Queen Shammuramat: A Queen Of Assyria

In 9th century BC, Shammuramat was a Queen of Assyria and the first lady to rule without a man. According to historian Gwendolyn Leick, “This woman achieved remarkable fame and power in her lifetime and beyond.’’. She was powerful enough to have her own obelisk inscribed and it is accepted that she initiated a number of building projects and personally led military campaigns. If we glimpse into Egyptian History, the name Nefertiti (c. 1370 - c. 1336 BCE) comes up first. She was the wife of the pharaoh Akhenaten and together they shaped Egypt into most cultural and most powerful nation during that time. It is a well-known fact that her husband was very much devoted to her and such was her that she influenced monotheism towards Sun God Amon

In the 15th and 16th century, the power of three strong women who exercised their intelligence was highly noticeable. Those three women were Catherine de Medici, Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I Queen of England. Catherine was the daughter of Lorenzo II de' Medici and of Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne of Italy and she was the wife of King Henry II. Though King Henry II preferred his chief mistress’ Diane de Poitiers’ opinion and was himself a strong king, Catherine didn’t feel the need to exercise her power but when he died and their three sons- Francis I, Henry II and Charles IV- subsequently became kings. For a time she ruled France as its regent and her shrewdness as a leader and her preference towards her sons over everything came into limelight. Her sons reigned at a time when France was constantly under civil and religious wars. The problems facing the monarchy were complex and daunting but Catherine kept the monarchy and the state institutions functioning even at a minimum level. She was criticized though for her hard-line policies against the rebellious Protestants or Huguenots in particular for the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572. But some historians declare that is unfair that she alone be blamed for that and she did it to protect her son. Her determination was also noted when she removed the powerful Guise family from court in a society where women were seen as subservient to men. Her

She herself was initially unsure about succeeding to the throne. But after her half-sister's death in November 1558 she did. The image of Elizabeth's reign is one of triumph and success though it also faced its share of wars. Her popularity and respect was boundless and she was often addressed as 'Gloriana', 'Good Queen Bess' and 'The Virgin Queen'. She was very well-educated (fluent in six languages) and she is known for her intelligence, shrewdness and determination. Her 45-year reign is one of the most glorious. She lay down in the 39 Articles of 1563, a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. She is criticized as autocratic and capricious but she was also appreciated for her astute political judgment and chose her ministers well. Arts flourished at her kingdom- the first performance of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ took place then. Her time also saw many brave voyages of discovery, including those of Francis Drake and Humphrey Gilbert, particularly to the Americas. She prepared the ground for colonization and trade expansion by establishing the East India Company that invaded