Top 20 Badass Historical Women You've Probably NEVER Heard Of

They made history. So why haven't more people heard of them? Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most groundbreaking women whom the history books don’t accord the recognition they deserve. Our countdown includes Rani of Jhansi, Hatshepsut, Maya Deren, and more! Which of these powerful ladies do YOU find the most inspiring? Let us know in the comments below!
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MsMojo is a leading producer of reference online video content of Top 10 Lists, Origins, Biographies, Commentary and more on Pop Culture, Celebrity, Movies, Music, TV, Film, Video Games, Politics, News, Comics, Superheroes. Your trusted authority on ranking Pop Culture.
#Badass #History #NeverHeardOf #Women #Groundbreaking

[@MsMojo]

Which of these powerful ladies do YOU find the most inspiring? Let us know below, and be sure to also check out our video of the Top 10 Badass Women Travellers in History - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqvQfqKKZ8iam5o

[@abigailaceves9230]

These women should’ve been in history books more as they should. And even in movies & TV shows.

[@CherylWood-dd7zm]

Adding Anne Bonny and Boudica to the list for a Part 2. Also, video idea - women you've heard of but not about how badass they were, i.e. Catherine of Aragon. That would be rad.

[@kandipiatkowski8589]

This video goes in line with my favoite saying "well behaved women rarely make history". My favorite smart female historic figures is Heddy Lamarr. She was an actress, but also invented a radio broadcast system that eventually became wifi, Bluetooth, and secure military communication. She received a patent for her work, but the military just filed it away. She was not aware when the patent expired, so didn't receive any compensation at the time.

[@cheyennebrennan966]

I've heard of quite a lot of these ladies, but it's always wonderful to see them lauded more widely. ❤

[@pedallove7058]

Thank you for this! Please do more of this type of content.

[@MsMojo]

We'd love to! Let us know if there are any particular topics you'd like to see :)

[@mitsukai7192]

​@@MsMojo If you haven't done so already, could you please do a video covering Henrietta Lacks? It's thanks to her DNA that we have many of the medical cures and/or vaccines that exist today.

[@guidorotunda1321]

Hatshepust is someone a movie should be made about

[@JuliaKapp]

Hatshepust, her riegn was peaceful and prosperous. Sounds like a woman leader. How sad American has failed to use that wisdom 😂😢

[@kandrews-b8l]

Only if they are allowed to change the truth. The Egyptian history is a story they have been trying to ....

[@rebeccablackburn9487]

I did an entire paper about Hatshepust for a college class. She was a great leader- like Cleopatra without all the man drama and much more brains!!

[@guidorotunda1321]

@@rebeccablackburn9487 We do know Hatshepsut was one of Cleopatra's influences

[@skytimely]

Didn’t watch the video yet but I hope they mention Boudica, she was a great ruler

[@purplecapricorn79]

Hatshepsut is my FAVORITE historical figure!!

[@cindywells9119]

Some other favorite badass names to look up: Hypatia of Alexandria Hildegard of Bingen Christine de Pizan Ada Lovelace

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

And Aud the Deep Minded. Her husband and son were both killed (years apart and he was her only kid) and she organized an escape from the Scottish Hebrides with her grandchildren, followers, and slaves by having a boat built in the forest. I assume so no one would catch them. They were some of the first to set up in what's now Iceland and she was like the matriarch of their little colony for decades. She was large and in charge for a lady of her time lmao

[@MsMojo]

Love this!

[@NynyshAulia]

Well... No one talks about Historical Women of Indonesia, huh? Okay. I want ALL of you search these names on Google or Wikipedia: RA. Kartini, Maria Walanda Maramis, Malahayati, Tjut Njak Dien, Tjut Njak Meutia, Raden Dewi Sartika,...the list goes on. OR, if you want to see the list type "Indonesia's Historical Women list" and there you'll know all of their names. Your welcome 😊

[@kevindagame]

Wow, I was shocked to see Queen Amanirenas on here, let alone #1. She's my favorite

[@WilliamTheGreen]

Further proof that women can achieve just as much greatness as men

[@baliyae]

I agree.

[@tomboyjessie1352]

True that

[@andrewkatz6649]

Great list! The only one I've heard of before was Hatshepsut.

[@Ilikefrogs..]

I can’t wait to see if I can find some docs about these amazing women 💕 I remember watching one about Hatshepsut when I was a kid that I LOVED.

[@marcoeugenio1021]

Niveves Fernandez a Teacher and a Filipina Captain of the Filipino Resistance during WWII. She's a badass

[@JorgeMedina-b2b]

😳😲🎊🙀

[@christinespiliopoulos5379]

Glad that Nancy Wake was on the list, fascinating woman

[@JuliaKapp]

I would love to see a film made about Bessie Coleman! I never heard of her until now. What a brave and amazing woman. ❤

[@entertainmentpowerfuchs5744]

Chyna was also pretty Badass. R.I.P. Warrior Princess

[@joyunicycle]

Dear Hollywood: Do you want to make more historical "girl power" movies/TV series? Here's your list, stop butchering historical figures by shoehorning the wrong themes (hint, hint to you My Lady Jane), and make sure to thank MsMojo for her contribution!

[@ninaknox1993]

I love this list , makes me proud to be a woman ❤👸🏻👸🏼👸🏽👸🏾👸🏿👸

[@springheartedtiger]

Same 👸🏾

[@bdfoxfire]

Constance Georgine Markievicz (Polish: Markiewicz [marˈkʲɛvitʂ]; née Gore-Booth; 4 February 1868 - 15 July 1927), also known as Countess Markievicz and Madame Markievicz,[2] was an Irish politician, revolutionary, nationalist, suffragist, socialist, and the first woman elected to the Westminster Parliament. She was elected Minister for Labour in the First Dáil, becoming the second female cabinet minister in Europe she took part in the Easter Rising in 1916, when Irish republicans attempted to end British rule and establish an Irish Republic. She was sentenced to death but her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment[3] on the grounds of her sex.

[@guidorotunda1321]

A good one you left off was Artemisia I of Caria

[@rndmpinkiepie64]

Another example of the US educational system failure. Covering the accomplishments of women and people of color. I graduated in '04 and in both years of World History classes, i was taught about white men in the US and England, Christopher Columbus (which was completely inaccurate to begin with) or WWI/WWII. Nothing else. These women are fascinating and i really want to know more

[@bifa5414]

In polish shools we are learning about Irena Sendlerowa. She wasn't the only one who was trying to save kids from getto but she saved the most of them, such an amazing person

[@samuelcollantes1175]

Amanirenas. Happy thursday night, Samantha, take care and God bless you. Greetings from Colombia to you as well

[@michellerindal8836]

They forgot Virginia Hall, Boudicca, Mary Read , Anne Bonny, and there is many more that I can't remember

[@gamerzilla6113]

Wow, I almost thought you wouldn't include Khutulun!

[@gamerzilla6113]

(Mongolian here)

[@盧璘壽로인수]

Khutulun is somehow said to be the inspiration of Puccini's Turandot

[@corvus1374]

Ranavalona III of Madagascar, Boudica, Josephine Baker.

[@tomboyjessie1352]

Maaaan, I can't believe these queens were overlooked!

[@VGobaira]

Hatsepshut better be on this list

[@gracehowell.]

Hannah Jewell wrote a book '100 Nasty Women of History' which I highly recommend to everyone who wants to read about amazing women of history. It's organised by category and it's written in a light-hearted way (except for the category about war heroines, out of respect for those who died). It's amazing; even my mother, who doesn't read non-fiction, devoured it.

[@springheartedtiger]

Grace O’Malley’s story sounds a little like Mulan

[@racheljackson4428]

it does!

[@盧璘壽로인수]

you should read about Mu Guiying

[@g_clayton]

if Hollywood makes a movie about any of these ladies, people would be claiming is "woke propaganda" 😭

[@tomboyjessie1352]

We had movies with female leads before the woke stuff, what's stopping them now?

[@donaldwert7137]

Irena Sendler's words about being annoyed when people call her a hero because she was fulfilling a human responsibility to extend a helping hand are incredibly powerful.

[@jenniferburns2530]

A family member of mine graduated from Rosalind Franklin Medical College in Illinois. Until he was accepted there, I had never heard of her.

[@katherineknapp4370]

Epic

[@ithydoodles]

Miracle of Sound has a song about her 1:24

[@kleine.5438]

If you're able to find more women in history that people didn't know (or men also) will definitely be hoping for an eventual part 2 please 🤞🥺🙏?

[@ravens-crypt]

What about the women who made it possible for women to get jobs without dressing up as a man in the Edwardian England the reason was because at the time women made up most of the population and so the tradition of women marrying into a well off family wasn’t a sure thing anymore I’ve forgotten her name and I’ve since lost the doc 8:55 NW had the money she owed paid off by the then prince Charles also in the hotel she lived in before her death in the bar there’s a set in memory of her she also give her medals to a museum in Australia. What about Vera Atkins she was essential asset to the s.o.e in ww2 in the office she even went to Europe after the war to find out what happened to the agents both man and woman so she could give their family some form of closure as to know what happened to their loved ones because she felt she owed them that.

[@alexycaceresgiraud328]

That is why I firmly say women are no less than anybody!

[@majinsole8554]

I know some of these have films, but if there are more please someone lmk because these are just awesome stories. ~_~

[@alantodd5823]

Two young women barely old enough to drink or smoke in our modern times fought back against the Nazis in The Netherlands should get a mention. Freddie and Truus Oversteegan fought hard died young.

[@baliyae]

Never underestimate the power of women. They’re just as capable of doing great things as men.

[@chloebriskin5047]

As an ethnic Ukr. This a great

[@claudine1928]

We really need to rewrite the historybooks! The medical seringe, the dingy at sea, outside firestairs escapes, early radar, radium for xrays, all female inventians, that save lives. The women in an English college, that did the real starmapping not the proffesor named, that is still used today. The woman who made tbe monopolly game, instead of the man who stole it and sold it as his own. And then this list, most i didn't know, and can't name. Rewrite those historybooks, and teach this at schools worldwide!!!

[@meriambenabdallah9495]

I know another one Dihya al khania.

[@noralevy-omari5540]

T.T where are Dihya aka the Kahena THE Amazir queen who fought the arab advence in magreb and Marie Marvain that the Times called the most extraordinary woman since Johan of Arc

[@Grimlock1979]

Boudhica?

[@TheOneWhoIsWise]

How about top 5 badass Native American women 🤍💛❤️🖤

[@chelhizakaria2432]

stupid list there is a lot of great women you didnt put.for ex ; Al-Qarawiyyin is the world's first university. the founder is Fatima al-Fihriya

[@RazaAli-l3h]

I usually stayed away from politics but in a 8 years span 2 female presidential candidates lost election very badly in the USA …What are you talking about… ????

[@corvus1374]

Hilary won the popular vote, and Trump got less than 51 per cent against Kamala, so I don't know what you mean by very badly.

[@kathyastrom1315]

Twenty years ago, I got my first cat. When trying to come up with a name, I knew I wanted an Egyptian one because she was all black and reminded me of the cat statues found in ancient tombs. The only two women I knew from ancient Egypt were Hatshepsut and Nefertiti, but I couldn’t think of a way to abbreviate either of those names, so I eventually settled on Nefertiti’s (and her husband’s) capital city of Amarna. When I got my second cat, I wanted to use a name of one of my childhood heroines. After bringing her home, she explored my apartment instead of hiding, so I called her Nellie after Nellie Bly-I thought “Around the apartment in 72 minutes” (Bly had traveled around the world in 72 days). Nellie Bly is sadly also not well known today-she was a Final Jeopardy question several years ago, and no one knew her while I was yelling her name at my tv.

[@mythicalgirl2005]

I mean if you named her Nefertiti you could abbreviate it to titi