Now an anti-colonial heroine and a role model for women and girls throughout Africa, Yaa Asantewaa was prepared to do whatever it took to protect her land and culture. As Queen Mother, she held a great deal of power in the relatively egalitarian Asante nation—power which she used to incite a war against one of the largest colonial forces in the world. It was not a war Asantewaa would necessarily win in body, but her actions and what they symbolised produced a type of victory out of defeat.
Royalty and Nobility
V is for… Velu Nachiyar
India has its fair share of female warriors in its history, but one of the first was a woman named Velu Nachiyar, the first Queen of Sivaganga estate. She was the first queen to take on British colonial powers in India, and she emerged victorious, restoring her kingdom to its former glory.
S is for… Six!
We all know the rhyme and, thanks to Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, many more are starting to learn who the women behind ‘Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived’ were. But how much of Six is actually historically accurate? Short answer: A fair amount. Long answer? Read on.
I is for… Iceni
The Iceni were a Britonnic tribe in Iron Age and Roman Britain, which co-existed peacefully with Rome until around AD 60. When Rome tried to ransack the tribe, their queen, Boudicca, launched a revolt that almost drove the Romans from Britain for good.
A is for… Anna Komnene
Somewhat appropriately, we are kicking 2021 off with the story of the first female historian, Anna Komnene. Her work, the Alexiad, is one of the most important primary sources of 11th and 12th century Byzantine history - her work is invaluable to historians today.
Nefertiti – A Beautiful Woman Has Come
Literally named 'a beautiful woman has come', Nefertiti is now known as one of the most beautiful women to have ever lived. But she was more than just a pretty face - during her lifetime she wielded considerable power and may have even risen to pharaoh status.
Sophia Duleep Singh – Socialite to Suffragette
Goddaughter of Queen Victoria and a member of the British aristocracy, Sophia Duleep Singh would go on to become one of the most prominent members of the British suffrage movement. She was passionately devoted to the cause, and never hesitated to do whatever she thought she must for the 'advancement of women'.
Anne of Great Britain – England’s Forgotten Queen
Queen Anne had a tragic life, suffering the losses of almost everyone she had loved. History remembers her as weak, ineffective, and constantly under the thumb of her 'favourites'. Yet, this could not be further from the truth.
Catherine de’ Medici – Queen Mother of France
When King Henry II of France died in 1559, Catherine de’ Medici was propelled onto the political stage. She remained the true power behind the French throne for the rest of her life, influencing the reigns of her three sons as they each inherited the crown.
Cleopatra – Ancient Egypt’s Femme Fatale?
The last, and most famous, of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs is also perhaps one of the most misrepresented. Behind the scandal of Cleopatra's reign is a woman who ruled Ancient Egypt for a little over three decades of peace.