5 Stories of Kick-Ass Women Written Out of History

[redqueen]

When most of us name daring and adventurous figures from the past, we think of men. Pirates such as Blackbeard, explorers like Louis and Clark, Magellan, or Alexander the Great fill our history books and give us examples of courage and fortitude. However, there are also vast swaths of female history that have been, sadly, left out of these textbooks. So let’s explore just a fraction of these women and celebrate their accomplishments as well.

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Dahomey’s Warrior Women

Speaking of West Africa, the Dahomey Warrior Women involves a fascinating history that spans nearly 200 years. It was during this time that the elite squad of female warriors fought and died for the border rights and inter-tribal issues in the ancient kingdom of Dahomey.

These women, who outranked their male counterparts, were given far more privileges, including the ability to come and go from the palaces as they pleased (unlike the men). They were so revered for their warrior prowess, The Smithsonian explains, that men were taught to keep their distance:

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Shagrat Al Durr

Many of us have no problem remembering who Louis IX is. But do we really know about the woman who crushed his crusade attempt in Egypt? Shagrat Al Durr was known as the woman ‘behind the throne.’ Her husband was a great leader, but when he grew ill and died, she hid his death and continued advising troops on her own. Eventually, his death was discovered, but Al Durr did not just shrink away. No, she took the throne herself and in doing so, sent a devastating blow to would-be conquerors.

However, at the time Egypt was under the rule of the Caliph of Baghdad. Unhappy with a female running the show, the Caliph sent over his own ruler, Aibak. Shagrat reluctantly agreed to step down, but refused to let it end there. She seduces Aibak, marries him and because she had far more knowledge of administration and rule, essentially ran the empire for another seven years.

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http://www.care2.com/causes/5-stories-of-kick-ass-women-written-out-of-history.html