The 10 most influential women in history

The story is told through the people and actions that changed the world. Among these people there are women, who are distinguished by their intelligence, their mental strength or the conviction when it comes to fighting for their ideals.

Although there are many women who have been relevant in the history of humanity, there are some who have become icons and references to understand the current world. This list with the 10 most influential women in history is a clear example of this.

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The 10 most influential women in history

Without these women the world would not be today as we know it. They have made contributions to the world in different fields such as the arts, science, politics, literature and even in fashion. In all of them they have left such a deep mark that they are recognized worldwide.

Her stories and her accomplishments are inspiring and motivating. For this reason we share a list of the most influential women in history. A brief review of its history and its most significant achievements.

1. Cleopatra VII (69 BC) C - 30 a. C)

Cleopatra was one of the most powerful women in the ancient world. At the age of 18 she came to the throne and, despite the fact that her mandate was fraught with difficulties from the beginning, her intelligence allowed him to bring out her government.

The story of Cleopatra was brought to the big screen, creating the myth that she was a woman of great physical beauty. However, her most recent research points to her as a woman with great cognitive and social skills rather than sublime beauty.

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2. Hypatia of Alexandria (AD 355) C - 415 d. C)

Hypatia of Alexandria is the first woman scientist in history. Her studies and experiments focused on mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy. Unfortunately none of her treatises were preserved, so Hypatia was somewhat forgotten for many years.

She led the Neoplatonic school of Alexandria and she died at the age of 45 or 60 at the hands of a mob of Christians. She invented the hydrometer, an instrument that determines the relative density of liquids without having to previously calculate their mass.

3. Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

Joan of Arc is one of the most influential women in history. At just 19 years old on the day of her death, Joan of Arc became an icon of bravery and intelligence for women. She is one of the most influential women in history.

Her childhood developed in the middle of the Hundred Years War, and at age 13 she began to lead the French army guided by voices she claimed to hear. This declaration led to her being tried and burned at the stake for witchcraft at the end of the war.

4. Ada Lovelace (1815 - 1852)

Ada Lovelace was a British-born mathematician, computer scientist and writer. She is considered to be the first computer programmer, as she created an algorithm capable of being read by a machine.

Ada published a series of notes on an analytical engine called Babbage. Although this invention was never built, it is considered the direct antecedent of modern computers. She was a woman ahead of her time and considered by many to be unconventional.

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5. Coco Chanel (1883 - 1971)

Coco Chanel was an influential woman not only in the world of fashion. Her personality left its mark not only in haute couture and fashion history, but also in the social sphere.

Her designs managed to break and unseat the very elegant but uncomfortable and impractical designs of the Belle Epoqué. With this fact, she made visible the new role of women and her influence in political and social life. She without a doubt she is one of the 100 most influential personalities of the 20th century.

6. Florence Nightingale (1820 - 1910)

Florence Nightingale is considered the mother of modern nursing. From a young age she had a taste for mathematics, and she applied her knowledge of statistics to epidemiology and health statistics.

Her outstanding collaboration in the Crimean War earned her admission to the Royal Statistical Society, becoming the first woman to enter. In 1860 she founded the first lay school of nursing, thereby laying the foundations for modern nursing.

7. Marie Curie (1867 - 1934)

Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes in different disciplines. In 1903 she became the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics. Later in 1911, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

She developed the theory of radioactivity, and was the first to propose its use to cure diseases. She together with her husband discovered and presented two chemical elements: polonium and radium.

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8. Virgina Woolf (1882 - 1941)

Virginia Woolf was a representative writer of 20th century modernism. "Mrs. Dallaway", "To the lighthouse" and "The waves" are some of her most famous and acclaimed works, in which she managed to perfect the inner monologue.

Because of her essay "A Room of My Own," the feminism of the 70's made her an emblem of her movement. In this work she reflects on the condition of women and her relationship with literary and artistic creation. For this reason, Ella Woolf is one of the most influential women in history.

9. Evita Perón (1919 - 1952)

Evita Perón was considered in Argentina as "Spiritual Head of the Nation". Married to Juan Domingo Perón, she became First Lady of Argentina when her husband took office in 1945.

Her struggles for labor and social equality made her a very influential character for Argentines. She fought for rights and equality between men and women in the political and social sphere. She created a foundation through which she built nursing homes, hospitals, and schools.

10. Rigoberta Menchú (1959)

Rigoberta is an indigenous and Guatemalan social fighter. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her defense of human rights and the defense of Latin American indigenous peoples.

She is currently a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, and although she ran for president of her her native country, her true interests and her actions are focused on the defense and dignity of the natives.

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Bibliographic references

• Duby, G. and Perrot, M. (2003). History of women in the West. Editorial Taurus Minor.

• Martínez, Virginia (2010). Century of women. Montevideo: Editions of the Oriental Band.

• Rodríguez, R.M. (1997). Women in the history of thought. Barcelona: Editorial Anthropos.