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.
queens
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.
Eleanor of Aquitaine – The Power Behind Medieval Europe
Arguably the most powerful woman in medieval Europe, Eleanor oversaw the rise and fall of kings, governing and leading in a way which was all but unheard of for a woman in her time.