Top 20 Most Powerful Women in History
These women were historically powerful, Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the women who wielded major authority or influence within their own nation or across an empire.
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00:00 "Everyone wants my throne, but this is my country!"
00:06 Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the women who wielded major
00:11 authority or influence within their own nation or across an empire.
00:16 "Queen Hatshepsut claimed to be the daughter of a god, but to assert her power she had
00:22 to declare herself king."
00:24 20. Ya Asantewa This West African warrior fought back against
00:31 the British and won.
00:33 "She stood up against colonial powers and she led an army against the British Empire.
00:38 Empire, you know. She was fearless and she was brave and she was courageous and she was
00:46 a true Ghanaian heroine."
00:49 Born in 1840, Asantewa became a ruler within the Ashanti Empire.
00:54 By 1900, after decades of fighting, the British had claimed the Ashantis' land for themselves,
01:00 but Administrator Frederick Hodgson made a crucial mistake.
01:05 He demanded that the Ashanti hand over their Golden Stool, the divine throne that they
01:09 believe houses the spirit of their people.
01:12 The Ashanti chiefs were outraged at Hodgson's audacity, but none more so than Asantewa.
01:18 She delivered a powerful speech to the male chiefs, rallying them to renew the fight against
01:23 their colonizers.
01:24 "Listen, if you, the men of Ashanti, if you won't go forward, then we the women will.
01:30 I shall call upon my fellow women and we will fight the white man."
01:36 She roared.
01:37 "That's what she actually roared."
01:39 In the battles that followed, she commanded 20,000 warriors.
01:44 Although the British maintained their political control, they never managed to capture the
01:48 Golden Stool.
01:49 "You can't come free, walking in our country and take our heritage.
01:54 They said no."
01:55 19.
01:56 Theodora
01:57 In the early 6th century, she rose from poverty to become Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
02:05 After working in a brothel and as an actress, Theodora eventually moved to Constantinople.
02:09 There she met the Emperor's nephew, Justinian, who was completely smitten with her.
02:15 "It wasn't common for someone as newly posh as Justinian to marry someone not posh like
02:20 Theodora.
02:21 So Justinian had his Emperor uncle change the law so they could marry.
02:27 That is romantic."
02:28 Justinian would eventually become Emperor, and Theodora wielded serious influence over
02:32 her husband, who even called her his partner.
02:35 During her reign, she expanded women's rights, making it easier for a woman to get a divorce,
02:40 own property, and claim custody of her children.
02:44 "Theodora was likely responsible for laws which protected women, including better treatment
02:49 of sex workers and harsher punishments for abusers."
02:52 She instituted capital punishment for sexual assault, and even rescued young girls from
02:57 human trafficking.
02:58 Although she died at only 48 years old, she went down in history as one of the OG feminists.
03:04 "In their reign is remembered for its legal reforms, beautiful Byzantine buildings, and
03:09 substantial territorial expansion."
03:12 18.
03:13 Agrippina the Younger
03:15 As a matriarch in early Rome's most powerful dynasty, she stopped at nothing to gain power
03:20 and influence for herself and her son Nero.
03:24 After outliving two husbands, one of whom she might have poisoned, Agrippina married
03:29 Emperor Claudius, who also happened to be her uncle.
03:32 "There's no need for shyness.
03:34 We're all family now, after all."
03:37 Even back then, the marriage was considered scandalous, but it allowed Agrippina to position
03:42 her son in line for the throne.
03:44 Ancient historians report that as empress, she bent Claudius to her will, convincing
03:49 him to adopt Nero and promote him over his own son.
03:53 She took on duties that were usually exclusive to men, including meeting with foreign officials
03:58 and approving government documents.
04:00 Her level of authority was almost unheard of for a woman at the time.
04:05 After Claudius' death, Nero assumed the throne and Agrippina became even more prominent as
04:11 the mother of the new emperor, and even started showing up on the obverse of Nero's coins.
04:17 17.
04:18 Elizabeth II
04:20 When her father, King George VI, died, Princess Elizabeth became queen at just 25 years old.
04:27 "Queen Elizabeth II passes from the abbey, consecrated and dedicated to her life work
04:32 by the solemn and hallowed ritual of coronation."
04:35 As ruler of one of the most powerful monarchies in the world, she was the head of state for
04:40 32 independent nations during her tenure.
04:43 And her 70-year reign was the longest of any woman in history, and the second longest of
04:49 any monarch ever.
04:50 "Since my accession, I have been a regular visitor to the palace of Westminster, and
04:56 at the last count, have had the pleasurable duty of treating with 12 prime ministers."
05:03 During her seven decades as queen, she presided over multiple major global events, including
05:08 the decolonization of many of the UK's territories.
05:11 Although the British monarch doesn't usually intervene directly in political affairs, Elizabeth's
05:16 influence as an unofficial ambassador and patron of hundreds of charities was significant.
05:22 "And thank you for everything."
05:26 "That's very kind."
05:28 16.
05:29 Eleanor of Aquitaine
05:31 During the Middle Ages, she was queen of not one, but two major European nations.
05:37 She accompanied her first husband, King Louis VII of France, on the Crusades in the 1140s,
05:44 where she gained a reputation as a wise and strong leader.
05:48 "I dressed my maids as Amazons and rode bare-breasted halfway to Damascus.
05:53 Louis had a seizure and I damn near died of windburn.
06:01 But the troops were dazzled."
06:04 After her marriage to Louis was annulled, Eleanor would have been happy to stay single,
06:08 but that wasn't an option for a woman with her money and influence.
06:11 Instead, she married Henry, who became King Henry II of England just two years later.
06:17 Embarking on a long and complicated relationship.
06:20 "Time hasn't done a thing but wrinkle you."
06:23 "Hasn't even done that.
06:24 I've borne six girls, five boys, and 31 connubial years of you.
06:29 How am I possible?"
06:30 When her son, Richard I, ascended to the throne, Eleanor's power increased even more.
06:35 She had considerable control over the country while Richard was away in the Crusades, and
06:40 when her youngest son, John, succeeded his brother as king.
06:44 "We have such possibilities, my children.
06:48 We could change the world."
06:50 Number 15.
06:51 Golda Meir Born in Kiev in 1898, she grew up amidst
06:55 poverty and anti-Jewish persecution.
06:58 In the 1920s, Meir moved to a Jewish commune in Palestine, where she began climbing the
07:05 political ladder.
07:06 She was a vital player in the creation of Israel, and over the years, served as ambassador,
07:11 legislator, and foreign minister.
07:14 In 1969, she became the country's first female prime minister.
07:18 "The woman who had been at Ben-Gurion's right hand in the 1950s, before plotting his
07:24 political downfall in the 1960s, had become the first female head of government in the
07:31 Western world."
07:32 When a surprise attack from Syria and Egypt in 1973 led to the Yom Kippur War, Meir's
07:38 aggressive leadership earned her the nickname "Iron Lady", more than two years before
07:43 Margaret Thatcher claimed it.
07:46 However, many Israelis blamed her for the heavy loss of life, and she resigned the following
07:51 year.
07:52 "Come on, Golda.
07:53 You can't stay here all night.
07:54 It's cold.
07:55 Come on."
07:56 Number 14.
07:57 Inzinga of Ndongo and Matamba "Let's leave these new foreigners in no
08:06 doubt who I am.
08:10 The leader they dare not ignore."
08:12 Remembered today as the Mother of Angola, this queen is still honoured in her native
08:17 country as a brilliant politician, military tactician, and diplomat.
08:22 When Inzinga became ruler of Ndongo in 1624, the land was facing attacks from both Portuguese
08:29 slave traders and rival African nations.
08:32 "The Portuguese are not the issue here."
08:34 "The Portuguese are always the issue, brother.
08:36 Who do you think is fueling Cavolo's fire?"
08:38 To protect her people, she allied with Portugal, but just two years later, the Portuguese broke
08:43 their treaty, forcing Inzinga and her people to migrate west.
08:47 There, they founded the new nation of Matamba, where Inzinga offered protection to runaway
08:53 enslaved people and built a powerful militia.
08:56 "It's right on the border of the kingdom of Ndongo.
09:00 So it's from here that she can launch attacks and really harass the Portuguese."
09:04 Although they were unable to reclaim Ndongo from the Portuguese, Inzinga positioned Matamba
09:09 as an important centre of trade, until its economy was strong enough to do business with
09:14 Portugal as equals.
09:16 "An icon of resistance, of hope, a revolutionary, a powerful warrior, and African queen whose
09:25 story deserves to be told."
09:28 13.
09:29 Amaranus
09:30 The kingdom of Cush was wealthy and prosperous.
09:33 "They had the connections with inner Africa that could bring these exotic products all
09:37 the way to Egypt and to the wider Mediterranean world."
09:40 That's probably why the Roman Empire was eager to invade it.
09:44 But Queen Amaranus didn't give in easily.
09:47 "This queen who beats the biggest, most powerful man in the world, the Roman Emperor, this
09:55 African woman who is able to take down a whole kingdom."
09:59 Described as being blind in one eye, she led an army of 30,000 men against the invaders.
10:05 Although the Cushites were defeated, Amaranus' forces put up such a fight that Caesar Augustus
10:11 granted her demand for a peace treaty, stopping the Roman expansion into Africa.
10:16 We still don't know whether he forgave her for decapitating his statues.
10:20 "They buried it under the doorway of a temple in the capital so that worshippers would step
10:25 on it as they crossed the threshold."
10:27 Cush was known for its powerful female leaders.
10:30 Queen Shanaka Dekita followed in Amaranus' footsteps and was even referred to as the
10:35 "Son of Ra" and "Lord of the Two Lands."
10:40 She now lies in one of the region's most impressive pyramids.
10:44 12.
10:45 Isabella I of Castile
10:47 Not everyone on our list used their power for good.
10:50 Isabella was Queen of Castile and León.
10:53 In 1469, her marriage to King Ferdinand II of Aragon united Spain into one kingdom.
11:00 Together they started the Spanish Inquisition, targeting Muslims and Jews who were accused
11:05 of being heretics.
11:06 "The Inquisition quickly turned its attention to ridding the region of people who were not
11:11 part of the Catholic Church.
11:13 It would last more than 350 years."
11:17 Under Isabella's rule, hundreds of thousands of Jews were forced to convert to Catholicism,
11:22 and tens of thousands were expelled from the country.
11:25 She was known for cracking down on crime and expanding the power of the monarchy.
11:30 Isabella also bankrolled Christopher Columbus' first voyage west.
11:34 To her credit, when he came back with a ship full of enslaved people, she ordered him to
11:38 take them back home, and decreed that indigenous Americans be treated with fairness.
11:43 "The new world is a disaster."
11:48 11.
11:49 Indira Gandhi
11:50 No, she's not related to that Gandhi.
11:53 It's just a common name.
11:55 Elected India's first female Prime Minister in 1966, she quickly became popular for modernizing
12:01 the country's agricultural systems and fighting poverty.
12:05 However, she soon devolved into an authoritarian.
12:07 "It is a very big country and very complex problems.
12:13 And in the whole country, they had created an atmosphere of extreme indiscipline.
12:19 So that somebody like Mr. Galbraith said it seems to be a functioning anarchy, but it
12:25 was not functioning, it was becoming a non-functioning anarchy.
12:29 And at that moment, if we had not stopped it, India would not have survived."
12:33 When Gandhi was convicted of corruption in 1975, she could have left office gracefully.
12:39 Instead, she declared a state of emergency that came to be known as the "Reign of Terror."
12:44 "Mrs. Gandhi, I must ask you, did you not concoct a threat to the survival of the state
12:51 in order to ensure your own survival in power?"
12:54 "I'm sure that's a very rude question, and it's entirely baseless.
12:57 There's nothing at all to base it on."
12:59 She imprisoned her rivals, suspended civil liberties, and censored the press.
13:04 During this time, she also rounded up and sterilized millions of poor men in the name
13:09 of population control.
13:10 Amazingly, Gandhi was still re-elected in 1980, but in 1984, she was assassinated by
13:17 two of her own bodyguards.
13:19 "I'm utterly stunned by the event, and I find it very hard to think exactly which direction
13:24 India is likely to move in."
13:25 Number 10.
13:26 Lady Kabel
13:28 The Maya people called her by many names - Lady Snake Lord, Lady Water Lily Hand, and most
13:34 importantly, Kalumte, or Supreme Warrior.
13:39 Part of a powerful family, Kabel ruled the Wakar Kingdom in the Maya Empire from 672
13:47 to 692 AD.
13:48 "She was not only a queen, but a supreme warlord, and that made her the most powerful person
13:55 in the kingdom during her lifetime."
13:57 She married a lower-ranking man, though whether this was for love or to maintain her status
14:02 as the highest ruler, we don't know.
14:05 Her famous stone sculpture portrays her in an elaborate royal wardrobe and being attended
14:10 by a slave.
14:11 "Above it all, on top of her carefully coiffed hair, sits a feathered headdress anchored
14:16 by the face of the sun god, or the god Kauil, emblems for the maize plant and the moon,
14:22 and medallions with Lady Kabel's name glyph."
14:25 Although female rulers weren't common among the Maya, they weren't unheard of either.
14:29 In fact, during the seven centuries of the Mayan Classical Era, multiple city-states
14:34 were ruled by queens like Lady Kabel.
14:37 "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
14:41 "Yeah."
14:42 9.
14:43 Tamar of Georgia
14:44 King George III played an influential role in his country's rise to prominence, but he
14:49 had a predicament.
14:50 "Without any sons of his own, and having blinded and castrated his only nephew after a rebel
14:55 fomented around him, George had no male heirs."
14:58 Though Georgia had never had a female rule, he named his daughter Tamar as his successor.
15:04 To make sure she held onto her claim to the throne, he crowned her his co-ruler in 1178,
15:10 when she was a teenager.
15:12 After his death, she took the title of king and ruled Georgia for 24 years.
15:18 Under Tamar, Georgia reached its greatest territorial and political height.
15:22 Tamar commanded a formidable army that enabled her to expand her territory.
15:27 Her reign is recognized as Georgia's Golden Age.
15:30 She was revered in her own time, and was even the subject of epic poetry.
15:35 She was later canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church, and is still considered a hero in
15:41 her country.
15:42 "In later centuries, people will look back to this era of prosperity and success and
15:47 strength longingly, wanting to see it revived."
15:50 8.
15:51 Empress Dowager Sui Xi
15:53 Although she started her royal tenure as a concubine, Sui Xi rose to become one of the
15:58 most powerful people in the Qing Dynasty.
16:00 "And what's a sharp, ambitious girl to do with near unlimited power?
16:05 Why, transform a country, of course."
16:08 When the Xiang Feng Emperor died in 1861, Sui Xi's son took his place at just 5 years
16:14 old.
16:15 Sui Xi lost no time in removing the eight regents appointed to rule until the young
16:19 monarch came of age, though to be merciful, she had only three of them executed.
16:24 "Are you afraid of me?
16:27 Everyone is."
16:30 When her son passed away at just 18, she promoted her 4-year-old nephew to the throne and continued
16:36 to rule as regent.
16:38 Even when the boy reached adulthood, many top officials were more loyal to Sui Xi than the
16:42 actual emperor.
16:44 She remained a powerful influence over the empire until her death in 1908.
16:48 "Was she brilliant?
16:50 Venal?
16:51 Inspirational?
16:52 Destructive?
16:53 The truth is that she was maybe all these things and many more.
16:55 A woman who shaped the destiny of a billion people, in some eras brilliantly, in others,
17:00 such as the Boxer Rebellion, catastrophically."
17:03 7.
17:04 Margaret Thatcher
17:05 Perhaps the most controversial figure on our list, she became Britain's first female
17:09 prime minister in 1979.
17:14 During her 11 years in office, she instituted sweeping economic changes that came to be
17:27 known as "Thatcherism."
17:29 This involved massive privatization of state industries, financial deregulation, and consolidating
17:35 power in the central government and undermining unions.
17:54 Although unemployment spiked during her first term, she was re-elected in a landslide...twice.
18:01 Although she was widely admired, she was also widely hated, as poverty and income inequality
18:07 soared during her tenure.
18:20 In her third term, she passed an extremely unpopular flat tax and became increasingly
18:26 skeptical of the European Union.
18:29 These two factors tanked her support within the Conservative Party, as she resigned in
18:33 1990, leaving behind a complicated legacy.
18:40 6.
18:45 Zenobia
18:46 The Palmyran Kingdom was a state within the Roman Empire, located in present-day Syria.
18:52 But Queen Zenobia wasn't content to remain a Roman subject.
18:56 She began to come into conflict with regional officials, whose loyalty was torn between
19:00 her and that of Rome, now often perceived to be a weak and ineffectual foreign bureaucracy.
19:06 After her husband was assassinated in 267 AD, Zenobia's young son became king, and she
19:12 ruled as regent in his place.
19:15 She rebelled against the Romans, declaring her land to be its own empire, and even expanded
19:20 her territory by invading Egypt.
19:22 By August 271, the Palmyrene Empire stretched from modern-day Libya and Sudan, all the way
19:28 to northern Turkey, encompassing all of the land in between, formerly the richest Roman
19:34 provinces.
19:35 Zenobia was a well-educated intellectual, who spoke Aramaic, Greek, Latin and Egyptian.
19:42 She ruled over a vibrant multicultural nation, famous for its diversity and religious tolerance.
19:47 Sadly, it was short-lived, as the Romans took back the territory in 272 and captured Zenobia.
19:55 Her fate remains unknown, but her reputation as a bold and brilliant leader lives on.
20:01 5.
20:02 Maria Theresa
20:03 "When was the last time you were in Vienna?
20:06 Hunger, distress and sickness reign in the country."
20:09 During her reign from 1740 to 1780, she instituted sweeping reforms that ushered the Habsburg
20:16 Empire into the Enlightenment.
20:18 However, in Maria Theresa's case, perhaps the ends didn't always justify the means.
20:24 "Maria Theresa's reign is seen as marking a move towards enlightened despotism, whereby
20:31 an absolute monarch initiated a considerable reform program despite the overt conservatism
20:37 of the ruler and the society in question."
20:40 She created public schools to increase literacy among the poor, but she arrested anyone who
20:45 opposed her, including peasants who needed their kids to work the fields.
20:50 She supported the new science of vaccines, but had the shots tested on orphans before
20:54 taking them herself.
20:56 Her overhaul of the feudal system ensured that serfs could support their families, but
21:01 she also passed strict morality laws and authorised a secret service to spy on people suspected
21:07 of impropriety.
21:08 "She introduced a chastity court that could order anything from whipping to deportation
21:14 to execution."
21:15 Ultimately Maria Theresa was a complicated but hugely significant figure in European
21:21 history.
21:22 4.
21:23 Wu Zetian
21:24 Smart, ruthless and ambitious, she maintained authority by eliminating anyone who might
21:30 oppose her.
21:31 Like Empress Dowager Xu Xi, she entered the royal court as a concubine.
21:36 When she married the Emperor in 655, she became the Emperor's consort.
21:42 "But Emperor Gertzong was a sickly man, and gradually Wu became the real power behind
21:49 the throne."
21:51 After her youngest son took the throne, she forced him to step down so she could reign
21:55 alone.
21:56 Wu Zetian had her secret police spy on her adversaries, planted false accusations of
22:02 witchcraft and exiled or executed those who spoke against her.
22:07 "It would have been a very dangerous thing to get in the way of Wu Zetian."
22:12 Under her leadership, China expanded its territory by invading its neighbours, and its culture
22:18 and economy thrived.
22:20 It's fair to say that while those closest to her suffered, the rest of the empire flourished.
22:24 "She was a woman who did what she had to to stay in power.
22:27 She was a great leader.
22:28 She had a lot of political acumen.
22:31 But most of all, I'd say she was the woman that proved that in a man's world, you didn't
22:35 need a man to lead it."
22:36 3.
22:37 Cleopatra
22:38 Modern betrayals tend to fixate on her beauty and relationships to the men around her.
22:43 But the last pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt was a well-educated, savvy politician
22:49 and diplomat who spoke nine languages and constantly had to negotiate tensions with
22:54 Rome.
22:55 "I remain Queen of Egypt."
22:57 "You are Egypt.
22:58 How could I replace you?"
23:01 "I am content.
23:06 We shall be good friends."
23:08 When her father died around 50 BC, Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy XIII, jointly inherited
23:14 his throne.
23:15 However, the two became rivals, with most Egyptian officials siding with Cleopatra.
23:21 "How funny you look in father's chair."
23:24 "I never wanted to harm you."
23:27 "Of course you did not.
23:33 It was your gelding led you astray, no doubt."
23:37 After Ptolemy XIII died in battle against Julius Caesar, his sister promoted her son
23:42 as her co-ruler.
23:43 Her years-long relationship with Mark Antony allowed her to expand Egypt's power and territory.
23:50 However, it ended in tragedy when the pair were defeated by Octavian and Cleopatra's
23:55 kingdom was absorbed into the Roman Empire.
23:59 "You have a rotten soul."
24:04 Number 2.
24:05 Hatshepsut
24:06 1,500 years before Cleopatra, another woman ruled ancient Egypt.
24:12 When Hatshepsut's husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II, died, she became Queen Regent for her
24:18 two-year-old stepson.
24:20 Just seven years later, she declared herself Pharaoh, an unheard-of move in the male-dominated
24:26 society.
24:27 To project authority, she had herself portrayed with a traditional false beard and masculine
24:33 clothes.
24:34 She took the name Maat Kare and sometimes referred to herself as Hatshepsu, with a masculine
24:40 word ending.
24:41 Her 22-year reign was a time of prosperity and political stability.
24:45 Hatshepsut re-established trade routes, had hundreds of new monuments and buildings constructed,
24:51 and promoted the arts.
24:53 She had strong religious connections.
24:55 She even claimed to be the daughter of the state god Amun.
25:00 And she had a successful military career, with a Nubian campaign, and claims she fought
25:05 alongside her soldiers in battle.
25:08 After her death in 1458 BC, her stepson attempted to erase her legacy, destroying artwork of
25:15 her, erasing her name from historical documents, and stealing credit for her achievements.
25:21 Despite his efforts, Hatshepsut is still remembered as one of Egypt's greatest rulers.
25:27 Happily, the ancient censors were not quite thorough enough.
25:31 Enough evidence survived for us to piece together what happened, so the story of this unique,
25:36 powerful woman can now be told.
25:54 Number 1.
25:55 Catherine the Great Born to a noble but poor German family, Catherine's
25:59 mother was determined to marry her to someone powerful.
26:03 She was invited to visit Russian Empress Elizabeth, who was so impressed by the smart young girl
26:08 that she betrothed Catherine to Peter, her nephew and heir.
26:21 Catherine agreed to the marriage despite her contempt for Peter's ignorance and drinking.
26:25 Just six months after he inherited the throne, Catherine staged a coup, had Peter arrested,
26:31 and declared herself ruler.
26:42 As Empress, she expanded Russia's territory and promoted science and the arts.
26:46 She was particularly concerned with public health, establishing hospitals, and promoting
26:51 vaccination.
26:52 Both her romantic and her political exploits are now the stuff of legend.
27:01 Which powerful woman inspires you the most?
27:04 Be sure to let us know in the comments.
27:15 Do you agree with our picks?
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