Random Most Ruthless Queens And Female Rulers (14 items)

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  (#7) Olga of Kiev

  • Dec. at 79 (890-969)

  There is a lot of mystery surrounding Princess Olga of Kiev, and many of the stories about her may be apocryphal. What we do know is that she was a Ukrainian princess and the first female ruler in Russian history. She became queen regent in 945 CE after her husband, Igor I, was slain. As their son was too young to rule, she was crowned queen in his stead. One of her first acts was to seek revenge for her husband's demise. By her orders, the men responsible were captured and executed using scalding water. 

  She didn't stop there, however. In her fury, she ordered the hundreds of people from the men's tribe to be taken out in retribution for her husband. Some accounts suggest that Olga had the tribe leaders buried alive, and that she devised a plan to set their entire town ablaze. One story suggests she fooled the tribe leaders by inviting them to a retreat, then locked them in a bath house and burned it down. 

  Whatever really happened, Olga devoted herself to Orthodox Christianity shortly after her vengeance was complete. Despite her past, she eventually became the first person of Russian heritage to receive sainthood from the Orthodox Church. 
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  (#4) Mary I of England

  • Dec. at 42 (1516-1558)

  Mary I didn't get the nickname "Bloody Mary" for nothing. She was a Catholic queen in a Protestant country, ascending to the throne of England in 1553. She was the first true queen of England, but her short reign only lasted five years. 

  She announced a war against Protestantism during her rule, and hundreds of protestants were slain for heresy. The typical sentence for anyone convicted of heresy in England was to burn at the stake, and Mary was responsible for burning over 300 Protestants during her rule. This made her wildly unpopular in England, and her conflict with Protestantism became the defining legacy of her time as queen. 
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  (#6) Ranavalona I

  • Dec. at 83 (1778-1861)

  Queen Ranavalona I was the ruler of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861, and much of what we know about her has been colored by the opinions of Ranavalona's European contemporaries. Still, Ranavalona was known as a fierce leader who was willing to do anything to protect her crown and kingdom.

  After her husband, King Radama I, passed, she quickly positioned herself as the new sovereign of the kingdom. She had her uncle executed to protect her position, and some accounts say that she eliminated his mother via extreme hunger in order to keep from breaking a sacred decree about spilling noblewomen's blood.
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  (#12) Isabella of France

  • Dec. at 66 (1292-1358)

  Isabella of France had a complicated relationship with her husband, King Edward II of England. Their relationship would end over their opposing politics and a breakdown of trust in each other.

  Edward was known to keep male favorites close to him, often as advisors. Hugh Despenser the Younger became the king's chamberlain in 1318, and he immediately began to push Isabella out of the king's sphere of influence. Edward began to favor Despenser over Isabella, to the point that the two were rarely ever together at all. Eventually Edward faced conflict with Charles IV of France, Isabella's brother. Isabella's lands were confiscated, and she left for France.

  After Edward refused to return her land and get rid of Despenser, she and her brother invaded England and deposed the king. Their son, Edward III, was then named as ruler of England.
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  (#14) Rani Lakshmibai

  • Dec. at 30 (1828-1858)

  The Indian warrior queen Rani of Jhansi is known for joining the revolution against British oppression in 1857, shortly after they deposed the queen. Rani was trained as a horseback rider and sword-wielder from a young age, and she was quick to join the fight for India's freedom. 

  Several slayings of British civilians occurred during this period, and whether or not Rani was involved is disputed. The British certainly believe she oversaw the slayings, and she ultimately perished fighting against them. She is viewed today as a hero in India against tyranny. 
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  (#8) Fredegund

  Fredegund of Soissons was queen consort to King Chilperic I, who ruled from 561 to 584 CE. Fredegund came from humble beginnings but quickly rose to a position of power in the small Frankish kingdom. She convinced Chilperic to leave his first wife and slay his second, ensuring her close relationship with the king was secure. 

  Galswintha's sister, Brunhild, was furious when she learned of her sister's demise. She was the wife of Sigebert I, the king of Austrasia and half-brother to Chilperic. A fierce rivalry erupted between the two queens, and Fredegund ordered the successful elimination of Sigebert.

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