10 Badass Queen Warriors

Beside every strong leader, there has always been a woman whispering in their ears.  It may have been an ambitious lover or an overpowering mum..

History also recalls the women who have stood up and left nothing to chance. 

These women who have taken control of their kingdoms are forever remembered as “She Wolves”.  This is a disparaging term used to describe strong women who are supposed to offer little more than an heir.  This name is given to Queens who have fought for their legal right to the throne and also to those who have been downright Bloodthirsty. 

Queen Boudicca   25 – 61 A.D.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and this was one pissed off lady. Boudicca’s husband ruled a large area of Britian and when he died, the Romans came in and took over, flogging Boudicca and raping her daughters. Soon the flaming-haired Celt rallied the troops and led a murderous army into battle.  It is said they slaughtered up to 100,000 troops and civilians.  They hanged, crucified and burned their victims and then burned London (then Londonium) to the ground.  A layer of charcoal a metre thick can still be found under modern day London.  The uprising almost led to the evacuation of Roman forces but the situation turned and Boudica either killed herself or died of her wounds.

Queen Zenobia 240 275

This is another strong female who became Queen when her husband was assasinated and then led a raid against the Romans.  Zenobia was Queen of the Roman Colony, Palmyra, now Syria and was not happy about being under Roman control.  So she and her armies seized Egypt and much of Asia Minor and of course her independence from Rome.  She gained new territories and trade agreement for her people and her heir. The joy was short lived and less than five years later, was captured and died.  Gutsy but not evil.

Empress Wu Zetian  624 705

Now this is an interesting Chick.  She was once a Nun, then a concubine and then the only ruling female Emperor in Chinese history.  She was an intelligent, well educated, beautiful female and with high ambition.  But there was already an Empress.  So being one of the Emperors favourite concubines she murdered her own child and framed the Empress for the killing, making her the new successor to the throne.  Although she went on to kill two more of her children in order to retain power, she was credited with making some significant improvements to education, agriculture and trade.  What a Gal.

Queen Matilda  1102 1167

Matilda was the legitimate heir to the English Throne.  Henry I was her father and when he died, Matilda’s cousin Stephen crowned himself King of England.  This was all because she had ovaries and the belief at the time was that a female could not rule.  Matilda didn’t give up there.  She fought and this led to civil war in England.  She was triumphant but was never crowned.  However her son, Henry II did eventually become King of England.  If it wasn’t for Matilda and Gals like her, history would be very different.

Eleanor of Aquitaine  1122 1204

A very wealthy noble, Eleanor first became Queen of France but the King died.  Then she married Matilda’s son, Henry II and when Stephen died she became Queen of England.  She produced eight heirs and separated from the King. Then she plotted with her sons to overthrow King Henry.  She was imprisoned for 16 years all the while plotting, plotting, plotting until finally her son Richard I became King.  Talk about a pushy mother.

Tamar of Georgia  1184 1213

Queen Tamar of Georgia was another “She Wolf” worthy of our admiration.  Under her rule her kingdom flourished and grew in territory.  She was ambitious and fearless invading first the Byzantine Empire and the coveted city of Constantinople. She then proclaimed herself the Empress of the Roman Empire picking up more and more territory for the Georgian Empire. The Pope at the time refused to accept her as Empress much to Tamar’s disgust. She warned him, there was a bit of “argy bargy” so she sacked him and made herself Pope instead. She was crowned in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Future Popes denied this happened probably because they were embarrassed.  But I love this story. Adds a whole new meaning to the phrase Devil wears Prada.

Isabella of France  1295 1358

Isabella was 12 years old when she was sent to England to marry Edward II.  After 5 years and the death of Edward’s homosexual lover, Isabella produced their first heir, Edward III.  They were happy for a while but unlike her husband, Isabella had a ruthless, ambitious streak.  She gathered together a group of conspiritors and while visiting France, had her husband murdered.  Enter her son King Edward III.  She lived out her life in safety and comfort.  Very sneaky.

Margaret of Anjou   1430 1482

Margaret was married to the crazy King Henry VI and basically ruled the kingdom on her own.  Her actions led to civil war in England that lasted for 30 years.  Known as the War of the Roses, this bloody battle cost the lives of thousands of men and most of the nobility at the time including her only son.  Bad luck Maggie.

Mary I   1516 1558

Bloody Mary, as she is better known was the rightful heir to the Tudor throne after the death of her half brother, Edward VI.  She was a staunch Catholic and because of their religious differences, her brother had her removed from succession.  But she won out in the end and killed anyone who had stood between her and the title.  During her five-year reign, she burned hundreds at the stake earning her the name Bloody Mary.

Ranavalona I   1788 1867

Queen Ranavalona was Queen of Madagasgar for over 30 years going down in history as a tyrant and a madwoman but that is the tale spread by the French and other European countries trying to exploit her lands and her people.  The truth is she was a clever politician who protected her people and their culture from the ever encroaching Europeans.  However as soon as her weakling son sat on the throne, all her hard work went to shit!

You have got to wonder why some of these women didn’t just sit back and eat cake!