Since ancient times, power has belonged to men. The role of a woman was limited to dynastic marriages and the birth of heirs. However, history knows women rulers who were not inferior in wisdom and strength to kings and shahs.
Famous women rulers in the history of the world
10 names that will not be forgotten:
Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt, who ascended the throne after the death of her husband Thutmose II. Her husband was left with an illegitimate 16-year-old son, whom the woman exiled to the temple, after which she successfully ruled for 22 years. The country, devastated by nomads, began to develop economically. A woman led a victorious campaign into Nubia.
People loved and worshiped Hatshepsut. She was called the woman with the beard. The fact is that the beliefs of the Egyptians required that the pharaoh be the incarnation of the god Horus, so the ruler had to wear men's clothing and stick on a beard.
Hatshepsut's only weakness was her favorite Senenmut. The architect, of course, could not marry the queen. As proof of his love, the man built a tomb for himself - an exact copy of the sarcophagus of his beloved.
Another famous ruler of Egypt. The girl grew up in a family where it was customary to marry brothers and sisters and kill their own children. To take the throne, Cleopatra had to defeat her sisters, marry her brothers and subsequently poison them.
The ruler gave birth to a son, Ptolemy, from the great Caesar in order to be able to rule on his behalf. She also had three children with Mark Antony.
Despite the image of a femme fatale, Cleopatra was not frivolous or depraved. Like many female rulers, she was very educated for that time, spoke 8 languages, and understood sciences such as medicine, tactics and toxicology. For 30 years, she managed to resist Rome and defend the independence of her country.
3. Sophia.
Princess Ancient Rus', the elder sister of Peter I. The sister and brother were born from different mothers, but had an amazing similarity of characters. They had the same will, intelligence, ambition and stubbornness.
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The ruler of Rus' was educated, personally received ambassadors, and founded the Slavic-Greco-Roman Academy in the capital. If Peter I had not turned out to be stronger, she would have proudly ruled the state for many years.
She was called the Virgin Queen, as she swore that, despite her numerous admirers and the presence of her favorite Robert Dudley, she remained pure before the Lord.
The ruler was born from Anne Boleyn, who was executed by her husband Henry VIII (officially - for treason, in reality - for failure to give her husband a male heir). Before taking the English throne, Elizabeth was in exile and in the Tower.
The time of her reign is not called the golden age for nothing. England was booming. Under Elizabeth, the Spanish Armada, which was considered invincible, was defeated.
Daughter and heiress of the Duke of Aquitaine. At the age of 15 she was married to Louis VII. Despite the fact that she did not love her husband, the marriage lasted 20 years. During this time, Eleanor gave birth to two daughters and, together with her husband, participated in the Crusade.
When her marriage to Louis VII was annulled, she entered into a marriage alliance with Henry II. From this union seven children were born.
The ruler was distinguished by excessive jealousy, amorousness, self-will, and determination. It was because of excessive jealousy that Henry locked her in the tower. Then Eleanor raised her sons against him.
Women rulers often died at the hands of their opponents, but Eleanor lived for 80 years. Until her last day, she actively participated in political life Europe.
6. Elizaveta Petrovna.
Ruler of Russia, daughter of Catherine I and Peter I. She was distinguished by her kindness and carelessness. She loved dancing and did not dream of a throne. No one considered Elizabeth a serious force in politics. However, the princess, having led a rebellion of the guards and received their support, at the age of 31 became one of ruling women in the history of Russia.
She surrounded herself with smart ministers, fought victorious wars, and developed the economy. Thanks to her, the death penalty was abolished.
Elizabeth was in an unequal marriage with Razumovsky, who idolized his wife.
Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, a companion of Mahatma Gandhi. She was not related by family ties to the Mahatma himself. Not only the girl, but also her relatives participated in the struggle for the liberation of India, the destruction of caste differences and the destruction of patriarchy.
Despite the prejudices that are still strong in India, Indira married Feroz Gandhi, who professed Zoroastrianism. I had to pay for this marriage imprisonment. The birth of sons did not become an obstacle to Indira's political life.
After becoming prime minister in 1964, she held power for 20 years. During this time, the country's dependence on imports was eliminated, factories, schools, and factories were built. The death of the ruler occurred at the hands of political opponents.
The daughter of a carpenter and a wet nurse, she grew up in a poor family. Of the eight children her parents had, only three survived. The rest died from disease and hunger.
After emigrating to America, the girl paid for her studies by teaching English to newly arrived emigrants. She married an accountant who developed the ideas of Zionism. In 1921 she moved with her husband to Palestine.
Very soon Golda became one of the leaders of the labor movement. She managed to raise 50 million dollars for the European state that was recently proclaimed. She negotiated with the leader of Jordan and traveled as an ambassador to the USSR. Despite the fact that Golda did not come from a noble and wealthy family, like many female rulers, she still became the fourth Israeli prime minister.
Although the woman did not recognize cosmetics and fashion trends in clothes, she never had a shortage of admirers.
Margaret planned to devote her life to chemistry, and politics was just a hobby for her. However, first she became a member of the Conservative Party, then met her future husband Dennis Thatcher, gave birth to twins, received a law degree and soon entered Parliament. In 1970 she became a minister, and in 1979 - prime minister.
The “Iron Lady” was disliked by many for her toughness and radicalism. At the same time, one cannot help but pay tribute to her merits. Thanks to Margaret, children from poor families had the opportunity to study. It contributed to the development of production and the country's economy.
Thatcher became the only prime minister of the state to whom a monument was erected during her lifetime.
The first woman to officially become president. She held the presidency of Iceland 4 times and gave it up voluntarily.
Initially, Vigdis' interests were in theater and French, politics didn’t bother her. In 1975, she initiated a strike in which all women refused to do any work. Thus, the strike demonstrated the backbreaking labor that falls on the female half of the population. In 1980, Finnbogadottir was elected president.
After leaving politics, she took up the issue of treating spinal injuries and organized the Association for the Study of Spinal Cord Injuries.
Women's rule in Muslim states
There is a widespread belief that a Muslim woman is absolutely dependent on her husband and can only take care of the house. Nevertheless, in the history of Islam there are women rulers who actually ruled and made fateful decisions. Some of them:
When the Avar Khan Umakhan died, the throne was taken by his son-in-law, who also died soon after. After this, power passed to Bahu-Bika. The queen's son was considered too simple-minded, so no one objected to the power of Umahan's daughter.
The ruler ruled the state wisely. If I wanted to express my opinion at a meeting, I always began my speech with the words “As I said...”. That is, she created the appearance that her decision was made on the basis of the man’s words.
Bahu-Bike was able to establish relations with Moscow and successfully wage war against the jihadists for a long time. However, the jihadists managed to deceive her, as a result of which her sons died and the queen herself was beheaded.
The girl was raised like a boy, which is why she was called an Amazon. The father chose his daughter as heir, since the son for whom he was preparing the throne died, and the mental abilities of the Sultan's remaining sons were not pleasing.
However, Razia was not happy with the nobility. There were repeated attempts on her life. As a result of one of the assassination attempts, the ruler was killed. The country began to be shaken by civil strife and attacks by the Mongols, as a result of which the sultanate fell.
The Sultana was remembered as a skilled diplomat, capable of turning any circumstances to her advantage. She had an amazing talent to influence people.
Wife of Sultan al-Salih of Egypt and mother of his heir. After the death of her husband, she for a long time created the appearance that the ruler was alive. This continued until she placed her stepson Turanshah on the throne. However, the new Sultan declared war on his stepmother, which he lost. Power was in the hands of Shajar.
Women rulers often caused discontent. This case was no exception. This state of affairs did not suit the people, so the sultana was forced to marry the Mamluk Aibek. This marriage was a power struggle in which the man lost.
After Aibek's death, Shajar invited several Mamluk leaders to become her husband. However, the Mamluks decided to execute the Sultana. It is most likely that she was strangled.
The most cruel rulers of the world
Ruthlessness is not always characteristic of men. Below are 5 female personalities whose names are associated with cruelty:
The ruler of Rus', “famous” for her revenge for the murder of her husband. The Drevlyans, who killed the prince, sent matchmakers to his widow, whom she ordered to be buried alive along with their boat. Then she invited the best representatives of the enemy people, invited them to relax in the bathhouse and burned them alive. After this, she arrived at the place where her husband died to perform the ritual and killed 5 thousand drunken Drevlyans.
The princess completed her revenge by burning the enemy’s city. After the victory, she asked as tribute 3 sparrows and 3 doves from each house of the Drevlyans. After leaving the city, she tied sulfur to each bird and released the birds, who, of course, returned to their owners. The city caught fire.
2. Mary I Tudor (Bloody Mary).
The day of this woman's death became a holiday for the British. Being an ardent Catholic, she destroyed Protestants. One of her favorite pastimes was cutting off the genitals, which were fed to the victims. When the queen got tired of the entertainment, she burned the exhausted Protestants.
During the reign Bloody Mary 300 priests were burned, 3,000 were deprived of their positions. People fled the country in panic. England was rocked by violent uprisings.
The woman managed to turn from a low-ranking concubine into an empress. At the age of 16, she, not disdaining anything, made her way into the emperor’s bedroom and gave birth to an heir. Her influence on the ruler became enormous. She secretly took part in governing the state. Despite the emperor having a wife, Ci Xi became the head of the harem.
After the death of her husband, she, like many female rulers, became a regent. Its policies were characterized by aggression, intolerance and cruelty. There were rumors that every night the empress had a new lover, whom she ordered to kill in the morning.
Ci Xi's reign over China lasted 50 years.
She was called the Inquisitor Queen. In total, she gave the go-ahead for the burning of 10,000 people. 100,000 people were tortured on her orders.
Isabella believed that she had dedicated her life to the fight against heresy and that all her actions were committed in the name of faith.
5. Daria Saltykova.
She ruled only her estate, but there were so many atrocities behind her that it would be wrong not to mention them. The landowner tortured dozens of people to death with her own hands.
A woman was widowed at 26 years old. 600 peasants came into her possession. After the death of her husband, she began to experience uncontrollable attacks of aggression. She took out her anger on people, leaving them naked in the cold, burning their hair, beating them with whips.
Thanks to generous donations from the landowner, the authorities did not react in any way to the complaints of the peasants. Progress was made when Catherine II ascended the throne. It was established that 138 serfs died due to Saltykova’s fault.
The landowner was imprisoned in a monastery. There was no light coming into the cell in which she was kept, and she was not allowed to talk to anyone for the rest of her life.
Although power has been considered a male prerogative for thousands of years, history knows many great representatives of the fair sex, whose wise policies led states to prosperity and well-being. Women rulers demonstrated extraordinary intelligence, strength and determination, surpassing men in power in many ways.
You might be interested in the video "Women Rulers"
Before late XVII century Russian women from upper class led a life little different from that of women in the Muslim east. They were locked in towers and did not dare to show themselves to strangers. Naturally, in such conditions they could not influence the management of the kingdom in any way. However, at the end of the seventeenth century, a brave woman was found who decisively broke with the prevailing traditions. She was Princess Sophia, daughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
After the death of her father in 1676, her younger brother Fedor, weak and sickly, ascended the throne. Sophia decided to help her brother, since a difficult situation was developing in the palace, caused by the fact that Alexei’s second wife was Natalya Naryshkina, her stepmother who hated her. She had a son, Peter, whom she wanted to make king.
By 1682, when Fyodor died, Sophia had already occupied an important position at court, as evidenced by the fact that she came to the funeral, boldly breaking the centuries-old custom according to which women from royal family they could not visit them, so that they would not be seen by the curious.
After the death of Fyodor, chaos ensued in Rus' - in addition to her half-brother Peter, Sophia had another brother, Ivan, behind whom his (and her) Miloslavsky relatives stood and nominated him to be king. The confusion ended with the proclamation of both candidates as co-rulers, but real power ended up in the hands of the regent, Sophia, because Ivan was sick and incapable, and Peter was still too young. For the first time, Russia was ruled by a woman!
During the seven years of her reign, Sophia brought a lot of new things into Russian life. The Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy was established - the first educational institution, important agreements were concluded with China and Poland, two campaigns were made in Crimea. Silence and order reigned in Rus' - at the very beginning Sophia with an iron hand suppressed both the speeches of the schismatics and the disobedient archers. Changes were taking place in the cultural life of the country - European trends were penetrating. So Peter’s reforms were not at all unexpected; the country was already prepared for them.
But what Russia was not yet ready for was the rule of a woman, so when Peter turned seventeen in 1689, he became an adult and declared his rights to independent rule, the country's elite supported his claims against Sophia. Her fate was sad. The princess was exiled to a monastery, and in 1698, after the Streltsy riot, she was tonsured as a nun and actually imprisoned in solitary confinement in a cell. Before reaching fifty years of age, she died in 1704.
But the coming eighteenth century can rightfully be called the “Women's Century”. From 1725 to 1799, the throne was occupied mainly by representatives of the weaker sex, which suddenly became very strong. One of the most important consequences of Peter's reforms was a sharp change in the status of women in society. They emerged from home confinement, took an active interest in the sciences and arts, and were even more willing to participate in palace intrigues.
After the death of Peter I, something unprecedented awaited Russia. His widow, Catherine I, ascended the throne. But the sensation lay not only and not so much in this fact itself, but in the personality of the empress. She came from a poor Latvian family, worked with early years a maid, was raised in the Lutheran faith. A happy accident made her first the concubine of the governor Sheremetev, and then the mistress of Peter, who took her away from his commander.
And a woman of such low origin, who did not know the Russian language well, who was baptized into Orthodoxy as an adult, became the ruler of the greatest empire! It was a psychological and moral shock for the entire country, after which other empresses were no longer perceived as problematic.
Catherine died early and was more interested in entertainment, she died early. But Peter’s niece Anna, who replaced her in 1730, took power firmly into her own hands and dispersed the “high-ranking aristocrats” who had invited her, who forced her to sign “conditions” that limited the power of the monarch, which she tore up with her own hands.
Anna Ioannovna returned the capital to St. Petersburg, paid a lot of attention to the development of the fleet, and fought relatively successful wars, including with France. In all respects, she was not inferior to her male colleagues. She was unlucky with historians who painted her image in exclusively gloomy colors in connection with her German favorite, Biron.
The daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, who ruled from 1741 to 1761, was luckier, although she did not surpass Anna in intellectual qualities. But they saw her as a truly Russian queen, cheerful, loving dancing and fun (although Anna was in no way inferior to her in terms of entertainment). In addition, she herself seized power by carrying out a coup. Without being particularly seriously involved in state affairs, the queen, selecting strong assistants, completely controlled the external and domestic policy Russia. Under her, the war with Sweden was won, and Russian troops occupied Berlin, Bering made discoveries, Lomonosov created, and Moscow University was founded.
The last Russian empress to rule independently was Catherine II, the most famous of the crowned women, nicknamed “The Great.” The reign of “Felitsa,” as Derzhavin called her in his ode, lasted thirty-four years. Catherine was the most important of Peter I's successors in terms of her outlook and influence on European affairs. Under her, Russia finally became a global power, and its borders expanded significantly to the west and south. Catherine corresponded with Voltaire, hosted the Austrian Emperor Joseph II and intrigued on equal terms with the King of Prussia, Frederick the Great, and against the English Prime Minister Pitt the Younger, bribing newspapermen and parliamentarians in London.
The appearance of empresses on the throne was largely a manifestation of the political instability of the young empire. TO 19th century The political system in Russia strengthened and a conservative rollback began - women were no longer allowed to the throne. The Bolsheviks who came to power in 1917, despite all their rhetoric about women's rights, also represented a purely men's club. Alexandra Kollontai, Rosalia Zemlyachka or Ekaterina Furtseva were more like characters in bad jokes than independent politicians. There were many women in power at the lowest levels of management, but a gender ceiling prevented them from rising higher.
Perestroika has not changed anything - politics is still done by men, and women play the role of workhorses, working in low-prestige positions in administrations, being responsible for social services and similar areas. Even when financial flows fall into their hands, it’s still the last word remains with male governor ministers. None of the parliamentary parties is headed by a woman. But how long will this situation persist?
Belonging to sexual minorities in our time will not surprise anyone. Sometimes this also applies to those at the top of power. For example, there are rumors that some Russian tsars had non-standard sexual orientation or at least relationships with men. Who are we talking about?
Vasily III The famous historian S. Solovyov writes about the pre-Petrine era: “Nowhere, neither in the East nor in the West, did they look at this vile, unnatural sin as easily as in Russia.” ABOUT Vasily III, Grand Duke of Moscow, father of Ivan the Terrible, it is known that he sent his first wife Solomonia Saburova to a monastery, since during 20 years of marriage they had no children. For his second marriage, he married Elena Glinskaya. According to legend, the Grand Duke could fulfill his marital duty with his wife only if one of the chiefs of his guard was in the chambers. Vasily's favorite was the young Fyodor Basmanov, the son of his chief guardsman Alexei Basmanov, who danced in front of the Tsar in women's dresses. Thus, this courtier “with a girlish smile, with a serpentine soul,” as Alexei Tolstoy’s historical novel “Prince Silver” characterizes him, managed to occupy a high position at court.
Ivan groznyj
Russian historian Lev Klein, in his book “The Other Side of the Sun,” cites facts that may indicate homosexual inclinations of this Russian Tsar. Thus, the chronicles say, Ivan Vasilyevich’s first wife, Tsarina Anastasia, was jealous of her husband’s priest Sylvester. The tsar was married eight times (only officially), and sooner or later got rid of each of his wives - on his orders, the women were killed, starved, or sent to a monastery. German scientist Wilhelm Kaiser recently told the media that a warehouse of valuables looted by the Nazis during the war was discovered in the basement of one of the village houses in the Alps. Among them was a small antique marble figurine, in which it was relatively easy to recognize the image of the Russian Tsar John IV. Even the half-erased inscription “IVAN” was visible on it. For some reason, the sovereign was dressed... in a woman's muff. “I began to delve into the literature on fashion history, and found out that this item in the hands of a man of that time clearly indicates his homosexual inclinations,” comments Kaiser.
Peter I Vladimir Nizhny Novgorod in his work “The History of Homosexuality in Russia” notes: “The calm in which the reign of the first Romanovs passed was replaced by the turbulent era of Peter the Great. The Tsar-Transformer was distinguished by his broad views on intimate relationships: he was extremely fond of the fair sex, not disdaining homosexual contacts.” According to Lev Klein, Pyotr Alekseevich became acquainted with homosexual relationships at a very young age. Perhaps this was facilitated by a native of the German settlement, a Swiss by birth, Franz Lefort, who was later awarded the rank of admiral “for his services.” When Lefort died in 1699 at the age of 43, Peter mourned him bitterly. Some researchers are also sure that the tsar had a relationship with Aleksashka Menshikov, who became his closest associate in military and government affairs. And the Polish historian K. Waliszewski mentions a certain “beautiful boy” whom Peter kept with him “for his pleasure.” In the absence of his wife, the scientist writes, the king indulged in pleasures with his orderlies. However, it was Peter I in 1706 who, for the first time in Russian history, introduced punishment in the military regulations for “unnatural fornication.” At first, this was punishable by burning at the stake, although by 1716 the punishment was somewhat softened: “If someone defiles a youth or husband and husband commit sodomy, they, as mentioned in the previous article, must be punished. If it was done by violence, then punish with death or eternal exile to a galley.”
Peter III As you know, this Russian emperor of German origin was indifferent to his wife and preferred her to communicate with the military. The future Catherine II herself complained that her husband was not caring for her, but for his lackeys and court officers. There is a version that she gave birth to the heir to the throne - the future Emperor Paul I - not from Peter, but from her favorite Count Sergei Saltykov.
Information about allegedly unconventional inclinations attributed to Nicholas II is based on rumors that in his youth the crown prince participated in sexual orgies several times. But this information is not confirmed by any serious arguments. However, as well as speculation about the sexual orientation of other Russian rulers.
Women rulers influenced the course of world history no less than men. They intrigued, seized power, changed the map of the world. It was thanks to the support of Isabella of Castile that America was discovered.
1. Catherine II
Under Catherine II, Russia significantly expanded its territories, gained a foothold in the Black Sea, and Crimea became Russian. After three Polish partitions, Russia also “grew” with Western lands. A German on the Russian throne, Catherine maintained close contacts with Europe and corresponded with the smartest people of her time.
2. Cleopatra
Cleopatra was the last independent ruler of Egypt before the Roman conquest by Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She is still one of the most sought-after images in art. All because of the image of the femme fatale that she undoubtedly was. Cleopatra gave birth to a son from Caesar, and two sons and a daughter from Anthony.
3. Victoria
Queen Victoria of England was called by her contemporaries “the grandmother of Europe” because of her connections with the royal families of Europe. Victoria's reign radically changed both the British and the whole world. The Victorian era is about inventions, technological revolution, and gentlemanliness.
Despite the image of a quiet “family monarch,” Victoria was firm in matters of politics. Thus, she believed that England’s colonialist policy was exclusively good. In justification of the Boer and Anglo-Afghan wars, she said, “It is not our custom to annex countries unless we are obliged and forced to do so.”
4. Elizabeth I
Even Ivan the Terrible wooed Queen Elizabeth of England, but things didn’t come to a wedding. No one got it. The queen went down in history as the “Virgin Queen.” She herself repeated more than once that she was married “to England.” Her marriage would change the balance of power in Europe, and she knew this, maintaining her balance. Even with her death, Elizabeth brought benefits to England - by declaring the Scottish king James VI as the heir, she united the two states. Scotland finally became dependent on England.
5. Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II is often described as a woman with a "soft heart and an iron character." During the war, she herself enlisted in self-defense units and became the only queen to pass military service. She is currently the longest reigning monarch in British history.
6. Jane Gray
Jane Gray can be called the most legendary English queen. She is called the “queen of nine days” - she ruled for so long. But, despite such a short period of reign, Jane Gray remained in history. For the Protestants persecuted by Mary, Jane was a martyr, the first victim of the English Counter-Reformation. Under Queen Elizabeth, Jane's story became firmly established in the circle of spiritual reading, "high" secular literature and folk tradition.
7. Eugenia Montijo
A legislator of European fashion, the French Queen Eugenie not only attended social events, but also influenced politics. During the absence of her husband, she actually acted as regent. A zealous Catholic, she adhered to ultramontane beliefs and did not approve of the Risorgimento and the weakening of papal power. It is believed that it was Eugenia who influenced her husband’s decision to get involved in the Mexican adventure. She also became an indirect culprit of the Franco-Prussian War.
8. Catherine de Medici
The main trendsetter of the French court, Catherine de Medici went down in history as the “Black Queen”, poisoner, child killer and instigator of St. Bartholomew’s Night. Despite Catherine's terrible reputation, she was very naive in political matters. As historians say, Catherine de Medici was not a ruler, but a woman on the throne. Its main weapon was dynastic marriages, none of which, however, were successful.
9. Isabella of Castile
The year 1492 can be called “the year of Isabella of Castile.” This year, three epoch-making events occurred at once, in which the queen was personally involved: the capture of Granada, which marked the end of the Reconquista, patronage of Columbus and his discovery of America, as well as the expulsion of Jews and Moors from Spain.
10. Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette married the future king when she was 14 years old. During her reign, she became an example of a “mindless” monarch who spends state money on her own entertainment. It is she who is credited with the phrase “If they don’t have bread, let them eat cake!” However, during the capture of the Tuileries Palace by revolutionaries, she remained calm.
11. Anna Yaroslavovna
Anna Yaroslavovna, daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, was a French queen. It is believed that it was she who brought the Reims Gospel to France, on which people swore oaths since the 16th century. French kings, mistaking the Cyrillic alphabet for the “letter of angels.”
12. Mary Tudor
Mary Tudor was an English princess and a French queen, although only for 3 months. The marriage with Louis XII was supposed to confirm the peace treaty between France and England, but the king, who was 34 years older than the bride, soon died, and Maria achieved marriage with the Duke of Suffolk, from whom she gave birth to 4 children. Mary was hostile to Anne Boleyn, which became the reason for Elizabeth I's coldness towards all descendants of Mary Tudor.
13. Queen Anne
Queen Anne was the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which included Scotland and Ireland. She supported the Tories in parliament, took part in the struggle for the Spanish inheritance, and thanks to her efforts the Peace of Utrecht was signed.
14. Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian ruled China for forty years, from 665 until her death. She took the male title of “emperor” (Huangdi) and was formally the only woman in the entire four-thousand-year history of China to hold the supreme title.
The period of her reign was marked by widespread expansion of China, in particular the invasion of Central Asia and Korea. At the same time, culture began to develop rapidly in the country, the religions of Taoism and Buddhism came under the protection of the state.
15. Margaret Thatcher
Of course, Margaret Thatcher was not a monarch, but we could not help but include this “iron lady” in our rating. She took a pro-American position, lobbied for the deployment of American missiles in Great Britain and Europe, actively increased Britain's nuclear potential, and started the Falklands War. In words, she has repeatedly stated that she is interested in ending Cold War, but in fact only aggravated the situation.
16. Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn was a femme fatale. She, no less, forced the English king to break off relations with the Pope and become the head of the new, Anglican Church. The king declared his previous marriage to Catherine of Aragon invalid. So Anne Boleyn achieved her goal - she became the wife of Henry VIII and the Queen of England.
17. Queen Margot
On the night of the wedding of Margaret and Henry of Navarre, the St. Bartholomew's Massacre broke out. For many years it determined both the development of events in the royal family and the relationship of the spouses. Even after her divorce from Henry IV, Queen Margot remained a member of the royal family with the title of queen, and as the last Valois she was perceived as the only legitimate heir to the royal house.
20. Queen Min
Queen Min was, according to contemporaries, a talented diplomat and tactician. She secretly ruled the country for 20 years in place of her husband, skillfully maintaining balance in the country at the time of its “opening” to the West, preventing new allies from depriving Korea of independence. Queen Min changed her policy from “pro-Japanese” to “pro-Russian,” which was the reason for her death at the hands of Japanese mercenaries.