Women fighters

[Jens Nordlunde]

It has been discussed quite some time ago, if women participated in battles.

As I recall the discussion it was about women participating in battles in India, and they did, not often, but it did happen – either a single one or in a flock.

This however, is something quite different. In Early Medieval Arms and Armour, by David Nicolle, the author writes, on page 41; “Nevertheless, the donning of armour clearly often covered enough of the individual’s features for recantation to be impossible. Usama mentions that the women who put on a full armour during the Ismaili (assassin) siege of Sayzar castle in 1109 AD were nor recognised as female until the battle was over.”

Although the quote does not cover India, I hope that the question is now answered.