History has some badass queens. Urban dictionary defines badass as "An uncommon man of supreme style. He does what he wants when he wants, where he wants." We are here to show you how wrong that is. Women are badass and are kicking butts today; everyone knows that. But there are plenty of badass women in history.
In this list, you'll find amazing and strong women who used their power and intelligence to drive armies to victory and secure the future of their people.
These queens loved power and used it to make the world they lived in a better place. Against all the odds, they alone held kingdoms and empires on their shoulders to make them great, and they succeeded. As women, the fact that they ruled empires and kingdoms hundreds of years ago made them astonishing visionaries that succeeded when everyone doubted them.
Thankfully, they are in the pages of history to show us that strong women have always been capable of ruling a country on their own.
Nzinga Mbande, Queen Of Ndongo And Matamba

Queen Nzinga starts our list of badass queens. She received political and military training from a tender age, which helped her fight wars against the Portuguese during the rapid growth of the African-slave trade, offering sanctuary to runaway slaves.
Her reign lasted 37 years, and for the majority of such, she fought for the freedom of her people. This gave her recognition as The Mother of Angola and she is remembered for her military tactics.
As a symbol against oppression, she set a precedent in making it viable for women to be rulers and made way for her female successors. For the next 104 years after her death, women ruled for 80 of them.
Tamar The Great, Queen Of Georgia

Georgia is a land that has been fighting for its freedom for almost two thousand years. Queen Tamar is one of the most loved queens in Georgian history. She took the kingdom to one of its greatest extensions and wealth of all time.
Born in 1160, she was the first female ruler in her country, who also happened to rule under the title of "mepe," which means king. She ruled since 1178 as co-ruler with her father; as such, she held significant power from a young age. However, after her father died, she faced massive opposition because of her gender. The lack of female rulers before her put a question mark on her legitimacy. But she quickly managed to neutralize them, and, in the meantime, built an empire. Pretty badass queen if you ask me.
She was married twice. After her divorce, she banished her ex-husband because she didn't want any coup attempts from him. Her historical importance comes from her military, cultural, and diplomatic accomplishments while being a woman in an incredibly tough time. The result? She's idolized in Georgian culture, and her reign is known as the Georgian Golden Age.
Catherine The Great, Empress Of Russia

Catherine is one of the most obvious choices for the most badass queens list because she is the longest-ruling female leader in Russia. Her reign lasted from 1762 to 1796. She came to power by organizing a coup d' état to overthrow her husband, Peter III. Russia became one of the most influential Empires at the time, absorbing many populations of the Ottoman Empire at its borders, such as Crimea, shaping a significant portion of the Russian Empire for the following century.
Her reign is considered the Golden Age of Russia as she modernized Russia and created the first institution for the education of women financed by the state. She was a patron of arts and culture, taking the first steps towards a state-funded education in Russia.
Elizabeth I, Queen Of England

Elizabeth is one of the most celebrated queens in British history. She was the daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Also known as The Virgin Queen. She suffered a ton of uncertainty while growing up after her mother's execution, and she was declared illegitimate. She reigned after her sister Mary, which had interrupted their father's project to establish the Anglican Church. This produced an ongoing war with her cousin Mary Stuart, whom she believed wanted her crown, as she was the Catholic's choice for the heir of the throne.
Arts and drama flourished in the Elizabethan era (you may know of a guy named William Shakespeare). Even though she didn't produce an heir, which was the only thing many believed would stabilize the kingdom, she secured an Anglican heir to the throne, absorbing Scotland and creating The Kingdom of Great Britain in the process.
If that's not a badass queen for you…
When she was born, her father mourned as he longed for a boy who could pacify England. However, Elizabeth did that better than her half-brother and ruled for more than 44 years, one of the longest reigns in the history of England. For this reason, she became celebrated and a cult formed around her purity and commitment to her people.
Wu Zetian, Empress Of China

Last but not least on our badass queens' list, Wu Zetian. She is the only Empress in the history of China. She was the emperor's concubine, and then she married his successor, which secured a powerful position for her. After his death, she became the administrator of the court for fifteen years.
She married again, to Emperor Goazong, a happy marriage that lasted 18 years. Many thought she was the hand that rocked the crib, and to prove it, after his death, she was declared regent and then became the only Empress in Chinese history.
She accomplished fantastic things for the Empire. She expanded its territory, supported Taoism, and brokered peace agreements peace between clans. Empress Wu Zetian got very ill in her last few years, so she abdicated the throne and was known as Empress for the rest of her life.
What do you think about the list? Would you add any other badass queens to it?