The Mysterious Last Days of the “Lieutenant Nun”
By
Alejandra Oliva
A real-life Spanish nun turned conquistador is the focus of a new novel by an Argentine writer.
This article is adapted from AQ’s special report on Guatemala. When you google Antonio de Erauso, the little biographical box at the top of the search page sums him up in one word: “Nun.” That semi-contradiction suggests an intriguing life—but the reality is more fascinating still. The Lieutenant Nun—as Erauso was widely known in the 17th century—was born in 1592, as Catalina de Erauso. Raised in a convent as a novitiate, Erauso escaped at the age of 15. Fashioning himself men’s clothes, Erauso spent most of the rest of his days under a variety of assumed masculine...
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