As pharaohs, warriors, queens, first ladies or prime ministers, these women have made a profound political impact on the world. Here are six of the most formidable female leaders in history.
1. Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh of Egypt
Reign: circa 1478 to 1458 B.C.
Why she was a badass: After her husband King Thutmose II died, Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for 20 years, making her the second confirmed female pharaoh—and the first female to have secured full power of the throne. Under her reign, Hatshepsut became one of the most successful pharaohs in ancient Egyptian history by encouraging culture and the arts, empowering women, establishing trade routes that enriched the economy and overseeing vast construction projects like the Temple of Deir el-Bahri in Thebes.
Quote: “I have raised up that which was in ruins. I restored that which was destroyed.”
2. Boudicca: Celtic Rebel Queen
Reign: 60 or 61 A.D.—when, as queen of the British Celtic Iceni tribe, she led a fierce uprising against Roman rule
Why she was a badass: After Boudicca's husband King Prasutagus died in 60 A.D., the occupying Romans ignored his will and confiscated the family's land and property. Adding insult to injury, they publicly flogged Boudicca and raped her two daughters. In retaliation, Boudicca led an army of 100,000 fighters against Roman troops, burned and destroyed three cities and forced them to retreat. An estimated 70,000 to 80,000 Roman soldiers were killed. Although the victories were sweet, Boudicca's army was eventually defeated and she and her daughters are believed to have committed suicide to avoid capture.
Quote: "It is not as a woman descended from noble ancestry but as one of the people that I am avenging lost freedom, my scourged body, the outraged chastity of my daughters... This is a woman's resolve; as for men, they may live and be slaves." —Boudicca's words, according to the Roman historian Tacitus
3. Cleopatra: Last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
Reign: 51 to 30 B.C.
Why she was a badass: Aligning herself both politically and personally with Roman generals Julius Caesar and later Mark Antony, Cleopatra elevated Egypt's waning stature and was popular among her people. Prior to her relationships with Caesar and Antony, she proved she could raise armies and avenge herself after her co-ruling brother exiled her from Egypt. Unlike previous Egyptian female rulers of her time, Cleopatra embraced her femininity and modeled herself after the goddess Isis, which emphasized her growing reputation—both good and bad—as a seductress. Although Cleopatra may not have left an enduring mark on Egyptian society, the strength she showed to fight for her place on the throne of Egypt, her love affairs with Caesar and Antony and her snake bite-induced suicide have been mythologized for all time.
Quote: "I will not be triumphed over." –Cleopatra's words, according to the Roman historian Livy
4. Queen Elizabeth I: Virgin Queen
Reign: 1558 to 1603
Why she was a badass: In an era dominated by men and political instability, Elizabeth I was known as a charismatic leader and survivor who forged England's national identity and fostered peace, power and prosperity. Refusing to marry in order to preserve her political autonomy (among other reasons), she was called the “Virgin Queen.” Under her reign, the British repelled the invading Spanish Armada, Sir Walter Raleigh helped expand England's power overseas (notably establishing the Roanoke Colony in what is now North Carolina) and the arts flourished, including the enduring works of William Shakespeare.
Quote: "I would rather go to any extreme than suffer anything that is unworthy of my reputation, or of that of my crown."
5. Eleanor Roosevelt: Pioneering First Lady
In office: 1933 to 1945
Why she was a badass: Eleanor Roosevelt forged her own identity as a politician, humanitarian and diplomat and by doing so, redefined the role of the First Lady of the United States. She encouraged her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to place women in government positions. She also traveled throughout the country as an advocate for women's and veterans' rights and spoke out against racial injustice. Even after FDR's death, she remained publicly active, serving under President John F. Kennedy as the chair of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women and overseeing the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the United Nations.
Quote: "One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes.”
6. Margaret Thatcher: Iron Lady
In office: 1979 to 1990
Why she was a badass: Margaret Thatcher was not only the first female British prime minister, but also the longest serving one of the 20th century. She ruled the Conservative Party for 15 years and implemented controversial political and economic policies focused on deregulation, privatizing state-owned companies and reducing the power of trade unions. Her hard-line stances inspired the nickname Iron Lady, given to her by a Soviet journalist. Despite ups and downs throughout her tenure as PM, Thatcher was nonetheless known as a decisive leader. Her popularity waned amid growing economic problems in the early 80s, but she won re-election after the British defeated Argentina in the Falklands War. Even with controversy, Thatcher is considered one of the most influential and recognizable political figures in British history.
Quote: "If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman."
