Aeneid takes place in the 10 or so years following the Trojan War, while Odysseus was still trying to get home (as seen in the Odyssey). If we put Homer at approximately 1800 BC, and he was talking about a war that was at least 3 generations earlier, we could plausibly put your story in the 1850 BC to 1900 BC range. Does that help?


Just a quick spin...how would anyone feel about writing a story where Joan of Arc was actually a vampire? And the English were waging war on France to stop her from gaining power?

Okay, I just re-examined these dates, and I'm very confuzzled.

The Trojan War was ca 1194-1184 BC. Homer lived in the 8th Century BC, and if the story takes place 10 years after the war, wouldn't that make it ca 1174 BC? Because I'm really interested with an idea about Camilla (which I didn't PM you, I just thought of it).

About the Joan story, you should write it. It'll be interesting to see what the Slayer would be like and how you kinda rewrite history.
 
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