10 Items Tagged

Warrior Queens

The Baddass Female Gladiators of Ancient Rome

Gladiatrices were fierce athletes who drew crowds of thousands.

Asia London Palomba July 26, 2024

Two stone tombs on a raised stone platform

New Delhi, India

Razia Sultan Tomb

Delhi's only female ruler is buried in this neglected, forgotten tomb.

Queen Njinga Mbandi rides into battle against the Portuguese, as illustrated by Pat Masioni for UNESCO's series on women in African history.

military history

Meet Caterina Sforza and Other Warrior Queens History Forgot

From Italy’s fortress-seizing countess to Angola’s battle-hardened Queen Njinga, these women didn’t back down from a fight.

Sarah Durn January 26, 2023

Activist and traditional Mayan beekeeper Leydy Pech fought one of the biggest titans in commercial agriculture—and won.

7 Trailblazing Women from Every Continent

In 2022, we traveled the globe to share the stories of powerful warriors, fearless activists, and more.

Sarah Durn December 13, 2022

Queen Henrietta Maria of England was shot at, won battles, and raised an army on behalf of her husband, King Charles I. But history has remembered her only as a villain. Portrait circa 1639 by Anthony van Dyck.

The Untold Story of Henrietta Maria, England’s Warrior Queen

The “she generalissimo” nearly won the English Civil War for her husband, King Charles I.

Sarah Durn November 17, 2022

Mongol warriors often had three or four horses each to maintain the army's fast pace. Soldiers preferred riding mares for their nutrient-rich milk.

military history

Did Khutulun and Other Warrior Women Actually Fight in the Mongol Army?

From wielding lethal bows to commanding troops, the female soldiers of the Central Asian steppe were formidable foes.

Sarah Durn July 12, 2022

The Black griffin-riding Queen Calafia is the fierce namesake of California.

6 Epic Female Warriors You Don’t Want to Mess With

From California’s mythic warrior queen to the swole women of Sparta to female hunters in ancient Peru.

Sarah Durn March 30, 2022

The National Museum of Stockholm's <em>Ride of the Valkyries</em> was painted during the Victorian period, which saw renewed interest in Vikings.

Unearthing the Secret Life of a Viking Warrior Woman

Nancy Marie Brown’s new book, "The Real Valkyrie," explores what we have learned about a woman buried in a spectacular grave in Sweden.

Sarah Durn September 27, 2021

Nzinga Mbandi as illustrated by Pat Masioni for UNESCO's series on women in African history.

Portuguese Slave Traders Were No Match for Angolan Queen Nzinga Mbandi

The warrior queen fought colonizers for decades.

Urvija Banerji June 9, 2016

Lakshmibai, The Warrior Queen Who Fought British Rule in India

She trained a regiment of women and led armies—with a baby in tow.

Urvija Banerji February 24, 2016