Emily Chan
There aren’t many women like Julie d’Aubigny in history. She was a sword fighter who won several duels, an opera singer, and had multiple affairs with both men and women throughout her life.
She even burned down a convent and managed to get pardoned twice for her crimes. It’s safe to say that Julie definitely defied social norms and lived life on her own terms.
Julie d’Aubigny was born around 1673 into a wealthy family. She was the child of Gaston d’Aubigny, secretary of Louis de Lorraine-Guise, who worked directly under the king of France, Louis XIV.
So, Julie grew up among royalty and was able to receive a well-rounded education. She learned to read, write, draw, sing, and dance. She was even trained in fencing and became good enough to compete against men.
When she was just 14-years-old, Julie ran away with her lover, Sérannes, one of the most prominent swordsmen at the royal court.
He was on the run after killing someone in an illegal duel. The pair fled to the south of France to escape the police. They traveled from town to town and gave fencing demonstrations to earn money.
Julie dressed in men’s clothing during her performances, which wasn’t really seen as a big deal since the king’s brother was a known cross-dresser. After a few months, the romance ended, and Julie and Sérannes parted ways.
She decided to join the Marseille Opera Company to kick-start a career in opera. Her singing attracted decent-sized audiences.
Among the crowd was a girl from a local merchant family, who caught Julie’s eye. They were soon in a relationship, but when the girl’s parents found out, they sent their daughter off to a convent in Avignon, hoping to save her soul.
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