Author |
Share Topic Topic Search Topic Options
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Topic: Historic Women of Political Influence Posted: 06-Aug-2007 at 23:58 |
Other than
women of the present, who have made their mark on the world stage I was thinking
of those in the past who used their wit and beauty for political advantage.
Aspasia the mistress and then the wife of Pericles played a leading part in
Athenian politics. Cleopatra during her career had Julius Caesar then Mark
Antony for lovers and so consolidated her position in Egypt. Madame de Pompadour was more
powerful at the court of Louis XV of France than any minister.
|
elenos
|
|
Aelfgifu
Caliph
Joined: 25-Jun-2006
Location: Netherlands
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3387
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 09:18 |
Eleanora of Aquitaine perhaps?
|
Women hold their councils of war in kitchens: the knives are there, and the cups of coffee, and the towels to dry the tears.
|
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 10:04 |
Originally posted by Aelfgifu
Eleanora of Aquitaine perhaps? |
Good choice! Eleanor of Aquitaine was indeed fascinating. She became
Queen consort of both France
and England; mother
of King Richard I and King John among other important children. She is
well known for her involvement in the Second Crusade. Attended by three hundred
of her ladies she went to tend the wounded. in Antioch.
Women then became banned from going into battle by the Church. She spent the
rest of her long life traveling and encouraging the arts and working for the
growth of knowledge. She was a queen, lover and ruler but above all a woman for
all time
|
elenos
|
|
Aelfgifu
Caliph
Joined: 25-Jun-2006
Location: Netherlands
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3387
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 10:37 |
I thought she spend the end of her life in the Tower with the door locked from the outside...? She was a formidable women, and not to be fooled with, as her sons found out... You give us the cesored version of her life...
|
Women hold their councils of war in kitchens: the knives are there, and the cups of coffee, and the towels to dry the tears.
|
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 19:58 |
Mercy
Aelfgifu! I'm not about to write her life history for it was too convoluted, even for Shakespeare!
She was imprisoned for fifteen years but was released so she didn't die in the tower. She then went on to rule England while son Richard went off on a Crusade.
The damn fool got captured so she went to Germany to negotiate his release.
In later
life she was travelling through France to settle yet another marriage dispute and got
involved in the usual plots and murders of the time. It was too much for her health, for she was
old now and retired to Fontevrault Abbey where she took the veil as a
nun. She died there.and was entombed next
to her husband Henry and near son Richard.
|
elenos
|
|
Penelope
Chieftain
Alia Atreides
Joined: 26-Aug-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1042
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 23:29 |
Eva Pern, better known as "Evita" of Argentina. She remains one of the most important symbols in all history. Especially since she is considered to be the most Powerful and most Influentual woman in South America's history. She died at the young age of 33.
I also started a thread about her awhile back, it should be around here somewhere.
|
|
Akolouthos
Sultan
Joined: 24-Feb-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2091
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 23:39 |
I have to go with the Byzantine Empresses Irene and Theodora who were instrumental in the preservation of the orthodox Christian faith. Their lives, as well as that of Euphrosyne, are outlines in Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium, by Judith Herrin (I have only glanced at it, so I cannot vouch for its validity; it looks good though). The first two, and by connection the third, restored the veneration of icons; indeed the Church was better served by these three women than by most of the Emperors of the era.
-Akolouthos
Edited by Akolouthos - 07-Aug-2007 at 23:42
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Aug-2007 at 23:46 |
Empress Nur Jahan, of the Mughal empire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nur_Jehan
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 08-Aug-2007 at 00:03 |
I believe the most influential women in politics of all times were the following, Correct me if I am wrong or add to the list.
(1) Queen Isabella of Spain, that put the world upside down
She expelled the Jews from Spain, impossed the Inquisition, financed Columbus, crashed the Moors of Granada and was the first to protect the Indians. It is hard to find a women more influential than her.
(2) Queen Elizabeth I of England. The real founder of the glory of that nation, in my oppinion
(3) Queen Victory, the ruler of the British Empire and perhaps the most powerful sovereign of the 19th century.
Pinguin
Edited by pinguin - 08-Aug-2007 at 00:04
|
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 08-Aug-2007 at 03:07 |
Originally posted by Penelope
Eva Pern, better known as "Evita" of Argentina. She remains one of the most important symbols in all history. Especially since she is considered to be the most Powerful and most Influentual woman in South America's history. She died at the young age of 33.
I also started a thread about her awhile back, it should be around here somewhere. |
Ah, Eva Peron! Proud, passionate, vain and flamboyant as
doing the tango! She did it with her country, she did it with the world, she
went through her time on earth living with the intensity of a Latino opera-ballet.
Not only did she break the conventions of her time she rose above them to make
new ones. The dancer-actress-singer went on to found the first female political
party in the nation and boldly carved her name in history.
|
elenos
|
|
Penelope
Chieftain
Alia Atreides
Joined: 26-Aug-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1042
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 08-Aug-2007 at 07:39 |
Originally posted by elenos
Originally posted by Penelope
Eva Pern, better known as "Evita" of Argentina. She remains one of the most important symbols in all history. Especially since she is considered to be the most Powerful and most Influentual woman in South America's history. She died at the young age of 33.
I also started a thread about her awhile back, it should be around here somewhere. |
Ah, Eva Peron! Proud, passionate, vain and flamboyant as doing the tango! She did it with her country, she did it with the world, she went through her time on earth living with the intensity of a Latino opera-ballet. Not only did she break the conventions of her time she rose above them to make new ones. The dancer-actress-singer went on to found the first female political party in the nation and boldly carved her name in history.
|
Exactly, very well put.
|
|
Knights
Caliph
suspended
Joined: 23-Oct-2006
Location: AUSTRALIA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3224
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 08-Aug-2007 at 08:00 |
Catherine II of Russia (the Great)? Also, Margaret Thatcher...yes she is still alive, but made her major impact about 20 or so years ago. (By the way, she did not use beauty for political advantage as far as I'm aware...)
|
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 08-Aug-2007 at 09:29 |
I would put Margaret Thatcher and Catherine the Great as enlightened stateswomen. Catherine did have a fondness for lovers, but she was a true leader of Russia. All the other great names mentioned here were truly inspired leaders of their nations.
|
elenos
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 14-Aug-2007 at 16:46 |
The Suffragettes also had a very strong influence politically and they did make a large contribution towards women being heard.
|
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 14-Aug-2007 at 19:11 |
The Suffragettes, as a group, made women realize they did
have more of a part to play in the running of their country. The leader, Emily
Pankhurst, was the wife of a barrister who was a founding member of the hard
left.
(From Wikipedia) Richard Marsden Pankhurst (1834 1898). He graduated BA
from the University of London..
He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's
Inn and joined the Northern Assizes circuit. He was also
a member of the Bar of the County Palatine of Lancaster Court.
He was a founder member of the Manchester Liberal Association,
although he was subsequently to fall out with the Liberals. He campaigned for
multiple causes, including free speech, universal free secular education, republicanism,
home rule for the Irish, independence for India,
nationalisation of land, the disestablishment of the Church of England and the
abolition of the House of Lords. He established a National Society for Women's Suffrage,
drafted the Women's Disabilities Removal Bill (the first women's suffrage bill
in England) and
was author of the bill which became the Married Women's Property Act (1882)
which gave wives absolute control over their property and earnings.
He married Emmeline Goulden, better known as Emmeline
Pankhurst, who was some 20 years younger than him, in 1879. With her, he was
instrumental in establishing the Independent Labour Party. Together they formed
the Women's Franchise League in 1889. They were part of a political circle
which included Keir Hardie, Annie Besant, William Morris and George Bernard
Shaw. They were present at the Bloody Sunday riot in Trafalgar
Square.
Known as the "Red Doctor," he ran for Parliament
in 1883 as candidate for Manchester
and in 1885 for Rotherhithe, Kent,
both times unsuccessfully. His controversial views did not win him many
clients, but did afford him a place of great respect in the Independent Labour
Party, even long after his sudden death, from stomach ulcers, at the age of 64.
|
elenos
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 15-Aug-2007 at 15:48 |
....Hi...
..How about Catherine de Medici??..did a little about her during my history studies, and from what i recall, she wielded a great influence in middle to late 16th century France...have forgotten most of what i learnt but have a biography by Leonie Frieda which i will read at some point...
..AoO...
|
|
elenos
Chieftain
Joined: 13-Jun-2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1457
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 16-Aug-2007 at 02:59 |
Ouch, Catherine de Medici is a tad beyond redemption so far as her
reputation goes. She was plain, had a vile temper and known for using poisons to rid herself of
her rivals. There were the human rights atrocities. Thousands of
Huguenots (French Protestants) were massacred in Paris forcing the
remainder to flee. England welcomed them with open arms and so gained a whole
generation of culture they would not have had otherwise.
|
elenos
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-Aug-2007 at 10:00 |
Mary wollstonecraft was also in many respects a great political influence for women. Her book A Vindication of The Rights of Woman argued for the same educational rights and opportunities that men had at that time. This book was in turn the inspiration for many early feminists , including many of the suffragettes.
|
|
Caoimhe
Samurai
Joined: 09-Aug-2007
Location: Ireland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 102
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-Aug-2007 at 12:31 |
Well I don't know if she made her mark on a world stage and if she did it definitely wasn't because of her wit and beauty but I would say Countess Markievicz. She was the first woman elected to Dil ireann(Irish Parliament) and the first woman in Europe to hold a cabinet position when she was appointed Minister for Labour in 1919.
She also took part in the 1916 Rising where was second in command to Commandant Michael Maillin at the St. Stephen's Green garrison. After the Rising she was sentenced to death but had her sentence commuted to life because of her gender.
|
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 30-Sep-2007 at 05:33 |
When considering influential women who had an historical impact because of their political views and actions, I always think of Lesya Ukrainka. Her poetry is beautiful, and her story is kind of a special one.
She is very well known in Ukraine and in Canada for her writing and her bravery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesya_Ukrainka
|
|