Princesses

History That's More Than 2-Dimensional.

Caterina Sforza (1463-1509)

The Tigress of Forli

The illegitimate daughter of a minor noble, after losing her husband, she became one of the most powerful and fierce women in Italy - commanding troops, insulting Machiavelli, and fighting Cesare Borgia with unmatched ferocity.

Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653)

The Queen of Baroque Painters

One of the greatest painters of the baroque, she revenged herself on her rapist both in the court of law and in her powerful, grotesque, incredibly popular paintings that depicted his gruesome death.

Micaela Bastidas (1741-1781)

The Brains of the Tupac Amaru Rebellion

The strident partner of the eponymously-named Tupac Amaru Rebellion of native peoples against the Spanish, she handled army and bureaucratic logistics with an unmatched efficiency. Cut Content: Tupac Amaru’s Demands His demands were surprisingly minimal: he primarily wanted less enforced labor and a court closer to where he lived, so he wouldn’t have to trek... Read more »

Empress Myeongseong (1851-1895)

The Queen Who Fought to Save Korea

Picked to be an impotent figurehead, this savvy intellectual quickly learned how to play politics and modernized the nation to ward off invasion.

Marguerite de la Rocque (mid-16th century)

The Woman Who Survived Years On An Abandoned Island

Stranded by her cruel relative on an abandoned Canadian island (literally named the Isle of Demons), she survived for two years by hunting animals and eventually made it back to France.

Kharboucha (19th century Moroccan legend)

The Poet Who Sang Truth to Power

This legendary pockmarked poet sang truth to power and was killed for it, becoming an enduring symbol of resistance.

Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

The Maid of Orleans

The infamous teen girl who helped end the Hundred Years War and save France – but do you know how she got to such prominence? This book has an answer, and it involves another powerful woman, operating behind the scenes…

The Night Witches (1942-1945)

The Civilian Pilots Who Became the Nazis' Worst Nightmare

This all-female civilian volunteer unit of the WW2 Soviet military overcame a lack of training, equipment, and faith to pull off one of the greatest underdog feats in human history and in so doing become Germany's worst nightmare.

Yoshiko Kawashima (1907-1947)

The Traitor Princess of Manchuria

Bisexual cross-dressing spy princess of the Qing dynasty – a hero to some and unspeakable villain to others.

Qiu Jin (1875-1907)

The Heroine Who Wrote Her Own Destiny

This revolutionary martyred herself to help rid China of the Qing dynasty.