5 Stories of Kick-Ass Women Written Out of History

[redqueen]

When most of us name daring and adventurous figures from the past, we think of men. Pirates such as Blackbeard, explorers like Louis and Clark, Magellan, or Alexander the Great fill our history books and give us examples of courage and fortitude. However, there are also vast swaths of female history that have been, sadly, left out of these textbooks. So let’s explore just a fraction of these women and celebrate their accomplishments as well.

...

Dahomey’s Warrior Women

Speaking of West Africa, the Dahomey Warrior Women involves a fascinating history that spans nearly 200 years. It was during this time that the elite squad of female warriors fought and died for the border rights and inter-tribal issues in the ancient kingdom of Dahomey.

These women, who outranked their male counterparts, were given far more privileges, including the ability to come and go from the palaces as they pleased (unlike the men). They were so revered for their warrior prowess, The Smithsonian explains, that men were taught to keep their distance:

...

Shagrat Al Durr

Many of us have no problem remembering who Louis IX is. But do we really know about the woman who crushed his crusade attempt in Egypt? Shagrat Al Durr was known as the woman ‘behind the throne.’ Her husband was a great leader, but when he grew ill and died, she hid his death and continued advising troops on her own. Eventually, his death was discovered, but Al Durr did not just shrink away. No, she took the throne herself and in doing so, sent a devastating blow to would-be conquerors.

However, at the time Egypt was under the rule of the Caliph of Baghdad. Unhappy with a female running the show, the Caliph sent over his own ruler, Aibak. Shagrat reluctantly agreed to step down, but refused to let it end there. She seduces Aibak, marries him and because she had far more knowledge of administration and rule, essentially ran the empire for another seven years.

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http://www.care2.com/causes/5-stories-of-kick-ass-women-written-out-of-history.html

[theHandpuppet]

1. Wow -- those were great stories!

Thank so much for posting this.

[ismnotwasm]

2. Love this one

( I'm into steampunk these days, a genre which often has a female protagonist )

Explorer Mary Kingsley

Mary Kingsley was an odd bird. She had more courage in one bone of her body than most armies did amongst their ranks. She arrived in Sierra Leone in 1893 in full Victorian English fashion. She wore petticoats, sun hats and refused to change into more practical clothes, preferring to cover up completely in the African heat. After all, trousers would be improper.

Meanwhile, she fended off crocodiles during solo canoe trips down rivers, pushed into territories that most other male explorers, and not to mention African men were afraid to wander, and did so with a disarmingly practical sense of personal accountability.

She writes about staying with the Fan Tribe, one of the most feared tribes in all of West Africa. They were known for acts of random murder and cannibalism. Because of this, explorers and rival tribes alike all kept their distance from them. Not Mary Kingsley though. She saw no reason she shouldn’t just walk up offering some salt, meet them and then spend the night in their village.

She recalls putting her Edwardian hat just outside the hut before retiring for the night. During the evening, she heard noises outside her room and decided to explore (because of course she did). It was then that she saw her hat had been filled to the brim with a mysterious meat. An offering to Mary, from the prestigious Fan Tribe. While Mary kept a journal of her travels, which has been compiled into a book that anyone can read, it’s incredible how few know of her travels and exploits around 1800s Africa.

[ChazII]

3. Grace O’Malley

has always been one of my favorites. Can't you see her walking in to speak with Elizabeth I? In the age of pirates she was one gutsy lady.

ETA:
Grace's name was used for a character in an NCIS episode. The director did give a brief history of O'Malley's history.

[nomorenomore08]

4. Fascinating post. I'm very happy to be the 5th rec. n/t

[redqueen]

7. enjoy your stay

[intaglio]

6. Never forget "The Lady of the Mercians"

Æthelflæd

[redqueen]

9. Thanks! I need to find out how to pronounce her name.

[redqueen]

11. Could you take your little rants ro GD? This is a protected group

where you and others like you don't get to pretend that reality isn't what it is.

You might think you're fooling someone - or making any sense at all, for that matter - and a few naieve sorts might agree... but rest assured that most people here see right through you.