Unlike many other countries, women in Russia have never been exclusively on the sidelines. They made a tangible contribution to the scientific, cultural and spiritual life of the people, played political games, wove intrigues, ruled the country and changed history.
This compilation contains 10 of the most famous and influential women in the history of our state.
Marina Mnishek.
The daughter of the governor of Sandomierz Jerzy Mniszek and Jadwiga Tarlo, the wife of the impostor False Dmitry I, Marina Mniszek became the first woman in Russian history who was crowned on the throne. Shortly before the death of her husband False Dmitry I, Mniszek was officially crowned as a Russian queen. Later, she became the wife of the next impostor, False Dmitry II, and actively participated in all the major events of the Time of Troubles. And yet, it was Marina Mnishek who brought a fork from Europe to Russia. Before that, only spoons were used.
Sofia Alekseevna.
Tsarevna, daughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and regent for the younger brothers Peter and Ivan. Sophia, without exaggeration, can be called the main loser in the history of Russian statehood. Twice she tried to come to power and twice raised streltsy uprisings for these purposes. But all she could achieve was a regency under her younger brothers. As an adult, her brother Peter, who would later be called "The Great", took power into his own hands, and Sophia was exiled to the Novodevichy Convent.
Evdokia Dmitrievna.
The daughter of the Grand Duke of Suzdal Dmitry Konstantinovich, as well as the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich, better known as Dmitry Donskoy. Evdokia was married at the age of 13, her husband was 15 at that time. This marriage became the key to ending the internecine struggle of the Moscow and Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod principalities. Together they lived happily for 22 years. And when Dmitry Donskoy died in 1389, Evdokia Dmitrievna actually stood at the head of the Moscow principality, being the guardian of the succession to the throne among her sons. She was one of the most educated women of her era, built temples, and also defended Moscow and all of Russia from the invasion of Tamerlane, having managed to gather a militia.
Anna Ioannovna.
According to the plan of the Supreme Council, Anna Ioannovna was to become a "puppet ruler", and all power was to be concentrated in the hands of powerful boyar clans. But Anna Ioannovna categorically did not want to become a puppet, therefore, using loyal nobles and personal guards, she regained full power, becoming an autocratic empress.
Catherine I.
The widow of Peter the Great, after his death, almost by a raider seizure with the help of the Preobrazhensky regiment came to power, taking the Russian throne. True, her reign did not last long - only two years. And she had only an indirect relation to real power, having given control of the country to the nobles. Under Catherine I, the Supreme Privy Council was created, where a narrow circle of chief dignitaries could govern the Russian Empire under the formal chairmanship of the empress. It was in her honor that the city of Yekaterinburg was named and the Order of St. Catherine was established.
Alexandra Fedorovna.
Fate decreed that Alexandra Feodorovna became the last Empress of the Russian Empire. The wife of Nicholas II, she was not very fond of the country's high society, since she herself was indifferent to secular receptions. She, a German by birth, was accused of spying for Germany, they said that she was a bad influence on the king, letting Grigory Rasputin into the inner circle of power. But Alexandra Fedorovna was above all these rumors, she worked as a nurse, organized hospitals and infirmaries. And before her death, she said that "it is better to die in Russia than to be saved by the Germans."
Ekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova.
A friend and associate of the future Empress Catherine II, an active participant in the coup d'état of 1762. It is to her that we owe the appearance of the letter “Yo” in our alphabet. And in general, Dashkova was one of the most prominent personalities of the Russian Enlightenment, she stood at the origins of the Russian Academy. Her memoirs contain valuable information about the reign of Peter III and the accession of Catherine II.
Duchess Olga.
The wife of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Igor the Old, who was the son of Rurik himself. She was the first woman to rule Kievan Rus for 17 years. However, even after Svyatoslav came of age, she remained the de facto ruler, because her son spent most of his time on military campaigns and did not pay enough attention to governing the state. Olga became the first ruler of Russia to accept Christianity even before the baptism of Russia.
Elizabeth Petrovna.
The youngest daughter of Peter I and Catherine I, born two years before their marriage, Elizabeth became the main beauty and fashionista of the Russian Empire. In all kinds of balls, masquerades and secular receptions, Elizaveta Petrovna always set the tone and was a trendsetter. In her wardrobe, there were about 15 thousand dresses. And yet, it was under Elizabeth Petrovna that Russian troops first took Berlin.
Catherine II.
The daughter of Prince Anhalt-Zerbst, Catherine came to power in a palace coup that dethroned her unpopular husband, Peter III. The era of her reign was marked by the maximum enslavement of the peasants and the comprehensive expansion of the privileges of the nobility. Under Catherine the Great, the borders of the Russian Empire were significantly extended to the west and south. Culturally, Russia finally entered the ranks of the great European powers, which was greatly facilitated by the empress herself, who was fond of literary activity, who collected masterpieces of painting and was in correspondence with the French enlighteners.
It is no secret that women in politics are a minority. Of course, the fair sex (also called the weak) has achieved some success. The examples of Indira Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto, who came to power and gained respect in countries where many prejudices reigned for centuries, are impressive. Today the situation is gradually changing for the better. A list is compiled annually (according to the Business Insider portal), which includes the most influential people in the world. These are not only politicians, among the most important people there are show business figures, economists, and TV presenters. It is too early to talk about gender equality in our world. The list contains and female names but far less than half. Actually, there is no quarter. In addition, not all the ladies mentioned in this top parade objectively (and subjectively) deserve the right to be role models. And by the way, this also applies to the most influential men. So, a dozen women who have achieved a lot in life:
Isabelle dos Santos
In fact, Isabel is the daughter of the president of Angola, which explains a lot. It is much easier to engage in investments and entrepreneurship if you have a “strong rear” in the person of loving relatives. The average citizen of this African country lives on $ 2 a day, but the forty-two-year-old dos Santos managed to earn as much as 3 billion and another 400 million "with a ponytail". The area of detail of the capable daughter of the president extends to the telecommunications sector and banking business. Owning the Angolan media holding Unitel, Isabel dos Santos also invests abroad, for example, in Portugal and Spain.
Meg Whitman
She is 59 years old and serves as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, one of the leading electronics manufacturers in the United States. To Ms. Whitman's credit, it was she who brought the company out of the crisis, which at the time of her entry into office (2011) was on the verge of bankruptcy and was torn apart by internal corporate scandals. It carried out swift and effective structural reform. Wasted acquisitions were written off, thousands of unnecessary workers were laid off, and other measures were taken to increase profitability. Whitman previously served as the CEO of e-commerce site eBay. Arriving there, she led a team of only 30 employees who earned a miserable 4 million a year. Meg Whitman is now a billionaire with a net worth of $2.1 billion. During her ten-year tenure, eBay has grown to 15,000 employees and generated $8 billion a year in revenue. Besides, Whitman is no stranger to politics. In 2010, she ran for governor of California (albeit unsuccessfully), spending $119 million on the election campaign.
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton, 68, entered politics as the first lady of the United States, but was not satisfied with this secondary role, and later took the chair of the secretary of state. In 2016, she plans to become President of the United States, running for the Democratic Party. This case may be the first in history when the hostess of the White House lives in it twice in different guises. Despite many absurdities and rather naive reasoning, voters like Hillary Clinton. She won special sympathy for the dignity with which she behaved in a difficult situation of a scandal that arose on the basis of her husband's infidelity.
beyoncé
The American singer, known by this pseudonym, is actually called Larry Busakka. She is 34 years old and one of the most successful artists in modern show business. Her albums are sold in millions of copies, and concerts are always sold out. Beyoncé is also distinguished by frequent nominations for the Grammy Awards, this happened 53 times and ended in victory in 20 cases. In addition, the singer is actively involved in social activities, struggling with global issues, including hunger, poverty, pollution and lack of normal health care. Beyoncé is a strong advocate for the rights of women and children and has made humanitarian trips to Haiti and other poor countries.
Jeannie Rometty
To introduce herself so easily - Ginny - at the age of 58, only a very outstanding and self-confident woman can afford. Virginia Rometty is nothing less than the CEO of IBM. Last year, she had to take the very unpopular step of refusing to pay her promised $20 dividend per share. This was done for the sake of fulfilling a daring plan for investing in new projects. As a result, the company's profits are expected to double by 2018. At the same time, the profile of the main areas of investment is changing significantly, the company is reducing the production of hardware equipment, in which it has specialized for decades. Now more attention will be paid to research and technology. Miss Rometty herself comments briefly on this risky decision: "Perestroika is not a defense of the past!"
Park Geun Hye
This woman became the first female president of South Korea, her age is 63 years. At the same time, one should take into account the unfortunate fact that this state stands out for its monstrous gender inequality among all industrialized countries.
The Republic of Korea is currently experiencing an unprecedented threat from the DPRK. Park Geun-hye shows rare restraint and self-control, very restrained, but steadfastly reacting to aggressive attacks from the North.
Oprah Winfrey
The fortune of this 61-year-old woman is almost $ 3 billion. Oprah Winfrey is the only black female billionaire in the United States. However, she achieved success with the most modest initial conditions, Oprah Winfrey grew up in poverty and lawlessness. The woman showman prefers to invest the money she has earned in stocks, and she concludes large-scale transactions that affect the quotes of securities.
Christine Lagarde
In 2011, this French woman was appointed managing director of the IMF. Now Christine Lagarde is 59 years old, and she determines the direction of the international financial organization, which includes 188 countries.
The approval of the Chinese yuan as the IMF's reserve currency was a historic step that could lead to a reduction in the influence of the dollar. The issue of providing financial assistance to Greece was also difficult.
Dilma Rousseff
Brazil's first female president. Running the largest Latin American country with the seventh largest economy in the world is not easy. The merit of Rousseff is considered to be the almost complete eradication of poverty during her first presidential term and the increase in monthly benefits to needy families.
Now the time has become especially difficult, the Brazilian economy is experiencing a recession caused by a decrease in world prices for raw materials and the devaluation of the national currency. The case may reach impeachment, although Dilma Rousseff does not intend to give up yet.
Abigail Johnson
Since 2012, CEO of Fidelity Fund, the second largest in the US, overseeing a financial power of $5.2 trillion. She is 53 and started working as an analyst in 1988. The measures taken by her to increase returns are not harsh in a womanly way. Abigail Johnson cuts costs and fires underperforming managers without further ado or sentiment. She even tried in 2004 to expel her own father from the structures top management fund due to disagreements, but the attempt failed.
Fidelity's CEO is responsible for millions of Americans' retirement accounts. Abigail Johnson has a 24% stake in the company and has a vested interest in the fund's success. Her personal fortune is estimated at $18.5 billion. She is one of the richest women in the world.
Janet Yellen
This 69-year-old woman serves as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal backup system USA. In fact, it is the custodian and guarantor of the US economy. Thanks in part to Janet Yellen's efforts, this year ends on a bang, with 271,000 jobs added in October and unemployment down 5%. She insists on the inevitability of a rise interest rate. The head of the US Federal Reserve all the time has to balance between possible inflation and a slowdown in growth. With this daunting task Janet Yellen is doing well so far.
Angela Merkel
The German chancellor is 61 years old and is considered a very strong European leader. There are enough problems, this is an unprecedented influx of refugees, and the Ukrainian crisis, and difficulties in the Middle East. Not everything is going well inside the eurozone either, but Frau Merkel is still at the helm of the strongest country in the Old World and is trying to play a stabilizing role, which she succeeds with varying degrees of success.
Like it or not, but politics has always been a predominantly male field of activity. However, you will be surprised to learn how many women heads of state in the modern world. Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Ireland, Lithuania, India, Finland, Liberia, Germany, South Korea the representatives of the weaker sex rule - and quite successfully. We have chosen the brightest ladies from the sphere of politics, who, before reaching the top of the career ladder, had to be content with second roles, endure public shame, even repression and dislike of their own people.
mother of the nation
Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi began her career under the slogan of the fight against poverty, which secured her victory in the elections in 1971. The true daughter of her father, the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, she continued his work: she developed industry at an accelerated pace, made friends with the USSR, launched the first nuclear power plant, nationalized banks and raised agriculture. There was also enough time for personal life: Gandhi got married and gave birth to two sons - Rajiv and Sanjay. However, the wise “mother of the nation” (as her devoted compatriots called her) easily took such a radical and unpopular measure to combat overpopulation as forced sterilization. The end of her reign was tragic - Indira Gandhi was killed in 1984 by her own bodyguards, immigrants from the Sikh people, with whom the politician had serious confrontations.
The Iron Lady
Almost at the same time, on another continent, in Great Britain, another bright personality began her political path, who later went down in history as the "Iron Lady". A chemist and a lawyer by education, Margaret Thatcher enters parliament at the age of 34, in 1970 receives the post of Minister of Education and Science, and five years later becomes the leader of the Conservative Party. In 1979, Thatcher became prime minister for the first time in the history of England for a long 11 years. Tough tax policy, a clear division of society into first-class and second-class people, rising unemployment and Britain's actions in the international arena did not make Margaret Thatcher a favorite of the people. However, until now, some envy and even imitate her manner of negotiating and the style of governing the country.
In the stillness
The current chancellor of Germany, 61-year-old Angela Merkel, has been successfully ruling the country for ten years and remains one of the key players in the world political arena for the same time. Looking more like a modest housewife, in politics Merkel is in no way inferior to her experienced male opponents. She will never allow herself to raise her voice or break into a cry, so the public can judge the degree of discontent of a politician only by how tightly her lips are compressed or her eyebrows are furrowed. Merkel did not have time to give birth to children, having gone headlong into her career, but she was married twice, and both of her spouses - the former and the current - are scientists. The “Iron Lady of the European Union” is strengthening its influence in global politics every year thanks to the support of the single eurozone project, the active fight against terrorism and the bold political confrontation of Russia in the Ukrainian conflict.
People's favorite
Michelle Obama, who celebrated her 50th birthday, is now more popular than her husband, whose ratings are in Last year, alas, are rapidly rolling down. The first black lady of the United States managed to fall in love with half the country in two terms of her husband's reign. She organized campaigns to protect the rights of the LGBT community, as well as against childhood obesity, setting up a vegetable garden with organic vegetables right in the White House garden, following the example of Eleanor Roosevelt. Appeared on the cover of Vogue and became a fashion icon, popularizing young designers and democratic clothing style. Some, by the way, reproach Michelle for being too fond of fashion. And she is also accused of a huge influence on her husband. It is quite possible that in a few years this exemplary wife and mother of two daughters, dusting off her Princeton and Harvard diplomas, will run for president herself.
blonde on tatami
The best friend of Ukraine Dalia Grybauskaite at the beginning of her brilliant political career worked at a fur factory. At the age of 47, she won the presidential election with an unprecedented 70 percent of the support of the electorate, and became the first female president in the history of Lithuania. Everyone who has dealt with the "iron lady of Lithuania", as Dalya was dubbed by the American Wall Street Journal, admits that she is incredibly charming and extremely correct in communication. “I don't have to be afraid. It is interesting to work with me,” says Grybauskaite about himself. Knowing five languages (Lithuanian, English, Russian, Polish and French) and a black belt in karate help her easily maneuver in the chauvinistic world of hypocritical politicians. However, this clever and beautiful woman has never been married yet, which gives rise to many rumors about her non-traditional sexual orientation.
A good choice
Hillary Clinton is predicted by many to be President of the United States next year. Once upon a time, this woman with incredible dignity and iron calmness endured a grandiose public scandal with her husband's infidelity, forgiving the unfaithful and saving the family. Hillary was the country's secretary of state, a senator from the state of New York, so why not now lead one of the most powerful countries in the world? After all, she could long years successfully manage her husband's career. Americans love to tell a joke: once at a gas station, Bill Clinton and his wife meet Hillary's ex-boyfriend. Clinton says, "See, you could be married to a tanker now." To which the wise woman replies: "If I married him, he would be president now."
All for Brazil
The current president of Brazil, 66-year-old Dilma Rousseff, has gone through fire, water and copper pipes in her life. Born in the family of a Bulgarian communist emigrant, the girl herself joined the radical faction of socialists in her youth, was in a partisan detachment, ended up in prison, where she was tortured. After being released, Dilma took a different path: she entered the university, became involved in politics, took the post of energy minister, then head of the presidential administration, and after the president himself.
At the height of her political career, the woman was cured of cancer, underwent several plastic surgeries, completely changed her image - all in order to win the elections. In addition, she managed to get married, give birth to a child and divorce in order to fully devote herself to serving the people. One of the main slogans of Rousseff says: "No poverty in Brazil!"
Ultra
A recent opinion poll in France showed that if the first round of presidential elections were held in the country in the near future, the twice-divorced mother of three children, the leader of the far-right National Front, 46-year-old Marine Le Pen, would have won. Of course, this radical lady would not become president, but she would certainly strengthen her position as a statesman. The daughter of nationalist politician Jean-Marie Le Pen is known for racist statements (Marin believes that the country was occupied by Muslim immigrants), bold statements against the European Union and demands for France to leave the eurozone, she is one of the few who vehemently supports Putin's policies, though not for free - in return, the Frenchwoman asks Russia for multimillion-dollar loans.
Second after Eva
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has successfully led Argentina for the second time since 2007, having taken over from her husband Nestor Kirchner. She became the second female president after Eva Perón and the first popularly elected. A lawyer by education, this beauty has been in politics for a long time - at first she was repeatedly elected to the National Congress, actively helped her husband in his election race, and then she herself led the country. At the same time, in 1977, Christina managed to give birth to a son, Maximo, and 13 years later, a daughter, Florencia. True, in 1984 she had a miscarriage: in the sixth month of pregnancy, she lost her son and miraculously survived.
This 62-year-old spectacular brunette is loved by her people: for standing up for the working class and medium-sized businesses, for having carried out reforms in agriculture legalized same-sex marriage, banned smoking in in public places and attracted 500 million investments to the country. At the same time, the president is often criticized by political opponents and journalists for her beauty and sexuality, excessive arrogance, love for expensive branded items (Christina never wears the same outfit twice) and plastic surgery. Several times the head of state even sued the media for libel and each time won the courts. Ordinary Argentines call her simply by her first name and believe that all the scandals around Christina are the machinations of enemies who envy her.
Equal to men
A tall, elegant Frenchwoman with silver hair is the first woman in history to head the International Monetary Fund, moreover, without having a profile economic education. Prior to that, Christine Lagarde also for the first time in the history of modern France in different years held the positions of Minister of Economy and Finance and Minister of Agriculture. And even earlier, she worked for 25 years in one of the largest legal and consulting corporations in the world, Baker & McKenzie, and in 1999 became the first woman to head it. Since then, Christine Lagarde has consistently occupied a leading position in various ratings of the most influential and popular women in the world. However, there are those who question the competence of the Frenchwoman. So, for example, her predecessor as head of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was fired in 2011 due to a high-profile sex scandal, said: “To describe our relationship with Madame Lagarde, the word “respect” is hardly suitable. She's incompetent, it's just a pretty facade."
At home, for her directness and honesty, Christine was compared with Marie Antoinette. So, as Minister of Economy, Lagarde said: “If gasoline is too expensive, the French should switch to bicycles,” and at one time the Queen of France said: “Do the people have no bread? So let them eat cake."
Divorced mother of two sons, 59-year-old Christine Lagarde is a convinced vegetarian, in her free time she enjoys swimming, tennis, yoga and diving in the company of her boyfriend, Marseille businessman Xavier Giocanti.
"Peace in the Middle East will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate the Jews."
Golda Meir (1898 - 1978)
Israeli political and statesman. First female prime minister of Israel (1969-1974). One of the signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948
"I have lived and worked with men all my life. I am a woman, but this has never bothered me. I have never had a feeling of embarrassment or an inferiority complex, I have never thought that men better women or that giving birth to a child is a misfortune. Never. The men, for their part, never gave me benefits. It is true that for a woman who wants to live not only a domestic but also a social life, it is much more difficult than for men, because a double burden falls on her.
Golda Meir was born in Kyiv, in the former Russian Empire, to a poor Jewish family. The family had 8 children, 5 of whom (4 boys and a girl) died in infancy, only Golda and 2 sisters survived - the eldest Sheina (1889-1972) and the youngest Klara (originally Tsipka) (1902-1981). Her father Moishe Yitzchok (Moses) Mabovich worked as a carpenter, and her mother Bluma Mabovich (nee Naiditsch) worked as a nurse. The beginning of the 20th century in the Kyiv province was marked by Jewish pogroms, so many Jews in Russia did not feel safe. In 1903, the Mabovichs returned to Pinsk (Belarus), to the house of their grandparents Golda. In the same year, Moses Mabovich went to work in the United States. Three years later (1906), Golda and her sisters and mother joined him in America. Here they settled in the north of the country in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In fourth grade, Golda and her friend Regina Hamburger formed the American Young Sisters Society to raise money for textbooks for needy students. Little Golda's speech amazed the people who had gathered, and the collected money was enough for textbooks. The local newspaper came out with a photo of the chairman of the Young Sisters Society - this was the first picture of Golda Meir printed in the newspaper.
Repatriated to Mandatory Palestine in 1921. She worked on a kibbutz from 1921-1924. Her desire for social work found an outlet in 1928 when she headed the women's department of the General Workers' Federation. Worked in various positions in public service before being elected to the first Knesset in 1949. Golda Meyerson was among the 38 signers of Israel's Declaration of Independence. The next day, Israel was attacked by the combined armies of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. The Arab-Israeli war began (1947-1949). The young state, attacked by its Arab neighbors, needed a large number of weapons. The USSR became the first state to recognize Israel de jure, and it also became the first major supplier of weapons to the country. Golda Meir became the Prime Minister of Israel on March 17, 1969. After the militants of the Palestinian Black September organization shot down the Israeli Olympic team, Golda Meir ordered Mossad to find and destroy all those involved in the attack
After Israel's difficult victory in the Yom Kippur War, Meir's Maarach party confirms its leadership in the elections in December 1973, but a wave of dissatisfaction with military losses, and especially infighting in his own party during the creation of a new coalition government, force Meir to resign. On April 11, 1974, the cabinet of ministers headed by Golda Meir resigned. On this, Golda Meir's political career was over.
She was the daughter of a carpenter from Kyiv - and a prime minister. She was implacable, even fanatical, and - at the same time - very human, old-fashioned kind and considerate. She bought weapons and was well versed in them - and planted trees in the desert. By creating and protecting a small state for her people, she changed a lot for the better in the world.
Indira Gandhi (1917 - 1984)
Indian political and statesman. Prime Minister of India (1966-1977, 1980-1984). Led a policy of combating separatism and state regulation economy, has achieved the nationalization of banks and the independence of India from food imports. The first female prime minister in the country's history.
In 1947, India ceased to be a British colony and gained independence. Jawaharlal Nehru became the head of the country's first national government - and his daughter Indira took the post of his personal secretary, and then began to make her own political career. After the death of Nehru in 1964, the new prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, offered her the post of Minister of Information, and two years later, after the death of Shastri, Indira Gandhi led the country, becoming the first woman to have the right to determine the fate of India. The period of her reign was not easy: party and religious conflicts, wars, accusations of corruption. However, life in the country during this period has dramatically improved - and compatriots began to see in her the embodiment of the goddess of the mind Shakti and perceive her as the "mother of the nation"
Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 in the city of Allahabad (Ilahabad) (modern state of Uttar Pradesh), in a family that actively participated in the struggle for the independence of India. Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, who later became the first Prime Minister of India after the country's independence in 1947, at that time took the first steps in the political arena in the Indian National Congress (INC) party. Gandhi's grandfather Motilal Nehru, one of the veterans and leaders of the INC, was very famous. Women of the Nehru family were also active participants in the political struggle: Indira Swarup's grandmother Rani Nehru and her mother Kamala were arrested by the authorities more than once. Contrary to custom, Indira was born not in her mother's house, but in her grandfather's rich house, built on a sacred site, and received the name "Land of the Moon" - Indira - in honor of her homeland.
At the age of two, Indira met Mahatma Gandhi, and at the age of eight, on his advice, she organized a children's union in her hometown to develop home weaving. From adolescence, she participated in demonstrations, more than once served as a courier to the fighters for independence. In 1934, Indira entered the People's University, which was created by the famous poet Rabindranath Tagore. After the death of her mother in 1936, she went to Europe. In 1937 she entered Somerwell College, Oxford in England, where she studied administration, history and anthropology.
In 1941 she returned to India, and in 1942 she married Feroz Gandhi, originally from the Parsis, a small group of Zoroastrian Indians of Iranian origin. Indira and Feroz got married, neglecting caste and religious barriers, since inter-caste marriages were considered by orthodox Hindus as blasphemy in relation to ancient laws and customs. Already in September 1942, the couple were arrested, Indira Gandhi stayed in prison until May 1943. August 15, 1947 In 1999, the independence of India was declared, and the first national government was soon formed. Indira Gandhi became the personal secretary of the prime minister's father In 1966, Indira Gandhi became the leader of the INC and the prime minister of India (the second woman prime minister in the world after Sirimavo Bandaranaike)
Indira Gandhi carried out the nationalization of banks. The first nuclear power plant was launched (in the state of Maharashtra); in agriculture, the so-called green revolution took place, thanks to which India became independent from food imports for the first time in many years. The efficiency of farms increased, landless peasants were endowed with plots.
The second term of her reign was marked by conflict with the Sikhs, who lived mainly in the state of Punjab. Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwal declared the Sikhs an independent self-governing community. His followers were also involved in attacks on Hindus in the Punjab. They occupied the main shrine of the Sikhs - the Golden Temple in Amritsar. In response, the Indian government launched Operation Blue Star in June 1984, during which the temple was liberated, killing about 500 people. Revenge of the Sikhs was not long in coming.
On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was killed by her own bodyguards, who were Sikhs. She was scheduled for a television interview that morning with Peter Ustinov, an English writer, playwright and actor. When choosing a dress, she settled on a saffron-colored sari, while removing her bulletproof vest. The road to the reception area, where the film crew was waiting, went through an open courtyard. Two Sikh bodyguards in blue turbans, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, were on duty at the edges. Coming up with them, she smiled affably, in response, the one on the left pulled out a revolver and fired three bullets at Gandhi, and his partner point-blank slashed at her with an automatic burst. The guards ran to the shots, the Sikhs were detained (one of them was soon shot dead, and the second was seriously wounded), and the wounded Indira was urgently taken to the Indian Institute of Medicine, where the best doctors arrived. But it was no longer possible to save her - eight bullets hit her vital organs. At half past three, Indira Gandhi, without regaining consciousness, died. The farewell ceremony for Indira Gandhi, which was attended by millions of people, was held at the Tin Murti House Palace. Two days later, she was cremated according to the Hindu rite on the banks of the Jumna.
Benazir Bhutto (1953 - 2007)
Pakistani politician and statesman. Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988-1990, 1993-1996). First in recent history A woman is the head of government in a predominantly Muslim country. Twice (1988-1990 and 1993-1996) she became the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953 in Karachi, Pakistan. Her ancestors were princes who ruled the Indian province of Sindh. Father Benazir raised his daughter not at all in the way that was customary in Islamic countries. AT early years the girl attended Kindergarten Lady Jennings, and then was educated at several Catholic girls' schools. In June 1977, Benazir planned to enter the diplomatic service, but Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto predicted a career in parliament for his daughter. Since by that time she had not yet reached the age required to participate in the elections, she became an assistant to her father. But just a month later general staff Pakistani General Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq led a military coup, seized power and introduced military rule in the country.
In September 1977, deposed Prime Minister Bhutto and his daughter were arrested and imprisoned. Benazir spent many years in prison, where she was kept in very harsh conditions. In 1979, her father was charged with ordering the assassination of a political opponent and executed. The execution of his father forced Benazir to become a politician. Between 1979 and 1984, Bhutto repeatedly found herself under house arrest, until finally she was allowed to leave for the UK.
While in exile, she led the Pakistan People's Party, which was founded by her father. And in 1988, the PPP won the first free parliamentary elections in more than a decade, and Bhutto took over as prime minister. However, high-profile corruption scandals that soon followed led to the fact that in 1990 her government was dismissed. But in 1993, in the next elections, Bhutto again wins under the slogan of fighting corruption and poverty.
Bhutto launched a series of large-scale reforms in the country. She nationalized the oil fields and deployed financial flows for the implementation of social programs. As a result of the reforms undertaken by her, illiteracy among the population of the country decreased by one third, the childhood illness of poliomyelitis was defeated, electricity was supplied to poor villages and villages. drinking water. In addition, she introduced free health care and education and increased spending on them. During the period of her reign, the volume of foreign investments increased many times over.
These reforms of Benazir Bhutto were appreciated not only by the people of Pakistan, where she became an object of fanatical worship, but also outside the country. In 1996, she entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most popular international politician of the year, she was awarded an honorary doctorate Oxford University, the French Order of the Legion of Honor and many other awards.
But all this time, corruption processes have been growing in the country. In the 1997 elections, her party suffered a crushing defeat, winning 17 out of 217 seats. In early 1998, Bhutto, her husband and mother were formally charged with corruption, their accounts in British and Swiss banks were frozen. She was forced to leave the country again. On October 18, 2007, Benazir Bhutto returned to her homeland after 8 years of forced exile. During the procession, two explosions thundered in the crowd of supporters meeting her. More than 130 people were killed, about 500 were injured, Benazir herself was not injured. But on December 27, 2007, as a result of a new terrorist attack, Benazir Bhutto died in the city of Rawalpindi, where she spoke at a rally in front of her supporters.
Margaret Thatcher (1925 - 2013)
British politician and statesman. The first in the history of European countries and this moment the only female prime minister in British history (1979-1990).
Margaret Thatcher, who earned the nickname "Iron Lady" during her political career, led the British government from 1979 to 1990. Thatcher became the first woman to serve as British Prime Minister. Moreover, she served as head of government longer than any other British politician in the twentieth century.
During her stay at the Downing Street residence, the UK again began to play an important role in the international arena. It is commonly believed that Margaret Thatcher and US President Ronald Reagan were able to lead Western countries to victory in the Cold War.
In addition, Thatcher carried out serious domestic reforms that ensured the reduction of state influence on the economy, the reduction of the size of the government, tax cuts, freedom of trade and privatization. Its economic policy, called "Thatcherism", helped to overcome stagnation and increase production.
Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts) was born October 13, 1925 in Grantham (Lincolnshire), the son of Alfred Roberts and Beatrice Ethel. Higher education received at Oxford, where she successfully completed a four-year program in chemistry. In 1946 she was elected chairman of the Oxford University Conservative Association. After her studies, she moved to Colchester and worked for BX Plastics, for which she did chemical research. In 1950 and 1951 she ran for the Conservative Party Parliament in Dartford but lost both times. In December 1951, she married a successful businessman, Denis Thatcher, who helped her pass her bar exams and become a barrister in 1953. Her twin children were born the same year. In 1959, Margaret Thatcher was first elected to Parliament, in 1961 she was re-elected.
In 1979, she managed to lead the Conservatives to victory in the elections. In foreign policy, Margaret Thatcher adhered to a rather tough course. In 1982, she declared war on Argentina for the occupation of the Falkland Islands, after which the British army defeated the Argentine troops. She demanded that South Africa abandon the apartheid regime, but at the same time opposed sanctions against this country. In 1986, she allowed the US Air Force to use a British military base to bomb Libya. Actively supported the entry of troops into the Middle East to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991. Thatcher visited the USSR in the mid-1980s and was one of the first to welcome the new political course of Mikhail Gorbachev. She was against the unification of Germany and supported the aspirations of Croatia and Slovenia for independence. In 1991, due to intra-party struggle and a series of demonstrations caused by her economic policies, she was forced to leave the post of prime minister and leader of the party, although she won the primaries.
However, her health deteriorated. In 2001 and 2002, Margaret Thatcher suffered several microstrokes. For health reasons, Thatcher could not come to the celebration of her own 85th birthday, organized by Prime Minister David Cameron on Downing Street, or to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Margaret Thatcher wrote three books - Downing Street Years (1993) about her tenure as head of government, Road to Power (1995) about her political career, and State Wisdom 2 (2002) about international politics.
Isabel Peron (born 1931)
The world's first female president. Led Argentina in 1974-1976 after the death of her husband Juan Peron, whose third wife she was.
At one time she was a dancer, she met her future husband in a nightclub.
She moved to Spain with Perón in 1960. Under pressure from the church, Peron was forced to marry her in 1961 (although Isabel was 35 years younger than him).
Often traveled on behalf of her husband in various countries South America and Spain. At this time, she met the mystic philosopher Jose Lopez Rega. Under pressure from his wife, Peron appointed Lopez as his personal secretary, who later became a minister. Subsequently, Jose Lopez Rega became the leader of the Argentine "death squads" - the right-wing radical Anti-Communist Argentine Alliance. When Perón decided in 1973 to run for president of Argentina for the third time, he nominated his wife for vice president. Shortly after winning the election, Juan Peron died, and in 1974 Isabel Peron automatically became the head of state. She served as President of Argentina from July 1, 1974 to March 24, 1976. Removed from office as a result of a coup organized by General Jorge Rafael Videla. She was under house arrest, in 1981 she was deported to Spain. In January 2007, an arrest warrant was issued in Argentina for Isabel Perón, who was believed to be involved in the killings and disappearances of hundreds of Argentines. According to human rights organizations, in 1974-1976. At the hands of members of the Anti-Communist Argentine Alliance, which allegedly acted with the personal sanction of Isabel Peron, almost 1,500 left-wing activists were killed in the country. In 2008, the Spanish National Court rejected Buenos Aires' extradition request for Isabel Perón, ruling that the statute of limitations had expired, so there was no need for extradition.
Madeleine Albright (born 1937)
American politician and statesman. First woman to serve as US Secretary of State (1997-2001).
Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was born May 15, 1937 in Prague, in the family of a diplomat, and then her name was Maria Jana Korbel. After the capture of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany, her family fled to England, after the end of the war they returned to their homeland, but in 1948 they emigrated again, this time to the United States. In 1968, Maria-Jana, who changed her name to Madeleine (she took the surname Albright after her marriage), graduated from Columbia University with a master's degree, and eight years later she received a Ph.D. political activity Albright began as a Democratic Party activist, joined Senator Edmund Muskie's team in 1972, and later became his legislative assistant. In 1978, she was appointed to the National Security Council under President John Carter and was responsible for public relations. After the defeat of the Democrats in the struggle for White House Madeleine Albright in 1982-1993 was a professor at Georgetown University, taught a seminar on the politics of the USSR and Eastern Europe, led the Women in Foreign Policy program, and was president of the Center for National Policy. In 1992, Albright became an adviser to Bill Clinton, and after his election to the presidency, he appointed her in 1993 to the post of US permanent representative to the UN. Subsequently, in 1997, she (the first woman) took the post of Secretary of State in the Clinton administration. Albright was a US hardliner in international relations, advocated strengthening the position of the United States in NATO, for the full protection of the interests of the United States, without stopping at the use of military force, which was demonstrated in the Balkans.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born 1938)
Iberian statesman. President of Liberia (2006-present). Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (jointly with Leyma Gbovi and Tawakul Karman; “for the non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for the rights of women to fully participate in building peace” 2011). The first female president of an African country. For her strict character and determination, she is often compared to the "Iron Lady". Her inauguration on January 16, 2006 was attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and US First Lady Laura Bush.
Michelle Bachelet (born 1951)
Chilean political and statesman. President of the Republic of Chile (2006-2010, 2014-present). The first woman in the history of the country to hold the post of head of state.
For conservative Chilean society, Michelle Bachelet represents a new type of political leader: she is divorced, has three children from different men, considers herself an agnostic about religion.
Michelle Bachelet was born on September 29, 1951 in Santiago in the family of Brigadier General of the Chilean Air Force Alberto Bachelet and archaeologist-anthropologist Angela Geria and was the second child in the family. In 1962, she and her family left for the United States, where Alberto Bachelet became a military attache at the Chilean embassy. Living in Maryland, Bachelet attended an American high school for two years.
Returning to Chile, she graduated from the Women's Lyceum No. 1, in which she was not only one of the best students on the parallel, but also the head of the class, a member of the school choir, school volleyball team, theater group and musical group. After graduating from high school with honors, Michelle was going to study sociology, but under the influence of her father, she nevertheless entered the medical faculty of the University of Chile in 1970. During her studies, Bachelet took an active part in the social life of the university. Under Socialist President Salvador Allende, Father Michel Bachelet was appointed head of the food distribution committee. After the coup on September 11, 1973, when the Allende government was overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet, Alberto Bachelet took the side of the legally elected president, as a result of which he was arrested, tortured and imprisoned on charges of treason in a prison built within the walls of a military academy, the head of which was Fernando Mattei, who worked with Alberto at the same air base. As children, Bachelet and Evelyn Mattei, his daughter, who lived next door, often played with each other. On March 12, 1974, Alberto Bachelet died in prison from a heart attack.
Michelle Bachelet joined the youth organization of the Socialist Party "Socialist Youth" in 1970. Immediately after the coup, she and her mother worked as couriers for the underground leadership of the Socialist Party, which was trying to organize a resistance movement. Six months later, Michelle Bachelet, who was then studying at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile, was arrested with her mother by special services and put on Pinochet's personal order in Villa Grimaldi, one of Chile's main prisons. It was a center of torture, and hundreds of Chileans disappeared without a trace within its walls. Michelle and her mother also did not escape sophisticated bullying, but miraculously survived. “Now I live in the same house with the man who interrogated and tortured me at Villa Grimaldi, we greet each other every day,” Michelle Bachelet later said in an interview with the Chilean newspaper La Tercera.
After spending about a year in prison, in 1975, Bachelet, thanks to the intervention of the Australian government, where her older brother Alberto lived, and her father's colleagues, was released and later a short time left Chile, first for Australia, and then for the GDR, where she studied German in Leipzig and continued her medical education at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Bachelet returned to her homeland in 1979. In 1982, she finally received a degree in surgery from the University of Chile (University School of Medicine) (later she also became a certified pediatrician, epidemiologist and health organizer), joining the Socialist Party along the way. The first years after graduation, Bachelet worked in a children's hospital, and then in a number of non-governmental organizations that helped families affected by the dictatorship of Pinochet. From 1995 to 2000, he was a member of the Central Committee of the HRC.
After the restoration of democracy in the country in 1990, doors to various government structures open for Bachelet. On January 15, 2006, Bachelet won the presidential election, thus becoming the fifth female head of state in Latin America after Argentine President Maria Estela Martinez de Peron, Lydia Geiler Tejada (Bolivia), Nicaraguan President Violetta Chamorro and Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso.
Angela Merkel (born 1954)
German political and statesman. Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (2000-present), Federal Chancellor of Germany (2005-present). She became the first woman in the history of the country to hold this position, and the youngest chancellor.
Angela Dorothea Merkel (née Kasner) was born in Hamburg to a Protestant priest and teacher. In 1954, the family moved to the town of Kwitzow in the GDR, where Angela spent her childhood and youth. A. Merkel graduated from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Leipzig in 1978 and until 1990 worked as a researcher at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the GDR, where in 1986 she defended her doctoral dissertation in physics. He speaks good Russian. In 1968 she won the school Olympiad in Russian in the GDR and was awarded a trip to the USSR.
A. Merkel entered politics after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The events that took place in Germany in the late 1980s and early 1990s captured her. In 1989, she joined the Democratic Awakening organization, a year later she became its press secretary, and a few months later she took the same position in the first and last non-communist government of the GDR. For the sake of the ruling Christian Democratic Union party in Germany, she left the Democratic Awakening and, after the reunification of Germany, became a member of the Bundestag from the CDU. Helmut Kohl became the first German political leader to take A. Merkel seriously. "You will lead women," the chancellor told her, inviting her to the government for the post of minister for women and youth. He called her "girl" and made her deputy head of the CDU. Soon she was already the secretary of the CDU. Journalists called A. Merkel - "Kolya's girl".
In 1994, she was appointed Minister for the Environment. But in 1998, Kohl lost the election, giving way to Gerhard Schroeder. Here came a corruption scandal connected with the activities of ex-Chancellor G. Kohl (he was accused of accepting money for party needs from the oligarchs). Almost the entire top of the German conservatives went into the shadows, and Dr. Merkel led the movement to overthrow Kohl from the party post. In 2000, the ex-chancellor resigned from the post of leader of the CDU and left the Bundestag. In 1998, Merkel became Secretary General of the CDU, and in 2000 she was elected party chairman. On November 22, 2005, Merkel was elected to the post of Federal Chancellor of Germany
Angela Merkel became the first female Federal Chancellor and at the same time, at 51, the youngest Chancellor in the history of Germany. She is also the first representative of the new federal states in this position and the first federal chancellor with a science education. In December 2013, she was elected Federal Chancellor of Germany for the third time in a row.
A. Merkel in the CDU takes a centrist position, stands for the transformation of the CDU into a "people's party" based on the broad strata of voters. Included in the party's action program "humanity, fair treatment of all generations, love for the nation and homeland, the fight against bureaucracy." The new Europe, she said, must face everyone, including minor social and ethnic groups. In foreign policy, Merkel is known for supporting the American course, advocating rapprochement with the United States. In addition, he advocates "special relations" and a new alliance with France. She has also repeatedly made it clear that she opposes Turkey's accession to the EU.
When one of her biographers was asked what he liked most about Angela Merkel's biography, he replied: “When she, being a schoolgirl, had to jump from a three-meter tower in the pool. When she stepped onto the board, she was overcome by fear. She was afraid to jump for three solid quarters of an hour. The bell rang, announcing the end of class. And at that moment, having made a final decision, she jumped into the water. For me, - he says, - this is evidence that Angela Merkel is hard to lift, she needs time to make decisions. But if she made a decision, then she will not deviate from its implementation. In my opinion, this is the secret of her political success. She does nothing without much preparation. But when the decision is made, the Rubicon is crossed, and she fights to the last.
Her patron at one of the stages of her political career, Günther Krause, who served as parliamentary secretary of state and to whom Merkel owes her election to the Bundestag, is credited with the phrase: “She is a sweet, pleasant woman, from whom you just turn away, you will immediately get a kick in the ass.”
Hillary Clinton (born 1947)
American politician and statesman. Senator from the State of New York (2001-2009), US Secretary of State (2009-2013). Wife of the 42nd US President Bill Clinton. 2016 Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States. She may become the first woman in history to hold the post of head of this state.
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton was born October 26, 1947 in Chicago. Her parents are from England and Wales. Dorothy's mother had already received her education when she married a salesman in Chicago, Hugo Rodham, who later founded a small textile enterprise. Dorothy Rodham raised three children and never worked again.
As she grew older, Hillary considered herself a Republican and a supporter of the prominent conservative, Senator Berry Goldwater. As a schoolgirl, she helped the pastor work with Hispanic and Negro children. Her dream was astronautics, she even went to NASA, but women were not accepted there. Her parents admonished her with the words: “You will win, and then lose again - but don’t take anything to heart. Get up the next morning and keep fighting."
In 1965, Hillary entered the women's higher educational institution Wellesley College. The atmosphere of the 60s contributed to the fact that her republican views became more radical. As chairman of the student government, Hillary organized the first demonstration against the Vietnam War. The diploma work on the fight against poverty was already written from a liberal standpoint. In 1969, as the best student, Hillary was assigned to prepare a report on graduation school year. In her speech, she criticized Nixon's policies. This made an impression on the journalists present and the report was published in Life magazine.
Enrolling in law at Yale University, Hillary became a supporter of Democratic Party. She was the editor of Yal Low magazine. Professors remember her as an intelligent, smart and diligent student. Hillary received her JD in 1973. As Hillary was getting ready in the library, she noticed a student staring at her intently. Unable to stand it, she said: “If you don’t stop looking at me, I will turn my back on you. Or maybe we should get to know each other? My name is Hillary Rodum." The student was so stunned that he forgot to give his name. It was Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton, when asked what attracted her to him, said: "He was not afraid of me." Bill and Hillary married in 1975 and immediately moved to Arkansas, where Bill began his political career.
Hillary Clinton's Political Activities Hillary Clinton began teaching at the University of Arkansas School of Law and worked for the Rose Law Firm. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed Hillary to the board of the Legal Services Corporation. That same year, Bill Clinton was elected governor of Arkansas. All this time (12 years from 1979 to 1981 and from 1983 to 1993), Hillary Clinton did not stand aside and actively participated in the public life of the state.
Having become the first lady of the United States after Clinton's victory in the 1992 presidential election, Hillary, at the request of her husband, headed the task force on health care reform, but left her position a year later. In 1998, during a major scandal surrounding Bill Clinton's relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, Hillary supported her unfaithful husband and did not want to part with him.
After Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election, Hillary Clinton was offered the post of US Secretary of State. On January 21, 2009, Hillary Clinton was sworn in as the 67th Secretary of State of the United States. Clinton is exercising foreign policy President through the Department of State and the Department of Foreign Affairs, directs the US Foreign Service, advises the President on the appointment of ambassadors, ministers, consuls and other diplomatic representatives.
In April 2015, Hillary Clinton announced her intention to participate in the upcoming presidential election from the Democratic Party. According to the results of the primaries held at the beginning of 2016, the woman became one of the leaders of the election race along with Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders.
The new Prime Minister of Great Britain will again be a woman
After 51.9% of the British voted in a referendum for breaking off relations with Brussels, the current British Prime Minister David Cameron, who called for staying in the EU, announced his upcoming resignation. Almost 26 years later, the next head of the Conservative Party and the country's prime minister again became woman, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 59-year-old Theresa May.
For thousands of years, men have dominated the history books. However, a woman with power, intelligence and influence can rule the world with no less success. Who are they, the most-most?
1. Catherine de Medici (1519-1589)
One of the most powerful women in Europe. She was part of the House of Medici - the most influential Florentine family. At the age of 14, she married a young man who would later become King Henry II of France. She had 10 children, three of whom went on to rule France. During the civil war and uprisings, she had incredible power and political influence in her hands.
2. Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204)
One of the richest, most powerful and influential women in Europe in the 12th century. As a teenager, she became a duchess and soon married King Louis VII. They were married for 15 years, and just a week after the divorce, Eleanor remarried. Her husband later became King Henry II of England. Three of her ten children also became kings. One of her most famous sons is Richard the Lionheart.
This woman had incredible influence over her reigning sons. So in fact, she ruled Europe at that time. This is impressive, especially when you consider that in the Middle Ages, women were not usually given important and influential roles.
3. Marie Curie (1867-1934)
One of the most successful and advanced figures in science. Without her research on radioactivity and X-rays, our world would be completely different. Also, together with her husband, they discovered the chemical element polonium.
Marie Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911). She was the first woman to receive this award and is still the only person to have received the award in two different sciences.
4. Cleopatra (69-30 BC)
The legendary queen, the last ruler of Egypt, who ruled for 21 years. Widely known for her love affair with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Considered the most powerful female ruler of the ancient world.
5. Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
Known for her philanthropy. In 1948 she founded the "Missionary Sisters of Love" community, which helped the sick, the poor and the needy.
During her lifetime, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Prize, and after her death she was beatified. To complete the canonization and canonization of saints, only one proof of a miracle is missing.
6. Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013)
The first woman to become Prime Minister of Great Britain and was in power for 11 years - the longest prime ministerial term in the twentieth century.
Incredible leadership qualities helped her win the honorary title of "Iron Lady". It completely changed the political, social and economic state of Great Britain. This was made possible by her policies of reducing unemployment, privatizing state-owned companies and reducing the influence of unions.
7. Queen Elizabeth I
Daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The last monarch of the Tudor dynasty, who ruled from 1558 to 1603.
Being unmarried and having no political ties with other countries, Queen Elizabeth was an independent woman who could make her own decisions and lead the country in the direction she needed. In fact, her first step as queen was to transform the country into a Protestant state. She was in power at an extremely important period in Britain's history. During her reign, Britain defeated the Spanish Armada, Walter Reilly became one of the first colonizers of North America, and Shakespeare wrote his famous works. The influence of this woman on the world is irrefutable.
8. Oprah Winfrey
Without a doubt, one of the most influential women of our time. This is impressive, especially considering that she grew up in poverty and was sexually abused as a child. As a teenager, she got a job at a radio station. This is where her media empire grew from.
Now Oprah, once the host of her own show, is the chief executive officer of her own television channel, the owner and chief executive officer of Harpo Productions, the owner of O magazine. And that's not all. She is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor an American citizen can receive).
9. Eleanor Roosevelt
Wife of former President Franklin Roosevelt, who was the longest-serving First Lady of America. While her husband was involved in politics, she also played an active role in political world which was unheard of for the President's wife. She made speeches on behalf of her husband, and several times even publicly disagreed with his policies.
After the death of Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor continued her career. She was active in the United Nations, was an American delegate and chair of the Human Rights Committee, and contributed to the writing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
10. Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria is still Britain's longest-reigning monarch. 63 years and 7 months (from 1837 to 1901) - this period is known as the Victorian era. It was a time of incredible discoveries, the development of the economy, industry and the influence of Great Britain.
The power and influence of Queen Victoria was enormous. The British Empire stretched from Canada to Australia. It was the largest and most powerful empire in the world, and the queen ruled over hundreds of millions of people. The most incredible woman who has changed the world.
