Matriarchy: the most powerful female rulers in history. Women's rule

What girl doesn't dream of marrying a prince? For some, this dream comes true. And to someone the crown and title belong from birth.

We present you the top most famous princesses and queens.

HRH Princess Letizia

Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano was born in an ordinary Spanish family, worked as a journalist, and hosted news on Spanish television. Before her marriage to Prince Felipe, she managed to be married.

King of Spain Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at first took hostility to the union of their only son with the commoner Letizia, but after the heir threatened to abdicate the throne, and the whole Spanish people took the side of the girl, the marriage nevertheless took place.

After a very beautiful wedding in 2004, the Prince and Princess of Asturias live in the Zarzuela Palace in the outskirts of Madrid. The couple had two daughters, Infanta Leonor and Infanta Sofia. The latter is named after her grandmother, who still treats Letizia with a chill.

At the same time, loving Papa Felipe does not cease to discuss the topic of changing the 57th article of the Spanish constitution, where it is written in black and white that the crown is inherited mainly by royal male offspring.

HRH Crown Princess Victoria

Unlike Spain, in Sweden there is a boy among the heirs, but he is second in line to the throne. The wonderful girl Victoria, the eldest daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia, will ascend the throne in the homeland of Carlson.

Crown Princess Victoria is, without exaggeration, a national treasure of Sweden. To say that the Swedes adore her is an understatement. That is why the people are even more worried about the personal life of the future queen. The girl turned 31 this year, the press does not miss a single engagement, wedding or christening, which the princess visited.

It is said that Victoria will marry fitness trainer Daniel Westling next summer.

HRH Princess Maxima

The future wife of the heir to the throne of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander Maxime Sorregueta, was born on another continent in Buenos Aires. Where else can the daughter of the Argentine Minister of Agriculture meet the future king of the Netherlands? At a private party on no man's land - in Spain. Two years later, they announced their engagement.

Oddly enough, the mother of Willem-Alexander, the current Queen of the Netherlands Beatrix and 80 percent of the Dutch immediately approved Maxima's candidacy, which cannot be said about the country's political forces. As a sign of gratitude, Maxima, who shortly before her wedding received Dutch citizenship, invited the Queen Mother to be one of the three witnesses at the ceremony, which took place in 2002.

Her Majesty Beatrix appreciated the gesture and dedicated Maxim to the Order of the Netherlands Lion, the country's highest award.

Maxima gave birth to three Dutch heirs - Princess Katharina Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariana Wilhemina. Beatrix loves and pampers her granddaughters.

HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit

The acquaintance of a simple Norwegian Mette-Marit Tjessem-Hoiby with Prince Haakon of Norway happened in 1996, but the novel did not continue, because at the same time Mette-Marit fell in love with another man and gave birth to his son Marius.

Soon she was left alone with her son, went to study at the University of Oslo, and there fate again pushed her against Haakon. But even then the romance did not begin, but the princess did not get bored, the photographs of that period of her life are impressive - here she is dancing on the table and smoking weed, but here she is with a shaved head and a bottle of champagne.

When in 2000 Mette-Marit nevertheless began to live with the prince, a scandal surfaced in the press involving her ex-boyfriend: he was imprisoned for possession of cocaine.

But no matter how skeptical people are about Mette-Marit, her transformation in a royal marriage is impressive. Norwegians fall in love with the crown princess more and more every year. Before the wedding in 2001, the royal family held a press conference where Mette-Marit wept and apologized for past wrongdoings.

King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja have come to terms with the choice of their son, they publicly support the princess. The former rebel and heir to the throne, Haakon, has two children in common - Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. Mette-Marit's first son Marius was officially adopted by Haakon.

HRH Queen Rania of Jordan

Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan is one of the most beloved, beautiful and popular royals in the world. When she married Prince Abdullah bin Hussein in 1999, Rania, who was born into a simple family in Kuwait, did not even imagine that she would become queen so soon. The elder brother of her husband, Prince Hussein, was to ascend the throne.

But after the tragic death of the current king in the late nineties, Jordan was shocked by another piece of news - contrary to tradition, Abdullah was appointed heir. And Rania began a new life.

Her Majesty is known as a fighter for women's rights and a philanthropist. She travels a lot and covers the subject in the most unexpected places, such as on the Oprah Winfrey show and in glossy magazines. Also, many people remember the video posted on YouTube at her request, where the queen asked to send her questions about the Arab world and Islam.

There is really nothing to reproach the royal family of Jordan, they dearly love each other, both are skillful diplomats, charming and sincere people. And about "going to the people" without protection and in simple outfits of the royal couple, legends are already circulating. It is not surprising that the inhabitants of Jordan are simply not able to imagine the best monarchs. By royal standards, they lead quite an earthly life, raising four children - Hussein, Iman, Salma and Hashim.

HRH Crown Princess Mary

Scottish girl Mary Elizabeth Donaldson was preparing to prove theorems and solve equations, like her father, a professor of applied mathematics. She probably would have been doing this all her life if she hadn’t met Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney (where her family emigrated). Now, by the way, Mary's father works at Aarhus University in Denmark.

Soon Mary moved to Europe, where she began teaching English in Paris. When a certain Miss Donaldson began to actively appear in the company of Prince Frederik and no less actively learn Danish, journalists published the first articles about the future crown princess.

The Danes still remember the touching tears of Frederik when he saw his bride in the church aisle in a wedding dress.

Mary patronizes the European branch of the World Health Organization and, together with Frederick, brings up her son Christian Voldemar and her one-year-old daughter Isabella Henrietta.

Princess Charlotte Casiraghi

Charlotte belongs to the princely Grimaldi family and is the daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover of Monaco, the niece of the reigning Prince of Monaco Albert II and, most importantly, the granddaughter of Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly.

Not being a legitimate princess (the girl's late father did not hold the title of prince), Charlotte is third in line to the throne of Monaco after her mother and older brother Andre. And all because Prince Albert II of Monaco never got a family and legitimate children.

Charlotte is known as a socialite party girl, the new favorite of the paparazzi and one of the muses of Karl Lagerfeld. Photographers shoot her with her boyfriends on vacation in the most exotic places on the globe from Brazil to Maui.

But until the age of 18, mother Carolina, a desperate daredevil in the past, took care of her daughter like the apple of her eye, even sent her away from Monaco - to the south of France to Provence. The first photos of the grown-up Charlotte made a splash, and it seems that journalists around the world decided that the beauty of the girl obliges them to shoot her forever.

Kate Middleton is the future Crown Princess of England?

Kate Middleton is the girlfriend of Prince William, who is second in line to inherit the throne of Great Britain (after Prince Charles), a very famous person. She has not yet become an official member of the royal family, but is approaching this status by leaps and bounds.

As you know, the royal court in England is one of the most conservative, so Queen Elizabeth II carefully monitors the lives of her grandchildren and tries in every possible way to influence the choice of the second half for boys. It is said that both Her Majesty and the subjects at court approved of William's choice. After all, Kate is the daughter of a major English businessman, well known in the secular circles of the country.

Still think that the destiny of crowned ladies is balls and dresses? We present to your attention ten women who proved that they are worthy of their high titles and left their mark on history.

1. Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I is without a doubt one of Britain's greatest monarchs. On the way to the throne, she happened to go through many difficult moments and cope with countless intrigues of political opponents, but by the time her reign ended, England was experiencing an era of prosperity and unprecedented prosperity. Elizabeth became a full-fledged player in the political game at a young age - after the death of King Henry VIII, the country's position on the world stage was shaken. However, initially no one considered her as a candidate for the throne - she was the third "in line" for the crown, besides, her father almost immediately gave her the status of illegitimate. She became Queen of England at the age of 25, outliving her brother and sister.

Having ascended the throne, she set a priority for herself to end the religious conflicts that were simply tearing the country apart. But she went down in history primarily as the Immaculate Queen - Elizabeth never married, which many associate with the psychological trauma received after the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. Some historians argue that she considered marriage primarily as a hindrance and preferred to devote her life to the well-being of the country and people. Historians note the reign of Elizabeth I as a period of unprecedented flowering of fine arts and navigation: it was during the years that the stars of such talents as William Shakespeare and Walter Rayleigh lit up. But the queen also had to deal with a lot of "non-feminine" challenges, defending the territory from Spain's "Invincible Armada" or Mary Stuart's claim to the British throne. Elizabeth brilliantly coped with all the difficulties - the Spanish armada was defeated, and Mary Stuart was executed. Majestic and powerful - this is how the British speak of one of the most prominent representatives of the monarchy.

2. Yennenga

This little known woman ruled the kingdom of Dagomaba in the 12th century (north of modern Ghana) and was the daughter of King Nedega. From a young age, the girl was taught the art of war, brought up in Spartan conditions, which not all men could withstand. Jennenga excelled in everything - javelin throwing, archery and horseback riding (in this she surpassed even her brothers). The girl even managed to command an entire military unit! But there was one caveat - her father appreciated her as an adviser and warrior so much that he interfered in every possible way with her marriage. According to documentary evidence found in northern Ghana, the girl did not put up with the tyranny of her parent. One of the king's guards helped her escape to the north, but was killed on the way by representatives of the local tribe. Yennenga continued on her way until she came across the house of Rial, a famous elephant hunter. So she met her fate. Queen Yennenga is considered the progenitor of the West African Mosi people (an ethnic group common in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Togo).

3. Ping Yang

If you happened to live at the end of the era of the Chinese Sui Dynasty, and even had the imprudence to be born a peasant, you would have a hard time. It was this period that was marked by such grandiose national projects as the Great Wall of China - Emperor Yang became famous precisely because of them. Moreover, any attempt to doubt the importance of this idea was severely punished. So, it was during his reign that most of his generals were executed: Ping Yang's father, Li Yuan, was also in danger. The general initiated a rebellion, which was soon joined by his daughter. Ping Yang managed to win over the overwhelming majority of the military elite without the help of weapons. She generously distributed to the peasants the money received from the sale of family heirlooms. As a result, she managed to gather under her banners more than 70,000 soldiers who acted in accordance with the code she developed, which excluded the manifestation of aggression or disdain for the peasants. This army was called the "Army of the Beautiful Lady." The case of Li Yuan received a worthy end - the emperor was overthrown, a new dynasty was founded - Tang, during the reign of which Kita entered the "golden era". Princess Ping Yang is still the only woman in Chinese history to be buried with military honors.

4. Boudica

When the Pixar animation studio was preparing to create a new masterpiece called Brave, the audience subsequently had not the slightest doubt - the image of the daring and brave red-haired princess was an exact copy of one famous historical figure. The source of inspiration for the animators was Queen Boudicca. The red-haired leader of the Briton Iceni tribe once organized a whole uprising against the Roman emperor Nero. After the death of her husband, half of the possessions were to be distributed among their daughters, and the other to go into the possession of Rome. But Roman troops under the command of the governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus occupied the entire territory, expelling the queen. The answer to such actions was an uprising - Boudicca united several tribes that also suffered from Roman arbitrariness. The rebels captured several cities (modern London, Colchester and St. Albans), facing at the end face to face with Gaius Suetonius Paulinus himself. The queen's army could not withstand the onslaught of well-trained Roman soldiers and was defeated. But the glory of the Daring and Courageous has not faded so far.

5. Princess Olga

Olga, the wife of Prince Igor of Kyiv, was distinguished by endurance, a strong character, exceptional for a woman of that time, and ... she loved her husband endlessly. After the Drevlyans brutally executed him in 945, the princess was able to show all her strengths in full force. Some believe that her vindictiveness and cruelty was unjustified, but everyone is free to determine for himself. So, first, the Drevlyane envoys were burned alive in a locked bathhouse, whose mission was to convince the princess to marry their prince and transfer the Kyiv lands to his rule.

Further, her revenge spread to the whole city - this is how the ancient Iskorosten, the capital of the Drevlyane lands, was burned to the ground. Olga also had to raise her son alone, who was only three years old at the time of his father's death: she ruled as regent until he came of age. But on account of the princess, not only massacres - she went down in history as a talented reformer and wise ruler: while her son Svyatoslav led military campaigns, Olga took power into her own hands. Also known as the first ruler of Kievan Rus, who converted to Christianity before the baptism of the Slavs and received the title of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles (only five women in the entire history of Christianity were awarded such an honor).

6. Lakshmi Bai

Lakshmi Bai is the heroine of the Indian popular uprising (sepoy uprising) of 1857. She was the wife of the Jansi prince Gangadar Rao. Unfortunately, her firstborn died in infancy, and soon her beloved husband died. Before his death, they adopted a boy whom the British authorities refused to recognize as the legitimate heir to the throne, despite the observance of all bureaucratic procedures. The Rani was ordered by the Governor General Dalhusi to leave her home and renounce her title. The woman exposed the plan of the insidious nobleman and refused to transfer her possessions into his hands. In May 1857, the first popular uprising broke out, which resulted in the First Indian War for independence from the British Empire. At first, Lakshmi kept aloof from active actions, but after a daring attempt by the British under the command of General Hugh Rose to capture Jhansi with weapons in her hands, she rushed to defend her people. Lakshmi was also an excellent instructor and taught martial arts to many women with whom she fought side by side on the battlefield. After the defeat of the Indians, she and her son had to flee, but she did not stop fighting against the British occupation - according to the historical chronicle, she died during the battle. This woman is one of the symbols of resistance and heroism for many generations, showing an example of endurance and courage.

7. Zenobia

Zenobia was the queen of Palmyra (modern day Syria) in the 3rd century. Historians describe her as a woman of incredible beauty and the owner of an exclusively "unfeminine" mind. Some even jokingly call her a "desert suffragette" - Zenobia behaved in the presence of others with pride and dignity, not inferior to men, and her favorite pastimes were horse riding, hunting and ... good alcohol. Her husband was King Odaenathus II, who recognized himself as a vassal of the Roman Empire in 258 and assumed the title of Augustus. After his death, Zenobia became the de facto ruler of Palmyra (regent for her youngest son). She managed to continue the work of her husband and expand the boundaries of her possessions.

Zenobia paid special attention to the professional training of her army, which soon not only guarded the borders of Palmyra, but also risked organizing an aggressive expedition. Her efforts were successful - in 269, her troops captured Egypt. This was followed by raids on Anatolia, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon. Under her control were the largest trade routes of the Middle East - it was then that she decided to mint coins with her own profile, which would act as evidence of her power. But the Roman emperor Aurelian put an end to the rule of Zenobia - having defeated her troops in the battles of Antioch and Emesa, he again subjugated the Palmyra kingdom to the Roman Empire.

8. Lozen

Warrior and soothsayer, this woman came from the Apache tribe that inhabited the territory of modern Arizona in the 19th century. Lozen was the sister of the great leader of the Indians, Victorio. Even at a young age, Lozen perfectly mastered the art of combat. She was never interested in such traditional women's activities as cooking and needlework - she was destined for a different fate. She fought hand in hand with her brother in the most terrible battles. Also, Lozen was the owner of a unique gift - healing. Almost nothing is known about the personal life of the warrior, but she shared all her joys and sorrows with a close friend named Dakhteste. The women were the exact opposite of each other - the proud and militant Lozen did not trust her secrets to anyone except the majestic and sophisticated friend. It is known that Dakhteste often accompanied her friend during military campaigns and acted as a diplomat and translator. The name Lozen is still especially revered by the descendants of the Indian tribes of North America.

9. Bazina and Clotilde

Basina (daughter of the Frankish king Chilperic I) and Clotilde (daughter of Heribert I) were cousins. Together they had to endure many bitter moments. Bazina's family suffered from an epidemic of dysentery, the only surviving brother was brutally murdered, and the girl was sent at the age of seven to the Abbey of the Holy Cross in Poitiers. There was also her cousin Clotilde, deprived of all titles and inheritance. Despite the difficult conditions, the princesses managed to survive and already in 589 they led a rebellion against the abbess. Two fragile girls managed to gather almost an entire army of thugs, thieves and other dubious personalities and seize the territory of the abbey. The official church called on the authorities to apply the most cruel punishments to the princesses, but they were pardoned by King Childebert. Basina subsequently returned to a reclusive monastic life, while Clotilde received part of her lands and regained her title.

10. Aud the Wise

A representative of the people, who personifies the courage and courage - the Vikings, could not miss this list. Aud was born on the territory of modern Norway and at a young age went with her family to the Hebrides - her father Ketill proclaimed himself king of these lands. Fate had prepared for the brave queen a marriage with Olaf the White, King of Dublin, and the birth of a son, Thorstein the Red, the leader of the Vikings in Scotland - in such an environment, the queen had no choice but to share the aggressive plans of her husband and later - her son. Unfortunately, she outlived almost all of her relatives and was expelled - not losing heart, Aud led an expedition to Iceland. It was she who became one of the first who popularized Christianity in this territory.

Once upon a time, the English Queen Victoria uttered a phrase that has become almost immortal: "I have the body of a fragile woman, but the will and strength of a real king." So our heroines, who at a certain point in their lives found themselves in rather difficult life circumstances or from childhood showed their impudent and freedom-loving character, found the strength to cope with difficulties and show exceptional stamina and courage. Vivat, queens!

Greetings to all site visitors!
2013 marked the 400th anniversary of one of the great dynasties of the world - the Romanov dynasty. Since our site is predominantly female, I decided to make a publication about the women of the Romanov dynasty - those who were destined to become Russian empresses.

Catherine the First

Amazing fate! Laundress Marta Skavronskaya became the first Russian crowned empress! At first Field Marshal Sheremetyev liked it, then Menshikov and, finally, Peter the Great. She accompanied Peter on campaigns, was distinguished by good nature, excellent health, and cheerfulness. She knew how to "extinguish" the outbursts of anger of the quick-tempered Peter. True, in the last years of the life of Peter the Great, their relationship went wrong ... After the death of her husband, she was elevated to the Russian throne, but reigned for only 2 years.

Anna Ioannovna

Niece of Peter the Great, daughter of his half-brother Tsar John Alekseevich. She was married to the Duke of Courland to strengthen dynastic ties. She was widowed almost immediately after her marriage. She was invited to the Russian throne for lack of a direct heir. She was distinguished by her rude disposition and cruelty. Russia was essentially ruled by her favorite Biron.

Elizaveta Petrovna

Daughter of Peter the Great. Could become a French queen! But somehow the negotiations between Russia and France regarding marriage with the heir to the French throne did not work out. Cheerful, kind, simple. When she was a princess, she baptized soldiers' children and adored folk festivals. The first fashionista of her time - after the death of Elizabeth, 15 thousand remained! dresses. She loved Russia, but she really did not like to engage in state affairs and sign decrees ...

Catherine II

Great woman!!! The princess from the seedy principality of Anhalt-Zerbt came to Russia as a fifteen-year-old girl and was married to the future Peter III. All conquered and enchanted! Enthroned by the guards, overthrown her own husband. The years of her reign were the golden age of the Russian nobility. She managed everything - to deal with state affairs, change favorites, replenish the Hermitage collection, correspond with Voltaire, walk her favorite dogs, compose plays and fairy tales. Again, great woman!

Maria Fedorovna

Wife of Emperor Paul the First, mother of two emperors - Alexander the First and Nicholas the First. Born Princess of Württemberg. Catherine the Second called her daughter-in-law "cast-iron" - apparently due to a lack of emotionality and sensitivity. The main merit of Maria Feodorovna is that she strengthened the gene pool of the dynasty - she gave birth to 10 children. She tried to play a political role during the reign of Alexander the First. She did a lot of charity work.

Elizaveta Alekseevna

Wife of Emperor Alexander I. The most beautiful Russian Empress. Born Princess of Baden. As her contemporaries called her, "a woman of the highest order." Smart, educated, interested in music, history, literature. She was the only Russian empress to have mastered the Russian language. Pushkin admired her. According to modern literary critics, it was Elizaveta Alekseevna who was his MUSE. "The Genius of Pure Beauty" is about her, and not about Anna Kern at all. A true friend of the Empress was the great historian Karamzin.

Alexandra Fedorovna

Wife of Emperor Nicholas I. Daughter of the Prussian king. She was not interested in politics, preferring to be a "friend on the throne." A wonderful wife and mother. She looked condescendingly at her husband's love "pranks", which contributed to their happy family life. She was always kind and friendly with her subjects. But I never learned Russian!

Maria Alexandrovna

Wife of Emperor Alexander II. Born Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt. As her lady-in-waiting wrote in her memoirs, for almost all her life the empress had to “endure and forgive betrayal” of her amorous husband. Mother of seven children. She was distinguished by intelligence, modesty, sincerity. She helped those in need a lot, often doing it anonymously. The last years of her life she was seriously ill, she lived a lot abroad.

Maria Fedorovna

Wife of Alexander III. Born Danish Princess Dagmar. Perhaps the most beloved among the people of the Empress. She was distinguished by amazing charm, the ability to win over a wide variety of people, cheerfulness. She was a faithful support to her husband, Alexander III, and son, Nicholas II. She miraculously escaped from the Bolsheviks - the English king (the Empress's own nephew) sent a warship for her to the Crimea. She died in Denmark, never believing in the execution of the royal family.

Alexandra Fedorovna

The last Russian empress. Born Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt. Beloved granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England. With her husband, Emperor Nicholas II, they were an exemplary family, maintaining strength and freshness of feelings throughout the marriage. The most slandered empress - she was accused of both spying for Germany and having close relations with Rasputin. She was a nurse at the Tsarskoye Selo hospital during the First World War. She was shot with her family in Yekaterinburg in 1918. Canonized by the Russian Church.

Thank you for your attention and patience to everyone who read and watched to the end !!!

Women in power are nothing new. Although for a certain period of time, men strongly pushed the weaker sex away from the leadership of countries, but today the situation is gradually improving. Let's talk about how ladies ruled states, what traditions are associated with this and which ones, are there women presidents and what is their history.

Women and power: a digression into history

It's no secret that our world is a deeply patriarchal system. The power of men is firmly rooted in the perception of people as something original and mandatory. However, in the history of mankind there are many examples when power was given to women, and this led to good results. Matriarchy is a system of government in which the supreme power is given to women. It appeared in the days of primitive societies. In such systems, the main decisions in the life of the clan and society were made by women. In its pure form, matriarchy was practiced only in ancient cultures, but its elements can be seen at different times in different countries. The first mention of a matriarchal society is the myth of the Amazons, who ruled their country and fought hostilities. But female rulers are also known in earlier cultures. For example, it is known that in ancient Egypt there were several rulers. Also, everyone knows Queen Cleopatra. Women in the role of queens were in ancient Greece, and in India, and in China. In our era, there are also many examples of how women quite successfully ruled states: Theodora, Brunnhilde, Tamara. Studies of such precedents became very popular when it became known that a woman president of America could soon appear.

For the first time, a woman stood at the head of the state in the 30th century BC in ancient Egypt. Then Queen Neithothel sat on the throne as regent. The very first female president was Isabel Martínez de Perón in Brazil in 1974. In 2016, there was a high probability that the first female president of the United States would appear when H. Clinton was nominated for this post, but lost the election to D. Trump. Most women heads of state in the 20th century were in Latin America. In the 21st century, the rule of ladies has become almost the norm. But still, there has not yet been a woman president of America or Russia.

Rulers of Europe

European states were repeatedly ruled by ladies. So, the British Empire owes a lot to women rulers. In the 12th century, a lady, Empress Matilda, sat on the throne for the first time. In 1558, Elizabeth the First, known as the Virgin Queen, became the head of the country. One of the greatest rulers, Queen Victoria, has been on the throne for over 60 years. She did a lot for the country, its culture and political position. And now the country is run by a woman, Queen Elizabeth II, who has been in this position since 1952. Repeatedly ruled by women in France. The most famous queens of this state are Catherine de Medici, Elizabeth of Austria, Maria Medici. But there has not yet been a woman president in France, although Marie Le Pen is keen to change that. Denmark has been ruled by Queen Magrete II since 1972.

At the end of the 20th century, a real boom in women began in Europe. So, in the elections in Iceland in 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir won. In 2000, Tarja Halonen became the head of Finland. Then came the ladies-presidents of Latvia, Croatia, Estonia.

Asian history

Often there are female presidents and prime ministers in Asian countries. So, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi twice stood at the head of India. In 1961, Soong Qingling became acting chairman of the Chinese government. Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of Pakistan twice. In 2001, the daughter of the country's first president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, became President of Indonesia.

History of Africa

The processes of emancipation and the countries of Africa did not bypass. The tradition of female rule here is quite ancient, more than once the representatives of the weaker sex headed different tribes and countries. So in the 7th century, the well-known Dahiya al-Kahina reigned here. In the early 20th century, Ethiopia was ruled by Empress Zauditu. There are also women presidents of the African world. Since 2006, Liberia has been ruled by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Nobel Peace Prize winner. Since 2015, the Republic of Mauritius has been led by Amina Gharib-Fakim. And in Namibia, since the same time, Sarah Kugongelwa-Amadila, the youngest ruler in the history of the country, has been working as prime minister.

Latin American women

Latin America has the largest number of female presidents. The first among them was Isabel de Peron, the head of Brazil. In 2011, the Brazilians once again elected a woman to the presidency, this time it was Dilma Vana Rousseff. In 1979, Lydia Geiler Tejada served as acting president of Bolivia for the duration of the interim government. In the small state of Saint Lucia, since 1997, the role of the head has been played by Perlette Louisi. In Chile, Michelle Bachelet became president twice, who, in between the government of the country, still managed to be the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Health. In 2007, Argentina also had a lady in the role of president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who took over from her husband.

USA

Despite all the technical progressiveness, America is a very conservative country in social terms. The role of traditions here is very great, apparently, that is why the woman president of the United States has not appeared yet. Although in 2016, for the first time, Hillary Clinton had a real chance. It was the second time she made an attempt to conquer the White House. In 2008, she was the leader among the candidates from the Democratic Party, but still loses the primaries to B. Obama. In 2016, she confidently bypassed all her party members, but could not resist the pressure of Donald Trump. Therefore, so far there has not been a female president in the United States. But since society is ready for this, that is, there are fairly reasonable assumptions that the Democrats will again nominate a lady in the next election, experts are seriously discussing the person of Michelle Obama.

Russia

In Russia, the role of women has always been quite large. Therefore, it is not surprising that outstanding ladies ruled the state more than once. One can recall the first princess of Kyiv Olga (945), who was the first to accept Christianity and defeated the Drevlyans. Also in Russia there were 5 empresses who did a lot for the country, especially Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great. But the woman president of Russia has not yet appeared, and experts still do not even see real candidates for this place among modern ladies-politicians. Although Irina Khakamada ran for the presidency in 2004, she won less than 4% of the vote.

Isabel Martinez de Peron

All women presidents of the countries of the world remember their predecessor - the head of Brazil. During her work as a dancer in a nightclub, she happened to meet General Juan Domingo Peron. When her husband was president for the second time, Isabel often replaced him at various events. And when he became president for the third time, he made his wife vice president. In 1974, Peron died and Isabel took over as head of state. In 1976, she was removed from this position in a coup.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

For Argentina, women presidents are nothing new. The second representative of the beautiful half of humanity in this post in 2007 was Christina Fernandez de Kirchner. She began her political activities with her husband, who, thanks to her efforts, was elected governor of Santa Cruz. She later focused on her career. Cristina was twice elected to the legislature of Santa Cruz, was a member of the Senate, and then the Chamber of Deputies. In 2003, Christina actively worked in the campaign headquarters of her husband, who fought for the presidency. They won the elections after the second round of voting. Throughout her presidency, Cristina Fernandez was active in politics. In 2007, she became a new candidate for the presidency, now she was actively supported by her husband and the political elite of the country. Cristina successfully campaigned and in 2007 became the second female President of Argentina.

Tarja Halonen

Europe also has its own women presidents, one of them is the Finnish head of state Tarja Halonen. From her youth, she was fond of political activities, she was a member of the Social Democratic Party. Since 1979 she has been a member of the Finnish Parliament. In 1987, Tarja was appointed Minister of Health and Social Welfare. In 1990, she became Minister of Justice. Such extensive experience in political and state activities logically led Halonen to the idea of becoming the president of the country. And in 2000, she put forward her candidacy for elections and won 51.6% of the vote in the second round. She successfully served as head of state for two terms - 12 years. at the end of her term, Tarja went to work at the UN, where she deals with population issues.

In Asia, there are also women presidents of countries with different political systems. It was no longer a great innovation for India to live under the rule of a lady. The activities of Indira Gandhi are well remembered here. Therefore, the candidacy of Pratibha Patil in the presidential elections in 2007 did not surprise anyone. She was widely known in the country. In 2004, she was appointed Governor of Rajasthan. Prior to that, she was an MP, a candidate for the post of Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Even earlier, she was a member of the opposition and supported the arrested Indira Gandhi and the Nehru clan. Her victory in the presidential elections was more than convincing.

Dalia Grybauskaite

In the countries of Northern and Eastern Europe, women presidents and politicians are not uncommon. Therefore, the activities of the activist Dalia Grybauskaite did not cause public rejection. The future Lithuanian president was not a novice in politics. She began her career at the Higher Party School in Vilnius in 1983. Grybauskaite has twice served as European Commissioner, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance. In 2009, she successfully won the presidential election, beating rivals and gaining almost 70% of the vote.

What Slavic beauty captivated the heart of a famous monarch? Let's take a closer look at the most beautiful queens from the past.

Scotland - France

Mary Stuart (1542-1587)

While still in infancy, Mary was proclaimed Queen of Scots (her late father, King James V, had no heirs besides her). At the age of 16, the girl headed the French throne, becoming the wife of Francis II. Already after 6 months. The young queen was widowed. Not wanting to tie the knot with the brother of her deceased husband, Karl, she returned to her homeland.

Many influential people wanted to win the heart of an elegant beauty, but to no avail. Only Lord Darnley managed to charm Mary, who married him. Due to many political differences, the marriage between the lord and the queen proved to be fragile. Subsequently - Darnley died. Most likely, the initiator of the murder of the lord was his wife.

As a result of the death of her husband, Mary's position on the throne was shaken - and she lost her crown. The third husband, James Hepburn, had to flee with Mary to England. Here she was taken prisoner, in which she spent 12 years. Mary was later executed by beheading.

Spain and Portugal

Isabella of France (1602-1644)

Beauty Isabella, the eldest daughter of the French monarch Henry IV, tied the knot with the Spanish king Philip IV at the age of 13. The young girl did not arouse any interest in her husband for a long time. In a new place, the girl felt like a stranger and no one needed. Only after the age of 18 did her husband pay attention to her - since then the queen gave birth to 8 heirs to him, but only two of them managed to survive, and the rest died at an early age.

The loss of 6 babies negatively affected the physical and psychological state of the monarch. Not wanting to be at the Spanish court anymore, Isabella made several attempts to return to her homeland - she asked her father for permission to leave her husband and return to her father's house. Never having received the approval of the King of France, the woman died unexpectedly. The cause of Isabella's death is shrouded in mystery. According to one version, the queen's death was planned by her husband, who was tired of Isabella's prolonged depression.

England

Elizabeth Woodville (1437-1492)

The daughter of the English Earl Richard Woodville also had such a tragic fate. Like the ancient Greek Helen the Beautiful, the attractive Elizabeth became a bone of contention between powerful dynasties that resumed the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. The leader of the Yorks, King Edward IV, fell into the soul of a young beauty (by the way, already a widow with 2 children) and he asked for her hand.

The supporter of the monarch, the influential Earl of Warwick, did not like the king's passion, because he wanted Edward to choose a princess from France (any of the heirs) as his wife. Contrary to Warwick's plans, the king married his beloved, who later turned the soft monarch into a henpecked one who fulfilled her every whim.

As a result, Elizabeth's relatives became close associates of the king, which made Warwick very angry. The offended count betrayed Edward and became a supporter of the worst enemies of the monarch - the Lancaster family, one of whom the young king overthrew from the throne. By joining forces, the Lancasters briefly succeeded in regaining the crown. Edward had to spend a lot of effort to return power to his own hands.

While her husband was alive, Elizabeth, along with 12 children (including 2 sons), felt safe. After the sudden death of the king, the struggle for the throne flared up again, preventing Elizabeth's plans to crown her son. Subsequently, the former monarch buried her heir (he was executed), and spent the remaining years in Bermondzi Abbey.

Navarre (border area between France and Spain)

Margaret of Navarre (1553-1615)

The daughter of the French ruler Henry II became interested in Henry III, who headed the throne of the kingdom of Navarre. The beauty of Margarita Valois was legendary. Throughout her life, a loving lady turned the heads of many men. Rumor has it that even her brother the Duke of Anjou could not resist the charms of the beautiful queen.

Henry III is grateful to the life of his wife, who saved him from death on St. Bartholomew's night. Marguerite arranged for her husband to escape from the Louvre, in which he was imprisoned as an honorary prisoner. Having inherited the crown of the French state, the already divorced monarch began to be called Henry IV.

After the dissolution of her marriage to the king of Navarre, Margarita continued to be popular among influential men. Until her death, the woman had a bunch of lovers ready to fulfill her every whim.

France

Anna Yaroslavna (1032-1075/1089)

The Kyiv prince Yaroslav the Wise had the most important goal - to intermarry with influential families in Europe. As a result, he gave his daughters in marriage to kings (France, Hungary, Norway). Thanks to dynastic ties, Yaroslav managed to strengthen the position of Kievan Rus in the international arena.

He betrothed Anna Yaroslavna to the ruler of France, Henry I. Having never seen the bride before, the young king from the first minute of their meeting began to experience the most tender feelings for the Kyiv beauty. The kind and generous Anna fell in love with the subjects of the French monarch. The mother of three sons was faithful to her husband until his death.

The widowed Anna attracted the attention of the influential feudal lord Raoul de Vexin, who became her 2nd husband. Where and when one of the most beautiful queens in history died remains a mystery. Various sources speak of different places and dates of Anna's death.

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