20 famous women. Great, influential women in the history of the world - comparing with the best

Greetings, dear readers!

Who do you think controls history, and is even capable of changing the world? Surely you will say that these are men: great generals, kings, emperors, scientists...

However, we should not forget that behind each of them there was a woman even greater and wiser than themselves: mother, wife, lover... And unwittingly brave men succumbed to their subtle influence, doing as the woman wants.

On the eve of a wonderful women's holiday, I would like to talk to you about the most influential women. Unfortunately, not all the beautiful ladies who in their time decided the destinies of entire generations were on the list of great women in the history of the world. But without them, history would have flowed differently...

The history of Russia is full of references to great queens, educated, brave and wise. Let's start with ancient history.

Duchess Olga

This woman is the mother of the legendary Prince Svyatoslav, the first to convert to Christianity in Rus'. The story tells of her vindictiveness and bloodthirstiness.

After the Drevlyans killed her husband, Prince Igor, she took revenge on the daring tribe by burying its representatives alive at a feast specially arranged for this purpose. But this woman is known not only for her courage.

She wisely understood that Christianity was gaining strength as the religion of a large state - Byzantium. For political reasons, Olga accepts Christianity, and subsequently skillfully promotes the organic introduction of Vedism into Christianity. Thanks to this, it was possible to avoid persecution of pagans and the Inquisition, as in Medieval Europe.

She gave birth to and raised the legendary Prince Svyatoslav, who conquered Constantinople. She can rightfully be called a great woman of our world.

Catherine II

The German Countess Fike from a poor county was invited as a bride for the future Tsar Peter the Third. However, the real heir never had to rule. Having lured the army to her side, Catherine carried out a coup and ascended the throne.

In history she is known as a queen with a large staff of lovers. However, this is not its main advantage. Being extremely educated, she corresponded with famous people of that time (Voltaire) and contributed to the spread of education in Russia.

Strength of spirit and intelligence helped her force even such an impregnable bastion of freedom as the Zaporozhye Sich to serve for the good of the state.

Great Women of England

Great Britain was no less rich in great women. Throughout its history, ladies have repeatedly shown their strength and superiority. And the country only benefited from this.

Elizabeth the First and Second

The reigns of these two women are separated by centuries, but they are not inferior to each other in greatness. The era of Elizabeth the First marks the late English Middle Ages. She was called the Virgin Queen, although her high-profile relationship with Robert Dudley is no secret today.

During the reign of this woman, the Spanish Armada was defeated by the English fleet. Great Britain became the owner of the sea, a country with which Europe now had to reckon.

The reign of Elizabeth II saw the terrible 20th century: world wars, political ups and downs, she still remains a symbol of Great Britain, its stronghold.

Princess Diana

This woman, the wife of Prince Charles, has become a symbol of kindness, mercy and beauty in the eyes of ordinary Englishmen. During her life, she devoted a lot of time to charity, in particular, helping cancer hospitals and children with developmental defects.

Her unexpected death was a real blow to the consciousness of people who were accustomed to seeing her as a guardian angel.

Margaret Thatcher

The “Iron Lady”, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, is an entire era in the reign of not only one country, but also the whole of Europe. During the 11 years of her reign, the English economy tripled, political reforms and modernization were carried out. Great Britain has become one of the leading countries in Europe and the world.

Great Women in Muslim Countries

There is a stereotype according to which women have no rights in countries where Islam reigns. Officially, perhaps yes. However, deprived of the right to openly express their thoughts, women in these countries have acquired the subtle art of influencing men and thereby achieving what they want.

One of these greatest women was Roksolana, a Ukrainian girl captured by the Turks, the daughter of a priest. Thanks to her stubborn character and fortitude, she not only did not get lost in a foreign country, but also became the wife of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

During the period of her secret rule, Turkish raids on Ukrainian lands became more rare, and the Sultan himself no longer took wives until his death.

Great Women Scientists

Hypatia

History contains many references to women who made breakthroughs in science. As you know, lady scientists were something unusual for a long time, since women were not allowed to study. However, it all started back in Ancient Greece.

Few people today know the name of Hypatia of Alexandria, a woman mathematician. We still use her inventions in everyday life. This is a bubble level, an astrolabe. At the age of 20, she was already giving lectures on astronomy and philosophy; she was called the most modest and smartest of all the philosophers of that time.

Her life ended sadly: Bishop Kirill, who envied her fame and intelligence, ordered the girl to be killed. Hypatia was dragged into the temple, stoned, and then burned.

Marie Curie

This name is known to many. The couple Pierre and Marie Curie devoted a long time to the study of radioactivity. One could say that the shadow of her husband’s glory fell on Mary, but it was more likely the other way around.

She only used her husband's position in society to promote her own ideas and inventions. After Pierre's death, Maria received the Nobel Prize for her research into the effects of radiation on cancer cells.

Sofia Kovalevskaya

Another female mathematician who already knew an algebra problem book by heart at the age of 10. She received her love for exact sciences from her great-great-grandfather, the Hungarian king.

At the same time, she was keenly interested in music and the arts. Her father did not approve of such a lively passion for mathematics, but later this passion becomes decisive in Sophia’s fate.

Other women in history

Every country in the world had its own mystery women. They made history, and sometimes their steps were bolder and wiser than men's.

Cleopatra

Legends are made up about the queen of Ancient Egypt, who desperately fought for the independence of her state during the unprecedented military heyday of Rome. In addition to unprecedented willpower and intelligence, she had an amazing charm.

She even used her feminine charms to gain an advantage in politics on her side. Unfortunately, time and circumstances proved more powerful, but her dignified death in the face of defeat makes one admire this woman again and again.

Joan of Arc

The name of the French heroine is included in the annals of history. A woman warrior, she helped achieve French victory in the Hundred Years' War. Jeanne became a symbol that inspired the French army to feats of arms.

Her fate, like many great women, is sad. The rulers were afraid of Jeanne's popularity among the soldiers, accused her of witchcraft, and then burned her at the stake.

Indira Gandhi

This is the greatest woman in the Indian state. For several years she headed the Indian government and was a wise and tolerant ruler. She was one of those who supported the idea of ​​​​non-alignment with military blocs.

Mother Teresa

Another representative of India from Calcutta, famous for her kindness. With great enthusiasm, she founded an international charity that literally came out of nothing.

Today, the name of this woman is synonymous with selfless kindness and mercy, and foundations and organizations bearing her name help those in need around the world.

Coco Chanel

Although this woman did not take an active part in politics, her name remained forever inscribed in history. As a fashion designer, she completely changed the concept of female beauty.

Thanks to her, short women's haircuts appeared, flared trousers, and little black dresses became part of the women's wardrobe. However, the most famous masterpiece remains the Chanel No. 5 perfume.

Marilyn Monroe

Movie stars are not the last among the great women of the world. Marilyn contributed to the creation of the ideal of female beauty and sexuality, a symbol of which she remains to this day.

Like many great representatives of the fair sex, she left this world suddenly, but the films with her participation are still popular and loved by many.

Edith Piaf

The audience forgot about who was standing in front of them on stage. Only the strongest roulades of the voice remained. And I couldn’t believe that they could belong to this fragile woman.

Audrey Hepburn

A famous actress whose early years were during the German occupation. Being a ballerina, she often performed ballet numbers, thereby raising funds to help the underground.

After the war, she became part of the cultural Olympus, starring in numerous films. Her style of clothing and manners became a symbol of aristocracy and endurance. Even being terminally ill, she did not show self-pity

A woman is always the personification of life. And her role is not limited to giving birth and raising children. A woman is always an inspirer, a founder, a muse. It’s a pity that this role of ladies is remembered less and less.

Happy upcoming holiday, dear women, March 8th. Love to you, light, warmth, creative inspiration and fulfillment of your most cherished desires.

Let's name the 10 most famous women in history who managed to achieve fame or power. Considering the nature of patriarchal society over the last ten thousand years, this is no small feat.

It is difficult to identify candidates who qualify as the most famous from history. These are women who were truly famous because most people had heard of them. They gained either a high degree of political power or significant influence over society—influential to the point that they were able to change perceptions of the world and shape policy.

While there are certainly many worthy women not represented on this list, this is merely an attempt to figure out the top 10 most famous women throughout history.

Famous Women - 10 Most Famous Women in History

Eleanor Roosevelt
There has never been a First Lady with more power and prestige than Eleanor Roosevelt. One of the first women elected to the Senate in 1911, she is well known for her involvement in many charitable organizations before becoming First Lady. She did not move into the White House in 1933; Eleanor Roosevelt acted as the president's "eyes and ears" at a time when most political wives were relegated to the role of homemaker.

She holds regular press conferences, writes a daily news column, and uses her considerable influence with the president on issues of guardianship, housing reform, and equal rights laws for racial minorities and women. She continued her work after the president died in 1945; instead of quietly leaving the political arena, as many former first ladies have done.

In 1946, she was a delegate to the newly created United Nations. In 1947, she became the first chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and participated in the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

By the time of her death in 1962, few could argue that, regardless of what they may have thought of her personally, she forever changed the role of first lady and set the standard by which most presidents' wives live to this day.

Marie Curie
Maria Skladowska was born in Warsaw, Poland on November 7, 1867. Marie Curie seriously refuted the old adage that a woman’s place is in the home. A largely penniless student who worked as a governess while pursuing her dream of becoming a physicist (an unheard of occupation for a woman in the nineteenth century), she eventually found her way to Paris.

In 1891, she found work in the laboratory of physicist Gabriel Lippmann while continuing her studies at the Sorbonne. While there, she met a physicist and chemist named Pierre Curie, in whom she found a kindred spirit. They married in 1895, becoming the first famous husband and wife team in the history of science. Together they had a short but breathtaking career and received the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Their names have become synonymous with the science of modern chemistry. Besides the fact that Madame Curie became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in science, what was remarkable was that she continued to lead her husband's work after his death. In 1905 (for the results of their experiments with radiation), she became the first woman to head a laboratory at the Sorbonne in Paris and won a second Nobel Prize, but this time in chemistry.

In 1911, she became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. Without a doubt, her achievements served as an inspiration to thousands of women scientists and researchers who followed her later.

Marie Antoinette
Since her gruesome death at the hands of an executioner in 1793, her name has become synonymous with ostentatious luxury, super-riches and indifference to the hardships of the poor.

Her identity remains the source of some debate to this day. Of course, she was a by-product of her environment: born into nobility and wealth, she was never different from thousands of other women of that era, except for her high position in life.

The fact that she lost her head in the guillotine for this, however, seems a little excessive, and most likely undeserved. Obviously, she and her husband, King Louis XVI, were simply targets for revenge for all the inequalities and injustices of the royal system, making them eternal symbols of the people's rejection of the old monarchical form of government.

In essence, she was the victim of incredibly bad timing; if she had been born half a century earlier, probably no one would have heard of her. She became famous given the political climate of the era, Marie Antoinette became known as a symbol of the indifference of the rich to the needs of the poor and the first female monarch to pay for it.

Indira Gandhi
Perhaps one of the most controversial figures of the 20th century, few would deny that she was one of the most powerful political figures and made India a strong nation. Paradoxically, she was loved and hated. Prime Minister Gandhi ruled India for nearly twenty years until her death at the hands of Sikh extremists in 1984.

She was one of three women to lead a state to oversee a military conflict (then the 1971 war with Pakistan that created the Republic of Bangladesh). The other two are Margaret Thatcher in England and Golda Meir in Israel.

She was criticized for her corrupt policies and harshly condemned for implementing an unpopular forced sterilization program in an attempt to control the growth of India's rapidly growing population.

Queen Victoria
Few women in history have had the opportunity to rule an empire, but Alexandrina Victoria of Hanover, daughter of Prince Edward, the son of King George III, ruled the empire for 63 years. Reigning from 1837 to 1901, she held an empire that stretched from India to America, from Africa to the Far East.

Some wags claim that the sun never sets on the British Empire because God could not trust the English in the dark. Of course, the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned almost as long (since 1952), but she has a ceremonial role.

Victoria had real power and used it to double England in size and keep it largely war-free (with only three minor exceptions). She also formed the Liberal and Conservative parties and expanded suffrage with the reforms of 1867 and 1884.

Her death in 1901 deeply traumatized the British. Her name has become synonymous with an entire era of history, which we today call the “Victorian era.” Not even George Washington received such an honor!

Joan of Arc
What did a seventeen-year-old girl have to do to become famous throughout the world? It lifts the spirit of the army and inspires it to victory in the face of superior enemy forces.

Her story is one of those rare events in history that even the most creative novelists could not have made up, but actually happened. Joan of Arc, a young girl born into a simple farming family in the small village of Domremy, managed to defeat the well-trained soldiers of the British army and became a victim of the Royal Court in just one year.

All this time, dressed in white armor and surviving multiple injuries. She personally led the French army and remains a source of debate to this day. But most historians agree she was a phenomenon - a superb strategist and a formidable leader.

Captured in May 1430, her subsequent trial and death at the stake for heresy became one of the most notorious show trials in human history and only served to elevate her reputation as a martyr and heroine.

She received it posthumously: her conviction for political reasons - the charge of heresy was later overturned by a church court in 1456. And in 1920 she was canonized and even became one of the five patron saints of France.

Cleopatra
I doubt there is a woman throughout history who was as well known as Cleopatra - she is the last pharaoh of Egypt and the lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

She had a tendency to sleep with someone who might prove useful in her efforts to gain power. She also betrays Mark Antony, but then no one gets by without a few minor flaws.

That she could not be blamed was the result of her intelligence and determination in being able to do so much evil at the highest levels of the Roman government, and her fascination in obtaining the consent of the most diverse people to the most extraordinary things, often at great risk to herself.

She didn't live long enough because she didn't want to see herself turning forty. If not for the snakebite she took willingly and deliberately, she would actually have lived long enough to control an empire stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Asian subcontinent.

He is also one of those great unpredictable representatives who can change history.

Mother Teresa
Perhaps the most famous woman of the twentieth century. A frail little nun named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, known to the world simply as Mother Teresa.

Born in 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia, after leaving for Ireland in 1928 to study English, she was eventually sent as a missionary to India, where she was to teach at the Loreto Convent School in Calcutta.

Shortly after the end of World War II, she felt a calling from God to work with the poorest people of India. Founded by the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, with just 13 members, it eventually grew to 4,000 nuns who would work in dozens of orphanages, AIDS hospices and charity centers around the world.

Her work quickly came to the attention of the international community, and also inspired countless other organizations to follow her example in many third world countries, helping the poor and marginalized. Her creation of a hospice for the dying in 1979 won her the Nobel Peace Prize and made her more than just a household name. Mother Teresa is synonymous with compassion and mercy.

We will put the names of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene in the top 10 most famous women in history. Treating them as historical figures or as characters from the Gospel, mythical personalities, is just a matter of enlightenment. But, of course, these names played a great political role in Christian history.

From time immemorial, power has been the prerogative of men. Tsars and kings, khans and shahs became fathers to their people, leading countries to prosperity and prosperity. The role of a woman in power was limited to dynastic marriage and the birth of healthy, strong heirs. However, since the time of the pharaohs, there have been wise and majestic persons who were able to bear the weight of Monomakh’s cap.

Hatshepsut

"Woman with a beard." Egyptian beliefs required that the holder of the crown of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms embody the god Horus. Therefore, Hatshepsut, having ascended the throne after the death of her husband Thutmose II, was forced to wear men's clothing and wear a false beard. She was the eldest daughter and only heir of Pharaoh Thutmose I - the future Thutmose III, the illegitimate son of her husband, had barely reached the age of six. Having come to power, she sent the bastard prince to be raised in the temple and single-handedly led Egypt for 22 years. The country devastated by nomads under the rule of Hatshepsut experienced unprecedented economic growth, construction and trade developed, Egyptian ships reached the country of Punt. The female pharaoh personally led a military campaign into Nubia and won. Hatshepsut was supported by the priestly elite and loved by the people. The only thing that she (like most female rulers) can be reproached for is her favorite, the architect Senenmut, the son of a simple scribe. He, of course, could not marry the living embodiment of God, but he loved his queen so much that he even built himself a tomb that exactly replicated his beloved’s sarcophagus.

« You will proclaim her word, you will obey her command. The one who worships her will live; the one who blasphemously speaks ill of Her Majesty will die» (Thutmose I about Queen Hatshepsut).

Cleopatra

"Fatal Beauty" To understand the irony of Cleopatra VII’s fate, you need to know the history of her “cheerful” family. Egyptian rulers, descendants of Ptolemy, the commander of Alexander the Great, married sisters for 12 generations in a row, executed, slaughtered and poisoned children, parents, brothers, husbands and wives. To ascend the throne, Cleopatra had to defeat two sisters - Berenice and Arsinoe, marry two young brothers in turn and poison both. She charmed the young Caesar and bore him a son, Ptolemy Caesarion, to rule on his behalf. She fell in love with the middle-aged Roman commander Mark Antony and bore him three children. She almost managed to embarrass Emperor Octavian, but age still took its toll. And at the same time, Cleopatra should not be considered a frivolous, depraved woman. In terms of education, the Egyptian princess was superior to most ladies of her time - she knew eight languages, and understood not only Homer, but also tactics, medicine, and toxicology. And for almost 30 years she successfully fought against Rome, defending the independence of Egypt.

« Although the beauty of this woman was not such that it is called incomparable and amazes at first sight, her manner was distinguished by irresistible charm. The very sounds of her voice caressed and delighted the ear, and her tongue was like a multi-stringed instrument, easily tuned to any mood.» (Plutarch on Cleopatra).

Elizabeth Taylor as Queen Cleopatra in the film of the same name (1963, directed by J. Mankiewicz)

Princess Sophia

"Bogatyr Princess" Undeservedly forgotten, slandered and pushed into the shadows, the regent-ruler, the elder sister of Peter I from another mother (Miloslavskaya). The very fact of its existence denies rumors about the illegal origin of the first All-Russian Emperor - brother and sister resembled each other like twins, with an iron will, stubbornness, tenacious mind and exorbitant ambition. If Pyotr Alekseevich had been born as weak as his older brothers Ivan and Fyodor, the history of Russia would have taken a different path - Sofya Alekseevna not only tried on the Monomakh cap, but also wore it with pride. Unlike the princess sisters, she was educated, wrote poetry, received ambassadors, and founded the first higher educational institution in Rus' in Moscow - the Slavic-Greco-Roman Academy. And she would have been a good queen... but Peter turned out to be stronger.

« An example of historical women: who freed themselves from the mansion, but did not take moral restraints out of it and did not find them in society» (S. Solovyov about Sofya Alekseevna).

Princess Sophia in the Novodevichy Convent. I. Repin

Elizabeth of England

"Virgin Queen" Like many women rulers of antiquity, they had a difficult fate. The unloved daughter of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, who was executed by him allegedly for treason, in fact - for the inability to give birth to a son. She went through disgrace, exile, exile, imprisonment in the Tower and still took the royal throne. Elizabeth's reign was called the “golden age”; under her wise rule, England defeated the “Invincible Armada” of Spain and became the queen of the seas. Despite the fact that Elizabeth had an official favorite, Robert Dudley, and many courtiers swore their love to their queen, who was truly distinguished by her amazing beauty, at least in her youth, she claimed that she retained her virginity and was pure before God.

« I'd rather be a lonely beggar than a married queen».

Eleanor of Aquitaine

"Beautiful lady". Daughter and only heir of the Duke of Aquitaine, wife of Louis VII of France and Henry II Plantagenet, mother of kings Richard the Lionheart, John the Lackland, queens Eleanor of Spain and Joanna of Sicily. The ideal lover, the beautiful lady of all the troubadours of her time. Willful, decisive, formidable, amorous and jealous - according to rumors, she poisoned the “beautiful Rosamund,” Henry’s beloved, about which many sentimental ballads were composed. Married to the young French king by a 15-year-old girl, she did not love her husband, but lived with him for 20 years, gave birth to two daughters, and even went on the Crusade with him. A year after the annulment of her first marriage, she married Heinrich and gave birth to seven more (!) children. When her husband imprisoned her in a tower for unquenchable jealousy, she raised her sons against him. She lived until she was 80, and until her last day she actively participated in European politics, defending the interests of children.

I'll call that lady young
Whose thoughts and deeds are noble,
Whose beauty cannot be tarnished by rumor,
Whose heart is pure, far from evil.

(Troubadour Bertrand de Born about Eleanor of Aquitaine)

Queen Eleanor. Frederick Sandys

Elizaveta Petrovna

"Merry Queen" Daughter of Peter I and Catherine I, a carefree beauty, a skilled dancer and a kind-hearted person. She did not plan to take the Russian throne, being content with the life of a maiden of royal blood. According to foreign ambassadors, it was not a serious political force. However, at the age of 31, she led a revolt of the guards and ascended the throne, supported by the bayonets of the Preobrazhensky soldiers. The cheerful princess turned out to be a good ruler, at least she was smart enough to find wise ministers for herself. She fought victorious wars, opened the first banks, the imperial theater, and a porcelain factory in Russia. And... she abolished the death penalty - a couple of hundred years earlier than in Europe. The queen was also lucky with her personal life - she entered into a morganatic marriage with the singer Razumovsky. He loved his wife so much that after his death he destroyed the wedding documents so as not to compromise Peter’s daughter.

« I have no relations or correspondence with the enemy of my fatherland».

Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. I. Argunov

“Country of the Moon” - this is how Indira’s name is translated. Contrary to legends, she is not a daughter or even a relative of Mahatma (Master) Gandhi, but her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was one of his closest associates. The entire family of young Indira took part in the liberation struggle of India, in the destruction of patriarchal orders and the removal of caste restrictions. Contrary to class prejudices (in India they are still stronger than any laws), Indira married Feroz Gandhi, who professes Zoroastrianism. The marriage led them to prison, but love turned out to be stronger. Even the birth of two sons did not prevent Indira from actively participating in the political life of the country. In 1964, she became the Prime Minister of India and, with minor interruptions, remained in power for twenty years. She developed the country, eliminated dependence on food imports, built schools, factories, factories. She was killed by political opponents.

« You cannot shake hands with clenched fists» .

Golda Meir

"Grandmother of the State" Born into a hungry, poor family, the daughter of a nurse and a carpenter. Five of the eight children died from malnutrition and disease. She emigrated to America with her parents and graduated from free elementary school. She earned money for further education by teaching English to new emigrants. She married a modest young accountant who shared the ideas of Zionism, and with him emigrated to Palestine in 1921. She worked in a kibbutz, washed clothes, and participated in the resistance movement. She joined the labor movement and soon became one of its leaders. In 3 months, she raised $50 million for the newly proclaimed Jewish state, served as ambassador to the USSR, negotiated with the King of Jordan, and eventually became the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. I never wore makeup, didn’t follow fashion, didn’t dress up, but was always surrounded by fans and romantic stories.

“A man who loses his conscience loses everything.”

Margaret Thatcher

"The Iron Lady". This woman's path to power is an example of perseverance and long, hard work. Initially, Margaret did not plan to become a politician; she was attracted to chemistry. She received an Oxford scholarship and worked in the laboratory where one of the first antibiotics was created, under the leadership of Dorothy Hodgkin, a future Nobel laureate. Politics was her hobby, a youthful passion, but you can’t escape fate. First, Margaret joined the Conservative Party, then met her future husband, Dennis Thatcher, studied to be a lawyer, and gave birth to twins four months before taking the exam. Four years later, young Mrs. Thatcher entered the British Parliament. In 1970 she became a minister, and in 1979 - prime minister of Great Britain. “The Iron Lady,” as Soviet newspapers nicknamed Margaret, many did not like her for her tough social policies, the Falklands War and her radical views. However, she improved the education system, making it more accessible to children from poor families, and boosted the economy and production. In 2007, a monument to Margaret Thatcher was erected in the British Parliament - she became the only English prime minister to receive such an honor during her lifetime.

« It is not at all necessary to agree with the interlocutor in order to find a common language with him».

Vigdis Finnbogadottir

"Daughter of the Snows" De jure the second, de facto the first legally elected female president in the world. She held this post four times and left it of her own free will. Initially, she had nothing to do with politics. Vigdis studied in Denmark and France, studied theater and French, returned to her homeland in Iceland, and raised her children alone. On October 24, 1975, she became one of the initiators of the women's strike - all women refused to go to work and do housework to demonstrate how much work falls on their shoulders. In 1980, Vigdis was elected president of the country. She was a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, worked on the problems of women and children, and after leaving politics, she founded the Association for the Study of Spinal Cord Injuries - the doctors of this organization collect and analyze world experience in the treatment of spinal injuries.

« Women by their essence are closer to nature, especially girls and women from the “common people”, who often have direct contact with the environment. To achieve success, to protect mother earth from impending disasters, we must resort to the help of women».

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Many men, and society as a whole, perceive women only as housewives who must devote their entire lives to raising children and running a household, while women themselves are capable of doing much more significant things that can change the world for the better. Of course, it’s stupid to argue that the world belongs to men, but women play an important role in everything that happens in it, and now we will prove it to you.

Maria Sklodowska-Curie is a physicist, chemist, teacher and public figure. She was awarded the Nobel Prize twice. Together with her husband she studied radioactivity and together with him discovered the elements radium and polonium

Margaret Hamilton is the lead software engineer for the Apollo project. In the photo below, she stands in front of a printout of the code for the Apollo flight computer, much of which she wrote herself.

Kathrin Switzer is the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (1967). This happened 5 years before women were officially allowed to take part in it. A representative of the marathon organizers, Jock Semple, tried to force her away from the course

Valentina Tereshkova - Soviet cosmonaut, the world's first female cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union (1963), candidate of technical sciences, professor and 10th cosmonaut in the world

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani human rights activist who advocates for access to education for women around the world. On October 9, 2012, she was seriously wounded by militants from the terrorist movement Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan for her human rights activities

A Holocaust survivor hits a neo-Nazi figure with her purse, Vaxjo, Sweden, April 13, 1985.

One of the Onna-bugeisha - a type of warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility, essentially a female samurai (late 1800s)

Amelia Earhart was the first female pilot to fly the Atlantic Ocean, for which she was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. She wrote several best-selling books about her flights and was instrumental in the formation of the Ninety-Nine, an organization of women pilots, and was elected its first President.

Women help fight fires during the attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941

Rosa Lee Parks is an American public figure, the founder of the movement for the rights of black citizens of the United States. The US Congress honored Rose with the epithet “Mother of the modern civil rights movement.”

Komako Kimura - Japanese suffragist who campaigned for women's voting rights, 1917

Elisa Zimferescu - first female engineer

Anne Frank is a Jewish girl, the author of the famous “Diary of Anne Frank” - a document denouncing Nazism and translated into many languages ​​of the world. Anne Frank and her family are considered among the most famous victims of Nazism.

Maude Wagner - first known female tattoo artist in the United States, 1907

Sofia Ionescu - the world's first female neurosurgeon

Nadia Comaneci is a famous Romanian gymnast, five-time Olympic champion. The most titled Romanian athlete in Olympic history

Sarla Thakral - first licensed female pilot from India, 1936

Jane Goodall - UN Ambassador for Peace, leading primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist from the UK

Women's suffrage activist protests after the Night of Terror, 1917

Annette Kellerman was an Australian professional swimmer who was instrumental in allowing women to wear a one-piece bathing suit (1907). After this photo she was arrested for obscene behavior

Anna Aslan - considered a pioneer of gerontology and geriatrics

Gertrude Caroline Ederle - first woman to swim the English Channel (1926)

Bertha von Suttner - Austrian figure in the international pacifist movement, the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the second woman to receive the Nobel Prize

Men and women perform equally. Only their roles are different. Women most often act as gray and black cardinals, while men act as heroes and beat their chests. That's why more of them ended up in the annals of history. The great women in the history of mankind are, in principle, all the women who lived, live and will live. And this is not a compliment, but a simple statement of fact.

Female beauty is a formidable weapon

Thinking about the greatness of famous ladies, we are subconsciously convinced that they were fatal beauties. This is where the famous phrase comes to mind: Unfortunately, not everyone knows the continuation of the catchphrase. But then there is an explanation: “... if she is kind!” It would seem that there are only three words, but the meaning immediately becomes different. However, there is no particular contradiction in it; we understand that a woman combines two complete opposites within herself, and this is the horror and danger of female beauty. Thousands of examples convince humanity that the earthly prettiness of a woman, absolutely devoid of a spiritual principle, is often mistaken for true beauty and carries with it death. To be fair, it is worth noting that not all great women who left a significant mark on the history of mankind were beautiful. However, each of them has its own special life story, love story, which has been preserved for centuries and is surrounded by incredible legends. This is their greatness.

Possessing amazing fortitude, they, not afraid to get ahead of their time, boldly went beyond the moral boundaries of their century. The list of majestic people can be continued endlessly: Sappho, Cleopatra, Catherine II, Nefertiti, Margaret Thatcher, Joan of Arc, Vanga, Camilla Claudel, Princess Olga, Murasaki Shikibu. Probably, we will not sin against the truth if we dare to say that these are the most great women in history, after all, each of them can rightfully be considered as a symbol of their era, their time.

On parity terms with some advantage in favor of women

More recently, no more than 15 years ago, geneticists established with a reasonable degree of certainty that a woman transfers about 80% of her cellular information to her child, a father - 15-17%, and the first man - up to 5% due to the so-called telegony. But that is not all. A person’s character is formed mainly before the age of 5, and then it practically does not change. So the influence of a woman on all men is such that they can all be called mama’s boys without any exaggeration.

Just like a she-wolf, who after seven generations of mating with dogs can restore the wolf tribe, so one woman is capable of more in history than one man. The exploits of real Achilles, Hectors and Samsons are the sum of the deeds of men. A woman can single-handedly change the course of history.

Famous women are less common in historical chronicles, not because there were fewer of them, but because their role is more profound. They carefully and thoughtfully prepared the turns of history that the men then made, as if on a whim.

Olympias - mother of Alexander the Great

Her name is not included in the "Great Women of History" list. Probably due to the fact that Greek culture became the basis of modern European culture. But the Olympics influenced the course of historical events much more than the great Aristotle.

She gave birth to Alexander and forged his character. The future legendary commander absorbed the Greek worldview with his mother's milk. The Olympics found him teachers who trained his body, teachers (including Aristotle) ​​who sharpened his mind, and, finally, friends who became his associates. So who made the real history? However, the Olympics did not even make it into the “Famous Women in History” category.

Macedonia was a strong state with its original and equal Greek culture. But who now studies it thoroughly (except for a handful of philosophy lovers)? And they only know that there once existed a certain religious-philosophical movement named after Orpheus, and three or four postulates from it. But even Archimedes and Pythagoras were Orphics. Philip, Alexander's father, raised a deadly sword over Greek culture and lifestyle. And it seemed that it was impossible to avert her death. But the woman managed to find ways that turned the winners into losers, with their great consent.

Esther

Another name of a great woman in the history of the world who accomplished some kind of feat. It is in honor of Esther that Jews around the world have been celebrating Purim for more than 3 thousand years. Her name is inscribed in the Bible and therefore has only survived to this day.

When the financial and military elites came together in a struggle for power in ancient Persia, Esther spoke out for the financial side, most of which consisted of Jews of the same blood. Then the scales tipped in their favor, and the Jews won the desired victory.

Many of the Jewish men contributed to the struggle for this victory, but even Mordechai did not receive the memory of the entire Jewish people that Esther received. But she was just the wife of the king of Persia. But she had such an influence on his decisions that the outcome of the battle was predetermined.

Amazons

Many people have heard about this brave and warlike tribe. But they are not called great. And the point is not even that their names were not preserved in the annals. It’s just that in direct, open confrontation on the battlefields, they were inferior to men. So, their queen could not withstand the onslaught of Achilles and died heroically at his hand. This is easily explained: they took up work that was not typical for women.

That is why history crossed them out of its lists. The resilience of women in the heat of bloody battles is inferior to that of men, but in ordinary, everyday life they are an order of magnitude higher than the latter. Many heroes, unable to find a use for their powers, became drunk, became depressed, and threw themselves into all sorts of troubles as if into a whirlwind. But this happens much less often with women. They have a powerful and great inner moral core.

Maria and Khadija

Quite common - each in its own culture - names. They won't tell most people much. But these are the names of great women!

One has only to mention that this refers to the mother of Christ and the wife of Mohammed, and it immediately becomes clear why these persons are so significant.

Although their role in the affairs of both founders of world religions is enormous, even they are not such an authority for many. Very little history is known about the Mother of God. A little more about Khadija.

So, the Holy Virgin and Jesus. As a mother (who, by the way, gave birth to a son miraculously from the Holy Spirit), Mary could not help but pass on 100% of her genetic information to him. In fact, the Savior must appear as if it were the Mother of God in a male body. Difficult? Perhaps, but there's nothing you can do about it. In addition, Mary had a great moral influence on her firstborn. She was present at his death, and was among the chosen ones who met Jesus resurrected.

According to legend, before her ascension to heaven, Mary lived under John the Theologian. When heavenly angels began to visit him in visions, and then the Savior himself, John wanted to abandon his mission. But it was the Mother of God who kept him from this step. That is, again, here we can see how a woman in the history of mankind guides a man, and he already accomplishes significant deeds and glorifies himself with exploits.

Muse of the Prophet

Khadija's guiding role in the life of the prophet is much clearer. It was she who took the initiative to marry him. She saw in time what potential lay hidden in the twenty-five-year-old young man. She was the first, like no one else, to appreciate the merits of the prophecies of Mohammed. And, quite likely, the prophet would never have taken the risky path of asceticism without the moral and material support of his unforgettable first wife. For this, she (according to legend) went to heaven with the help of the Archangel Jebrail, although according to Islamic teachings women do not have souls.

Role in history is not measured by fame

Wide popularity is far from the most accurate indicator of the role played by a person in the history of mankind. Many empty-headed people, famous women and men who shock the public, or even villains are known much more than the true benefactors of all intelligent inhabitants of planet Earth.

You can compare Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, and Hypatia, and the philosopher. Cleopatra can be added to her title with the “high title” of the greatest woman in history. But this is not true. And the name of Hypatia will remain an empty phrase for the vast majority of men. Although many people use her invention to this day. We are talking about an ordinary building level. She invented the astrolabe. Thanks to this, long trips to the open sea became possible.

Cleopatra, with her “unearthly” love, made a nonentity out of the hero and gave the independence of the country into the hands of the iron might of Rome. She had everything, both military and economic forces, to organize the defense of her homeland, but did not use them. Primitive thinking is not limited to so-called great men. But in the minds of most, Queen Cleopatra is at least one of the great women of history.

And Hypatia was not only the last great mathematician of antiquity and the inventor of many useful things, but also led the movement to preserve the knowledge accumulated by mankind. She defended this knowledge from Christianity, which had begun to go wild, which made the image of the Savior meaningless and began to claim power over the spiritual life of all people without exception. She died heroically, but the knowledge that she saved with her companions still helps to make our lives better, more comfortable, and more convenient. Japanese stone gardens are her solution to a geometric problem, when all the stones except one are visible from any point on the plane. Without solving this problem, in the twentieth century they would not have been able to create such a wonderful thing as the computer that is already familiar to everyone. Knowledge lay dormant for 1700 years only to awaken in the heads of talented people and move human history further along the path of progress. So there are great women in history. Of course, they were different, and they entered history in different ways too

Olga - creator of the core of Russian civilization

Olga's wisdom was so great that she did not allow her son's heroism to deplete the human and economic resources of Rus'. Olga gave just enough from the reserve so that daring campaigns would benefit society and the state. And at the same time, she did not enter into conflicts with her son, did not insist and, most importantly, did not show the man that she was smarter than him.

I also saw the spiritual life of people. Svyatoslav was as straightforward as a warrior, and therefore put it simply: “Christianity is an abomination.” But Olga understood that the Vedic religion must retreat for a while. This is the dictate of the logic of history. But you must always retreat wisely. It is not without reason that the military says that a retreat is a more difficult operation than an offensive. She managed to weave the living stems of Vedism into the Christian worldview. Without this, the Vedic Renaissance of the 12th century would not have been possible. And “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” would not have been created, and the epics about Svyatogor would not have survived to this day. And in Rus', as in Europe of those times, the fires of the Inquisition would have blazed. And the architecture of Russian Orthodox churches would not bear reflections of the Vedic vision of the Universe. And the word Orthodoxy itself would not exist. What would happen? Byzantine state. No comments needed...

However, Olga is far from the only lady who is remembered in conversations about the great women of the Russian land.

Great women in Russian history: dubious greatness

But there is exaggerated greatness. It is based on appearance and shine. In the history of Russia there are two empresses - Elizaveta Petrovna and Catherine II. But only one of them was almost officially included in the list of “Famous Women in the History of the World.” We are talking about Catherine the Second.

But it was during the reign of Elizabeth (and it lasted 14 years) that Russia did not know any upheaval. There were no wars with external adversaries, who seemed to be hiding in those years, there were no peasant uprisings, the morals of serfdom softened, science and production developed. And all this was done somehow quietly and imperceptibly. And yet she is not as famous as the other ruler of the Russian State.

Descendants know more about Catherine. She was an enlightened woman with enormous knowledge and incredible potential. But for some reason, no matter how offensive it may be, when this woman is mentioned in Russian history, obscenities are heard more often and lists of her countless favorites are remembered. Such is human nature...

The history of mankind continues. The 20th century added outstanding figures to the list called “Great Women in the History of the World”: the queen of detective stories, Agatha Christie; space explorer Valentina Tereshkova; expressive Coco Chanel; Calcutta Mother Teresa, in the world Agnes Gonja Boyaksha; fatal and unforgettable Marilyn Monroe It is difficult to argue with the fact that a woman is the most mysterious, beautiful and unpredictable creature in the Universe, as well as with the fact that without women our world would be much more boring.