Maria Pita: The Woman Who Saved a Galician Town from the British

At the end of 16th century the fleet of Queen Elizabeth wanted to take control of the waterways from England to Portugal. The group of galleons headed by Sir Francis Drake were the dread of the ports of western Spain. On May 4th 1589, English forces seemed to take control of the lower city La Coruña in Spanish Galicia, and the citizens needed hope. They found it not in soldiers, but in a woman whose brave actions saved the city.

The Heroic Act

At the beginning of May 1589 the British attacked one of the oldest cities in Spain – La Coruña. On the battle of the 4th, Pita left home, as one of very few women, to protect the city with her husband. Regrettably, her husband was shot by a crossbow and died immediately.

At that moment she could have gone back home, but sources say that Pita was driven by pain and joined men who were fighting the invaders. She killed an English solider when he tried to reach the highest part of the wall. Then Maria stood on the top of the city walls and shouted Quen teña honra, que me siga (“Whoever has honor, follow me!”).