Usually we know a queen not as a monarch but as his consort. However, some powerful women became famous queens in their own right. They ruled and had powder due to their own abilities. They were in true sense of the famous ‘Queens' who ruled with absolute power.
The system of ascendance to the throne has always been a patriarchal one that supported the male child as the heir. But a few powerful women broke out of this mould and sat on the throne that was traditionally meant for men. These famous queens wielded real political power in their kingdoms and made a difference to the lives of the people they ruled.
As the saying goes, a powerful despot is better than a weak benevolent ruler. These powerful women were strong rulers. Some of the famous queens ascended to the throne as royal heirs. For example Queen Elizabeth the first and Mary, Queen of Scots were both heirs to the throne. However, some of the famous queens were the consorts or wives of king and came to power after their husbands died.
Here is a list of some of the most powerful and famous queens in history.
Cleopatra Of Egypt
Cleopatra was the Queen of Egypt during 50 to 30 BC. She came to power at the age of 12 and married 2 of her brothers during her lifetime. Cleopatra maintained political power by having strategically valuable alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.
Rani Lakshmi Bai Of Jhansi
Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi was born to a poor Brahmin family. But destiny made her the queen that an entire nation will remember. We never quote the name of the King of Jhansi, but Rani Laxmi Bai is well known for her defiant uprising against the British Raj.
Queen Elizabeth I Of Britain Queen Elizabeth was the first and only unmarried queen to rule over England. Known as the virgin queen, Queen Elizabeth Tudor's reign was called the Golden age for England. Queen Marie Antoinette Of France Queen Marie may be infamous because of her statement about ‘cake', but the truth is that she wielded the real power in France. She influenced all her husband's political decisions. Queen Nefertiti Of Egypt Queen Nerfertiti is reknowned as one of the most beautiful women in the world. She was the second wife of Akhenaten and yet she succeeded him to the throne of Egypt. She had 6 daughters and possibly one son.
Zenobia Of Syria Zenobia was the queen of Palmyra, that is modern Syria. She dared to defy the Romans and led an armed rebellion against them. She lost eventually but her brave act is always remembered. Mary, Queen Of Scots Mary was a Scottish Princess who was named the queen when she was 6 days old. She was also married to the King of France. But her reign was ill-fated. She was imprisoned for 18 years by Queen Elizabeth I and finally executed.
Queen Anne Boleyn Of England Anne Boleyn is the woman who broke the all-powerful Catholic Church in order to become Queen of England. Henry VIII was so impassioned with Anne Boleyn that he executed his first wife and broke away from the Church of Rome to marry her. Catherine the Great, Empress Of Russia Catherine was a German princess who married the Russian Arch Duke at the age of 16. She soon decapitated her unpopular husband and became the sole monarch of Russia. Catherine ruled with an iron hand and was a very successful queen. Queen Bodicea Of Old England Bodicea was the queen of the Celts who rose in a bloody rebellion against the Roman. After her husband's death, the Romans took over the old English Isles. They publicly raped and assaulted queen Bodicea and her daughters. In retaliation, she raised an army and attacked the Romans.
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