Friday, March 8, 2013

International Women's Day: Let's Discuss Our Favorite Women in History

Happy International Women's Day!

A portrait of Elizabethan sisters, with their respective children. Picture acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.

May women (and men) around the world be reminded today to celebrate women of the past, present and future today and every day after! 

It should come as no surprise to my readers that Queen Elizabeth I of England is my favorite person to study in history, and that she is therefore the woman whose inspiring life story I feel most compelled to share with others. But I also find all women of the Early Modern period (specifically Tudor and Elizabethan women) particularly fascinating. 

'Queen Elizabeth ushers in Peace and Plenty', from An Allegory of the Tudor Succession, circa 1572. Attributed to Lucas de Heere. Photo acquired through Wikimedia Commons. Image public domain.


Below is a list of (some of) my favorite historical women; you can also view our Remarkable Women of History board on Pinterest for images and mini-biographies of amazing women from every culture and time period.

-Cleopatra VII of Egypt
-Cleopatra Selene, Queen of Mauretania
-Freydis Eiriksdottir
-The "Empress" Matilda
-Jacqueline Felicie
-Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
-Queen Philippa of Hainault
-Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster
-Joan of Kent, Princess of Wales
-Joan of Arc
-Christine de Pizan
-Queen Margaret of Anjou
-Queen Elizabeth Woodville
-Anne Askew
-Countless women of the German/Lutheran Reformation (view them on THIS Pinterest page).
-ALL Six Wives of Henry VIII
-Katherine Willoughby de Eresby (previously Duchess of Suffolk).
-Queen Elizabeth I
-Bess of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury
-Arbella Stuart
-Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke
-Grace O'Malley, the Irish Pirate Queen of Connaught 
-Elizabeth Tilley (my ancestress)
-Nell Gwynn, Actress and Royal Mistress
-Anne Boleyn and Mary Read
-Jane Austen
-Louisa May Alcott
-Esther Howland (my ancestress)
-Countess Constance Markiewicz

Who are your favorite women in history?