For centuries, royalty has been stereotyped as a male-dominated world characterised by strength, leadership and protectiveness. However, who can imbibe strength and protectiveness more than the women of our world who protect their children, master the art of communication with tact and diplomacy, and balance the demands of family, work and society with unyielding mental resilience?

Now imagine women who not only did that – but also ruled nations. Women who led countries, commanded armies, made laws, and shaped history. Some of them who did it at an age similar to ours.

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Take Queen Victoria, for example: she began her 63-year-long reign over England at the mere age of 18. However, as we go over our knowledge of history, the stories of these powerful female rulers have often been overlooked.

Therefore, here are some female royalties who deserve more recognition.

1. Sobekneferu (1806–1802 BCE)

Image Credit: Hedwig Fechheimer from Wikimedia Commons

In a world where women still face the glass ceiling effect, Sobekneferu was the first woman in history confirmed to take the position of Pharaoh (the highest political and religious office in Egypt).

Even though her reign lasted only 3 years and 10 months, she assumed power during a turbulent transition period marked by a lack of male heirs and a sustained dynastic crisis. Typically, the lack of such a situation would lead to power struggles, but Sobekneferu stepped in as a compromise candidate, minimizing political turmoil.

She did not inherit a thriving kingdom, but she governed with efficiency and integrity to restore stability. To assert her legitimacy and avoid being seen as a ‘rebellious female usurper’, she adopted male and female elements in her royal titulary. This included traditional male pharaoh titles with female suffixes to balance tradition with growth.

Her reign laid the groundwork for future women such as Cleopatra and Hatshepsut to take power. This may not have been possible if it wasn’t for Sobekneferu’s perseverance towards taking over her kingdom.

However, it wasn’t easy. She had to partake in stereotypical male iconography by having a false beard in order to legitimise her rule and seem worthy of her position. She had to go against the beauty conventions of her own gender just in order to seem like an acceptable ruler.

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2. Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba (1583-1663)

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An exceptional leader, negotiator, and protector – yet she endured immense personal tragedy, including the murder of her son by her own brother, Mbandi. After Nzinga’s father had died Mbandi took over as the ruler of Ndongo while also receiving the title of ‘cruel king’. He also proceeded to kill future queen Nzinga’s son because he was considered a threat to Mbandi’s rule. Due to this Nzinga and her husband fled but had to return a few years later when Mbandi realised he needed his sisters help when the kingdom of Ndongo was under the attack of Portuguese colonizers.

In 1624 when her brother died, Nzinga became queen and continued to resist the Portuguese colonisation for more than 40 years. However, numerous compromises and agreements had to be made through out these years. For example, Nzinga agreed to convert to Christianity for political leverage to ensure the Portuguese do not kidnap her citizens and sell them into slavery.

Yet, the Portuguese continued to raid Ndongo lands, capturing people and selling them into slavery. Therefore, Nzinga and her citizens fled and founded a new state named Matamba where people wronged by the Portuguese were all welcome.

She further led her army into battle in her later 60s and ruled until the age of 81. Until today, she is remembered as the queen who stood up against European colonizers and saved her people from the Atlantic Slave Trade.

3. Rani Durgavati (1550 to 1564 CE)

Image Credit: Chennai Museum from Wikimedia Commons

Known as the Great Warrior Queen, Rani Durgavati took control of the government after her husband, Dalpat Shah, died in 1548, leaving the throne to their minor son, Bir Narayan. In 1564, she fought to defend her Gondwana kingdom against the Mughals by leading her army into battle and refusing to surrender. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Rani Durgavati fought until her last breath.

Two arrows struck her—one on her right temple and one on her neck. She attempted to continue fighting by removing them but eventually fell unconscious.

At that exact moment, she realised the battle was lost.The queen ordered her elephant rider to kill her with his dagger. When he refused and pleaded to take her to safety, she chose death over dishonour and stabbed herself. Rani Durgavati died as one of the bravest female rulers in Indian history.

Throughout her reign, she ensured Gondwana thrived—advancing the kingdom to a point where taxes were paid in elephants and gold coins. She oversaw the construction of reservoirs for the benefit of her people and strongly advocated for education.

Her strength is still honoured today in Jabalpur, India, where a university and museum bear her name.

4. Queen Tamar of Georgia (1184-1213)

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Born to King George III, Tamar became co-ruler of the throne at the age of 12, as per her father's wishes—he feared being ousted by his nephew, Demna. Tamar ruled alongside her father for six years, and after his death in 1184, she challenged societal misconceptions about women in power. She formed strategic alliances with senior royal members and, in a rare and courageous move for the 12th century, divorced her first husband on grounds of misconduct and alcoholism.

She later married for love and ruled over the most expansive Georgian territory in history. Balancing strength with compassion, she revoked her father’s brutal policies, abolishing torture, capital punishment, and severe physical penalties.

Still, Tamar faced persistent resistance from the nobility, who pressured her to produce a male heir. Her first husband, bolstered by mass popularity, attempted to overthrow her to restore patriarchal rule. Even rulers from the Seljuk Empire and the Sultanate of Rum gathered forces against her solely due to her gender. Undeterred, Tamar fought resolutely and earned the unprecedented title of King Tamar.

Legacy and Reflection

These women’s success is a testament to their resilience and their unwavering defiance of traditional expectations imposed on women in power.

While the world has shifted towards a rising trend in gender equality and feminism, we still observe discrimination and stereotyping.

However, by remembering and appreciating rulers like Sobekneferu, Queen Nzinga, Rani Durgavati, and Queen Tamar we question the single-dimensional view on history and create space for women’s contribution and leadership.

They are proof that leadership is not governed by gender but rather by compassion, resilience and courage. And to end this article I would like to cite organisational psychology research done by Cuadrado et al. in 2008 revealed that stereotypical female leadership styles were more valued in a simulated high-stress hospital emergency room environment. The rise of female leadership isn’t just long overdue, it is here to stay and empower.