Daughter of Caribert, count of Laon, she married Pépin le Bref and thus became queen of the Franks. She is the mother of Charlemagne and Carloman. At first just Pepins concubine, ambitious, Berthe managed to get him to marry him in 749.
Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland (1542-1587) is a sovereign of Scotland. Imprisoned by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth Ire of England, she was convicted of high treason and executed. On the throne of Scotland at six days Daughter of Marie de Guise and James V of Scotland, born December 7 or 8, 1542,
Mary Jane Read (circa 1690–1721) is one of the most famous female pirates in history, along with Anne Bonny, with whom she sailed and fought while posing as a man. Disguised as a man Daughter of a sea captain, Mary Read was born around 1690 in England. When her brother died, her widowed mother beg
Journalist and resistance fighter, Jane Vialle (1906 – 1953) was one of the first black French senators. During her political career, she worked against racism and discrimination, for equality and development in Africa. A childhood in full colonization Daughter of a vili Congolese mother, Thérèse
Nicknamed “the mother of Afro-Peruvian dance and theatre”, the choreographer and composer Victoria Santa Cruz (1922 – 2014) developed and renewed Afro-Peruvian culture in the 1960s – 1970s, in particular through the scenic arts. A line of artists Eighth of eleven children of her parents, Victori
Algerian painter, Baya Mahieddine (1931 – 1998) rose to fame at the age of sixteen for his colourful, refined and intimate art. A young artist Fatma Haddad, who will be known as Baya, was born on December 12, 1931 in Fort-de-lEau (today Bordj el Kiffan) near Algiers, in the department of Algiers
Pioneer of womens cycling, Alfonsina Strada (1891 – 1959) completed the Giro dItalia in 1924 in an all-male peloton; she is the only woman to have officially participated in this race and one of the three great mens cycling tours. The Freedom Machine The origins and childhood of little Alfonsina
Car driver, Simone Louise des Forest (1910 – 2004) was one of the first women to obtain her driving license in France. Participating in races and rallies, she is at the origin of the expression “In car Simone! » Bit on the steering wheel Daughter of Marie Suzanne Elisabeth Langevin and Edmond Pin
Mexican revolutionary, Petra Herrera (1887 –?) first participated in the Mexican Revolution under a male identity before creating his own female brigade. The Mexican Revolution Petra Herrera was born on June 29, 1887, in an independent Mexico since the beginning of the century but destabilized by
Soviet director, Larissa Chepitko (1938 – 1979) achieved recognition with her film Ascension . Despite works censored by the Soviet authorities, she established herself as a very talented filmmaker. A separated family Larissa Chepitko was born on January 6, 1938 in Artemovsk (now Bakhmout) in Ukr
French communist activist, Raymonde Dien (born in 1929) peacefully opposed the Indochina war in 1950, an action for which she was imprisoned. The Indochina War Raymonde Dien was born as Raymonde Huberdeau on May 13, 1929 in Mansigné, Sarthe, France. A communist activist, she was 17 when the Indoc
Japanese painter, Ogura Yuki (1895 – 2000) is known in particular for his bijin-ga, his portraits of women. Teacher Mizoguchi Yuki – she will become Ogura Yuki through marriage – was born on March 1, 1895 in Ōtsu in Shiga prefecture, on the island of Honshū in Japan, near Kyoto. She grew up in th
An American photographer known in particular for her depictions of motherhood and her portraits of Native Americans, Gertrude Käsebier (1852 – 1934) helped pave the way for women in photography. The conquest of the west Daughter of Muncy Boone Stanton and John W. Stanton, Gertrude Stanton was bor
Parisian seamstress, Eulalie Papavoine (1846 – 1875) served as an ambulance attendant during the Paris Commune. Like others, she will suffer from the myth of the oily one. Seamstress in Paris We know very little about the life of Eulalie Papavoine before the Paris Commune, an insurrection that br
A Russian feminist and socialist activist, Elisabeth Dmitrieff (1851 – 1910 or 1918) actively participated in the Paris Commune. She co-founded the Union des femmes with Nathalie Lemel. The childhood of a marginalized aristocrat Daughter of Natalia-Carolina Dorothea Trostkievich, nurse, and Louk
Parisian laundress, Victorine Gorget (1843 – 1901) actively participated in the Paris Commune, during which she was considered a leader. The great Victorine Daughter of Eléonore Cochon and Edmet Gorget, Victorine Gorget was born on April 20, 1843 in Paris. The journalist Henri Rochefort will indic
Daughter of slaves turned successful businesswoman, Madam C.J. american-es. A short childhood Sarah Breedlove, who will be known as Madam C.J. Walker, was born on December 23, 1867 in the village of Delta, Louisiana in the United States. Fifth child of Minerva and Owen Anderson, she is the first
Comprehensive artist, painter, calligrapher, potter, dancer, seamstress, practitioner of martial arts and Buddhist nun, Ōtagaki Rengetsu (1791 – 1875) is one of the most important Japanese poetesses of her time. Daughter of a geisha and a samurai Probably the daughter of a geisha, Ōtagaki Rengets
A great singer with an eventful life, pianist, talented composer, Pauline Viardot (1821 – 1910) stands out as one of the greatest musicians of her time. His sisters replacement Pauline Viardots career as a singer has its roots in the authoritarian teaching of her parents and in a tragedy, that of
French soldier, Marie-Thérèse Figueur (1774 – 1861) , nicknamed Sans-Gêne for her audacity and outspokenness, participated in many campaigns and battles. Young orphan Daughter of Claudine Viard and François Figueur, a miller, Marie-Thérèse Figueur was born on January 17, 1774 in Talmay, Burgundy
Endurance walker and cycling pioneer, Louise Armaindo (1861-1900) became known as the “world cycling champion”. Strong woman Louise Armaindo was born in 1861 in a small village near Montreal (Canada) under the name of Louise or Louisa Brisebois or Brisbois. Her mother performs in a circus as a st
Daughter of Caribert, count of Laon, she married Pépin le Bref and thus became queen of the Franks. She is the mother of Charlemagne and Carloman. At first just Pepins concubine, ambitious, Berthe managed to get him to marry him in 749.
María Josefa Gabriela Cariño Silang (1731 – 1763) was the first woman to lead a revolution in the Philippines against the Spanish occupier. When her husband died, she took over to lead the movement, until her own arrest and execution. A youth under the Spanish occupation María Josefa Gabriela Ca
Also known as Chang I Sao or Madame Tsching, Ching Shih, “the Terror of South China” (1784 – 1844 ) commanded one of the most powerful pirate fleets in history; so powerful that no navy has ever been able to defeat it. The Red Flag Fleet Little is known about the childhood of Ching Shih, who is f
After two hours spent in the company of the brilliant Romain Duris who plays a melancholy, determined and somewhat gruff Gustave Eiffel at the height of his career, and the dark Emma Mackey who portrays a fantasized, touching and dazzlingly beautiful Adrienne Bourgès, I wished to return to this litt