Female Knights

In the Middle Ages, women didn't usually have the opportunity to become knights. However, there were a few exceptions:

• In 1149, women who had helped defend the Spanish town of Tortosa from the Moors were inducted into an order of knights called the Order of the Hatchet (which didn't survive beyond its original membership).
• The Order of St. John the Hospitaller inducted warrior "nuns."
• The Knights Templar also had a class of warrior nuns shortly before all the Templars were accused of heresy and burned.
• Women, usually wives of knights and nobles, were inducted into the Order of the Garter in England between 1358 and 1488. There were no further appointments until modern times.
• After the French Revolution, French women could be inducted into the Legion d'Honneur.
• The Order of the Star of India inducted a woman named Nawab Begum in 1861. Later, her daughter and Queen Mary were granted knighthood in this order.
• Today, women can be granted knighthood in British orders. The proper salutation for a female knight is "dame" (think of Dame Judi Dench, the actress).