Did you know that the Almoravid dynasty of Islamic Spain may have had African female archers in their army? One medieval chronicler describes a contingent of them, headed by a female general named Nujeymah, who participated in a siege on Valencia in 1094 (at the time, the city was under the control of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, better known as “El Cid”). The historian Elena Lourie believes that these female archers may have come from the West African kingdom of Wagadu (or medieval Ghana), which would regularly send auxiliary troops to the Almoravids.

And yes, as portrayed here, they apparently did have their heads shaved except for little tufts at the top.

Works Cited

Lourie, Elena. “Black Women Warriors in the Muslim Army Besieging Valencia and the Cid’s Victory: A Problem of Interpretation,” Traditio 55 (2000), 181-209.