Julie d'Aubigny - opera singer and epee fencer

Julie d'Aubigny (* 1673; † 1707), also known as Mademoiselle Maupin or la Maupin (actually Madame Maupin) was a French epee fencer and opera singer. She led one of the most remarkable lives of any woman of her time, breaking with all conventional roles and social norms.

Julie was the only daughter of Gaston d'Aubigny, who was responsible for the education of royal pages; he gave Julie a similar education, and she learned fencing at the age of 12. She also learned reading, drawing, dancing, literature and singing.

At the age of 14, Julie began a love affair with the Count d'Armagnac. He arranged her marriage to the Sieur de Maupin of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, so she became la Maupin. However, she soon separated from her husband and traveled through France with her fencing instructor as her new lover. The two earned their money through fencing demonstrations and Julie's singing performances.

Finally, the young woman joined an opera company and as Mademoiselle Maupin became a celebrated opera star in Paris at the age of 17 (1690), she even performed before the king in Versailles.

Julie d'Aubigny had love affairs with both men and women, and was repeatedly challenged to fencing duels, killing at least 10 men. She was twice sentenced to death and both times pardoned by the Sun King, Louis XIV. After one of her duels, she is said to have exposed herself to prove she was a woman.

She retired to Brussels and performed at the opera there. In these times she became the mistress of Maximilian II, Elector of Bavaria, before returning to France and living with a woman, Madame la Marquise de Florensac, from 1703 onwards. When her lover died of a fever in 1705, Julie d'Aubigny withdrew to a monastery in Provence, where she died in 1707 at the age of 34.

Julie d'Aubigny sitting and fencing

Two episodes from her eventful life deserve special mention here:

At one of her vocal performances in 1689, Julie d'Aubigny met the daughter of a local merchant who was sitting in the audience; the two fell in love. When the parents of the unnamed blonde girl learned of their daughter's relationship with Julie, the merchant's daughter was placed in a convent in Avignon. As a result, 16-year-old Julie allegedly gained access to the convent, faked her girlfriend's death, and set fire to it in order to free her friend. For this act, she was accused of kidnapping and arson in Marseille and sentenced to death by burning alive. Although Julie was hardly known at the time, she was pardoned by the French king.

Julie's meteoric rise as an opera singer in Paris since 1690 came to an abrupt end when, in her early 20s, she disguised herself as a man and publicly kissed a beautiful woman at a ball event. She was subsequently challenged to a fencing duel by three men, all of whom she killed. Julie d'Aubigny was sentenced to death again and once more pardoned by the king.

Mademoiselle Maupin posing for an artist (painting 1902)

Despite her repeated conflicts with the law and her scandalous behavior, Julie's life of singing artistry, fighting spirit, and defiance left a lasting impression; her amazing life story has been the subject of many books, plays, and operas.

A beautiful alternative vision for Julie d'Aubigny:
Sisters of the Sword (original) - by Rositathecardmaker

Main Image sources:

left - Fencer by DeOtto

right - historical image