María Pascuala Caro Sureda facts for kids
María Pascuala Caro Sureda (born July 7, 1768 – died December 12, 1827) was an amazing Spanish woman. She became the second woman in Spain to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
María Pascuala was born into an important family. Her parents were Pere Caro Fontes, who was a marquis, and Margalida Sureda de Togores. She received a very good education at home. It was quite unusual for girls back then, but her mother made sure all her children got a formal education. María Pascuala even learned Latin!
A Trailblazing Student
María Pascuala was allowed to study at the University of Valencia. This was extremely rare for a woman at that time. Even more surprisingly, she was allowed to graduate! In 1779, she earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Valencia. This made her only the second woman in all of Spain to achieve such a high academic honor.
After graduating, she shared her knowledge with the world. In 1781, she published her work titled Ensayo de Historia, Física y Matemáticas. This book showed her deep understanding of physics and mathematics.
Life in the Convent
People described María Pascuala as a simple, humble, and beautiful person. In 1789, she decided to join a religious community. She entered the Santa Catalina de Siena Dominican convent in Palma de Mallorca.
During her time at the convent, she continued to show her talents. She became the prioress, which is a leader in the convent. She also became well-known for writing beautiful religious poems. These poems often expressed her deep spiritual feelings.
See also
In Spanish: María Pascuala Caro Sureda para niños