Catharina Herman (died after 1604) was a Dutch heroine of the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Refo ...

. She was hailed in history as a role model of marital fidelity. She was from

Medemblik Medemblik () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. It lies immediately south of the polder and former municipality of Wieringermeer. History Medemblik was a prosperous ...

and married to a soldier whose name has been lost. In 1600, her spouse was sent to participate in the defense of

Ostend Ostend ( nl, Oostende, ; french: link=no, Ostende ; german: link=no, Ostende ; vls, Ostende) is a coastal city and municipality, located in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerk ...

against the Spaniards. When Ostend fell in

1604 Events January–June * January 1 – '' The Masque of Indian and China Knights'' is performed by courtiers of James VI and I at Hampton Court. * January 14 – The Hampton Court Conference is held between James I of England ...

, she sold her property and left for Ostend posing as a man in an attempt to free her spouse from Spanish captivity. She was arrested for suspected spying and imprisoned, but in prison, her sex was discovered by a Jesuit, to whom she confided her mission. When told her spouse was to be executed, she requested to die with him. When the Jesuit told this to the commander,

Charles Bonaventure de Longueval, Count of Bucquoy Charles Bonaventure de Longueval, 2nd Count of Bucquoy ( cs, Karel Bonaventura Buquoy, es, Carlos Buenaventura de Longueval, Conde de Bucquoy, full name in french: Charles Bonaventure de Longueval comte de Bucquoy, german: Karl Bonaventura Graf v ...

, he allowed the couple to be set free. Catharina Herman was included in the dictionaries ''Femmes illustres'' by , ''Les eloges et les vies des reynes, des princesses, et des dames illustres en pieté, en courage & en doctrine'' (1647) ''Groot algemeen historisch, geographisch, genealogisch en oordeelkundig woordenboek'' (1733) by , a play by Jan Jacob Vereul in 1793, and a novel by J. Honig in 1840.

References

People of the Eighty Years' War 17th-century Dutch people Women in 17th-century warfare Women in European warfare 17th-century Dutch women 16th-century Dutch women 16th-century Dutch people {{Europe-mil-bio-stub