20 mischievous young women who were pulling the strings through their men

Anne Boleyn is best known for having been the second wife of Henry VIII, who had her beheaded for treason. Yet she spent years plotting to dismantle the English religious system so that she could marry Henry. She urged him to divorce his first wife, break with the Catholic Church, and proclaim himself head of the Church of England.

Cleopatra did not become queen of Egypt by sitting idly by and waiting for guests to arrive. She used her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony as leverage to preserve Egypt’s sovereignty in the face of Rome. When her reign was threatened by Rome’s rising power, she made herself indispensable to the most powerful men in the region.

While Augustus was the public face of the Roman Empire, Livia quietly ruled it from behind the scenes. She safeguarded her husband’s reputation and settled his disputes with their sons so that her own son could inherit the throne. While Augustus had monuments erected throughout Rome, Livia pulled the strings behind the scenes to control the government.

King Louis XV loved his wife so much that he entrusted her with the management of virtually his entire court. Madame de Pompadour oversaw official appointments and exercised a veto over foreign policy, much like an unofficial prime minister of France. She ran Versailles with such skill that one could almost consider the palace her plaything.

Few women have spoken out as candidly as Theodora when it came to advancing women’s rights. She also backed up her boldness with unwavering courage. When rioters attempted to overthrow her husband’s government, she single-handedly managed to convince him to stay and fight.

Just because Emperor Jahangir wasn’t personally involved in building his empire didn’t mean that no one at his court was taking charge of it. His wife, Nur Jahan, spent her time away from their newborn child, literally running the Mughal Empire. She had her name inscribed on all official documents and coins, which was unheard of at the time.

Wallis Simpson drove a king so mad that he willingly gave up an empire for her love. Edward VIII was so deeply in love with this woman—who refused to grant him a divorce—that he became the first monarch to abdicate the British throne. Many wonder whether she was a heroine or a villain in this story.

John Adams let his wife read all his letters to Thomas Jefferson; she was, in a sense, his “co-president” during his term in office. In those letters, she expressed everything he was not allowed to consider as a man during the Age of Enlightenment. She served unofficially as his political advisor, and he consulted her on every important decision.

Agrippina was willing to do anything to have her son proclaimed emperor, even if it meant eliminating her own husband. When Emperor Claudius refused to marry her daughter, she had him killed with poisoned mushrooms. Nothing could stand in Agrippina’s way as she sought to control the Roman Empire through her son.

Sarah Churchill was the Duchess of Marlborough and Queen Anne’s closest confidante, which made her, for many years, the most powerful woman in England. She controlled access to the queen and used her position to advance her husband’s military career and defend the interests of her own political party. Her fiery personality eventually led to her being expelled from court.

Cixi began as a mere concubine, but she managed to rule China from behind the scenes for nearly fifty years. She skillfully navigated the turbulent waters of the Qing Dynasty by placing young emperors on the throne and assuming the role of regent. Her ability to maintain control of a vast empire during a time of major global upheaval is a testament to her ruthless political instinct.

The Ottoman Empire was governed by a strict hierarchy when it came to women, but Roxelana managed to rise to the top. Starting out as a mere concubine, she eventually became the lawful wife of Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent. Not only did she live by his side in the palace, but she also became his closest political advisor.

Argentina was captivated by Evita’s passion, which literally enabled her to lead the country. She bypassed her husband’s government by speaking directly to the people. Eva Perón established herself as the voice of the working class, thereby providing Juan Perón with a direct connection to every man, woman, and child.

The wives of the kings of France who preceded Catherine have all been forgotten by history. During the reigns of her four husbands, Catherine was the power behind the throne. She remained actively involved in their political affairs by pitting one family against another.

Pericles’ wife may not have been the official leader of Athens, but she was the one who ran the household. It was said that Aspasia was the real mastermind behind his speeches, which are considered some of the greatest masterpieces of democracy. She hosted Athens’ most prominent figures in her home.

Isabelle did not marry Ferdinand of Aragon simply to be a devoted wife; she was determined to rule her own kingdom of Castile with absolute authority. Together, they reshaped Spain, but it was often Isabella who made the most important decisions, such as funding Christopher Columbus’s voyage. She proved that a woman could be both a warrior and a stateswoman while perfectly managing her political partnership with her husband.

Since Eleanor of Aquitaine made her mark on medieval Europe, no woman has truly followed in her footsteps. She did not allow her husbands to dictate her actions and effectively ruled her own duchy while openly standing up to them. When her husbands needed her to be away, she would set out on a crusade with her own army.

Marie-Thérèse inherited the Habsburg throne only because her father believed that women were unfit to rule. She went on to expand the empire during her reign and literally imposed her will on her European allies. While caring for her husband and her sixteen children, she nevertheless found the time to reform the educational and military systems.

Dolley Madison effectively invented the role of the modern First Lady by hosting social gatherings to ease tensions between rival political factions in Washington. She knew that a successful dinner could do more for her husband’s agenda than a hundred debates in Congress. Her charm was a strategic asset that helped James Madison’s presidency proceed much more smoothly.

Mao Zedong’s wife was both every artist’s nightmare and his trusted advisor. She led the Chinese Cultural Revolution by claiming to know Chairman Mao’s official views on art. Although her reputation is a matter of debate, she was the éminence grise of the Chinese Cultural Revolution.