Margaret Brent was born in Gloucestershire, England, one of thirteen children of a wealthy Catholic family. While officially part of the Church of England, the Brents were scrutinized after one of their sisters returned to the Catholic church during the 1630s. Brent, her sister Mary, and two of their brothers decided to immigrate to the New World and settle in Maryland since its land owner Lord Baltimore had declared it a Catholic refuge with a potentially profitable enterprise. On November 22nd, 1638, the four siblings arrived at St. Mary’s City, Maryland, where they were granted lands and political offices due to their noble social class and political affiliations. While one of her brothers returned to England, Brent, then 37 years old and unmarried, and her sister, decided to stay, and on October 4th, 1639, she became the first woman in Maryland to own land. On their 70.5-acre, they established the Sisters’ Freehold; her various business ventures included trading tobacco, and transporting servants, had enlarged the property, and she became one of the most prominent landowners in Maryland. Over time she became an ally of Maryland Governor Leonard Calvert, and the brother Lord Baltimore, the colony’s landowner. In 1645, the impact of the English Civil War spread to Maryland, and Protestants raided the Catholic settlement, burning down structures and terrorizing the settlers, who escaped to Virginia. Governor Calvert recruited mercenaries to stop the raiders but became ill. Before his death, he nominated Brent to use his assets and pay the mercenaries to continue protecting the colony. As there was no official successor to the governor, Brent acted on his behalf, collecting rent and taking care of his financial matters. On January 3rd, 1648, the Provincial Court appointed Brent as attorney-in-fact for Lord Baltimore, who managed the business and advocated for the colony in England. On January 21st, 1648, only a few weeks after receiving the role, she attended the provincial assembly asking for a voice and two votes in the council, one as an independent landowner and one as Lord Baltimore’s attorney but got denied because of her gender. Following disagreements with Lord Baltimore, Brent, and her sister moved to Westmoreland County, Virginia, and established a 1000 acres plantation called “Peace.” She lived there until she died at the age of 70. Read more...

Anne Boleyn was born to an aristocratic family in Blickling Hall, Norfolk, England. In 1513, Archduchess Margaret of Austria invited Anne to join her wards in Mechelen (today in Belgium) and expand her knowledge. She studied arithmetic, grammar, reading, writing, history, and her family genealogy. The following year, Anne traveled to France as a maid of honor to King Henry VIII’s sister, Queen Mary, and later to the queen’s stepdaughter Queen Claude. During her six years in France, she developed interests in poetry, literature, and religious philosophy, leading her to explore religious reform. In 1522, Anne returned to England and made her royal court début, serving as lady-in-waiting to Henry VIII’s wife, Catherine of Aragon. With her distinguished fashion style and vitality, she soon became an accomplished member of the court and the center of attention at every social gathering. She had many pursuers and even was briefly engaged to the son of the Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy. In 1526, Anne caught the attention of the king, who began to court her. She refused to become one of his mistresses and declined a sexual relationship with him without marriage. Despite his marriage to Catherine, the king proposed, and she accepted. By then, Henry and Catherine had been married for 17 years and had only one living child, Mary I; Henry became doubtful about the marriage’s validity. Before marrying Henry, Catherine was married to his older brother, Arthur, who died at 15, only a few months after their wedding. Since the teenage newlywed didn’t consummate their marriage, Catherine could marry Henry. But now, wanting to marry Anne, Henry concluded that Catherine probably lied and consummated the marriage with his brother, causing a punishment from God that did not give him a male successor. In 1527, Henry asked Pope Clement VII to annul his marriage with Catherin and to permit him to marry Anne. Figuring his request would be approved within a few months, Anne became more dominant in the court and took her place at the king’s side in policy and state. Some sources say that at the time, she brought Henry a copy of William Tyndale’s book “Obedience of a Christian Man,” arguing that God’s words hold the supreme authority enshrined in the Bible and not the Pope. By 1532, the Pope did not approve the annulment, but Anne, who became the Marquess of Pembroke, was already pregnant. To legitimize her child as heir to the throne, Anne and Henry secretly wed on January 25th, 1533. Only five months later, Henry declared his marriage to Catherine illegal, stripping her title as queen, and sent her off the court. On June 1st, 1533, finally recognized as Henry’s legal wife, Anne was formally crowned Queen of England. This series of events ignited the Church of England’s reformation and independence in 1534 when Henry broke with the Roman Catholic Church and set himself as the Supreme Head of what would become the Church of England. That led to political and religious fighting and struggles in Britain for the next 200 years. Three months after their wedding, Anne gave birth to her daughter, which later became Elizabeth I of England. Henry was disappointed that once again he had a girl and not a boy to succeed to his throne, and after Anne’s miscarriage in the following year, the king gradually distanced himself from her. In 1536, Catherine of Aragon died, which meant that Henry was now free to marry without any suspicion of illegality. A few months later, Anne gave birth to a stillborn boy, and Henry, who was already in a relationship with Anne’s cousin and maids-of-honor, Jane Seymour, felt betrayed by Anne, accusing her of bewitching him. Looking for a way to get rid of Anne and remarry, Henry found people who claimed that while married to him, she had several affairs, including with her brother. Anne was trialed for treason, adultery, and incest and was unanimously convicted. On May 17th, 1536, Anne and Henry’s marriage was annulled, and two days later, Anne was executed in the Tower of London. Read more...

Born Elisabeth Amalia Eugenia in Munich into the royal Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. She and her siblings grew up in an unrestrained and unstructured environment, and as a child, she loved to spend time in nature and often skipped her educational lessons. In 1853, at 15, she accompanied her mother and sister Helene to meet her sister’s betrothed, their cousin, 23 years old Emperor Franz Joseph. On their arrival, the emperor set his eyes on young Sisi and decided to marry her instead of Helene. Their wedding took place eight months later, and she became Empress of Austria. Growing up carefree, she had struggled to adapt to the formality of court life and soon developed a health problem. Her behavior antagonized her aunt and mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie of Austria, who thought of her as a silly young woman. When Sisi had her first child, her mother-in-law named the newborn after herself and took the baby without allowing Sisi to raise her. The same thing happened again when she had her second child Archduchess Gisela of Austria. In 1857, the 20 years old empress first arrived in Hungary. There, she felt independent again and connected with the Hungarian people, who were infatuated with her. Throughout the years, Sisi spent much time in Hungary, learned Hungarian, and even played an instrumental role in the negotiation that formed the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867. Upon this agreement, Sisi became the queen of Hungary. On the same first trip, both of her children became ill, and while Gisela recovered, Sophie didn’t. Following her daughter’s death, the already melancholic empress fell into periods of depression and developed an eating disorder. In 1858, she gave birth to her third child and heir to the throne, Archduke and Crown Prince Rudolf. Once again, she was prevented from taking an active role in her son’s life, which aggravated her eating disorder and deteriorated her mental and physical health. In the next two years, she traveled to various places to recover. After returning to Vienna, she was pressured into having another child to secure the succession, and in 1868, she gave birth to Archduchess Marie Valerie. This time, she insisted on remaining in control of her child’s upbringing. Despite her victory, the lack of stimulation in Vienna and her uncommunicative relationship with her husband made her restless, and for the next three decades, she became a frequent traveler. She toured the world, visiting Greece, Portugal, Italy, Malta, Turkey, Morocco, and Egypt. In 1889, her son committed suicide with his mistress. Deeply depressed, Sisi began to wear only black, and her travels became more frequent and longer, barely visiting her husband in Vienna. On 10 September 1898, while walking along the promenade in Geneva, she was stabbed by an Italian anarchist. She was 61 years old. Her funeral was held seven days later, and she was buried in the Imperial Crypt of the Church of the Capuchin Friars in Vienna. Read more...

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London, England, the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York. Her father was King George V’s second son. In 1936, her uncle Edward VIII abdicated the throne, and her father was crowned King George VI, establishing her as the heir presumptive at the age of 10. She was educated at home, first by her governess and later by private tutors, such as the Vice-Provost of Eton College. After her father ascended the throne, her studies focused mainly on constitutional history and law, preparing her for her future role as Queen of England. At the height of the Blitz on London during WW2, the princess and her sister Margaret moved to Windsor Castle. There, she had her first radio broadcast, addressing children like her who had been evacuated from their homes and separated from their families. She began to take on royal duties and accompany her parents on official visits, and in 1943, she made her first public appearance inspecting the troops. When she turned 18, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, training alongside other British women to serve as driver and mechanic; she was the first woman in the royal family to become an active member of the Armed Forces. On her 21st birthday, on her first tour overseas, she addressed the British Commonwealth in a radio broadcast and pledged to devote her life to public service: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” Elizabeth first met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, when she was 8, and then again at 11. After their third meeting in 1939, they kept in touch and eventually fell in love. Despite her father’s disapproval (since Prince Philip was foreign-born, had no financial means, and one of his sisters was married to a German with Nazi connections), the couple married at Westminster Abbey on November 20th, 1947. The country was still recovering from the war, and Elizabeth, like most brides at the time, collected war ration coupons to pay for her wedding gown. Following the wedding, her husband took her name of Windsor, so their future children will carry the surname of the British royal family. The couple moved to Windlesham Moor and later to Clarence House in London, where in 1948, she gave birth to her first child Prince Charles. Two years later, her second child, Princess Anne, was born. In 1951, George VI’s health declined, and Elizabeth often took his place in public events and state occasions. While she and Prince Philip toured Australia and New Zealand, on February 6th, 1952, while on a stop in Kenya, her father died, and she became the queen. The young monarch immediately undertook all of her father’s routine duties but took some time to mourn and recover before being coronated. The coronation ceremony took place on November 4th, 1952, in Westminster Abbey; for the first time, it was broadcast on television, allowing people worldwide to witness the historic event. In 1953, the Queen and the Duke embarked on a six-month world tour of the Commonwealth, marking the first visit of a reigning British monarch to Australia and New Zealand. It was the first of hundreds of visits she took throughout her reign, becoming the most widely traveled head of state. She made many historical visits along the way, including the first royal tour to the Indian subcontinent in 50 years she did in 1961, the visit to West Germany post WW2 in 1965, the first reigning British monarch to visit South America in 1968, and the first to travel to the Republic of Ireland in 100 years in 2011. As a sovereign, the queen had many constitutional and representational duties, including hosting Heads of State and the annual garden parties for the people of Britain and the Commonwealth, confirming and awarding honorary titles, opening the session of Parliament, and supporting charities. She was the patron of over 600 charities and organizations, estimated to help raise more than £1.4 billion. By 2008, Queen Elizabeth surpassed Queen Victoria to become the longest-lived British monarch; on September 9th, 2015, she became the world’s longest-reigning British monarch, longest-reigning queen, and female head of state. During her 70 years of reign, she suffered many personal and political turmoils that affected her popularity and almost jeopardized the future of the monarchy, including the mining disaster in Wales in 1966, the recession of the early 80s, her delayed response to Princess Diana’s death, and various scandals made by her children. Still, in many ways, she was the symbol of England, admired by the English people, and deeply appreciated by leaders worldwide, as proven by the deep sorrow and the great respect she received when she passed away on September 8th, 2022, at the age of 96. Read more...

Agnes Campbell MacPhail was born in Proton Township, Ontario, Canada, to a family of farmers. At 14, she wanted to attend high school, but her parents wanted her help on the farm. After receiving permission to further her education, MacPhail went to study at the Owen Sound Collegiate School for a year before transferring to Stratford Normal School, graduating with a teaching certificate. While teaching at several schools in Ontario and Alberta, she became active in the Ontario agricultural co-operative movement, joining the political and social organization United Farmers of Ontario (UFO) and the United Farm Women of Ontario. She also began to publish a column in the Farmer’s Sun newspaper. Following the amendments to the Elections Act that passed two years earlier, Canadian women could vote in national elections for the first time in 1921. Macphail decided to represent the farmers in her region and ran as a member of the Progressive Party of Canada, representing the district of South-East Grey. When elected, she became the first woman Member of Parliament (MP) in Canada and served for 19 years. In 1924, Macphail felt that the Progressive Party did not protect and promote the interests of farmers and industrial workers, and she co-founded the Ginger Group. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the group allied with various agrarian, labor, and socialist groups to found the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), with Macphail serving as its first president. The organization lobbied for the nationalization of key industries and called for the formation of a welfare state to provide universal health insurance, pensions, and unemployment insurance. Throughout her tenure as MP, Macphail promoted various social issues, advocating farmers’ rights and also women, immigrants, miners, prisoners, and other marginalized groups. In 1936, she contributed to the formation of the investigative Archambault Commission, which concluded with overall prison reform; in 1939, she founded the Elizabeth Fry Society of Canada, which assisted women and gender diverse people in the justice system. In 1940, at the age of 50, she lost her seat in the House of Commons, and for the next three years, she wrote for various newspapers, lectured throughout Canada and the US, and worked for the CCF. In 1943, she returned to politics and won the provincial election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Alongside Rae Luckock, Macphail became one of the first two women members of the Ontario Legislature and was the first woman sworn in as an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). She lost her seat in the 1945 elections but won it back three years later. In 1951, her final year in this role, she worked for the passage of the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act, the first equal pay legislation in Ontario. Shortly after, she lost her seat. She continued to promote issues she believed in, mainly women’s status and social rights. In 1954, she was offered an appointment to the Senate by Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent, but she died before receiving the position. She was 63 years old. Read more...

Anne Henrietta Martin was born in Empire, Nevada, and grew up in Reno. Graduating from Bishop Whitaker’s School for Girls at 19, she went to study history at the University of Nevada and then for a second B.A. and M.A in history from Stanford University. In 1897, at 22, she founded Nevada State University’s history department, heading the department for two years before resuming her studies at Columbia University, Chase’s Art School in NYC, the University of London, and the University of Leipzig. Then, she worked as an art history instructor at the University of Nevada for several years. In 1909, at 34, Martin took a leave of absence and traveled to Asia and Europe. While in England, she became associated with leaders of the suffrage movement, joined the socialist Fabian Society, and became an active member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), working alongside Christabel and Emmeline Pankhurst. She organized meetings and street protests and published short stories and political articles under the pen name of Anne O’Hara. In the fall of 1911, she returned to Nevada, joined The Equal Franchise Society, and was elected as its president the following year. Under Martin’s leadership, the campaign for women’s rights prospered. She went on a speaking tour throughout the state, convincing male voters to enfranchise women. Her goal was achieved on November 3rd, 1914, when women’s suffrage passed by popular vote in Nevada. Following her success, she was asked to join the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) but left for the more militant organization of the National Woman’s Party, elected as its first national chairman in 1916. In addition to this position, Martin served as president of the Nevada Women’s Civic League and the delegate to the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. At 43, Martin decided to exercise her new right and became the first woman to run for US Senate. She ran as an independent candidate representing Nevada in 1918 and 1920, addressing various social topics, such as labor issues and the nationalization of railroads and other public utilities. Though she lost twice, she did win 18% of the vote in 1918 and 20% in 1920. In 1921, Martin moved to Carmel, California. For the next 30 years, she advocated for social causes, women’s equality, and farmers’ markets, believing it would benefit both consumers and laborers by eliminating the cost of middlemen. She died at the age of 76. Read more...

Mikekashiya-hime-no-mikoto, also known as Princess Nukatabe, was one of the 26 children of Emperor Kinmei. At the time, polygamy and marriage between blood relatives were common among the hereditary upper classes in Japan, and in 571, at the age of 18, she married her half-brother, Prince Nunakakura no Futomashiki. In the following year, her father died, and her husband acceded to the throne, becoming Emperor Bidatsu. In 576, Emperor Bidatsu’s first wife died, and Suiko was named his official consort and received the title of Ōkisaki. In 585, her husband died, and her brother, Emperor Yōmei, ruled for two years before he died of illness. Afterward, a war between clans broke out over the succession of the crown, and in 592, Emperor Sushun ruled for a few months before he was assassinated. To avoid further power struggles, Suiko was asked to accede to the throne, and in 593, at the age of 41, she became the first reigning empress of Japan. In the following year, she appointed her nephew Prince Shōtoku as regent. During her reign, Empress Suiko made many changes and advancements to Japan. As one of the firsts Buddhist monarchs in the country, she recognized Buddhism as an official religion and sponsored Buddhist temples and monasteries. She formed diplomatic relationships with China and Korea and encouraged Chinese artists, scholars, craftsmen, monks, and nuns to come to Japan. She adapted the Chinese Sexagenary cycle calendar, established the Chinese system of government bureaucracy instead of the old Japanese method, and strengthened the total supremacy of the emperor. After 35 years as regent of the empire, Empress Suiko died at 76 years old. Read more...

Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, the only legitimate child of James V of Scotland and his French wife, Mary of Guise. She was the great-niece of King Henry VIII of England. Six days after her birth, her father died, and she inherited the throne, being crowned Queen of Scots at nine months old. Because she was only an infant, her mother was assigned as regent until adulthood. As King Henry VIII of England wanted to gain control of Scotland, she was initially engaged to his son, Prince Edward. The nobility of Scotland, which at the time was a Catholic country, opposed the alliance with Protestant England and annulled the agreement. That led England to attack Scotland in what became known as The Rough Wooing. The Scots turned to France for protection, which resulted in the engagement of Mary to King Henry II of France’s eldest son, the Dauphin Francis. At six years old, Mary was sent to France, living in the French court for the next 13 years. In 1558, at 16, she married Francis. The following year, her husband crowned Francis II, and she became both the queen of Scotland and queen of France. A year later, her husband died, and the 18 years old widow returned to Scotland. While she was in France, Protestantism spread throughout Scotland and caused inner-state rivalries within the nobility. As a Roman Catholic, Mary had faced many challenges; with the support and assistance of her illegitimate Protestant half-brother, James, earl of Moray, she managed to rule the country and establish a policy of religious tolerance. In 1565, at 23, Mary married her cousin, Henry Stuart, Earl of Darnley. Soon after, she discovered that he conspired with Protestant nobles to get a hold of her throne. After witnessing him killing her closest secretary, six months pregnant, Mary decided to detach herself from him. In 1567, Darnley died in a mysterious explosion; her involvement in the incident was unclear. Three months later, Mary married James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, her close confidant and the main suspect in her late husband’s death. The Scottish nobility did not approve of the marriage and rose against her. She lost an armed battle and was forced to abdicate her throne in favor of her infant son and imprisoned in Lochleven Castle, where she gave birth to still-born twins. In 1568, Mary escaped from the castle and raised a small army but was defeated. She fled to England, seeking the protection of her cousin Elizabeth I, but instead of getting help, Mary was imprisoned for the next 18 years. The Catholics in England wanted to put Mary on the throne instead of Protestant Elizabeth. Coded letters between Mary and her supporters were discovered in 1586, and she was brought to trial and was found guilty of treason. On February 8th, 1587, Mary got executed in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire. She was 44 years old. Read more...

María Eva Duarte de Perón was born in Los Toldos, Argentina. Her parents were not married, and her father had another family. Her legal and societal status as an illegitimate child followed her in her life. Her mother struggled financially, and the situation worsened after her father died in a car accident when she was seven years old. In 1930, the family moved to Junín, where she developed her love for the stage. She began to perform in various community theater productions and aspired to become an actress. At 15, she ran away from home to Buenos Aires to pursue her dream. Soon after her arrival, she joined a theater company and landed numerous radio parts. In 1937, at 18, she had her film debut and later acted in a series of B-movies. In 1942, she signed a five-year contract to participate in a radio program called Great Women of History to voice prominent historical women, such as Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great. By the age of 23, she was the highest-paid radio actress in the nation, earning six thousand pesos a month. This year, she co-founded the Argentine Radio Syndicate, a union of broadcast performers, and was elected its president. In 1944, she was invited by the Secretary of Labor, Juan Perón, to a benefit gala to support the victims of an earthquake that occurred in San Juan. From the moment they met, they were unseparated, establishing their marriage a year later. She was 24, and he was 49. In 1946, her husband, who gained political power and support from the public, especially after being arrested by his political opponents, decided to run for president. She was a leading figure in her husband’s campaign, using her radio program to dramatize his accomplishments and traveling with him throughout the country. Her approachable attitude toward the people and empathy for the working class increased his popularity when he was elected president. Perón did not hold an official position in the government, but she was the de facto minister of health and labor, which allowed her to increase the wages of workers’ unions. She used her position as the first lady to advocate for various causes, improving the living conditions of the poor and women’s suffrage. Thanks to her effort, Argentinian women were granted equal political rights and universal suffrage in 1947. Two years later, she founded the Female Peronist Party, the first large female political party in the country. Perón also founded and headed the Eva Perón Foundation. Supported by the government, unions, and private businesses, the foundation established thousands of schools, hospitals, elderly housing, and orphanages. In 1950, 31 years old Perón was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer. Despite her health condition, she continued to be active in both philanthropy and politics, and in 1951 she was chosen by her husband to run for vice president. The opposition from the military and upper-class citizens led her to decline her candidacy. Despite the various medical procedures she went through, her cancer has spread, and she died at the age of 33. Three years after her death, Perón’s husband got overthrown from the presidency, and her embalmed body was stolen and hidden in Italy under the name “María Maggi.” Sixteen years later, her body was exhumed and sent to her husband’s exile home in Spain. In 1973, he returned to Argentina, serving as president until his death a year later. His third wife, Isabel Perón, returned Evita Perón’s body to Argentina and displayed it beside her husband. Later, her remains were reburied in the Duarte family crypt. Read more...

Jean Augustine was born in Happy Hill, Grenada. When she was a year old, her father had died, and she and her mother moved in with an older woman in their village that encouraged Augustine to excel in school. After graduating high school, she worked as a teacher for several years. At 23, Augustine immigrated by herself to Canada on the Canada-Caribbean Domestic Program, which required her to work as a domestic servant on her arrival. The family she worked for recognized she was overqualified for the job and found her a clerical position at a billing firm. After taking evening classes at the Toronto Teacher’s College, she became an elementary school teacher at the Metropolitan Separate School Board in Toronto while furthering her education at the University of Toronto, earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Education. When she got promoted to principal, she became one of the first black school principals in the country. Upon her arrival in Toronto, she became active in various educational and social organizations, such as the Urban Alliance on Race Relations and the National Black Coalition of Canada, and served as a board member of many of them, including The Hospital for Sick Children, York University, the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Her community work led her into politics, and she became associated with the local branch of the Liberal Party. In 1985, at the age of 48, Augustine was appointed to the transition team for new Ontario premier David Peterson, which named her chair of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority in 1988. During the six years she held the position, she became more involved with the national Liberal Party leadership. In 1993, at 56, Augustine was the Liberal Party candidate for a seat in the House of Commons from the Etobicoke-Lakeshore section of Toronto. When she won the federal elections, she became the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada. During her 13 years in parliament, she chaired numerous committees, including the Human Rights Committee, the Foreign Affairs and International Trade committee, and the National Women’s Caucus. In 2002, she was appointed Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women in Canada, making history as the first Black woman appointed to the federal cabinet. Two years later, Augustine was appointed Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole, the first Black person to occupy the Speaker’s Chair in the Canadian House of Commons. In 2007, 70 years old Augustine left the parliament to become the first Fairness Commissioner. In this position, she established new regulatory standards for ensuring access to employment for Canadians with foreign professional credentials. At the age of 78, she retired from her official role and continued working and advocating for many social causes, mainly through the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment she established in 2014. Read more...