Wonder Woman of the Week: Agustina de Aragon

Agustina de Aragón is one of Spain’s most iconic heroines, remembered for her extraordinary bravery during the Peninsular War against Napoleon’s French forces in the early 19th century. Born in 1786 in Barcelona, she lived during a time of great upheaval, as Napoleon invaded the Iberian Peninsula and Spanish cities were engulfed in violent conflict. Agustina’s legend began in 1808 during the Siege of Zaragoza, one of the fiercest and most prolonged urban battles of the Napoleonic Wars. As the French bombarded the city and its defenders fell in battle, Agustina reportedly ran to a cannon, lit its fuse, and fired into advancing French troops—despite having no formal military training. Her defiant act of courage inspired the remaining Spanish fighters and turned her into a symbol of resistance overnight.