Throughout the history of mankind, in different cultures, there have been female warriors who are able not only to personally demonstrate their skills on the battlefield, but also capable of leading an entire army.
Fu Hao (XIII century BC)
During the Bronze Age (more than three thousand years ago), the Shan dynasty ruled in China. It was then that the famous female military leader Fu Hao lived. The stories of her exploits have been preserved on the remains of parchment and on a tortoiseshell. According to one legend, about 3 thousand soldiers were under her command.
When the tomb of Fu Hao was discovered near the Chinese city of Anyang in 1977, archaeologists were able to learn more about it. Judging by the fact that more than 100 types of various weapons were found in the grave, scientists were able to confirm the high military rank of a woman general. In addition, a huge number of decorative items were found in the tomb, including items made of bronze, ivory, jade and opal. Near Fu Hao, 16 slaves were buried alive, who were supposed to serve her in the other world.
Boudicca (1st century AD)
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When the Roman Empire invaded and occupied southern England in the first century AD, it was a woman named Boudicca who was able to rouse the tribes of East Britain to fight the invaders.
According to the records of the Roman historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus, after the death of the British leader Prassutag, the invaders stopped considering the local population as their allies and began to take their lands from them. It was then that the widow of King Boudicca staged an uprising against such injustice.
The army under her command was able to completely destroy a number of Roman settlements such as Londinium, Camuludun and Verulamy. However, the revolt ended in 61 at the Battle of Shropshire, when Boudicca's forces suffered a crushing defeat.
Judit (X century)
Thanks to the preserved ancient manuscripts, it is known for certain that Ethiopia was ruled by a queen named Judit in the 10th century. Researchers cannot say exactly how she ascended the throne, but everyone agrees that she was Jewish by birth or marriage.
In the records of the historian Ibn Haukal, the queen who ruled Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) is mentioned, who came to power by killing the previous king. According to research, Judit waged many military campaigns against Christians, destroyed churches, burned cities, and imprisoned their inhabitants.
Tomoe Gozen (c. 1157-1247)
The only female samurai, Tomoe Gozen, is mentioned in the epic "The Tale of the Haike" and other historical stories. There were legends about her as an experienced archer who was part of the army of General Yoshinaku. During the battle, Gozen was dressed in heavy armor, and in addition to her bow she carried a large sword.
According to the descriptions, the female warrior was also an excellent rider, able to saddle any horse, and in battle she fought better than any man.
Jinga Mbandi Ngola Anna (circa 1583-1683)
In 1624, Jinga Mbandi Ngola Anna became the queen of the African state of Ndongo (modern Angola). She almost immediately entered into a military alliance with Portugal, wanting to protect her people from the constant raids of neighboring hostile countries and from the capture of people into slavery by European seafarers.
After betrayal by the Portuguese authorities, Anna Ginga fled to the Kingdom of Matamba. Here she gathered an army of fugitive slaves and the local population. In parallel with this, the queen supported the partisan movements in her country.
Anna personally led her army into battle until the age of 60, when in 1657 she concluded a peace treaty with Portugal. After that, she devoted herself entirely to rebuilding her country, worn out by years of war.
Khutulun (1260-1306)
In the 13th century in Mongolia, famous for its strong wrestlers, a woman named Khutulum was the undisputed champion in this sport. She was the great-great-granddaughter of the famous Genghis Khan. In addition, Hutulum was known as an excellent horsewoman and archer.
At first she was known as the "Princess of Brothels", capable of beating up any man who dared to disrespect her. However, soon Kutulun became famous as a skillful warrior, when she, together with her father, successfully fought in the steppes of Western Mongolia against the troops of Kublai Khan.
The famous traveler Marco Polo saw the warrior woman on the battlefield. According to his records, she handled enemy soldiers as deftly as a hawk with its prey.
May Bhago
In 1705, an interesting incident occurred in the battle of the Indian city of Mutskar, where the Sikhs and the Mughal Empire fought. A Sikh warrior named Mai Bhago managed to bring about 40 deserters back into battle. In this battle, all of them died, except for the hero himself, who in fact turned out to be a woman dressed in men's armor. After her exploit, she continued to serve as her ruler's bodyguard until she died in 1708.
Rani Velu Nachiyar (1730-1796)
This woman dared to openly oppose the British colonialists, who use the local population of India for their own enrichment.
Rani Velu Nachiyar was born and raised in one of the kingdoms of South India. From childhood she was taught horseback riding, archery and the ability to handle weapons. When the British army attacked her kingdom in 1772, and enemy soldiers killed her husband and daughter, Nachiyar gathered an army to fight the invaders.
According to historical records, it was she who for the first time in history began to practice the "death row" tactics. One of her followers doused herself with oil, infiltrated British gunpowder depots and set herself on fire in a big explosion.
Michaela Bastidas Puyukahua (1744-1781)
According to the book by historian Charles Walker, The Rise of Tupac Amaru, Michaela Puyuyachua was the wife of the leader of the Peruvian rebels who rebelled against the Spanish expansion. In this army, she was an important person. Michaela not only developed defensive strategies for the rebels, but also mobilized new soldiers, monitored discipline, and personally carried out death sentences for traitors and deserters herself.
Amazons Dahomey (XVII-XIX centuries)
On the territory of modern Benin, the West African state of Dahomey was previously located. The local king had a whole elite division made up entirely of women.
Most often referred to as the "Amazons of Dahomey", these warriors were originally intended to guard the palace, and were selected exclusively from the royal "wives of the third grade" - those whom he did not particularly like, and for this reason were not allowed to bear children.
Many historical documents mention the ferocity of the Amazons in battle, as well as the fact that they were feared and respected even by their own people. A decree was even issued, according to which men had to keep at some distance from the Amazons and not even look at them.
"Running Buffalo" (1850s - 1879)
In the middle of the 19th century, a Cheyenne Indian tribe living in the American Great Plains lived a woman nicknamed "Running Buffalo". She played a decisive role in the legendary Battle of Little Bighorn in June 1876. During this battle, the Seventh Cavalry of the US Army, led by George Custer, was almost completely destroyed by the tribes of the Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho and Lakota.
According to eyewitnesses, it was an Indian woman warrior who dealt the fatal blow to the American general. But this battle was not her first. A year earlier, Buffalo Runner had managed to save her brother at the Battle of Rosebud.
Yaa Asanteva (circa 1840-1921)
The history of mankind has many examples of the struggle of peoples against the occupiers. One of the most striking was the uprising of the Asanti tribes (modern territory of Ghana) against the European colonialists.
Asanteva was the keeper of the Golden Throne - the symbol of local rulers. In 1900, when British Governor Hodgson tried to take him away, Yaaa called on the tribes to revolt against the British. It is remembered as the War of the Golden Throne.
Unfortunately for the local population, their troops were defeated by the British, and Asanteva was expelled to the Seychelles, where she died in 1921.
Oksana Grabenko