The 17th-century opera star who settled disputes with a sword and a song
In short: Julie d'Aubigny was a celebrated French opera singer with a penchant for dueling and scandal. Trained in fencing by her father, she navigated 17th-century society by defying gender norms, performing in male clothing, and engaging in high-stakes adventures that ranged from convent arson to legendary sword fights with noblemen.
Born in 1673, Julie d'Aubigny was the daughter of a court fencing instructor, a background that informed her unconventional life. By age 14, she was already competing against men in fencing matches. Her life took a dramatic turn when she fled Paris with a fencing master named Séranne after he killed a man in an illegal duel. During their time on the run, the pair performed fencing exhibitions and sang in taverns, with d'Aubigny frequently appearing in male attire.
Her most notorious exploit involved a sapphic romance that led her to infiltrate a convent in Avignon. To rescue her lover, d'Aubigny reportedly stole the body of a deceased nun, placed it in her lover's bed, and set the room ablaze to facilitate their escape. The plot was discovered, and she was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes including arson and body snatching. Despite these legal troubles, she eventually returned to Paris and successfully auditioned for the Paris Opera in 1690, where she became a renowned soloist known as La Maupin.
Throughout her career, d'Aubigny maintained a reputation for both artistic brilliance and volatile behavior. She performed leading roles in works by composers like André Campra and Jean-Baptiste Lully, with one contemporary observer describing her voice as the most beautiful in the world. Offstage, she continued to challenge social conventions, engaging in duels—including one famous incident where she fought three noblemen in a single evening—and maintaining relationships with both men and women. She retired from the stage following the death of her partner, the Marquise de Florensac, and died in a convent in 1707 at age 33.
Her legacy has been heavily mythologized, serving as the loose inspiration for Théophile Gautier’s 1835 novel, Mademoiselle de Maupin. While historical records are often obscured by rumors and colorful storytelling, her life remains a subject of fascination. Modern interpretations frequently highlight her as a queer icon, reflecting on her defiance of the rigid gender expectations of the late 17th century.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Julie d'Aubigny
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/wars-julie-d-aubigny.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in War and military · More in Wars & Conflicts · Latest · A–Z · All topics
