Despite millennia of male oppression, women have always managed to emerge in leadership roles, from queens who ruled without a king to women who made their way into military positions. In fact, some of the rad-est warriors in history have been women – who sometimes had to disguise themselves as men to fight – and you should definitely know their names.
These military queens hail from every age and from every corner of the world. Meet valiant leaders like the Trung Sisters, who fought to defend ancient Vietnam from the invading Chinese, or Zenobia of Palmyra, who opposed invading Roman forces and tried to carve out her own sphere of influence in her homeland of Syria.
And then there's Grace O'Malley, yet another of those great queens who fought in battle, who was a female Irish pirate leader, rivaling her contemporary Elizabeth I for power. And whether or not these queens who fought in battle were always successful in their military endeavors, these women wielded power incredibly well in their own right.
The Romans began to really make some headway into Britain in the 1st century CE, but not every Brit was having it. One such Brit was Boudicca, who ruled the Iceni (located in modern eastern England). Ruling her tribe after her husband died (and left his private property to the Romans in an attempt to gain Roman approval) around 60 CE, Boudicca saw her territory taken over, her daughters raped, and her kingdom taken.
Boudicca rose in rebellion against the Roman invaders, rallying thousands behind her banner. In the process, she burned down the Roman settlements of Camulodunum, Verulamium, and Londonium (modern London), allegedly slaughtering 70,000 people in the process. Eventually, the British governor Paulinus repressed the rebels at the Battle of Watling Street in 61 CE, and Boudicca reportedly committed suicide by poison.
Birthplace: Walessee more on Boudica
This 19th-century Indian Queen is a fascinating figure. Raised to fight and ride, Lakshmi was married to the ruler of Jhansi in northern India but was widowed at quite a young age. Childless, she and her hubby had adopted a young boy as their heir, but their British overlords used this opportunity to formally annex Jhansi. However, the Queen wasn't taking this lying down; at age 22, in 1858, she rose up against the Brits.
For over a year, war raged between the British invaders and the Queen Regent of Jhansi. The British forces battered down her men; in the Spring of 1858, they besieged her home, and she barely managed to escape. Later, Lakshmi managed to recapture the fortress of Gwalior, then marched to confront the British army, a conflict in which she was killed.
Age: Died at 30 (1828-1858)
Birthplace: Varanasi, India
Also Rankedsee more on Rani Lakshmibai
This pirate queen was a true Renaissance woman – that is, a woman of the 16th century. Born into a sea-faring family, Grace O'Malley was basically born to sail, and she got a ton of booty from both of her husbands that helped fuel a career on the ocean. Grace made her name by raiding the west coasts of Scotland and her native Ireland, as well as defending her own riches. She was also politically active, resistant to encroaching English rule over Ireland.
Legend has it that Grace was so tough that she gave birth on a boat, then fought to protect that vessel against fellow pirates the very next day. One verifiable truth, however, is that the "Queen of the West" had a meeting with England's Queen Elizabeth I to get support against her enemies. Legend also has it that she also made a series of demands to the Queen that the monarch obliged.
Age: Died at 73 (1530-1603)
Birthplace: County Mayo, Republic of Irelandsee more on Grace O'Malley
Amanitore Was The Amazing Lady Who Took On The Romans
The ancient realm of Meroe in Nubia (modern Sudan) had some pretty amazing queens (better known as kandakes) 2,000 years ago. Among the most famous of them was a fabulous woman named Amanitore, who ruled alongside her son (or husband) in the 1st century BCE. The Romans invaded around that time, and the geographer Strabo recorded how a one-eyed Nubian queen, whom he called "Candace," fought fiercely.
Chronologically, this might well have been Amanitore. This Queen marched with thousands on the Roman forces, who fortified their stronghold in defense. The Romans ultimately triumphed, but not before a head of a statue of Augustus was captured. Amanirenas and Augustus agreed on a peace treaty a few years later, which contained terms really favorable to Meroe, in 21 or 20 BCE. They even included the caveat that Amanirenas didn't have to pay tribute to the Roman emperor – pretty remarkable for a Roman treaty!