Category: Women in power
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Sichelgaita of Salerno: warrior princess who fought in armor
Sichelgaita of Salerno (c.1036-1090) was an Italian princess who accompanied her husband on campaign and donned armor. She represents a… Read more.
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Mabel of Bellême: monster or noblewoman of her era?
Mabel of Bellême (1030s–c.1082) had a dreadful reputation for cruelty. She was a powerbroker, an iron-fisted and ambitious woman. She… Read more.
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Nirgidma of Torghut: a Mongol princess between Asia and Europe
The Mongol princess Nirgidma of Torghut (1907–1983) lived a rich, cosmopolitan life. Having studied in Europe, this polyglot and scholar acted… Read more.
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Empress Sun: a tale of ambition in the Ming Dynasty
Empress Sun (c. 1403–1462) was an ambitious and calculating woman who used her influence to shape the political events of… Read more.
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Ndaté Yalla Mbodj: The Senegalese queen who resisted colonialism
Ndaté Yalla Mbodj (c.1814–c.1856) was te last ruler of Waalo, a kingdom located in what is now northern Senegal and southern… Read more.
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Berengaria of Navarre: more than just Richard the Lionheart’s wife
Though Berengaria of Navarre (c.1160–1230) had few opportunities to make her mark as Queen of England, she proved a capable… Read more.
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Teuta of Illyria: the pirate queen who defied Rome
Queen Teuta of Illyria (fl. 231–228 BCE) was a talented admiral and one of the first known women pirates. Her… Read more.