Rejected Princesses | History That's More Than 2-Dimensional.

History That's More Than 2-Dimensional.

Olga of Kiev (c.900-969)

The Saint Who Set Fires With Pigeons

Brutal princess-turned-Christian saint who burnt down enemy towns using pigeons.

A’isha bint abi Bakr (614-678)

Mother of the Believers

Independent, bold wife of the Prophet Muhammad, she led armies in the Battle of the Camel and was one of the central figures of the Shia/Sunni civil war that continues to this day. (Note: this entry’s image follows Islamic artistic conventions to depict its figures respectfully)

Collection: WW2 >

Vitka Kempner

Spy, smuggler, saboteur, partisan: this Jewish woman refused to go like a lamb to the slaughter, and fought the Nazis tooth and nail... even after the war, when she, alongside others, poisoned thousands of Nazi POWs in a revenge plot.

Virginia Hall

This "most dangerous of all spies" staged daring mountaintop escapes, prison breaks, and railway bombings -- all on her trusty wooden leg, codenamed "Cuthbert."

Irena Sendler

This Polish nurse sacrificed her safety, her marriage, her very family to save 2500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust.

Anne Hutchinson (1591-1643)

New England's Rebel Preacher

This uneducated rebel preacher upstaged New England magistrates so much that they founded Harvard University in part to prevent women like her from gaining power.

Harriet Tubman (1822-1913)

The American Moses

Escaped slave turned slave rescuer turned plantation-torching Union spymaster, she was part Moses, part Joan of Arc, part Spider-Man.

Christine de Pizan (c.1364-1430)

Architect of the City of Ladies

When her husband unexpectedly died, she rolled up her sleeves and became one of the greatest authors of the age to keep food on the table. She wrote passionate defenses of her gender (and military treatises!) that were centuries ahead of their time.

Collection: Mothers >

Mary Patten

When her husband became deathly ill, this pregnant teen took the reins to become America's first female boat commander - all while fighting off a mutiny and keeping her husband alive.

Amanirenas

When Rome set its eyes on her country, this one-eyed queen fought them tooth and nail, until they left her alone.

Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine

America had Al Capone. Sydney had Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine - who *hated* each other.

Laskarina Bouboulina (1771-1825)

Heroine of the Greek War of Independence

Born in a prison cell, this revolutionary financed and led a large chunk of Greece's navy to victory in their fight for independence.

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)

The Enchantress of Numbers

History’s first computer programmer, who invented algorithms for the first computer – which didn’t even exist during her lifetime, so she had to do it all in her head.

Wallada bint al-Mustakfi (c.1000-1091)

Andalusian Slam Poet

Spirited poetry-spouting princess who lived an audacious life and put her cheating lover on blast with her expert slam poetry.

Collection: Women in Business >

Madam C.J. Walker

America's ostensible first female self-made millionaire was a black beauty magnate who did it all for her daughter.

Stephanie St. Clair

This audacious black gangster fought the Italian mob for control of Harlem and won, taunting them in full-page newspaper ads as she went.

Angela Jimenez

Tomboy, daughter, spy, soldier, foster mom, innkeeper, gold miner, nurse, activist; veteran: Angela Jimenez doesn't need a movie so much as a mini-series.

Yael (13th century BCE)

The Lady With The Hammer

Saved the Jewish people by hammering a tent spike through an unsuspecting house guest's head.

Rani Lakshmibai (1828-1858)

The Rebel Queen of Jhansi

Widowed young queen who led a fearsome rebellion against the British with her child tied to her back.

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