When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, she left a legacy of lifelong public service and dedication to her people. She joins a long history of queens, empresses, and rulers who defied gender conventions to lead armies, establish political systems and engage in intrigue to gain and retain power. Whether queen by succession, by marriage, by serving as queen while the king is away, or by being the mother of a ruler, women have used the title to change the world.
The most powerful queens in history are found all over the world. They reign over diverse governments and people. But they have some things in common; bravery, leadership, and the strategic intelligence it takes to carry the weight of the crown. The following is a sample of queens and rulers throughout history who have carried that power and changed the world.
Pharaoh Hatshepsut (reigned 1507 – 1458 BCE)
Hatshepsut is one of the rare female Egyptian Pharaohs. Her reign began in the traditional manner, as wife to Pharaoh Thutmose II. When he died, she served as regent for her underage stepson, Thutmose III, but declared herself Pharaoh. Scholars now think was not a power grab but a necessary move to prevent a threat from other royals seeking to steal the throne. Despite the Pharaonic beard she wore, she asserted herself as a woman, signing documents “His Majesty, Herself,” or “Daughter of Re.” She notably established alliances with other nations through trade and diplomacy rather than warfare. She left behind a legacy of public works projects that helped her people. Though later Egyptian leaders tried to erase her memory, they failed. Hatshepsut’s tomb and temples leave a record and artifacts of her reign.