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Dame

女騎士 · Dame — A Female Warrior Who Earned Her Title by Sword and Oath

A woman who has been formally invested with knighthood through the knight's oath. Historically rare, but in fantasy worlds she is a common figure in holy orders, royal guards, and magic knight corps. 'Dame' is the official title granted to female knights in the British chivalric system; in Eastern fantasy she appears as a female general, wandering swordswoman, or Hwarang warrior. The Dame is frequently portrayed as a character caught between the codes of chivalry and the social expectations placed on women.

Origin

Cases of women being knighted are documented in medieval Europe but were highly exceptional. Fantasy literature has built upon these precedents to establish the Dame as an independent character archetype. Joan of Arc is frequently cited as the historical prototype.

Features

A female warrior who has undergone the formal knighting ceremony
Trained to wear armor, carry a sword, and fight on horseback
Holds the same legal rights and vassal obligations as a male knight
A Dame belonging to a holy order may wield divine powers of healing and purification
In fantasy, a common narrative arc is 'dismissed as a woman, then proven on the battlefield'

Usage

One of the defining female protagonist archetypes. A central character for battlefield narratives, the conflict between chivalry and personal feeling, and stories of overcoming gender prejudice.