Maria Pita
Encyclopedia
María Mayor Fernández de Cámara y Pita (Sigrás, 1565 – 1643), known as María Pita, was a Spanish
heroine of the defense of Corunna
in 1589 against the English Armada
.
, who granted her the pension of a military officer with a bonus, which she received following the death of her fourth husband, and the right to engage in the mule trade with Portugal.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
heroine of the defense of Corunna
Corunna
Corunna is the traditional English name of the city of A Coruña in Spain and the surrounding province A Coruña .Battles*Battle of Corunna, fought near Corunna in 1809*Battle of the Corunna Road, fought near Madrid in 1936–37...
in 1589 against the English Armada
English Armada
The English Armada, also known as the Counter Armada or the Drake-Norris Expedition, was a fleet of warships sent to the Iberian Coast by Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1589, during the Anglo-Spanish War...
.
Biography
María Pita was married four times and had two children. Her heroic deeds were honoured and rewarded by Philip II of SpainPhilip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
, who granted her the pension of a military officer with a bonus, which she received following the death of her fourth husband, and the right to engage in the mule trade with Portugal.
Defense at Corunna
On the 4th of May 1589, English forces, already in control of the lower city, breached the defences of the old city. She was assisting her husband, an army captain, man the defences, when he was killed by a crossbow bolt that struck him in the head. An English soldier with a banner, who was making his way to the highest part of the wall, was killed by Pita. She appeared on the heights of the wall herself, shouting: Quien tenga honra, que me siga ("Whoever has honour, follow me!") whereupon the English incursion was driven back by the defenders. The English later gave up the assault and retreated to their ships. Other women also participated directly in the defence of Corunna; a surviving record tells of one Inés de Ben receiving treatment for two shots received in the siege.Spanish ships
- The ship "María Pita" of the Balmis ExpeditionBalmis ExpeditionThe Balmis Expedition was a three year mission to the Americas led by Dr Francisco Javier de Balmis with the aim of giving thousands the smallpox vaccine. He set off from La Coruña on 30 November 1803...
was named after her in 1803. - In August 2008, SASEMAR (Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima, Spanish acronym for Sea Rescue and Safety Society) baptized the BS-14 Rescue Ship.as María Pita.