Born: 20 January 1772, France
Died: 13 July 1859
Country most active: France
Also known as: Marie-Angélique Josèphe Duchemin
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Marie-Angélique Josèphe Brûlon was born in Dinan, France in 1772. She married a soldier named Brûlon and served from 1792 to 1799, defending Corsica alongside her husband, initially disguised as a man. Despite being discovered as a woman, her exceptional bravery allowed her to continue her service.
Marie-Angélique survived her husband and excelled in hand-to-hand combat with sword and dagger. In 1797, after severe wounds in the siege of Calvi, she requested entry to Les Invalides but was denied for seven years. In 1804, she received her pension and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
Notably, on August 15, 1851, Napoleon III honored her as a Chevalier (Knight) of the French Legion of Honour, making her the first woman to receive this distinction.
She died in 1859.