Beatriz de Palacios was a Spanishwoman soldier,nurse andexplorer ofAfrican and Spanish descent who took part in theSpanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. She is widely considered to be one of the first people of African ancestry to set foot in the new world.[1]
Nicknamed "La Parda" due to the tone of her skin (Pardo being a term for someone of mixed ancestry), she arrived to the new world with the expedition ofPánfilo de Narváez along with her husband, a Spaniard named Pedro de Escobar, and her father, Cristobal Palacios.[2] She is mentioned byFrancisco Cervantes de Salazar andBernal Díaz del Castillo among other famous conquerors who often express admiration towards her. Her date of birth is not clear.
She served as a nurse under the command ofIsabel Rodríguez,[3] but also fought at the front lines in battle, often taking over the guard duties in place of her husband whenever he was too tired.[4] She tended to his wounds and the wounds of others, saddled the horses, took care of the weapons, and did everything just like any other soldier.[1]
Palacios served with honor duringLa Noche Triste, helping the Spanish troops evacuateTenochtitlan,[5] and later took part in theretaking of the city.[4] Both she and her husband survived the conquest and established a family in Cuba.
Hiciéronse célebres en estas entradas algunas mugeres españolas que acompañaron voluntariamente á sus maridos, y que con los continuos males que sufrían, y con los ejemplos de valor que tenían siempre á la vista, habían llegado a ser buenos soldados. Hacían la guardia, marchaban con sus maridos, armadas de corazas de algodón, espada y rodela, y se arrojaban intrépidamente á los enemigos, aumentando, no obstante su sexo, el número de los sitiadores. [...] Estas mugeres se llamabanMaria de Estrada,Beatriz Bermúdez de Velasco, Juana Martín,Isabel Rodríguez y Beatriz Palacios.