Isabelle Barreto: a wonderful conquistador and the first lady admiral in history (7 photos)

It is not known exactly when the bad omen about women appeared. on the ship. But empirically, they were able to prove its inconsistency several representatives of the fair sex. Among them is Isabelle Barreto.





Despite an incredible achievement for the 16th century (a woman led a naval expedition and is considered the first representative of the weaker sex, awarded the rank of admiral), for a long time they remembered her reluctantly and casually.

Marry a Hero



Alvaro Mendaña de Neira

There is no exact data on Isabelle's birthplace. IN among the main candidate cities of Lima and Pontevedra. The girl appeared born in 1567, and at the age of 18 she became the wife of Alvaro Mendaña de Neira, a Spanish sailor who discovered the Mauritanian and Marquesas islands.

The meaning of the project, of course, was to seek wealth and glory. The expedition led by de Neira consisted of about 400 Human. There were many women among them. It was common practice back then. after all, new colonies had to be populated, and without children the task was more complicated.

Isabelle went with her husband. Also her three brothers. Relations, judging by the scarce information, relatives were so-so. isabelle not distinguished by humility and meekness of disposition, and often provoked scandals and quarrels.





The strait through which de Neira passed and discovered the Solomon Islands

As time went on, food and fresh water supplies were depleted. And the purpose of the trip - the Solomon Islands was never achieved.

In the autumn of 1595, things were moving towards a conspiracy and an open uprising. But the mutiny helped avert chance: an island loomed on the horizon, to which Alvaro named Santa Cruz. On arrival the team began malaria epidemic that claimed the lives of 50 people. De Neira also fell ill. Before by death he appointed the brother of his wife Lorenzo admiral (adelantado), and Isabelle handed over the post of governor of the newly discovered lands and all material wealth. But Lorenzo passed away a couple of days later, and the young the widow, who was not yet 30 years old, became an admiral too.

Divide and rule



The portrait is attributed to Isabelle Barreto, but in reality it is not her, but Juana Ines de la Cruz. Images of the admiral, most likely not preserved

Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, Portuguese explorer and expedition member, from whose memoirs mainly and the image of the lady admiral was taking shape, spoke of Barreto not the best way: despotic, courageous, authoritarian, unstoppable.

However, if she were soft, meek and whiny, she could hold on to power and deal with so many people, basically men? Unlikely. Possibly a Portuguese rival to Isabelle thickened the colors.

And the sailors and soldiers, of course, understood clear directives and orders, not vague requests. Spaniards regularly messed with the locals. The result was the assassination of the leader of the island. And admiral decided to go to the Philippines to avoid bloodshed.



The journey was very difficult. Many died along the way scurvy and fever. One ship was lost, the second lagged behind. Crew started murmur slowly. Realizing what this was fraught with, Isabelle did not flinch and ordered to hang a sailor who ignored her order. And she said that this will happen to everyone.



The remains of the expedition arrived at the port of Manila in 1596. From hardly a quarter of the original number survived. But they crossed the Pacific Ocean and confidently declared the existence of another continent - Australia.



In the Philippines, the admiral remarried. Isabelle's chosen one became General Fernando de Castro, with whom they together organized another one expedition to Acapulco and then to Guanyacos.

Admiral Isabelle died in 1612 in Peru, where her husband served as governor of a small town. Your dream of wealth and glory, she, in general, carried out. Made history thanks to providing all the data obtained during the expedition to the Spanish crown and became one of the examples of women who did not cave in before trials and were able to break fate spine.