The Reign Continues: 27 Captivating Facts about Queens – Part 2

Empress Kōken of Japan nearly made a Buddhist monk Dōkyō her successor on the throne. This would have broken the line of Japanese monarchs all being descendants of Amaterasu, and completely shifted the Imperial dynasty forever.

Cleopatra, while born Egyptian, traced her origins to Greece, may have been more renowned for her intellect than her appearance. She spoke as many as a dozen languages, was well educated and was later described as a ruler “who elevated the ranks of scholars and enjoyed their company.”

Elizabeth of Russia received little education, no one wanted to marry her because her mother was a peasant, and her finacé was murdered. Regardless, when she became Empress of Russia she built the University of Moscow, the Winter Palace, and would pay the dowry of future brides.

A Russian queen named Olga buried Nobles alive, burned the royalty, slayed everyone at her husband’s funeral, and set their remaining town on fire, with birds, because they killed her king.

Velu Nachiyar was the first queen to fight against the British colonial power in India. After her husband was killed by British soldiers, she raised an army and repelled the British in 1780. She is one of the few rulers who regained her kingdom and ruled it for 10 more years.

Queen Victoria, the matriarch of the British Empire proposed to her future husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha because according to tradition a man couldn’t propose to the queen.

Wu Zetian is the only reigning Empress of China who was the wife of two different emperors. She eventually usurped the throne and ruled through brutal use of murder, betrayal, and secret police forces.

Mary, Queen of Scots who was suspected of murdering her husband fled to England for help. Her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, threatened by Mary’s claim to her throne, imprisoned her for 19 years then beheaded her. Elizabeth had no children so Mary’s son ironically became the first king over England, Scotland, and Ireland.

In 1632, a year after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, the Empress consort of the Mughal Empire, her husband emperor Shah Jahan had her body exhumed and brought to Agra. Then he started work on building her a mausoleum. 22 years later the Taj Mahal was finished.

Queen Isabella of France; frustrated, humiliated, and tired of her husband; fled England, tricked him to send their son, invaded England with her lover (enemy and fugitive of her husband), and defeated him.