Sharpened Wit

Discover the Tales of 5 Legendary Swordsmen Who Mastered the Art of Combat Julie d’Aubigny—The Fearless Swordswoman Julie d’Aubigny, known as a ferocious lady of her time, captivated the French populace with her exceptional skills in both swordplay and singing during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born into the court nobility of King Louis XIV, d’Aubigny astonished audiences by defeating male opponents in fencing matches from a young age. Rejecting an arranged marriage, she pursued a passionate relationship with a fencing instructor and earned a livelihood by staging thrilling sword-fighting displays in taverns. Despite lacking formal vocal training, she gained renown as a contralto opera singer under the aliases "Mademoiselle de Maupin" or "La Maupin." Engaging in numerous duels, she famously kissed a woman at a masked ball, leading to confrontations that she consistently emerged victorious from. Retiring from her illustrious career in her early thirties, ...