Wikipedia
The francisca (or francesca) is a throwing axe used as a weapon during the Early Middle Ages by the Franks, among whom it was a characteristic national weapon at the time of the Merovingians from about 500 to 750 and is known to have been used during the reign of Charlemagne (768–814). Although generally associated with the Franks, it was also used by other Germanic peoples of the period, including the Anglo-Saxons; several examples have been found in England.
Francisca is a feminine given name. Notable people with the name include:
- Maria Francisca Bia (1809-1889), Dutch actor
- Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria (1640-1706), first female governor of the Viceroyalty of Peru
- Dilian Francisca Toro (born 1959), Colombian doctor and politician
- Francisca Allard (21st century), Trinidad and Tobago singer
- Francisca Ballesteros (born 1969), Spanish serial killer
- Francisca Campos (born 1985), Chilean mountain biker
- Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes (1647-1711), Filipino religious leader
- Francisca Martínez (born 1966), Mexican race walker
- Francisca Nuñez de Carabajal (circa 1540-1596), victim of the Inquisition
- Francisca Pleguezuelos (born 1950), Spanish politician
- Francisca Queiroz (born 1979), Brazilian actress
- Francisca Rojas (born 1865), Argentine murderer
- Francisca Senhorinha da Motta Diniz , Brazilian teacher and feminist
- Francisca Stading (1763-1836), Swedish opera singer
- Francisca Subirana (1900–1981), Spanish tennis player
- Francisca Urio (born 1981), German singer-songwriter and radio presenter
- Infanta Francisca Josefa of Portugal (1699-1736), Portuguese princess
- Infanta Maria Francisca Isabel of Portugal (born 1997), third in line to the Portuguese throne
- Infanta Maria Francisca of Portugal (1800-1834), daughter of King John VI of Portugal and Carlota Joaquina of Borbón
- Infanta Mariana Francisca of Portugal (1736-1813), Portuguese princess
- Maria Francisca of Nemours (1646-1683), Queen of Portugal
- Princess Francisca of Brazil (1824-1898), Brazilian princess and Portuguese infanta
Francisca may refer to:
- Francisca, a throwing axe used as a weapon during the Early Middle Ages by the Franks
- Francisca (given name), a feminine given name
- Catocala francisca, a moth species found in California
- Tinta Francisca, a red wine grape found primarily in the Douro DOC and is sometimes used in Port wine production
- Villa Francisca, a sector in the city of Santo Domingo in the Distrito Nacional of the Dominican Republic
- Francisca (film), a 1981 film directed by Manoel de Oliveira
Francisca is a 1981 Portuguese drama film based on the novel by Agustina Bessa-Luís and directed by Manoel de Oliveira. The film was selected as the Portuguese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 55th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.