warrior women
by Fenella MacLennan - February 2021
Image: Getty Images
QUEEN ARTEMISIA
Caria, Greece
486-465BC
Artemisia was a Queen of the region of Caria and fought for the Persians against the Greeks in a famous naval battle named the Battle of Salamis, where she sunk one of the enemies ships. She fought also in the Battle of Artemisium and became a distinguished commander and tactician.
QUEEN BOUDICA
Celtic tribe, England
30-61AD
The death of Boudica's husband allowed Roman invaders to annex her state in East Anglia and publicly humiliate herself and her daughters. She responded with a damaging military rebellion, destroying three Roman strongholds. 'This is a woman's resolve, as for men, they may live and be slaves.'
QUEEN ZENOBIA
Palmyrene Empire, Syria
267-272 AD
Claiming Cleopatra as one of her ancestors, she was destined to be a powerful Queen. As a regent under Roman rule, she wanted to claim independence of her empire (today's Syria). She took Egypt, winning a battle against the Romans and by 271 she ruled an empire from modern day Iraq through Turkey to Egypt.
LADY AETHELFLAED
Mercia, England
911-918 AD
Born into a war against Viking invaders and being daughter to King Alfred of Wessex, Aethelflaed was immersed in politics and war. She succeeded her husband in 911 and led the Mercians into victory after victory, battling against Welsh and Danish armies. She fortified settlements to stop invaders and was renown as a competent and charismatic war leader.
JOAN OF ARC
France
1428-1430
Upon receiving visions from God an illiterate peasant girl by the name of Jeanne d'Arc, appealed to King Charles VII dressed as a boy and claimed to be the saviour of France. He granted her command of an army and at just 17, she led two successful assaults against the English, reinstalling French morale and later becoming a Catholic saint.
QUEEN NZINGA
Nzinga of Ndgongo & Matamba, Angola
1624-1663
Ana Nzinga inherited the rule of Ndongo at a time when the Portugese and neighbouring African aggressors attacking. As a result she had to flee to Matamba where she raised an army and resisted the colonisers for 20 years. She used guerilla war tactics to keep them at bay and her state grew to be large and powerful.
CHING SHIH
China
1807-1839
Ching Shih married a pirate and together they controlled the Red Fleet. After her husband died Ching took charge of 1,800 ships and between 50-70,000 pirates. She enforced new laws, one criminilising rape, which became punishable by death. Known as the "Terror of South China" she controlled coastlines and oceans alike.
EMPRESS TAYTY BETUL
Ethiopia
1889-1910
Riding at the head of the army with her husband and rejecting negotiations with imperialists makes this Ethiopian empress a powerful one. She devised a plan which led to the Ethiopian victory of Adwa, the most significant win of an African army against a European one. She founded the capital city of Addis Ababa and forwarded the country in terms of trade and modernisation.
VIKTORIA SAVS
Germany
1914-1917
Viktoria Savs served in the Austro-Hungary army during the First World War disguised as a man. She was one of two women who served on the front lines and led a group of captured Italians under heavy artillery fire. When injured and taken to hospital her gender was revealed and she was banned from service. She was awarded a medal for bravery in gold and silver.
REFERENCES
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History.com Editors 2020, Joan of Arc, viewed 10/02/21
https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/saint-joan-of-arc
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https://en.unesco.org/womeninafrica/taytu-betul/biography
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Pruitt, S 2019, Who Was Boudica?, viewed 10/02/21,
https://www.history.com/news/who-was-boudica
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Scharf, M 2021, Viktoria Savs, viewed 10/02/21
https://ww1.habsburger.net/en/persons-objects-events/viktoria-savs
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Vishnu, A 2020, Ching Shih: A Prostitute Who Became History's Deadliest Pirate, viewed 10/02/21,
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Watson, G 2018, Aethelflaed: The warrior queen who broke the glass ceiling, viewed 10/02/21,