Matilda’s Top Women In History

When Catherine de Medici became Regent of France, few realised just how well suited and well prepared she was for the role. Her earlier years had forced her to develop many of the skills necessary to become a capable ruler. She would need every one of these skills, as France was about to enter one of its most deadly periods - the Wars of Religion. The turmoil was more than one leader could ever manage or control, but Catherine remained optimistic that peace and compromise could prevail. Sources/Further ReadingFrieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of FranceGoldstone, Nancy: The Rival QueensHollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent QueenHistory Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulershttps://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_ReligionWikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

When Catherine de Medici became Regent of France, few realised just how well suited and well prepared she was for the role. Her earlier years had forced her to develop many of the skills necessary to become a capable ruler. She would need every one of these skills, as France was about to enter one of its most deadly periods - the Wars of Religion. The turmoil was more than one leader could ever manage or control, but Catherine remained optimistic that peace and compromise could prevail. Sources/Further ReadingFrieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of FranceGoldstone, Nancy: The Rival QueensHollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent QueenHistory Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulershttps://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_ReligionWikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

Catherine de Medici was orphaned at only a week old, and her childhood didn’t improve much from there. Sent to live under house arrest at a convent, she was then married off to the second son of the French King. It was an unhappy marriage, since she was routinely ignored by her husband who preferred his much older mistress. However Catherine was never one to give up, and these early unhappy years would forge a character of steel.Frieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of FranceGoldstone, Nancy: The Rival QueensHollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent QueenHistory Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulershttps://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_ReligionWikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

Isabella of Angouleme was one of Englands most unpopular Queens, married to one of its most unpopular kings. She watched as her husband lost most of his territories, and as he signed the Magna Carta. After his death, she ruled her own territory of Angouleme with some strength, and then married her own daughter’s fiance to increase her power. She betrayed her son by supporting his deadly enemy the King of France, and then turned around and (possibly) ordered the assassination of that same French King.Sources/Further Reading:Weir, Alison: Queens of the CrusadesMorton, Elizabeth: England’s Queens - From Boudicca to Elizabeth of YorkBennett Connolly, Sharon: Isabella d’Angouleme - A Complicated Queen https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2022/01/22/isabelle-dangouleme-a-complicated-queen/Wilkinson, Louise: Isabella of Angouleme, Wife of King John https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/women-of-magna-carta/isabella-of-angouleme-wife-of-king-john/Wikipedia: Isabella of Angouleme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Angoul%C3%AAme

Isabella of Angouleme was one of Englands most unpopular Queens, married to one of its most unpopular kings. She watched as her husband lost most of his territories, and as he signed the Magna Carta. After his death, she ruled her own territory of Angouleme with some strength, and then married her own daughter’s fiance to increase her power. She betrayed her son by supporting his deadly enemy the King of France, and then turned around and (possibly) ordered the assassination of that same French King. Sources/Further Reading: Weir, Alison: Queens of the CrusadesMorton, Elizabeth: England’s Queens - From Boudicca to Elizabeth of YorkBennett Connolly, Sharon: Isabella d’Angouleme - A Complicated Queen https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2022/01/22/isabelle-dangouleme-a-complicated-queen/Wilkinson, Louise: Isabella of Angouleme, Wife of King John https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/women-of-magna-carta/isabella-of-angouleme-wife-of-king-john/Wikipedia: Isabella of Angouleme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Angoul%C3%AAme

Fanny Bullock Workman was determined to live life on her own terms - she was not interested in being a stay at home wife and mother, but wanted to see the world, lead expeditions and have adventures. She began with Mount Washington, moved on to Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and then graduated to the Karakorum Mountains - home to the world’s second highest peak, K2. Along with her husband and a team of guides and porters, she set a world record for women when she climbed up to 23,000 feet above sea level, a record that lasted for almost 30 years. Her exploits meant she was in high demand as a speaker and writer, and she also published several popular books. Sources/Further ReadingPrince, Cathryn J: Queen of the Mountaineers - The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock WorkmanRoss, Donald and Schramer, James: Fanny Bullock Workman in American Travel Writers 1850-1915Pauly, Thomas H: Fanny Bullock Workman, Feisty Mountaineer https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/03/vita-fanny-bullock-workmanMcLoone, Margo: Women explorers of the mountains - Nina Mazuchelli, Fanny Bullock Workman, Mary Vaux Walcott, Gertrude Benham, Junko TabeiWikipedia: Fanny Bullock Workman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Bullock_Workman#Mountaineering_in_the_Himalayas

Fanny Bullock Workman was determined to live life on her own terms - she was not interested in being a stay at home wife and mother, but wanted to see the world, lead expeditions and have adventures. She began with Mount Washington, moved on to Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and then graduated to the Karakorum Mountains - home to the world’s second highest peak, K2. Along with her husband and a team of guides and porters, she set a world record for women when she climbed up to 23,000 feet above sea level, a record that lasted for almost 30 years. Her exploits meant she was in high demand as a speaker and writer, and she also published several popular books.Sources/Further ReadingPrince, Cathryn J: Queen of the Mountaineers - The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock WorkmanRoss, Donald and Schramer, James: Fanny Bullock Workman in American Travel Writers 1850-1915Pauly, Thomas H: Fanny Bullock Workman, Feisty Mountaineer https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/03/vita-fanny-bullock-workmanMcLoone, Margo: Women explorers of the mountains - Nina Mazuchelli, Fanny Bullock Workman, Mary Vaux Walcott, Gertrude Benham, Junko TabeiWikipedia: Fanny Bullock Workman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Bullock_Workman#Mountaineering_in_the_Himalayas

Isabella D’Este was one of Renaissance Italy’s most remarkable women. Born in the Duchy of Ferrara, she moved to Mantua at the age of 16 and in time would rule this small city state. It was a difficult political era - the larger Italian states were constantly at war with one another or with outside powers, and the smaller states were constantly stuck in the middle. But it was also an era of change and rebirth - when artists like Leonardo da Vinci or Titian were at work. Isabella was a highly capable political operator, but her first love was always art and antiques and she would amass one of the largest private collections of her day. Sources/Further ReadingMeyer, Edith Patterson: First Lady of the Renaissance, a biography of Isabella D’EsteHollingsworth, Mary: Princes of the Renaissance - The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic RevolutionItalian Renaissance Learning Resources: Isabella D’Este Collects https://www.italianrenaissanceresources.com/units/unit-8/essays/isabella-deste-collects/#topMacquire, Kelly: Isabella D’Este https://www.worldhistory.org/Isabella_d'Este/Emporium.org.au: Fashioning Isabella D’Este https://www.emporium.org.au/isabella-deste-titianwww.isabelladestearchive.orgWikipedia: Isabella D’Este https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_d'Este