THE 37 MOST FAMOUS AND IMPORTANT WOMEN IN HISTORY - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Today I come with a list of the 30 most famous women in history, from Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe, through Ana Bolena or even Frida Kahlo. All of them prominent figures and with a lot of weight in society.

In addition, I have tried to bring together experts in different fields, such as scientists, artists or politics. All these women have been important in different sectors and areas of life; do not tell yourself in the order, it is not a list from highest to lowest importance.

Anne Boleyn (1501 - 1536)

Ana Bolena was second wife of King Henry VIII of England and queen consort. The monarch himself would break his previous bond with Catalina to seek love - and a child - with Ana.

The Church prevented him from consummating his new marriage, to which, Enrique would respond by breaking ties with the Holy See.

Unfortunately for her, Ana Bolena would end up beheaded after being accused of adultery by her closest circles.

Elizabeth II of England (1926 - present)

Elizabeth II is the longest-lived Queen in the history of the United Kingdom. Her reign is known for the incredible acceptance it has among the population.

In addition, she holds the role of Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Marie Curie (1867 - 1934)

Taking the surname of her husband, Pierre Curie, Maria Sklodowska was born in Poland in 1867 to dedicate a lifetime to science.

His professional activity in the study of radioactivity earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Mata Hari (1867 - 1917)

Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was a famous French spy for the German Government.

It was precisely this combination that led her to a French court ordering her death for treason.

Victoria I of England (1819 - 1901)

Queen Victoria I of England gave rise to what is known as the "Victorian" era. She led the country during its industrial boom, making it the world's leading power.

His policies were conservative and consolidated the middle class as well as succeeding in colonial expansion.

Virgnia Woolf (1882 - 1941)

Author of the well-known work The Waves, Woolf would lead a somewhat extravagant life, making friends with numerous celebrities of the time.

He ended his life by committing suicide. The reason? He suffered a constant fear of suffering some kind of insanity due to his advanced age.

Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954)

Famous Mexican painter. Framed in surrealist painting, Frida devoted most of her works to self-portraits.

Likewise, her political activity was also news in the artist, being a famous communist.

Teresa of Calcutta (1910 - 1997)

World famous, Teresa of Calcutta founded the Missionaries of Charity Congregation to dedicate a lifetime to helping others.

In 1979 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. And if that were not enough, John Paul II would open the cause of his canonization.

María Callas (1915 - 1963)

María Callas has been one of the best sopranos in all of history. Her meteoric career led her to sing on countless stages with the most prestigious orchestras in the world.

Unfortunately, his blurred and controversial personal life would be used as an instrument to destroy his fame.

Edith Piaf (1915 - 1963)

Edith Piaf spent her childhood living in the house of prostitutes that her grandmother ran. It would be precisely there where she would begin to unleash her great voice.

He would consolidate his potential and his fame by recording different popular songs with Louis A. Gassion, his father.

Joan of Arc (1412 - 1431)

Joan of Arc was a soldier at the head of the French royal army, under the command of King Carlos VII, who expelled the English. Her end was tragic since she died at the stake condemned for heresy because of her wisdom.

In 1920, Pope Benedict XV would grant her the title of saint.

Indira Gandhi (1917 - 1984)

Like her father, Indira was a reputed Prime Minister of India, coming to power on two occasions.

Her death came in 1984 after being assassinated.

Eva Perón (1919 - 1952)

Eva Perón was a multifaceted woman who worked as an actress, model and broadcaster to finally marry Perón, president of Argentina.

It was as a result of this link that a crusade for workers and women's rights began.

Carmen Martín Gaite (1925 - 2000)

Awarded the National Prize for Literature, the Prince of Asturias and the Nadal, Carmen Martín Gaite has gone down in the history of the great writers of Spain, thanks in part to her best-known work: Entre curtains.

JK Rowling (1965 - present)

JK Rowling is the writer and creator of the famous Harry Potter saga. She has sold 450 million copies worldwide and is considered one of the best fantasy writers in all of history.

Emilia Pardo Bazán (1867 - 1934)

Born in A Coruña, Emilia Pardo Bazán has been able to delight us with the most famous works. With her flagship Los pazos de Ulloa, Emilia has established herself as one of the greatest Spanish-speaking writers.

Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982)

American actress Grace Kelly was an Oscar winner and abandoned her career to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco.

Her time came after a traffic accident where she herself was driving.

Benazir Bhutto (1953 - 2007)

Benazir Bhutto was the first woman to be Prime Minister in Pakistan, a country with a dominant Muslim religion.

He came to hold the position up to two times. She died after being assassinated in the middle of the campaign.

Diana of Wales (1961 - 1997)

Diana of Wales was the wife of Charles of England. She was popularly known as the "princess of the people" due to her solidarity with those most in need.

His death, after suffering a car accident, was very popular. To this day, he is still the subject of various conspiracy theories.

Cleopatra (about 69 BC - 30 BC)

Cleopatra, the famous pharaoh woman was an icon in ancient times. Its imposing beauty caused figures like Julius Caesar or Marco Antonio to fall at its feet, causing coups and divisions within the Roman Empire.

Her pride got the better of her and she died by committing suicide after learning that she would be turned into a slave.

Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962)

Marilyn Monroe is probably one of the most famous along with Cleopatra. Noma Jean Mortenson has been one of the greatest actresses who have passed through Hollywood with such famous titles as With Skirts and Crazy.

His romance with the two Kennedy brothers and his physique, made his fame obsess more than one.

Marie Antoinette (1755 - 1793)

Marie Antoinette is one of the causes of hatred of the French people during the French Revolution due to her waste of public money. Her meticulousness and refined hobbies would arouse the anger of Paris.

His end was none other than death by guillotine.

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the most powerful queens of the Middle Ages. She was monarch of two nations: of France, by marrying Louis VIII, and of England, by marrying Henry II.

He inherited from his father the Aquitaine region, one of the largest and most important of the time. She was criticized by the clergy of the time for her unladylike attitudes.

Empress Wu

Despite being described as a cruel and heartless monarch, Empress Wu was undoubtedly an exceptional politician. She managed to be named empress and regent in Ancient China and also founded her own dynasty, which she called Zhōu.

Coco Chanel (1883 - 1971)

Coco Chanel is one of the greatest designers in history. Her revolution? Adapt garments exclusively for men for women with a simple and comfortable style.

Her desire for innovation took her further to create an entire line of world-renowned perfumes.

Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937)

Amelia Earhart is nothing more and nothing less than the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She became a figure that represented the rights and struggle of women in society at that time.

Her disappearance during the feat of going around the world in 1937 definitely made her a legend.

Rosa Parks (1913 - 2005)

Rosa Parks' action of not giving a man her seat on a bus, led to the burning of what would lead to protests in favor of the civil rights of African Americans in the United States.

Malala Yousafzai (1997 - present)

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist and blogger. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, becoming the youngest person to win one in all of history at just 17 years old.

Her work on behalf of civil rights - especially women - has made her known worldwide as a result of writing columns for the BBC, where she spoke about her life under Taliban occupation.

Catherine de Medici

Angela Merkel is one of the main world political leaders and German Chancellor since 2005 for the Christian Democratic Union of Germany party.

According to the Forbes publication, in 2015 Angela Merkel was listed as the most powerful woman in the world.

Elizabeth I of England

Thanks to the political stability and relative peace between Catholics and Protestants achieved by Queen Elizabeth I, England enjoyed a period of stability and development that allowed them to defeat the Incredible Navy, discover new territories in the new world, impose themselves as a maritime Empire and expand your economy.

Sally Ride (1951 - 2012)

Sally Ride is the first American woman to reach space. She was also a professional tennis player and studied physics.

Margaret Tatcher (1925 - 2013)

Margaret Thatcher is a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Known as "the iron lady" due to her toughness, determination and firmness when leading the country.

He supported the privatization of state-owned companies, the means of education and social aid to be framed within a conservative ideology known as "Thatcherism."

Isabel I of Castile (1451 - 1504)

Together with her husband, Fernando II of Aragon, they were known as the Catholic Monarchs.

Under his mandate the reconquest was completed and the order was issued to Columbus to leave Spain for the new continent among other things.

Mary Wollstonecraft

The English philosopher and writer Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the forerunners of the feminist movement. Her work Vindication of the rights of women (1792) deals with educational, political and social issues.

Wollstonecraft defended the need for women to be educated. In her works Reflections on the education of daughters (1787) and Original Stories (1788) she touches common themes for the time such as etiquette and protocol.

Jane Austen

The works of Jane Austen are classics of world literature. In her works such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, Austen describes rural Georgian society and the role of women in it and in the family.

Jane Austen did not focus on describing global political events, but rather tried to describe moral dilemmas and how a person's character is shaped.

Sappho of Mytilene

Although there are not many data about his life, his poems have been preserved through time. Specialists consider that he was a member of the thiasos poetic society.

In his poems he speaks of unrequited love and also of love between women. Sappho founded the "House of the Servants of the Muses." In this school women were taught to declaim, flower arranging, and other arts. The only poem that is fully preserved is the Hymn in honor of Aphrodite.