51 Famous Women In History Who Changed The World

Team Lifelords | Posted on May 10, 2021 | No Comments |

Last Updated on June 13, 2024 by Team Lifelords

51 Most Famous Strong Women In History Who Changed The World

“Be that woman who wakes up with purpose and intent. Be that woman that shows up and never gives up. Be that woman who believes anything is possible and is willing to work for it.”

– Anonymous

Stories About Strong & Confident Women

Inspiring Stories About Most Famous Strong Women In History: There’s always time to celebrate the strength and hard work of all the women in our lives, but some occasions make these stories extra special. Women’s Day only comes once a year in March, so it’s important to remember how strong the women really are all year.

If you need a reminder of just how brave and powerful the female voice can be, check out all our favorite stories about the most famous women in history given below. When the whole world seems determined to knock you down, these stories can remind you how strong you are all on your own.

And if you find your favorite, make sure to share these famous stories about women with your friends and relatives. From 1000 BC to today there have been hundreds of strong women who have left an indelible mark of their names in the pages of history.

Today, in this post we will especially discuss about those powerful women who ruled a big empire as a ruler. Nearly all women in this list are former female monarchs regardless of title, including queens regnant, empresses regnant, pharaohs, and monarchs by other titles.

1. Hatshepsut: Famous Female Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt

Hatshepsut (1507 BC – 1458 BC) was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, considered to be one of its country’s most successful rulers. She was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Thutmose II and the fifth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, ruling first as regent, then as queen regnant from 1479 BC until 1458 BC.

Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I and Great Royal Wife, Ahmose. In order to establish herself in the Egyptian patriarchy, she took on traditionally male roles and was depicted as a male pharaoh, with physically masculine traits and traditionally male garb.

Hatshepsut’s reign was a period of great prosperity and general peace. One of the most prolific builders in Ancient Egypt, she oversaw large-scale construction projects such as the Karnak Temple Complex, the Red Chapel, the Speos Artemidos, and most famously, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari.

She re-established a number of trade networks that had been disrupted during the Hyksos occupation of Egypt. She oversaw the preparations and funding for a mission to the Land of Punt.

Hundreds of construction projects throughout Egypt were also commissioned during his rule. Many of these building projects were temples to build her religious base and legitimacy beyond her position as God’s Wife of Amun.

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2. Nefertiti: Famous Strong Queen of Ancient Egypt

Nefertiti (1370 BC-1330 BC) was a queen of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, the great royal wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for their radical overhaul of state religious policy, in which they promoted the earliest known form of monotheism, Atenism, centered on the sun disc and its direct connection to the royal household.

With her husband, she reigned at what was arguably the wealthiest period of ancient Egyptian history. Some scholars believe that Nefertiti ruled briefly as the female king Neferneferuaten after her husband’s death and before the ascension of Tutankhamun.

Nefertiti was made famous by her bust, now in Berlin’s Neues Museum. The bust is one of the most copied works of art of ancient Egypt. It was attributed to the sculptor Thutmose, and it was found in his workshop.

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3. Cleopatra: The Most Famous Woman In Ancient History

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (69 BC-30 BC), commonly known as Cleopatra was the Queen of ancient Egypt. She was the last Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Kingdom from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler. A member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great.

After the death of Cleopatra, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, marking the end of the last Hellenistic-period state in the Mediterranean and of the age that had lasted since the reign of Alexander (336–323 BC). In history, Cleopatra is famous for her enamoring beauty and superior intelligence.

She led many battles successfully and played a key role in improving the country’s standing and economy in her short tenure. She is also famous in popular culture for her love affairs with Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony. Cleopatra committed suicide with her servants at age 39 in her tomb.

She was buried in royal fashion next to Antony in her tomb. Cleopatra’s legacy survives in ancient and modern works of art. Roman historiography and Latin poetry produced a generally critical view of the queen that pervaded later Medieval and Renaissance literature.

She has become a pop culture icon of Egyptomania since the Victorian era, and in modern times, Cleopatra has appeared in the applied and fine arts, burlesque satire, Hollywood films, and brand images for commercial products.

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4. Zenobia: Inspiring Story of A Famous Warrior Queen

Septimia Zenobia (240-275) was the queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. She challenged the authority of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city, Odaenathus.

Her husband became king in 260, elevating Palmyra to supreme power in the Near East by defeating the Sasanian Empire of Persia and stabilizing the Roman East. After Odaenathus’ assassination, Zenobia became the regent of her son Vaballathus and held de facto power throughout his reign.

She was a great warrior and launched many successful invasions. She conquered Egypt, Anatolia, Lebanon, and Roman Judea until finally being defeated by the Roman emperor Aurelian. The Romans were victorious only after heavy fighting.

The empress was besieged in her capital and captured by Aurelian. He exiled her to Rome, where she spent the remainder of her life. Zenobia was a cultured monarch and fostered an intellectual environment in her court, which was open to scholars and philosophers.

She was tolerant toward her subjects and protected religious minorities. The empress maintained a stable administration, which governed a multicultural, multiethnic empire. Her rise and fall have inspired historians, artists, and novelists, and she is a patriotic symbol in Syria.

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5. Theodora: Famous Empress of The Byzantine Empire

Theodora (490-548) was a highly influential Empress of the Byzantine Empire. She was the wife of Emperor Justinian I. She was from humble origins and became empress when her husband became emperor in 527. Theodora exerted much influence over her husband and participated in state councils.

She was his most trusted advisor and used him to achieve her purposes. She was also accompanied by plenty of courtiers and given many honors. Unlike her husband Justinian, who was an Orthodox, Theodora had monophysite leanings and became a patron of monophysite churchmen.

Theodora is a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church, commemorated on 28 June. Justinian tolerated that behavior, most likely in an attempt to keep both orthodox and monophysite happy.

Theodora had a high sense of duty. It is said that when during the Revolt of Nika Justinian was preparing to escape from Constantinople, Theodora confronted him and stopped him by stating:

“In my opinion, flight is not the right course, even if it should bring us to safety. It is impossible for a person, having been born into this world, not to die; but for one who has reigned, it is intolerable to be a fugitive.

May I never be deprived of this purple robe, and may I never see the day when those who meet me do not call me empress? If you wish to save yourself, my lord, there is no difficulty. We are rich; over there is the sea, and yonder are the ships.

Yet reflect for a moment whether, when you have once escaped to a place of security, you would not gladly exchange such safety for death. As for me, I agree with the adage that the royal purple is the noblest shroud.”

Those words persuaded Justinian to remain in Constantinople and fight back, sending troops to suppress the revolt. She controlled foreign affairs and legislation, violently put down riots, and, notably, fought for the rights of women, passing anti-trafficking laws and improving divorce proceedings.

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6. Wu Zetian: Only Female Emperor In Chinese History

Wu Zhao also known as Wu Zetian (624-705) was the first and only female emperor in Chinese history. She was the de facto ruler of the Tang dynasty from 665 to 705, ruling first through others and then (from 690) in her own right. Wu Zetian was the first Empress Wu (wife of Emperor Gao Zong), who later became Wu Zetian (Emperor of China).

Wu was the concubine of Emperor Taizong. After his death, she married his ninth son and successor, Emperor Gaozong. Thus she became empress consort, the highest-ranking of the wives, in 655. After her wedding to Gaozong in 655, her rise to power was swift.

Once announced as the empress consort, she began to control the court. After Gaozong’s debilitating stroke in 660, she became administrator of the court, a position equal to the emperor’s, until 683. On Emperor Gaozong’s death in 683, rather than entering into retirement Wu broke with tradition.

She took acquisition of complete power, refusing to allow any of her sons to rule. She took the throne by officially changing the name of the country from Tang to Zhou and holding a formal ceremony to crown herself as emperor. Wu was more decisive and proactive than her husband.

A Woman Who Made China A Highly Powerful Nation

Historians consider her to have been the real power behind the throne during Gaozong’s reign for more than 20 years until his death. Wu Zetian was a highly skilled administrator and advanced China socially. She was the only female sovereign in the history of China widely regarded as legitimate.

Under her 40-year reign, China grew larger, extending far beyond its previous territorial limits, deep into Central Asia, and becoming one of the great powers of the world. She was a patron of Buddhism and brought reforms to the education system.

During her tenure, the corruption in the court was reduced and the culture, and economy of China were revitalized. She was the Imperial Supreme ruler of 1/4 the world’s population in 700 A.D.

Empress Wu is considered one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history due to her strong leadership and effective governance, which made China one of the world’s most powerful nations. In addition, she was also a badass, establishing herself as a full Emperor, not an Empress or a Queen.

There were many powerful female rulers in Chinese history, like The Empress Dowager Xuan of the Qin State, The Empress Dowager Lu of the Han Dynasty, The Empress Dowager Hu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and The Empress Dowager CiXi of the Qing Dynasty.

They all got power by their Emperor husbands’ death. But only Wu Zetian, became an Empress, the Empress of the most powerful Empire in Chinese history.

A strong, charismatic, vengeful, ambitious, well-educated woman who enjoyed her husband’s absolute affection, Wu was the most powerful and influential woman in the court during a period when the Tang dynasty was at the peak of its glory.

7. Irene of Athens: Most Ambitious Women In History

Irene of Athens (752-803), surname Sarantapechaena was a Byzantine empress who was married to Emperor Leo IV. Irene was born in Athens. In 768 she was chosen by Emperor Constantine V as a bride for his son and heir, Leo IV. Leo became Emperor in 775 after his father died.

Irene was of noble heritage but she wasn’t a descendant of an important family. She also had iconophile proclivities. It is thus somewhat of a mystery why Constantine V chose her. This led some to believe that Irene may have been the first example of a bride chosen through a ‘bride-show’.

In this custom, young noblewomen selected for their beauty would be presented to the bridegroom and he and his mother would make the choice. The untimely death of her husband caused the throne to actually fall to her, leaving her solely in charge. Irene became Empress in 780.

She was quickly able to foil a conspiracy by Leo’s half-brother Nicephorus and subdued a revolt in Sicily. Her most important act though was her restoration of the icons. In the Second Council of Nicaea in 787, she revived the veneration of icons.

During her regency with her son, Constantine VI, Irene became very influential in government policies. As Constantine VI reached maturity, he began to move out from under the influence of his mother.

A Woman Who Killed Her Own Son For Throne

In 790, Constantine, who had grown tired of being in his mother’s shadow, was finally declared sole Emperor by the army. In the early 790s, several revolts tried to proclaim him as sole ruler. One of these revolts succeeded, but in 792 Irene was re-established in all imperial powers as co-emperor with Constantine VI.

In 797, Irene organized a conspiracy that led to the overthrow of Constantine. Her son was captured and blinded; a few days later he died from his wounds. Thus, Irene became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire and asserted herself as Basileus (Emperor instead of Empress).

She ruled with the help of eunuchs but a revolt in 802 eventually overthrew Irene and exiled her to the island of Lesbos, supplanting her on the throne with one of her ministers, Nikephoros I. Irene died in exile less than a year later.

Irene’s public figure was very polarizing during her 5-year reign, as most saw it as wrong for a woman to rule solely. Her reign as such made her the first ever empress regnant, ruling in her own right, in Roman and Byzantine imperial history.

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8. Olga of Kyiv: Most Fearless Queen In World’s History

Olga of Kyiv (890-969) was one of the most powerful women in history who hasn’t been mentioned quite often on the list of strong women. She became Regent after her husband, Igor was murdered in 945. Olga ruled Kievan Rus’ as regent on behalf of her son Sviatoslav as he was only three years old when Igor died.

When Olga succeeded to the throne multiple suitors wanted to marry the widow so they could take her power. During her rule, a tribe known as the Drevlians started an uprising against her. Olga had a grudge towards the Drevlians because her husband Igor was murdered by the tribal leaders.

She was more than happy to put down their uprising. Soon after the death of Igor, Drevlians sent a messenger to Olga proposing that she marry her husband’s murderer, Prince Mal. Twenty Drevlian negotiators boated to Kyiv to pass along their king’s message and to ensure Olga’s compliance.

They arrived in her court and told the queen why they were in Kyiv: “To report that they had slain her husband … and that Olga should come and marry their Prince Mal.” Certainly, this proposal is extremely insulting to any self-respecting person but Olga was a brave and fearless woman.

She devised a unique plan to defeat them. Olga responded: “Your proposal is pleasing to me, indeed, my husband cannot rise again from the dead. But I desire to honor you tomorrow in the presence of my people.”

“Return now to your boat, and remain there with an aspect of arrogance. Tomorrow, you shall be carried in your boat by the people of Kyiv.”

When the Drevlians returned the next day, they waited outside Olga’s court to receive the honor she had promised. The people of Kyiv rose up, carrying the Drevlians in their boat. The ambassadors believed this was a great honor as if they were being carried by palanquin.

The people brought them into the court where they were dropped into a trench that had been dug the day before under Olga’s orders where the ambassadors were buried alive. Olga bent down to watch them as they were buried and “inquired whether they found the honor to their taste.”

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After this incident, Olga prepared a more dangerous plan. She sent a message to the Drevlians that they should send their distinguished men to her in Kyiv so that she might go to their Prince with due honor. The Drevlians, unaware of their fate gathered another party of men to send “the best men who governed the land of Dereva.”

When they arrived, Olga commanded her people to draw them a bath and invited the men to appear before her after they had bathed. When the Drevlians entered the bathhouse, Olga had it set on fire from the doors, so that all the Drevlians within burned to death.

But her husband’s murderer was still alive. So she sent another message to the Drevlians, this time ordering them to “prepare great quantities of mead in the city where you killed my husband, that I may weep over his grave and hold a funeral feast for him.”

When Olga and a small group of attendants arrived at Igor’s tomb, she did indeed weep and hold a funeral feast. The Drevlians sat down to join them and began to drink heavily. When the Drevlians were drunk, she ordered her followers to kill them.

According to the Primary Chronicle, five thousand Drevlians were killed on this night, but Olga returned to Kyiv to prepare an army to finish off the survivors. The initial conflict between the armies of the two nations went very well for the forces of ‘Kyivan Rus’, who won the battle handily.

They drove the survivors back into their cities. Olga then led her army to Iskorosten, the city where her husband had been slain, and laid siege to the city. Finally, with a great plan, she subdued all her enemies.

Olga remained regent ruler of Kievan Rus’ with the support of the army and her people. She changed the system of tribute gathering (poliudie) in the first legal reform recorded in Eastern Europe.

She continued to evade proposals of marriage, defended the city during the Siege of Kyiv in 968, and saved the power of the throne for her son. She established the ‘Kyivan Rus’ as a European Power until the Mongol invasions centuries later.

Under her rule, she began to establish relations with the Christian powers of Europe by converting to Christianity and encouraging her people to do the same. Olga is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church with the epithet “Equal to the Apostles”.

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9. Borte Ujin: A Woman Who Helped To Form A Great Empire

Borte Ujin (1161-1230) was the first wife of Temüjin, who became Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Börte became the head of the first Court of Genghis Khan, and Grand Empress of his Empire, the largest land empire in history. She was betrothed to Genghis at a young age, married at seventeen, and then kidnapped by a rival tribe.

Her husband’s daring rescue of her may have been one of the key events that started him on his path to becoming a conqueror. She gave birth to four sons and five daughters, who, along with their own descendants, were the key bloodline that further expanded the Mongol Empire.

Börte was the most influential and important person in the Khan’s life. She was one of Genghis Khan’s most trusted advisors and ruled the Mongol homeland in the long periods when he was away at war. Börte on several occasions heavily influenced her husband’s decisions.

Because Genghis both respected and appreciated Börte’s insight on political relationships. One such incident was when Otčigin came into Genghis Khan’s tent while he was still in bed with Börte, and asked for help against the Qongqotan tribe.

Before Genghis Khan could say anything, Börte “sat up in bed, covering her breasts with the edge of the blanket” and described the cruelty of the Qongqotan. After listening to his wife speak, Genghis Khan decided to help Otčigin.

There is also evidence of Börte influencing how strict Genghis was with members of his cabinet. In one instance, Börte told Genghis to separate from his friend Jamqua after the alliance went bad, in order to maintain his authority within the court.

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10. Razia Sultana: First Female Muslim Ruler In India

Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din (1205-1240), popularly known as Razia Sultana or Rajia Begum, was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. She was the first female Muslim ruler of the subcontinent and the only female Muslim ruler of Delhi. She was the daughter of Mamluk Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish.

Razia’s mother – Turkan Khatun was a daughter of Qutb ud-Din Aibak. Razia administered Delhi during 1231–1232 when her father was busy in the Gwalior campaign. According to a legend, impressed by her performance during this period, Iltutmish nominated Razia as his heir apparent after returning to Delhi.

Iltutmish was succeeded by Razia’s half-brother Ruknuddin Firuz, whose mother Shah Turkan planned to execute her. During a rebellion against Ruknuddin, Razia instigated the general public against Shah Turkan and ascended the throne after Ruknuddin was deposed in 1236.

Razia’s ascension was challenged by a section of nobles, some of whom ultimately joined her, while the others were defeated. The Turkic nobles who supported her expected her to be a figurehead, but she increasingly asserted her power.

When Razia appointed non-Turkic officers to important posts, they started thinking of dismissing her. She was deposed by a group of nobles in April 1240, after having ruled for less than four years.

She married one of the rebels – Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia – and attempted to regain the throne, but was defeated by her half-brother and successor Muizuddin Bahram. She was captured and executed shortly afterward.

Razia succeeded the throne of Delhi with her bravery, talent, and hard work. Along with this, she successfully ended many rebellions but due to some treacherous people, she had to step down from the throne.

Razia’s ascension to the throne of Delhi was unique not only because she was a woman, but also because the support from the general public was the driving force behind her appointment.

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11. Shajar al-Durr: Famous Female Ruler of The Egypt

Shajar al-Dor (Unknown-1257), whose royal name was al-Malika ʿAṣmat ad-Dīn ʾUmm-Khalīl Shajar ad-Durr was a ruler of Egypt. She was the wife of As-Salih Ayyub, and later of Izz al-Din Aybak, the first sultan of the Mamluk Bahri dynasty. Prior to becoming Ayyub’s wife, she was Ayyub’s concubine.

Shajar al-Durr was a child slave who was sold to Nejm el-Din, an Egyptian prince. As-Salih Ayyub became a Sultan in 1240 she went with him to Egypt and gave birth to their son Khalil who was called al-Malik al-Mansour. Sometime after the birth, As-Salih Ayyub married her.

She helped him defeat his enemies and seize the throne from his half-brother, Seif el-Din, who did nothing but drink and mess around. Upon his rise to the throne, Nejm el-Din took the name of As-Salih Ayyub.

Soon after her husband seized rule, however, things went sour. Louis IX of France began an invasion of Egypt, the Seventh Crusade, hoping to conquer it and move on to Jerusalem. Shajar al-Durr’s husband became sick and died.

Instead of losing hope, she told the people that he was still alive and banned anyone from entering his chambers, excluding the chief doctor. She began running things behind the scenes.

With the aid of her husband’s chief commander, Fakhr el-Din bin Sheikh el-Shyukh, she successfully stopped the Seventh Crusade. Not only this, but she also captured Louis IX himself! She later released him to his wife, Margaret, in exchange for 400,000 livres tournois.

In political affairs, Shajar al-Durr played a crucial role after the death of her first husband during the Seventh Crusade against Egypt (1249–1250 AD). She became the sultana of Egypt on 2 May 1250, marking the end of the Ayyubid reign and the start of the Mamluk era.

An Empress Who Created The Mamluk Dynasty

However, as soon as she ascended the throne, she faced another obstacle: Turanshah, one of al-Saleh Ayoub’s sons, had risen to the throne. Unfortunately, he was much like his father’s step-brother, drinking and replacing important figures with his own incompetent and ineffective people.

He was killed in his camp, and Shajar al-Dor became the official Sultana of Egypt, with full power and military support. Some were unhappy to see a woman on the throne, and so to silence them, she married Ezz el-Din Aybak, an Emir who was her husband’s food taster and accountant.

Whether he became the true ruler or she continued to rule behind the scenes is disputed. Later, Aybak married another woman. The former Sultana felt betrayed and had him killed in revenge. After his murder, Aybak’s son, Al-Mansour Ali, was installed as Sultan by the Mamluks.

Shajar al-Dor’s popularity protected her from execution, but opponents wanted retribution. Alas, it was then that the Sultana met her end. The new Sultan’s bondmaids stripped Shajar al-Dor and beat her to death with clogs.

She was dragged from the Citadel and left in the moat for three days until a mob came and took the cloth that covered her waist because it was silk. Finally, she was buried in a tomb near the Mosque of Tulun.

Shajar al-Dor might have met a bizarre and undeserved end, but her impact was felt for centuries. With her husband, she created the Mamluk dynasty, which would repel both Mongol and Crusader forces.

This dynasty ruled until the apparition of Ottoman Sultan Selim I in 1512, who would defeat both Mamluk Egypt and Safavid Persia.

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12. Margaret I: An Empress Who Ruled Three Nations

Margaret I (1353-1412) was Queen regnant of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden from the late 1380s until her death. She was the founder of the Kalmar Union which joined the Scandinavian kingdoms together for over a century. Margaret was known as a wise, energetic, and capable leader. Her ability earned her the nickname “Semiramis of the North”.

She was also known by her subjects as “Lady King”, which became widely used in recognition of her capabilities. Some scholars call her “the first great ruling queen in European history.” Margaret was the youngest daughter of King Valdemar IV and Queen Helvig of Denmark.

She was married to Haakon VI, the youngest son of the Swedish-Norwegian king Magnus IV & VII. Unfortunately, her husband died early in 1380. Her son Olaf also died suddenly in 1387 when he was only 17 years old. Thus Margaret became the sole ruler of both kingdoms.

Margaret was a shrewd politician and a great warrior. She displayed her talent first by succeeding the throne from her elder sister Ingeborg and her husband, Duke Henry III. Later she defeated King Albert of Spain in two successive battles.

In 1388, the Swedes were compelled to accept all of Margaret’s conditions, and elected her “Sovereign Lady and Ruler”. Her regency marked the beginning of a Dano-Norwegian union which was to last for more than four centuries.

Some Norwegian and Swedish historians have criticized Margaret for favoring Denmark and being too autocratic, though she is generally thought to have been highly regarded in Norway and respected in Denmark and Sweden.

13. Isabella I of Castile: A Queen Who Changed History

Isabella I (1451-1504), also called Isabella the Catholic was Queen of Castile and León from 1474 until her death in 1504. She was also Queen of Aragon from 1479 until her death as the wife of King Ferdinand II. Isabella of Castile is considered one of the most influential women in history.

Reigning together over a dynastically unified Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand are known as the Catholic Monarchs. After a struggle to claim the throne, Isabella reorganized the governmental system and brought the crime rate down.

She unburdened the kingdom of the debt her half-brother King Henry IV had left behind. Isabella’s marriage to Ferdinand in 1469 created the basis of the de facto unification of Spain.

Her reforms and those she made with her husband had an influence that extended well beyond the borders of their united kingdoms. She made Spain a major power in Europe and the world and ultimately ushered in the Spanish Golden Age.

Had she not succeeded, the New World would not have been discovered when and where it was, with unimaginable changes for the course of world history. The establishment of Christian hegemony in Western Europe is an overlooked but crucial change as well.

Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon are known for being the first monarchs to be referred to as the “Queen of Spain” and “King of Spain”, respectively.

14. Inspiring Story of A Woman Who Freed France From Slavery

How A Young Brave Girl Led France To A Great Victory

Joan of Arc (1412-1431) nicknamed “The Maid of Orléans” or “Maid of Lorraine” is a national heroine of France. She was a peasant girl who, believing that she was acting under divine guidance, led the French army in a momentous victory at Orléans in 1429 that repulsed an English attempt to conquer France during the Hundred Years’ War.

When she was about 16, her voice began urging her to aid France’s dauphin (crown prince) and save France from the English attempt at conquest in the Hundred Years’ War. Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, a small town in northeast France, in 1412.

She was one of five children born to Jacques and Isabelle. Her father, Jacques, was a farmer who also worked as an official for the town. Growing up in a poor farming family, Joan didn’t go to school but instead took care of the farm’s animals.

Her mother also taught her to spin and sew. Joan’s family was very religious and when Joan was about 12, she had a vision. She said an angel told her to lead the French in a battle against the English, to take back her homeland from English rule.

She was also told to take Charles, the eldest child of France’s former king, to reclaim the throne at the city of Rheims. Joan had more visions during her teenage years, which she believed were coming from God.

When she was 16, she decided to take action. Joan asked a town official to take her to Charles, to seek permission to lead an army. The official just laughed at her, but Joan didn’t give up.

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She continued to hear voices and also made some extraordinary predictions, such as the French being defeated at the Battle of Rouvray near Orleans. When these predictions came true, Joan gained the support of some local leaders and she was taken to the royal court in the city of Chinon.

Joan cut her hair short and dressed like a man so she wouldn’t be recognized. Charles was suspicious of such a young girl at first and had her questioned by church representatives. But he eventually allowed her to lead an army to the city of Orleans, which was being held by the English.

Meantime, Joan had been practicing her horse riding skills. Although she didn’t fight in the battles, she encouraged the soldiers’ bravery. She dressed as a knight and carried a flag instead of a sword. Word got around about Joan and her visions.

The people of Orleans greeted her with cheers and celebrations, thinking that God might save them from English rule. Joan’s army fought hard, and although Joan was wounded by an arrow, she didn’t give up.

After some fierce fighting, the English eventually retreated from Orleans and Joan’s army had won a great victory. But her work was not done. Joan then persuaded her army to take the city of Rheims, where Charles was crowned King Charles VII of France in 1429.

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Joan of Arc: Famous Story of The Heroine of France

At the king’s coronation, Joan was given a place of honor. On 23 May 1430, when Joan heard the city of Compiegne was under attack from the Burgundians, she took a small army to help defend the city. But during the attack, she was captured. She was later sold to the English as a prisoner.

Joan tried to escape several times, however, she could not succeed. She was put on trial by the pro-English bishop, Pierre Cauchon, on a variety of charges. Tragically, King Charles did nothing to help her. After Cauchon declared her guilty, Joan was killed.

She was burned alive at the stake in the marketplace of Rouen on 30 May 1431. She bravely forgave her accusers and asked for a cross before she died. Joan of Arc was only nineteen years old when she died.

At such a young age, the example of bravery, valor, and leadership she set is truly admirable. Twenty-five years later, Pope Callixtus III said that Joan was not guilty of any wrongdoing. The Hundred Years’ War continued for twenty-two years after her death.

Many historians believe that Joan of Arc’s aggressive use of artillery and frontal assaults influenced French tactics for the rest of the war. Then nearly 500 years later, in 1920, Joan was declared a Saint of the Catholic Church and forever remains a national heroine of France.

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15. Elizabeth I: Story of A Famous Queen of England

Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was one of the most powerful English monarchs ever. Elizabeth was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Her early life was full of struggles. Her mother was executed when Elizabeth was two years old.

Elizabeth was declared illegitimate as Anne’s marriage to Henry was annulled. However, her father Henry restored her to the line of succession when she was ten. After Henry’s death in 1547, Elizabeth’s younger half-brother Edward VI ruled until his own death in 1553.

But he bequeathed the crown to a cousin, Lady Jane Grey, and ignored the claims of his two half-sisters – Mary and Elizabeth. Edward’s will was set aside within weeks of his death and Mary became queen, deposing and executing Jane.

During Mary’s reign, Elizabeth was imprisoned for nearly a year on suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels. When Mary died in 1558, Elizabeth succeeded to the throne and set out to rule by good counsel. One of her first actions as queen was the establishment of an English Protestant church.

She became its supreme governor. It was expected that Elizabeth would marry and produce an heir; however, despite numerous courtships, she never married. Because of this, she is sometimes referred to as the “Virgin Queen”. As she grew older, Elizabeth became celebrated for her virginity.

In government, Elizabeth was more moderate than her father and siblings had been. Elizabeth I was an intelligent, efficient, and visionary queen. She defeated the Spanish Armada and ruled successfully for so long that her reign from 1558 until 1603 is known as the “Elizabethan Era”.

She was eventually succeeded by her first cousin twice removed, James VI of Scotland. As the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty, she encouraged major cultural changes like the Renaissance and the transformation of England into a Protestant country.

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16. Elizabeth Petrovna: Most Famous Queen of Russia

Elizabeth or Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-1762) reigned as Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular Russian monarchs because of her decision not to execute a single person during her reign, her numerous construction projects, and her strong opposition to Prussian policies.

The second-eldest daughter of Tsar Peter the Great, Elizabeth lived through the confused successions of her father’s descendants following her half-brother Alexei’s death in 1718. The throne was first passed to her mother Catherine I of Russia, then to her nephew Peter II, who died in 1730.

Then the throne was succeeded by Elizabeth’s first cousin Anna from 1730 to 1740. After the brief rule of Anna’s infant great-nephew, Ivan VI, Elizabeth seized the throne with the military’s support and declared her own nephew, the future Peter III, her heir.

During her reign, Elizabeth continued the policies of her father and brought about a remarkable Age of Enlightenment in Russia. Her domestic policies allowed the nobles to gain dominance in local government. She encouraged Mikhail Lomonosov’s foundation at the University of Moscow.

It’s the highest-ranking Russian educational institution. Her court became one of the most splendid in all of Europe, especially regarding architecture: she modernized Russia’s roads and encouraged Ivan Shuvalov’s foundation of the Imperial Academy of Arts.

She also financed grandiose Baroque projects of her favorite architect, Bartolomeo Rastrelli, particularly in Peterhof Palace. The Winter Palace and the Smolny Cathedral in Saint Petersburg are among the chief monuments of her reign.

Elizabeth remained unmarried throughout her life as her fiance died shortly before marriage. However, it was rumored that she had some secret love affairs but she never confessed. As an unmarried and childless empress, she chose her nephew, Peter, the next heir to the throne.

Elizabeth led the Russian Empire during the two major European conflicts of her time: the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748) and the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763).

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17. Ahilyabai Holkar: The Most Generous Queen In History

Ahilyabai Holkar (1725-1795) was the queen of Indore, within the Maratha Confederacy. She established Maheshwar (Madhya Pradesh) as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty. After the demise of her husband Khande Rao Holkar and father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar, Ahilyabai herself undertook the affairs of the Holkar dynasty.

She defended the Malwa state against intruders and personally led armies into battle. She was also known for the construction of various Hindu temples and Dharmashalas across the Indian Subcontinent. She was also known for breaking traditional gender rules in 18th-Century India.

Ahilyabai was born into an ordinary Marathi Hindu family. According to a legend, she rose to prominence when Malhar Rao Holkar, a commander in the army of Peshwa Baji Rao and ruler of Malwa, stopped in Chaundi on his way to Pune.

Here he saw the eight-year-old Ahilya at a temple service in the village. Impressed by her piety and character, Malhar’s son, Khande Rao Holkar, married Ahilya on the Peshwa’s advice. Ahilya accompanied Khande Rao on many campaigns.

In 1754, Khande Rao died in a battle. After the demise of her husband, she was trained in military affairs by her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar. Malhar Rao Holkar died in 1766, 12 years after the death of his son Khande Rao.

Malhar Rao’s grandson and Khande Rao’s only son Male Rao Holkar became the ruler of Indore in 1766, under Ahilyabai’s regency, but he too died in 1767.

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Ahilyabai became the ruler of Indore after the death of her son. She successfully defeated many invaders and protected her kingdom from them. Among Ahilyabai’s accomplishments was the transformation of Indore from a small village to a prosperous and beautiful city.

She also commissioned several infrastructure projects in Malwa. She sponsored festivals and gave donations for regular worship in many Hindu temples located at Kashi, Gaya, Somnath, Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Kanchi, Avanti, Dwarka, Badrinath, Rameshwaram and Puri.

Outside Malwa, she built numerous Hindu temples, Ghats, wells, tanks, and rest houses throughout the Indian subcontinent, stretching from the Himalayas to pilgrimage centers in southern India. Ahilyabai also supported the rise of merchants, farmers, and cultivators to levels of affluence.

There are many stories of her care for her subjects. In one instance, when her minister refused to allow the adoption of a child unless he was suitably bribed, she is said to have sponsored the child herself and given him clothes and jewels as a part of the adoption ritual.

Ahilyabai’s capital at Maheshwar was the scene of literary, musical, artistic, and industrial enterprise. She died in 1795 at the age of 70. Ahilyabai was succeeded by her commander-in-chief and nephew, Tukoji Rao Holkar.

Nizam of Hyderabad once said about her: “Definitely, there is no woman and no ruler like Ahilyabai Holkar.”

18. Rani Lakshmi Bai: An Immortal Queen of Indian History

Lakshmibai Newalkar (1828-1858), the Rani of Jhansi was the Maharani consort of the princely state of Jhansi in Maratha Empire from 1843 to 1853. She was one of the leading figures in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, who became a national hero and symbol of resistance to British rule in India for Indian nationalists.

Rani Lakshmi Bai was born on 19 November 1828 in the town of Varanasi. She was named Manikarnika Tambe by her father Moropant Tambe and her mother Bhagirathi Sapre. When she was only four years old her mother passed away.

Her father was the Commander of War under Peshwa Baji Rao II. At the age of 14, Manikarnika married the Maharaja of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao, in 1842. After her marriage, she was called Lakshmi Bai.

Rani Lakshmi Bai’s son Damodar Rao was born in 1851 but he died after four months. Rani’s husband, Gangadhar Rao also died in 1853. Before he died, he had adopted his cousin’s son Anand Rao, who was renamed, Damodar Rao.

When the Maharaja died in 1853, Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of the British East India Company refused to recognize the claim of his adopted heir and annexed Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse.

Rani was unwilling to cede control and joined the rebellion against the British in 1857. She led the successful defense of Jhansi against Company allies, but in early 1858 Jhansi fell to British forces under the command of Hugh Rose.

A Woman Who Became A Symbol of Bravery In History

The Rani managed to escape on horseback and joined the rebels in capturing Gwalior, where they proclaimed Nana Saheb as Peshwa of the revived Maratha Empire. She died in June 1858 after being mortally wounded during the British counterattack at Gwalior.

She was dressed as a soldier when she died. Rani Lakshmi Bai was the epitome of courage and bravery. She became a symbol of resistance against British rule for later nationalists in India. She is regarded as one of the greatest freedom fighters in India.

Lakshmi Bai died only at the young age of 23, but she will always be remembered as a great martyr who laid down her life for the cause of freedom. Lakshmi Bai is a symbol of courage, heroism, and woman power.

British commander Hugh Rose who faced the queen in battle wrote about her: “Remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance, she had been the most dangerous of all the rebel leaders. The best and bravest of all.”

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19. Catherine the Great: Most Powerful Queen In Russian History

Catherine II (1729-1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She was undoubtedly one of history’s most famous women. Born in Poland, as a German princess, she attained rule of Russia through marriage and held on to it for 34 years.

She assumed complete power after overthrowing her husband, Peter III who succeeded to the throne as Emperor Peter III after the death of her mother, Empress Elizabeth in 1762. In July 1762, barely six months after becoming emperor, Catherine conspired a plot against her husband.

And she became the sole occupant of the Russian throne. She had her husband arrested and later secretly murdered him. Assisted by highly successful generals and admirals, she governed at a time when the Russian Empire was expanding rapidly by conquest and diplomacy.

She also defeated the Ottoman Empire in two big wars and greatly expanded Russia’s Empire over three continents. She made legislative reforms, put down the dangerous Pugachev Rebellion, and was known for a risqué personal life.

Under her long reign, inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment, Russia experienced a renaissance of culture and sciences, which led to the founding of many new cities, universities, and theatres, along with large-scale immigration from the rest of Europe.

Many cities and towns were founded on Catherine’s orders in the newly conquered lands, most notably Yekaterinoslav, Kherson, Nikolayev, and Sevastopol. An admirer of Peter the Great, Catherine continued to modernize Russia along Western European lines.

During his reign, Russia emerged as one of the great powers of Europe. The construction of many mansions of the nobility, in the classical style, changed the face of the country. She is often included in the ranks of the enlightened despots.

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20. Queen Victoria: Most Famous Queen In The History of England

Alexandrina Victoria (1819-1901), popularly known as Queen Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. She became Queen of the United Kingdom on 20 June 1837 and held the throne until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days, which was longer than any of her predecessors, is known as the Victorian era.

Queen Victoria skillfully presided over a massive global empire, successfully fighting other European powers and advancing the Industrial Revolution to make Britain a global power. Her kingdom was stretched across six continents and it’s said that at that time the sun never set in her empire.

Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward and Princess Victoria. After the deaths of her father and grandfather in 1820, she was raised under close supervision by her mother. She inherited the throne at age 18 after her father’s three elder brothers died without surviving legitimate issues.

Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert in 1840. Their nine children married into royal and noble families across the continent, earning Victoria the sobriquet “Grandmother of Europe”. Victorian era was a period of industrial, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom.

In 1876, the British Parliament voted to grant her the additional title of Empress of India. Under her rule, slavery was abolished throughout all British colonies, and voting rights were granted to most British men. She also made significant reforms in the cultural, political, and military fields in her Empire.

Victoria, a constitutional monarch, attempted privately to influence government policy and ministerial appointments; publicly, she became a national icon who was identified with strict standards of personal morality. Queen Victoria died in 1901 at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, at the age of 81.

21. Dowager Cixi: The Most Successful Queen of China

Dowager Cixi (1835-1908), born Yehe Nara Xingzhen, was the Chinese Emperor’s mother and regent. She was a Chinese noblewoman of the Manchu Yehe Nara clan who effectively controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty as empress Dowager and regent for almost 50 years, from 1861 until her death in 1908.

Selected as a concubine of the Xianfeng Emperor in her adolescence, she gave birth to a son, Zaichun, in 1856. After the Xianfeng Emperor’s death in 1861, his five-year-old son became the Tongzhi Emperor, and Cixi assumed the role of co-empress dowager alongside Xianfeng’s widow, Empress Dowager Ci’an.

Cixi supervised the Tongzhi Restoration, a series of moderate reforms that helped the regime survive until 1911. Although Cixi refused to adopt Western models of government, she supported technological and military reforms and the Self-Strengthening Movement.

She overhauled the corrupt bureaucracy and managed to save her court from the Boxer Rebellion of 1899-1901 but only by turning it against foreigners who then occupied the country, sparking the downfall of the dynasty and the rise of the republic.

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22. Indira Gandhi: First Woman Prime Minister In Indian History

Indira Feroze Gandhi (1917-1984) popularly known as Indira Gandhi was an Indian politician who served as the Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms (1966–77) and a fourth term from 1980 until she was assassinated in 1984. She was India’s first and, to date, only female prime minister.

She is a central figure in Indian politics as the leader of the Indian National Congress. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, and the mother of Rajiv Gandhi, who succeeded her in office as the country’s sixth prime minister.

She held P.M. office for approximately 16 years, making her the second-longest-serving Indian prime minister after her father. As prime minister, Gandhi was known for her political intransigence and unprecedented centralization of power.

In 1967, she headed a military conflict with China in which India successfully repelled Chinese incursions in the Himalayas. In 1971, she went to war with Pakistan in support of the independence movement and the war of independence in East Pakistan.

It resulted in an Indian victory and the creation of a new nation Bangladesh. All these incidents increased India’s influence to the point where it became the sole regional power in South Asia. Indira Gandhi is remembered as the most powerful woman in the world during her tenure.

Henry Kissinger described her as an “Iron Lady”, a nickname that became associated with her tough personality since her lifetime. In 1999, Gandhi was named “Woman of the Millennium” in an online poll organized by the BBC.

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23. Margaret Thatcher: Most Famous Female PM of Britain

Margaret Hilda Thatcher (1925-2013), also known as Baroness Thatcher was a British stateswoman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the position.

As prime minister, she implemented economic policies that became known as Thatcherism. On becoming prime minister in 1979, Thatcher introduced a series of economic policies intended to reverse high inflation and Britain’s struggles in the wake of the Winter of Discontent and an oncoming recession.

Her political philosophy and economic policies emphasized greater individual liberty, the privatization of state-owned companies, and reducing the power and influence of trade unions. In 1986, Thatcher oversaw the deregulation of UK financial markets, leading to an economic boom, known as the Big Bang.

Margaret Thatcher was the first woman ever to lead any big country in Europe or America. Her confidence, resilience, and uncompromising leadership style led her to reshape almost every aspect of British politics, from foreign policy to domestic economy.

A polarising figure in British politics, Thatcher is nonetheless viewed by historians as one of the greatest prime ministers in British history. Many scholars consider her a tough statesman and one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century.

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24. Golda Meir: First Female Head of Govt. In The Middle East

Golda Meir (1898-1978) was an Israeli politician who served as the fourth prime minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. She was Israel’s first and only female prime minister and the first female head of government in the Middle East. Golda Meir was instrumental in the formation of the State of Israel (1948).

She was one of the signers of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Born in Kyiv in the Russian Empire to Ukrainian Jewish parents, Meir immigrated as a child with her family to the United States in 1906. In 1921, after the conclusion of the First World War, she moved to Palestine with her husband Meyerson.

Golda Mei played a critical role in fundraising which was essential for the formation of the state. In 1948, the Jewish agency needed to raise funds for the continuing war and the coming Israeli state. The treasurer of the Jewish Agency was convinced that they would not be able to raise more than $7 to $8 million.

But Meir raised over $30 million from the American Jewish community. She toured dozens of cities in the United States and returned to Israel. The funds were critical to the success of the war effort and the establishment of Israel.

Ben-Gurion wrote that Meir’s role as the “Jewish woman who got the money which made the state possible” would go down in history. Golda Meir was elected as the fourth prime minister of Israel when Prime Minister Levi Eshkol died suddenly on 26 February 1969.

Golda rose to become one of the first women in the world to serve as a head of state, steering Israel through its early, troubled decades. A controversial figure in Israel, Meir has been lionized as a founder of the state and described as the “Iron Lady” of Israeli politics.

We hope the stories published in ‘Famous Strong Women in History’ inspired you a lot. These are the women who shaped the course of history with their intelligence, passion, strength, and leadership qualities.

To read more stories about famous women please have a look at Important Women in History. Let us know in the comment section below which strong women have had the biggest impact on world history.

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.”

– Helen Keller