Madeleine Caulier

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Madeleine Caulier (c. 1680–1712) was a French servant who is remembered as a soldier and heroine of the War of the Spanish Succession. Her life is considered partly legendary, and some historians say there is not enough archival proof that she truly existed. Born in Avelin, France, she worked as a servant at an inn called Le Tournebride.

In 1708, during the siege of Lille, Caulier’s brother served in the Lille garrison. According to various stories, she volunteered to deliver a message to the besieged city. She either carried a hidden letter or memorized the message, faced Allied guards, and was allowed to continue after telling them she was visiting a sick relative. She reached Lille and delivered the message to Marshal Boufflers. After returning home, she declined monetary rewards and asked to become a soldier, a wish that was granted. She then disguised herself as a man and joined a dragoon regiment.

Caulier is believed to have died on 24 July 1712 at the Battle of Denain, though another less likely version places her at the 1709 Battle of Malplaquet. Since 1881, a square in Lille’s Fives district has been named Madeleine Caulier, and a nearby metro station opened in 1983 was also named Caulier. In January 2024, a petition asked authorities to rename the station Madeleine Caulier to emphasize that she was a female heroine.