In the state of Bahia, the movement for the independence of Brazil began in February 1822. Seven months before the proclamation by Dom Pedro, but the Portuguese refused to leave the province and there was a war that lasted until their expulsion on July 2, 1823.
One of the heroines was Maria Quitéria who pretended to be a man, using the name of her brother-in-law, soldier Medeiros, and enlisted as a volunteer in the war. She stood out for her bravery, was discovered, but kept fighting and even received a decoration from Dom Pedro I.
Another Maria, but of much more humble origin, also stood out: Maria Felipa. She led a group of 40 women who seduced the Portuguese who anchored on the island of Itaparica. When they let their guard down, they beat their enemies with cansanção, a nettle plant, and managed to expel them.
Joana Angelica was the only one of the three who died during the conflicts. When trying to defend the convent from the Portuguese, who had instructions to occupy even religious places, she was killed by bayonet blows, became a martyr of this period of war in Bahia and today is considered one of Bahia’s heroines, along with Maria Quitéria and Maria Felipa.
Source: agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br