100 Most Important Women in History

100

Considered the first prominent female Punjabi writer. Best known for the poem Ajj aakhaan Waris Shah nu ("Ode to Waris Shah").

99

Australian swimmer considered "the forerunner of modern synchronized swimming". Greatly influenced swimming as a sport.

98

Nigerian novelist best known for her book The Joys of Motherhood. Often covered themes of female independence in her works.

97

French mathematician known for translating Newton's Principia into French and proposing a law of conservation of total energy and derivation of a quantifiable kinetic energy.

96

German composer who created Easter Sonata (initially incorrectly attributed to her brother along with many other works).

95

French volcanologist known for edging human survival limits in her research endeavors. Through her and her brother's recordings and other evidence, she was able to convince many authorities to evacuate after volcanic eruptions.

94

The first female professional balloonist (and the first woman to die in an aviation accident).

93

American writer, filmmaker, and activist. Known for her essay, "Notes on 'Camp'". Wrote about photography, AIDS, human rights, communism, and many other hot topics.

92

Tibetan princess known as the female Buddha for her influence on the development of Buddhism.

91

Known in many Islamic works as "Mother of the Believers". Muhammed's final wife and great influencer on Islam. Narrated 2,210 hadiths, both historical and proverbial, and gave inspiring speeches to troops in The Battle of the Camel against Ali.

90

Great writer who co-authored the book A Monetary History of the United States: 1867-1960, which faulted the American Federal Reserve System for the Great Crash of 1929 and ultimately the Great Depression, regarded as the most influential account of the great depression.

89

Nicknamed "Lady Edison" due to her innovations. Invented many machines and products that helped in the mass production of various products, and best known for inventing the typewriting machine, the can opener, and several sewing machines.

88

Distinguished German pianist prodigy who was featured on the 100 Deutsche Marc until the adoption of the Euro.

87

The only woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics (until 2018), earned for demonstrating how commonly-owned properties can be used cooperatively.

86

Founded her own eponymous cosmetics company and became one of the richest self-made women in history.

85

Dutch track and field athlete who won four Olympic gold medals in 1948. Helped dismantle the myth that being a mother and an athlete are mutually exclusive.

84

English satirical novelist best known for Evelina. Her works offer insight into high 1700's English society.

83

Welsh Artist unappreciated in her lifetime. Since her death, her popularity has greatly increased.

82

Appointed first commander of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Oversaw the expansion of the organization before leaving to become the commander of the Women's Royal Air Force.

81

One of the first professional English Footballers, posthumously an LGBT icon in sports.

80

One of the few women who fought for Russia in WWI and did not hide their gender. After the first Russian Revolution, she was made commander of the first all-female Battalion of Death.

79

Japanese Novelist born in the 10th century. Best known for her novel The Tale of Genji.

78

Co-founder of Mattel, which would go on to produce and sell her creation, the Barbie doll.

77

Indian freedom fighter and poet. The first woman to be President of the Indian National Congress and to be appointed governor of an Indian State. Played a leading role in the civil disobedience movement in Colonial India.

76

Norwegian Figure skater who became the first woman figure skater to wear her skirt above the knee, enabling her to excel in the sport and win three Olympic gold medals. Became a Hollywood actor later in life.

75

The first black woman to make a major impact on international Track and Field. Won three Olympic gold medals and went on to ambassadorial work in Africa and campaigning for the American Civil Rights movement.

74

Frenchwoman who organized an event that would evolve into the Women's World Games, pressuring the Olympic Committee to create more women's events.

73

Controversial American radical feminist best known for her analysis of pornography as a tool used to control women, who also often examined subjects through a feminist perspective, including histories and fairy tales.

72

De facto Chinese empress during the late Qing Dynasty. Initially a low concubine for the emperor, she consolidated power after the emperor's death to become the sole ruler. Considered a ruthless despot today, she is still proof that women are capable of holding powerful positions.

71

English novelist who took a male pen name to be taken seriously. Known for her novels Middlemarch and Slias Marner.

70

Economist who showed how to address hidden unemployment and low wages. The first woman to be made an honorary member of King's College.

69

Englishwoman who exceled in lawn tennis, golf, archery, hockey, skating, tobogganing, and mountaineering.

68

German naturalist who left her unhappy marriage to sell her illustrations of various plants' lifecycles.

67

French sportswoman and pilot who piloted in the First World War and earned a Croix de Guerre. Later she would contribute towards a female air ambulance service in WWII.

66

Swedish woman who pioneered physical education, founding the first Physical Educator's college in England and advocating for rational dress in sports.

65

British scientist who wrote the book Physical Geography, and predicted the position of Neptune based on the slight irregular motions of Uranus. Currently featured on the Royal Bank of Scotland's plastic 10 pound note

64

The fourth Judge of pre-monarchy Israel. A prophet who was told by God to lead an army against a Canaanite army to win an overwhelming victory, according to the Book of Judges.

63

A pioneer in women's cricket, and helped develop the world cup for the women's sport.

62

The first self-made billionaire in America. Started an eponymous (after she changed her name) beauty and hair products company for African Americans.

61

French tennis player with multiple grand slam titles and two Olympic gold medals. Became the first person to win three Wimbledon championships in a year.

60

British welfare campaigner during the Second Boer War. Raised social awareness for the poor treatment of displaced Boers and successfully challenged the British government.

59

English author, composer, and campaigner for women's rights. Produced the opera The Wreckers.

58

The first woman to swim across the English Channel, and did it two hours faster than any men before her had done.

57

The first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

56

Europe's first female professor. Introduced Newtonian mechanics to Italy.

55

Invented a movable camera that could display video of a front door on a TV screen in order to protect the homeowner and residents.

54

The first woman and first Iranian to win the Field's medal and solved mathematical problems too complex for me to understand enough to describe here.

53

The first female head of government ever, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

52

Russian poet who secretly wrote of the suffering of Russian people during the Soviet Union's reign.

51

A nurse during the American Civil War known as the "Angel of the Battlefield" for treating both Union and Confederate soldiers. Went on to establish the Red Cross.

50

Chilean poet who wrote about morality and motherhood. First Latin American author to win the Nobel Prize.

49

India's first and only female prime minister.

48

First female publisher of a major American newspaper (The Washington Post), and after taking the company public, the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Oversaw the publishing of the Pentagon Papers and coverage of the Watergate scandal.

47

African-American author and anthropologist who wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God and made major contributions to studies of North American and Caribbean folklore.

46

Italian Baroque Painter who painted Susanna and the Elders and Judith Slaying Holofernes.

45

French fashion designer with a famous eponymous fashion brand.

44

English playwright who wrote The Rover.

43

The first American woman to earn a pilot license who became a stunt pilot.

42

Victorian-Era British explorer and writer who explored all over the world by boat, horse, or on foot.

41

Queen of France and mother of three kings. Remembered for her artistic patronage.

40

Austrian Physicist who discovered the element Protactinium as well as nuclear fission. Namesake of the 109th element.

39

Pioneering journalist who wrote powerful stories about the poor and corruption. Circumnavigated the world on her own in 72 days, setting a new world record.

38

Shoshone Interpreter who led Lewis and Clark's expedition across America all while holding her newborn on her back. Featured on the US dollar coin.

37

Humanitarian and suffragist British MP who later worked with Spanish and Jewish refugees during the rise of fascism in Europe.

36

Alexandrian mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. Earliest known female mathematician whose works are preserved.

35

Byzantine Empress; one the first to recognize women's rights, rewriting divorce laws to give equal benefits to women and prohibiting the trafficking of women.

34

Mexican painter and icon for many minority groups. Often overshadowed by her husband in life, is now praised as an important member of the surrealist movement.

33

Computer Scientist and US Navy rear admiral. First woman to earn a PhD in Mathematics from Yale University. Developed the early programming language COBOL

32

Writer and philosopher who wrote The Second Sex, which greatly influenced post-war feminism and gender discussions.

31

British modernist novelist who wrote Mrs Dalloway and A Room of One's Own. Also contributed to the founding of the Bloomsbury Group.

30

Kenyan environmentalist who founded the Green Belt Movement (similar to what Jetpunk contributes to!). The first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree, and the first African woman to earn the Nobel Peace Prize.

29

Catholic saint who pushed for Church reform after the Black Death.

28

Queen of Castile who unified the kingdom with Aragon to form the Kingdom of Spain and bring it towards global prominence.

27

French Saint and warrior. Led France to take back land in the Hundred Year's War before being executed for heresy by the British.

26

Paleontologist who discovered many fossils of extinct species that helped popularize the theory of evolution.

25

English Quaker known as the "Angel of Prisons" who campaigned to make prisons more humane. She also improved British hospitals and treatments of the mentally ill.

24

Final ruler of Egypt's Ptolemaic Dynasty. Potentially the most famous Egyptian.

23

British intelligence officer and member of the Special Operations Executive during World War II who was able to trace every missing SOE agent besides one.

22

"Great" Russian Empress who modernized and expanded the country. Patron of arts and education.

21

Author of Frankenstein.

20

Albanian Catholic nun who worked in Calcutta. Founded the Missionaries of Charity.

19

Self-designated nurse during the Crimean War who offered shelter and treatment to injured soldiers in her Hotel.

18

British activist who campaigned against sexual double standards in the medical field such as compulsory examinations of women, and later against child prostitution and international sex trafficking.

17

Second-longest reigning British monarch. Oversaw the empire through a period of changed named after her.

16

The first woman to fly across the Atlantic ocean. During an attempt to circumnavigate the world, she disappeared, and the reason remains a mystery to this day.

15

Princess of Wales famous for her charity work and activism, including helping sick children, banning landmines, and raising awareness of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and mental illness.

14

Queen of the Iceni tribe during the Roman occupation of Britain who rallied the Celtic tribes to revolt against the Romans, driving them out of major cities.

13

Author of Pride and Prejudice.

12

Sinless mother of Jesus, according to the Gospels.

11

One of the richest women of the middle ages, who was wife to both Louis VII of France and Henry the Young King of England, thus holding an important position in both countries' histories.

10

Scottish sex educator and advocate for birth control who wrote Wise Parenting.

9

The Mother of modern medical practice, a nurse in the Crimean War who reported to the army medical services on how to reduce avoidable deaths and established a permanent military nursing service after the war.

8

English writer and philosopher who was essential in the foundations of feminism. Wrote A Vindication for the Rights of Woman.

7

English philanthropist who pioneered social housing and financed the redevelopment of East London. Made a baroness by the Queen for her work with the poor.

6

First female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom called the "Iron Lady" for her uncompromising politics and leadership style.

5

Expert crystallographer who photographed DNA for the first time.

4

Mathematician and considered to be the first computer programmer.

3

Founded the Women's Social and Political Union and rallied thousands of women to demand the right to vote in Britain.

2

The female face of the Civil Rights movement in the United States. Challenged segregation by refusing to give up her seat on the bus.

1

Founder of the science of radioactivity. First human to win the Nobel prize twice. Identified Radium and Polonium. Funded laboratories in Europe and the US to develop cancer treatments. Equipped Ambulances with X-Ray gear in the First World War and drove them to the front lines herself. Namesake of the 96th element.