Sigrid the Haughty (960~972 CE - 1014 CE) The Queen Who Gave Her Suitors Epic Burns When some scrubs hit on her, she burnt them alive. When a king slapped her across the face, she obliterated his kingdom. Sigrid the Haughty was not to be messed with.
Nia Ngao Zhua Pa Paragon of Hmong Femininity This Hmong morality tale shows how to be a good person, but it certainly takes some twists getting there.
Eréndira (early 16th century) How to Train Your Horse When horse-riding Spaniards invaded, she defied her tribe to befriend one of the abandoned horses, using her new bond to fight off the Spanish.
Mahendradatta (961-1011) The Widow Queen of Indonesia This Indonesian queen ruled wisely and justly in life, and was deified as the embodiment of all evil after her death. The story of why gets a bit complicated.
Isabelle Eberhardt (1877-1904) The Undefinable Adventurer This undefinable adventurer's life burnt bright but short: a wildcard of the Algerian revolution, she survived an assassination attempt by sabre, and died in a freak desert flood.
Catalina de Erauso (1585/92-1650) The Lieutenant Nun After escaping from a convent, this swashbuckler had the strength to chase her dreams: which were apparently to drink, fight, and womanize.
Tsuruhime Ohori (1526-1543) The Savior of Omishima Island When invaders threatened her island home, she declared herself a living god, raised an army, and fought them tooth, nail, and occasional grenade.
Masako Hojo (1157-1225) The Nun Shogun When her shogun husband cheated on her, she raised an army and destroyed the other woman's house. Later she deposed her incompetent son to become the first nun to rule Japan.
Iara Brazil's Lady of the Lake When this indigenous Brazilian warrior mermaid proved too awesome for her tribe, she just took up residence in the water, and started an aquatic harem of passers-by.
Hester Stanhope (1776-1839) The Desert Queen 100 years before Lawrence of Arabia, this British woman traveled the Middle East by herself, surviving shipwrecks, plagues, and Bedouin attacks in the process.