The most powerful women in history

1- Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

She was one of the most powerful English monarchs ever.

Elizabeth I never married and was called the "Virgin Queen". She defeated the Spanish Armada and ruled successfully for a long period from 1558 to 1603, a period known as the "Elizabethan Era".

As queen and the last of the Tudor dynasty, she encouraged major cultural changes such as the Renaissance and the transformation of England into a Protestant state.

2. Cleopatra (69-30 BC)

She was the last pharaoh to rule Ptolemaic Egypt, and was known for her great intelligence and her work to improve the status and economy of her country.

She is also famous in popular culture for her romantic relationships with Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

3 – Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

She was Queen of the United Kingdom, ruling the vast British Empire that spanned six continents for 36 years, and is the second-longest-reigning monarch in the country's history (the longest reign ever belongs to the current Queen Elizabeth II).

Her rule was so decisive that this period was called the "Victorian Era".

Under her rule, slavery was ended throughout the British colonies and most men were granted the right to vote.

Victoria also introduced reforms relating to working conditions and led important cultural, political, and military changes in her empire.

4. Joan of Arc (1412-1431 AD)

Joan of Arc was a French heroine who is considered a saint by Roman Catholics because of the divine revelation she claimed.

She mobilized French forces to defeat the English in several battles, most notably Orleans, but she ended up being taken prisoner by the English, who tried her for heresy and burned her alive.

Her steadfast faith and role in liberating the French from the English invasion made her a legend.

5- Indira Gandhi (1917-1984 AD)

She is the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister of India, and the only one to have held this position for 4 terms between 1966-1984.

She was a controversial but powerful figure, having won a war with Pakistan that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.

She was killed by her Sikh bodyguards after she ordered a raid on their holy temple during an insurgency four months earlier.

6- Hatshepsut (1508-1458 BC)

She was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, and is considered one of the most successful rulers of her country.

She oversaw major building projects, military campaigns into Nubia, Syria and the Levant, and rebuilt broken trade networks.

7- Empress Wu Zetian (624-705)

She was the only female empress in Chinese history, and lived during the Tang Dynasty.

Her rule is known for the expansion of the Chinese Empire, economic prosperity, and educational reforms.

She is also known for her support of Buddhism. She had her critics who accused her of cruelty and brutality, perhaps to the point of killing her daughter and son as part of a political conspiracy.

8- Empress Catherine the Great (1729-1796)

Known as Catherine II, she is one of the most famous women in history.

Born in Poland, she was a German princess. She ruled Russia after plotting against her husband and taking full power.

She continued Peter the Great's work to modernize Russia. This brought Russia closer to Western Enlightenment ideas.

She defeated the Ottoman Empire in two major wars. This expanded the Russian Empire to cover three continents, including Alaska.

Catherine II also made legislative reforms and crushed the Pugachev rebellion. She was known for her daring personal life.

Her reign is seen as the golden age of the Russian Empire.

9- Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013 AD)

She was the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, serving from 1979 to 1990.

She was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century. The Soviets called her the "Iron Lady" for her toughness. She won popularity after the Falklands War victory in 1982.

But, opinions were mixed about her economic policies. She supported a free market economy and opposed strong trade unions.

10. Theodora (500-548 AD)

This empress had a big impact on the Byzantine Empire. She was a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

She married Emperor Justinian I and became his closest advisor. She used him to achieve her goals.

She controlled foreign affairs and laws. She used violence to stop riots and fought for women's rights. She passed laws against trafficking and improved divorce rules.