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Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
WOMEN IN
POWER
1640-1670
Female
leaders
and women in other positions of political authority
of independent states and
self-governing understate entities
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Around 1640 Queen Regnant Pea of Morning (Myanmar-Burma) |
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Today Morning is a village in the Caching State, in northern or
"upper" Burma, inhabited by an ethnic Thai people. |
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Ca. 1640-46 Sawbaw Saw Nin Mein of Wuntho (Myanmar-Burma)
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She was daughter of
the former Prince of the Sharen state, married
Thankin Kaw Nyo, Prince of a Karen
State, around 1616 and reigned after his death. |
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Ca.
1640-ca.60 Moäng Ratu Dona Maria Ximenes da Silva of Sikka
(Indonesia) |
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Succeeded her brother Moäng Ratu Pitang (alias Kapitan) as ruler of
the Roman Catholic principality on the island of Flores. She was a
daughter of the first Moäng Ratu or King of Sikka, Don Alesu da Silva
(or Alexius Ximenes da Silva) who had converted to Christianity after
meeting the Portuguese in Malacca. He established the principality
around 1580. She was succeeded by her full cousin Moäng Ratu Don Simao
(Samaoh), who was the son of her father's sister Lise. |
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1640-44 Regent Queen Isabel de
Borbón of Spain |
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In charge of the government when her husband,
Felipe IV was engaged in the Catalan Revolt supported the Duke of Nochera against the
Count-Duke of Olivares in favour of an honorable withdrawal.
Of her 6 daughters, 5 died in infancy
and her son died in 1646 at the age of 16. Therefore her husband was
succeeded by his son, Carlos II, by his second wife and niece,
Mariana d'Austria, who was regent from 1665. After Carlos' death in
1700, the son of her daughter, Marie-Therese (1638-84), Queen of
France, became King of Spain after a war of Succession. Born as
Élisabeth de Bourbon, she was eldest daughter of King Henri IV of
France and Queen Marie de' Medici, and lived (1602-44). |
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1640-46 Sovereign Countess Elisabeth zur Lippe-Alverdissen of
Schaumburg with the Administrative Offices of Stadthagen, Bückeburg,
Arensburg and Hagenburg (Germany) |
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Succeeded her son, Count Otto von Holstein-Schaumburg, who died 1640 without issue.
In 1643 she transferred her rights to her brother Count Philip zur
Lippe-Alverdissen, and ruled with him as co-regent till her death three years
later. His descendants assumed the name Schaumburg-Lippe.
(d. 1643). |
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1640-49 Princess-Abbess Sedonia von Oldenburg-Delmenhorst of
Herford (Germany) |
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Also known as Sidonie, she joined the representative of the city in
the protests against Brandenburg's occupation of the City during the
30 Years War, but the troops stayed. She
resigned in 1649 and married Duke August Philip von
Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-Beck (1612-27-75), whose second wife was
Marie Sibylle von Nassau-Saarbrücken und Ottweiler (1628-99). Sedonia
was daughter of Anton II von Oldenburg-Delmenhorst and Sibylle
Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Danneberg, and her sister, Katherine
Elisabeth, was sovereign of Gandersheim (1625-49).
She lived
(1611-50). |
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1640-57
Princess-Abbess
Maria Johanna von Kollonitsch
of
Göss bei Leoben (Austria) |
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Her family originally came from Croatia and moved to Austria in the 15th century
and were given a Countly title, held high offices in the army or in the church.
She was a great promoter of the chapter and it's art, which is still famous. |
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1640-53 Guardian Dowager Countess Juliana Elisabeth zu Salm-Neufviller
of Reuss zu Schleiz (Germany) |
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After the death of her second husband, Heinrich III, she was guardian for
their son, Count Heinrich I (1639-92), while some male members of the family
were regents. She had first been married to Heinrich IV von Reuss-Obergreiz
and had 2 sons and 2 daughters with him. She was born as Wild- und Rheingraf zu Salm, and lived
(1602-53). |
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1641-75 H.H.
Paduka Sri Sultana Ratu Safiat ud-din Taj ul-'Alam Shah Johan
Berdaulat Zillu'llahi fi'l-'Alam binti al-Marhum Sri Sultan Iskandar
Muda Mahkota Alam Shah, Sultana of Aceh (North Sumatra)
(Indonesia) |
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Her
father Sultan Iskandar Muda extended Aceh's sway to most of the
Malayan Peninsula and the coastal regions of the northern half of
Sumatra. Internally he was a scourge to the mercantile elite,
concentrating power, property and trade in his own hands by a series
of tyrannical devices. Her husband was adopted as his heir and
succeeded as Sultan Iskandar Thani 1637-41. After his death, some days
of dispute among the leading factions in the capital led to her
elevation to the throne. Under her rule the state was orderly and
prosperous, with a climate favourable to foreign commerce. Four of the
principal merchant-aristocrats formed a kind of executive council,
which took many decisions, and her authority was partly derived from a
careful balancing of the two major factions at the court. Land grants
to the Sultan's loyal war leaders, which had been at the king's
pleasure under the two previous male rulers, became hereditary under
Safiyyat ad-Din. She in fact resolved one major dispute by ruling that
only grants of land made by her father would be recognised as valid in
perpetuity, thus invoking his name to support a policy he would never
have approved. Born as Raja Permusairi Putri Sri 'Alam, her throne
name was Safiat ud-din Taj ul-'Alam Shah, which means "Purity of the
Faith, Crown of the World", and she was succeeded by Sultana Nagiat. |
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1641-75 Uleebalang
Cut Nyak of Keureuto in Aceh (Indonesia) |
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Also known as Tjut Njak Asiah or Cut Nyak Karti she was
one of the several female Heads of Autonomous Regions, equivalent to
an European duke. The principality was also known as Keureutau or
Keureutu. |
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1641-75 Uleebalang
Cut Nyak Fatimah of the a settlement in West Aceh (Indonesia) |
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Acehnese women served as sultanas, Regional rulers -
Uleebalang, parliament members, and or Uleeblang (Commanders).
Sultan Safiyat expanded the role of the Legislative
Council which was comprised of 73 people of whom 16 were women.
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1641-94 Sovereign Duchess Claire-Clémence de Maillé-Brézé of
Fronsac (France) |
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Daughter of the Marshall of France, Urbain de Maillé, marquis of
Brézé, and Nicole du Plessis, who was insane and died in 1635. She succeeded
her uncle, Cardinal Richelieu, Premier Minister of France the same
year she married Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, Duke d'Enghien, Prince de
Condé (1621-86), but like her mother, she was mentally instable, a
condition inherited by her son, Henri Jules de Bourbon-Condé, who
married Anne de Bavière, Duchesse de Guise and Joyeuse. Claire-Clémence
lived (1628-94). |
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1641-92 Sovereign Princess Marie de Bourbon-Condé of Condé-en-Brie,
Countess of Soissons
(France) |
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After the death of her brother, Louis de Bourbon (1604-1641) his
inheritance (including Soissons and Condé) was divided between and her
niece Marie d'Orléans-Longueville, heiress of her sister Louise
(1603-37) and Henri II d'Orléans-Longueville. She was
married Tommaso Francesco di Savoia (Thomas-François de
Savoie-Carignan) (1596-1656), who held the title by the right of his
wife. 2 of her sons and a grandson also held the title from 1646
and her granddaughter, Anna
Vittoria di Savoia-Carignano, was titular Countess from 1736.
She was
daughter of
Charles de Bourbon-Condé, comte de Soissons and Anne de Montafié,
dame de Lucé, and lived (1606-92). |
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Until 1641 Princess-Abbess Agnes Elisabeth von Limburg und
Bronckhorst of Elten (Germany) |
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Daughter of Count Jobst von Limburg und Bronckhorst and Maria von
Schauenburg und Holstein-Pinneberg. |
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1641-86 Princess-Abbess Isabella Henrietta d'Aspremont-Lynden
of Munsterbilzen, Dame of Wellen, Haccourt, Hallembaye and
Kleine-Spouwen (Belgium) |
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Recieved papal dispence because she
was under 30 when elected amidst protest from her opponent, the
Dechaness Anna Louise van Berlo. The chapter had survived the Thirty
Years War, but towards the end it was occupied by the unemployed
troops of Duke Karl of Lorraine in 1656.
After the death of her brother, Count Ferdinand van Aspremont-Lynden
in 1665, she was named guardian for his 16 children together with
Prince-Bishop Frans Egon von Furstenberg of Liege, the brother of her
sister-in-law, Elisabeth von Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg. The county can
be passed down both in the male and in the female line. In
1671 the troops of King Louis XIV of France passed through the
territory, making life difficult and several ladies left the chapter.
The Dechaness stayed in Liège 1677-79, but after her return the old
disputed was revived.
She was daughter of Ernst d'Aspremont and Anna de Gouffier, and lived
(1615-86). |
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1641-44 Reigning
Abbess-General
Francisca de Beaumont y Navarra of the Royal
Monastery of Santa Maria la
Real de Las Huelgas in Burgos (Spain) |
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Member of a sideline of royal family of Navarra, which decended from
Don Louis de Navarra, Comte de Beaumont-le-Roger (d. 1372). King
Felipe IV confirmed the rights of the scribes of the monastery to
act as magistrates (judges) in 1643. |
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1641-44 Reigning Abbess Isabelle III de Héricourt of Bourbourg,
Lady of Oxelaere, Noordpeene, Faumont and Coutiches (France) |
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Appointed as Abbess by King Felipe IV of Spain, who as Count of Flanders and
Artois, was head of the Southern Low Countries, after the canoness had been
unable to elect as successor to Marie IV for 6 months. |
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1641-60 Reigning Abbess Maria
Margarethe Schenk von Castell
of Wald, Lady
of the Offices of Wald, Vernhof and Ennigerloh (Germany) |
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Mentioned as Prioress in 1638. It is not known if she recieved the costumary
homage by the inhabitants of Wald and the other territories in 1641 or not until
1651 because of the continued warfare. She was daughter of Hans Maz Schenk von Castell
zu Gattburg and Eva Blarer von Wartensee zu Wartegg. |
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1641-51 Joint County Sheriff Leonora Christine Christiansdatter Countess af Slesvig og Holsten of the County of Hørsholm, Denmark
1643-64 Politically Influential in Denmark |
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In
1641 her father, King Christian 4 granted her the tenantcy for life jointly with her husband, Corfitz Ulfeldt. Two years later he was appointed Chancellor of the
Realm (Rigskansler), and since there
was no Queen, she was de-facto first-Lady at the court. The death of
her father in 1648 was followed by a power-struggle, which she and her
husband lost. Her half-brother, Frederik 3, was elected king, but she and her husband continued to provoke the reigning couple. In 1651 they left the country and stayed by Queen
Christina of Sweden until 1654, and then in Germany. In 1657 her
husband sided with the Swedes during the war with Denmark, which
Denmark lost. In 1659 her husband was charged with treason against the
Swedish king, he was hit by a stroke, and she was
in charge of his defence. They escaped to Denmark, where they were
held in captivity until they were freed in 1662, after signing a
number of humiliating declarations. Later the same year they were
permitted to go abroad for treatment of Corfitz Ulfeldt, who had never
recovered from the stroke, and during their travels, he made all
kinds of plans against his brother-in-law. In 1663 she went to king
Charles II to claim an old loan, but he gave her up to the Danes, she
was transferred to Copenhagen and was put in prison in Blåtårn at the
Royal Castle of Copenhagen, where she spend 22 years, while her
husband died already in 1664. She was not freed until the death of her
sister-in-law, Queen Sophie-Amalie, in 1685. During her time in
Blåtårn, she wrote "Jammersmide" (Memory of Lamenting), one of the
first Danish autobiographies by a woman, which was not published until
1869, though. She spent the rest of her life at the castle, Maribo
Kloster. She was the mother of 10 children, and lived (1621-98). |
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1641-42 Acting County Sheriff Maren Eriksdatter Skram of Mariæ Kirkes
Domprovsti (Oslo), Norway |
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After the death of her husband, Hartvig Huitfeldt til Skjelbred, Maren
Skram was the official local representative of the King of Denmark-Norway,
and Mariæ Kirke is the Cathedral of Oslo.
Secondly married to
Balthasar Gebhard v. Obelitz.
Her step-daughter, Margrethe Huitfeldt, who willed her estates to the
Gymnasium of Göteborg upon her death in 1683. Marien Skram was the
daughter of
Erik Skram til Rammegaard og Anne Vind
and (d. 1675). |
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Around 1642 Ruler Karenga I Pucu of Sanrabone (Indonesia) |
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Her
brother Tumenanga ri Buttana was ruler of the Makkasarese state in
South Western-Celebes/Sulawesi until 1647. |
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1642-4.. Lieutenant-Governor Madame Colles of Alderney (A
Dependency of the English Crown) |
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During the English Civil War the Parliamentarians held the island, and
she
took over after the death of William Colles (1639-42).
Peter Le Febvre,
surier de L'Epine was pretender from November 1643. |
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1642 Acting County Sheriff Lisbeth Jørgensdatter Lunge of the County of Ålholm with the Shire of Fuglse and Musse, Denmark |
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Lisbeth Lunge was the third wife of Palle Rosenkrantz
and lived (1610-59). |
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1642-43 Acting County Sheriff Lisbeth Sophie Breidesdatter Rantzau
of the County
of Hindsgaul with the Shire of Vend, Denmark |
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Lisbeth Sophie Rantzau was widow of Hans Johansen Lindenov. She lived (1587-1652). |
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1643-51 Regent Dowager Queen Anne d'Austrice of France
1646-54 Governor of Aunis
1647-66 Governor of Bretagne |
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Had been Governor of Paris 1636-49. She was Infanta of Spain and the
eldest daughter of Felipe III of Spain, and married Louis XIII, King
of France, in 1615. After some political manoeuvring she attained
full powers as Regent and as such she placed the well being of France
before anything else. She ignored the representatives of the Catholic
party and made Cardinal Mazarin Prime Minister. Both continued the
policies laid out by Richelieu, which decided against a peace treaty
with Germany and The Netherlands. At one stage, Anne even went to war
against her brother, King Felipe IV of Spain, and in negotiations
refused to make any compromises. In 1648 the revolution called "the
Fronde" began and would last until 1653. This rebellion started in
Paris and was supported by the higher nobility as well as by the
common people who had had enough of war and the ever-increasing taxes.
The rebels blamed Mazarin and not only demanded his removal but also
wanted him expelled from France. In 1661 Mazarin died and Louis XIV
took over control of the country. From then on Anna was given only
representative roles. In 1666 she died of cancer, after having lived
(1601-66). |
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1643-51 Regent Dowager Duchess Anna Eleonora von
Hessen-Darmstadt of Braunschweig-Lüneburg in Calenberg (Germany) |
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After the death of
her husband,
Duke Georg of Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Calenberg and Celle
(1582-1636-41), she was regent for oldest son Duke Christian Ludwig
(1624-65), who was Duke of Calenberg (1641-48), Duke of Celle
(1648-65) of Harburg (1651-65). Her second son, Georg II Wilhelm was
Duke of Calenberg (1648-1703), of Celle (1665-1703), of Dannenberg
(1773-1703), her third son, Johann Friedrich of Braunchweig-Lüneburg
zu Hannover (1665-79), the fourth Ernst August of
Braunschweig-Lüneburg in Hannover (1679-92) and Elector from 1698. His
wife, Sophie von Pfalz-Simmen became Heir to the Throne of United Kingdom in
1702. One of Leonora's daughters, Sofie Amalie, married Frederik III
of Denmark. Anna Leonora lived (1601-59). |
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1643-76
Hereditary High Sheriff Lady Anne Clifford of
Westmoreland (United Kingdom) |
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Third and only surviving child of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of
Cumberland, and his wife Margaret Russell and heiress of the Baronies
of Clifford, Westmoreland and Vesci. When she was 15, her father died,
and his brother inherited the vast estate, and from that moment her
mission in life was to regain her inheritance. She married and had
five children, but her husband was obstructive to her claim for the
inheritance. Six years later he died, and she married Philip Herbert,
Earl of Pembroke, who did support her claim. Eventually she did
inherit the estate in 1643 in the middle of the Civil War raging. She
was now 60 years old, and spent the next 26 years rebuilding churches
and castles. Skip ton, Pen dragon, Appleby, Borough and Brougham
Castles were restored to their former glory. As a devout Christian she
built and restored churches and almshouses.
She lived
(1590-1676). |
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1643 Acting County Sheriff Ingeborg Hansdatter Arnfeldt of Koldinghus with Anst, Brusk, Elbo, Holmans, Jerlev, Slaus, Nørvang, Tørrild and Malt Herred,
Denmark |
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Ingeborg Arnfeldt til Gundetved was widow Ernst Normand til Selsø. |
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Around 1643 Princess-Abbess Henrica Raitz von Frentz of
Burtscheid (Germany) |
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The
first member of the family started her reign in 1618, but it is not
known for how long or when Henrica took over the reigns of the state.
But in 1643 she built the Monnikenhof in the Chapter. Next abbess is mentioned in 1649. |
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1643-53
Abbess
Nullius
Girolama Indelli
of
the Royal Convent of Saint Benedetto in Conversano,
Temporal and Secular Ruler of
Conversano (Italy) |
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In the alternative list of Abbesses her reign ends 1644. |
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1643-62 Reigning Abbess Anne de L'Hôpital of Montvilliers |
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Daughter of François, Count de L'Hôpital and Rosnay and Charlotte des Essarts,
the Maitresse of King Henri. Possibly succeeded by Marguerite de Gonzague. She (d. 1662). |
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1643-87 Politically Influential Grand Empress Dowager Xiao
Zhuang Wen of China |
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Widow of Hong Tajii,
took part in the affairs of state during the reign of her son,
Shunzhi Emperor Thuận Trị (1643-61). And in 1669 she urged her 13
grandson, Kamgxi, who had been on the throne since 1661 to depose his
regents, and she continued to be influential.
She took charge of his upbringing after the death of his mother. When Oboi was posing a
threat to Kang Xi's rule, she helped the young emperor to get rid of
Oboi. Born as Bumbutai, she was a daughter of a prince of Borjigit,
the Khorchin Mongols, prince Jaisang, thus was a descendant of
Chinggis Khan, known as Hiyoošungga Ambalinggū Genggiyenšu Hūwanghu
in Manchu, and
lived (1613-87). |
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1643-65 Political Advisor Abbess
María Fernández Coronel of Agreda in Spain |
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Also known as Sor Maria de Jesus de Agreda, she
was the political advisor of spanish king Felipe IV. Having survived
the Spanish Inquisition, she preached Christianity in the American
Southwest, mainly in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona. She wrote a
book, 'Mary, Mystical City of God', in which she also described her
own spiritual visions. She lived (1602– 65). |
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1644-ca. 57 Queen Regnant Cockacoeske of the Pamunkey in
Virginia (USA) |
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Possibly known as Queen Betty to the Colonists, she is described as
diplomat and suzeraine, she shrewdly used her connections with the
Virginia colonist to rebuild her tribe's primacy over the neighbouring
tribes. She seems to have directly succeeded her Opechancanough, who
might have come to power after having been Prince-Consort to a
previous reigning Queen - Cockacoeske's mother "Cleopatra", the
daughter of King Powhatan. Succeeded by her niece, Queen Anne
Totopotomoi. |
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1644-53 Princess-Abbess Barbara I Weglin of Baindt (Germany) |
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Around 1649 the ladies of the chapter resumed the life in the convent
after the lootings during the Thirty Year War. |
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1644-45 Reigning Abbess-General
Ana
María de Salinas of the Monastery of Santa Maria la Real de Las
Huelgas in Burgos (Spain) |
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Died within the first year of her three-year election period. |
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1644-46 Acting County Sheriff Anne Jacobsdatter Bech of the
County of
Laholm in Halland
(At the time part of Denmark, now Sweden) |
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Anne Bech til Førslev was in charge of the administration after the death of her husband
Christian von Bülow til Engelstad. She was daughter of Jacob Bech and
Helle Marsvin, and lived (1607-64). |
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1644-55 Politically Influential Olimpia Maidalchini in The
Vatican |
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At
the age of 20 she married her second husband, Pamphilio Pamphilj. When
her brother-in-law a few years later became Pope Innocent X, she
exerted a strong influence upon him, and soon becoming the only person
whose advice the pope fully relied on. For this reason ambassadors,
artists, tradesmen, politicians, and any important person in Rome
presented her with rich gifts, to gain her favour and be well
introduced to the Pope.
When he died, the new pope, Alexander VII, exiled her to San Martino
al Cimino - a small village just north of Rome - and asked to give
back the gold she had taken away. She refused and died of plague four
years later.
She lived
(1592-1657). |
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1645 Regent Dowager Empress Yudokia Lukyamanova Stresneva of
Russia |
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Евдокия
Лукьяновна Стрешнёва
in Russian, her name is also transcribed as Eudoxia or Evdokia Lukianova
Streschneva. Following the death of her husband, Mikhail I Fedorovich
Romanov, in February 1645, she acted as regent for son Alexei
Mikhailovich until her own death in July. Her situation at the royal
court was difficult. It appears that the tsaritsa totally depended on
her mother-in-law Marfa Ivanovna, whose firm grip had been felt in
their everyday life, and who accompanied her daughter-in-law during
all of her visits to monasteries and other places. She also chose
tutors for her grandchildren. It also appears that Eudoxia Streshneva
had no influence over Mikhail I even after the death of Marfa. She was
daughter of Lukian Stepanovich Streshnev and Princess Anna
Konstantinovna Volkonskaya, she was mother of 10 children and she
lived (1608-45). |
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1645-47 Sovereign Lady of the Realm Elisabeth Amalia von
Löwenhaupt of Reipoltskirchen, Countess of Falkenstein (Germany) |
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After the death of her father, Steino, she was
joint heiress to the lordship, which became a co-lordship (Erbgemeinschaft
or Ganerbschaft) when the male line had died out. She was daughter
of the Swedish Count Steno von Löwenhaupt, Graf zu Rasburg and
Falkenstein (1586-1645), who was the son of Axel Lewenhaupt af
Raseborg and Sidonia von Daun, Gräfin von Falkenstein, and Magdalena
von Manderscheid-Schleiden (1574-1639). She was married to Count
Philipp Dietrich von Manderscheid-Kail and they united the
Manderscheid-lines. She lived (1607-47). |
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1645-54 Acting County Sheriff Regitze Sivertsdatter Grubbe
of the County of
Hven (At
the time part of Denmark, now Sweden) |
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Regize Grubbe
was widow of Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve til Vindinge (1615-45), son of
Karen Andersdatter and Christian 4, who was given the fief Kronborg
for life in 1641, and apparently took over as acting fiefholder of
Hven from his mother in 1640. She did not have any children, and lved
(1618-1689). |
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1645-67 Politically Influential Electress Luise Henriette van
Oranje-Nassau of Brandenburg (Germany), Heiress of the Counties of
Lingen and Moers (The Netherlands)
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Involved in politics during the reign of her husband, Kurfürst
Friedrich Wilhelm (1620-40-88), and enhanced the relationship between
Brandenburg-Prussia and the Netherlands. She initiated commercial and
economic reforms and helped revive the state after the devastations of
the Thirty Years War. She was also a patron of culture and learning.
Her father, Stadholder Frederik Hendrik van Oranje had stipulated in
his will that she was to inherit the Counties of Lingen and Moers in
the case that her brother, Willem III, should die with out issue. When
this happened in 1702, her son, King Friedrich I. von Prussia, too
over the regency and in 1707 it was united with Tecklenburg.
She lived
(1627-1667). |
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1645-48 Reigning Abbess-General Jerónima de Navarra of the
Royal Monastery of Santa Maria la Real de Las Huelgas in Burgos (Spain)
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Member of a side-line of the
former royal house of Navarra. |
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1645-80 Princess-Abbess Anna Sophie I von der Pfalz-Zweibrücken
und Birkenfeld of Quedlinburg (Germany) |
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Daughter of Pfalzgraf Georg Wilhelm von der
Pfalz-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Pfalzgraf bei Rhein and Gräfin Dorothea
von Solms-Sonnenwalde.
She lived
(1619-80). |
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1645-74
Princess-Abbess Maria Sophie zu Salm-Reifferscheid
of Elten, Abbess of Vreden (Germany) |
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Considered the second
founder as she started rebuilding the chapter, a small Catholic
Territory partly in Germany, partly within the Protestant
Netherlands. 1664 she asked the Pope for confirmation and expansion
of her ecclesiastical rights, using the example of her colleague in
Essen, noting that her predecessors since ancient times had
exercised episcopal authority leaving only the right to confirm the
election of a new Abbess to the Bishop of Utrecht. The Papal Nuntius
in Kölln recommended that the Pope confirmed her quasi-episcopal
powers and that she appointed a General Vicar as her temporal
substitute. The pope granted her theise rights in 1669 and confirmed
them in 1675. In 1669 she founded a fond in the "Princely and
Imperial Free Chapter of Elten" and the "High Countly" to Vreden in
favour of young women of her family in both male and female line
Daughter of Count Ernst Friedrich zu Salm-Reifferscheid in Bedburg
and Countess Maria Ursula zu Leiningen Her sister, Anna Salome, was
sovereign of Essen, and lived lived (1620-74). |
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1645-63 Reigning Abbess Catherine de Beauffremez of Bourbourg,
Lady of Oxelaere, Noordpeene, Faumont and Coutiches (France) |
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At her election, the Prior, the Chaplaine, the Treasurer, the lady of the
refectory, the Matron of the novices, 2 ladies of the sacritsty, 2 canonesses
and 6 other ladies, whose occupation is not mentioned, took part. She was
daughter of Lord d'Esnes and Haily. The Abbey became part of France 1659. |
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1646-62 Regent Dowager Countess Ämilie Antonia
von Oldenburg-Delmenhorst of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (Germany)
1663-70 Reigning Dowager Lady of Könitz |
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Alternatively known as Amalia Antonia, she acted as regent for son Albrecht
Anton (1641-1710), after the death of her husband, Count of the Realm (Reichsgraf) Ludwig
Günther.
When her son came of age, she took over the administration of Könitz as the last feudal ruler.
Her son became the first Prince (Fürst) of the state in 1697.
Her two sisters were Princesses-Abbesses; Catharina Elisabeth of
Gandersheim (1625-49), and Sedonia of Herford (1640-49). Ämilie
Antonia lived (1614-70). |
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Ca.
1646-1664 Princess Regnant Nyai Cili of Solor (Indonesia) |
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Also known as Nyai Pertawi, she reigned after the death of her
husband, Kaicil Partana alias Sultan Sili Pertawi. Western
travellers called her a pagan Queen. Succeeded by daughter, Nyai Cili
Muda. |
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Around 1646 Countess Regnant Maria Cristina di Altemps of
Altemps (Italy)
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She
was daughter of Angelica de' Medici and Count Gianpetro di Altemps and
married Ipollito, Duke Lante delle Rovere. |
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1646-before 1654 Captain-Donatary Branca da Gama Freire of
Santa Maria in the Azores (Portugal) |
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Daughter of Luis da Gama Pereira and Violante Freire and married to
Vasco da Gama, capitão de Chaul. The captains-donataries were similar
to
governors and had full control over their domain. They held the office
of judge. They could make land grants. They also monopolized the
gristmills, public baking
ovens, and salt sales. She was mother of 2 sons and 2 daughters,
one of whom was Joana de Menzeses, who succeeded to the Captainship
in 1665. |
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1646-65 Reigning Dowager Lady Landgräfin
Maria Johanna von Helfenstein of
Wernberg in Leuchtenberg (Germnay) |
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After the death of her husband, Maximilian Adam von Leuchtenberg (1607-46),
she reigned the territory as her dowry as their only son had died by
birth, even though a sideline of the Electors of Bavaria officially
became Dukes of Bayern-Leuchtenberg in 1646. |
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1646-47 Acting County Sheriff Anne Jørgensdatter Lunge
of the Countyof Kalø with the Shires of Mols, Nørre and Sønderhals and Østerlisbjerg, Denmark |
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After the death of her husband, Jost Høg til Gjorslev
(or Just Høeg), Anne Lunge administered the the tenantcy until the accounts had been settled
with the King and the a new Lensmand could be appointed. She was
daughter of Jørgen Lunge and Sophie Steensdatter Brahe. |
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1646-47 Acting County Sheriff
Kirstine
Hartvigsdatter Lützow
of the County
of Dronningborg with the Shires of Galten, Gjerlev, Houlberg, Nørrehald, Onsild, Rugsø, Støvring and Sønderlyng, Denmark |
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Kirstine
Lützow's father, Hartvig von Lützow, was a noble from Mecklenburg who became the Lord Chamberlain of the Court of Danish Queen Sophie von Mecklenburg. After the death of her first husband,
Knud
Jakobsen
Ulfeldt, she was in charge of the tenantcy. She inherited the estate of Hellerup (Vindinge Herred) from him, who had inherited it from his first wife, Anne Lykke. She was Lady
of the Chamber of Danish Hereditary Princess
Magdalena Sibylla von Sachen when she married
Johan Christoph von Kørbitz (1612-82), who was in the service of Danish Hereditary Prince Christian and after his death Lord Chamberlain of Princess Magdalena Sibylla until she married Duke Friederich Wilhelm von Sachsen-Altenburg in 1652.
Upon their marriage he became recognised as a Danish noble. She did not have children, and lived (1615-93) |
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1646-88 Princess-Abbess Anna-Salome I von Salm-Reiffenscheidt
of Essen, Lady of Bresig etc. (Germany) |
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In
the period 1640-74, she was also Dechantess of Thorn and Lady of the
Chapter (Stiftfrau) in Elten and St. Ursula (Köln). She was able to
assert the princely sovereignty against the protestant city, and
thereby secured the continued existence of the Damenstift (Ladies
Chapter). Since 1661 she used the title "Des heiligen römischen
Reiches Fürstin und Äbtissin in Essen, Frau zu Breisig, Huckard und
Rellinghausen" (Princess and Abbess of the Holy Roman Realm of Essen,
Lady of Breisig etc). Daughter of Count Ernst Friedrich von
Salm-Reifferscheid in Bedburg and Countess Maria Ursula zu Leiningen.
One sister, Maria Sophie, reigned as Fürstäbtissin of Elten another,
Anna Katharina of Thorn. A fourth, Sidonia Elisabeth, was Lady of the
Chapter in Thorn, Essen and St. Ursula before she married Hartmann
Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein in 1640, and became mother of 24
children. Anna Salome lived (1622-88). |
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1646-47 Princess-Abbess Anna Catharina zu Salm-Reiffenscheidt
of Thorn (The Netherlands)
1660-68 Regent Dowager Countess of Rietberg (Germany) |
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Resigned in order to marry Count Johann IV von Rietberg, and after his
death she was regent for son Friedrich Wilhelm (1650-77) who fell by
Straßburg, and was succeeded by his brothers Franz Adolph Wilhelm,
(1677-80) and ( 1687-88) and Ferdinand Maximilian (1680-1687), who
were both Diachons and Domherrs of the Cathedral Straßburg, and Anna
Catharina remained the virtual ruler of the territory. Ferdinand
Maximilian was succeeded by his niece, Maria Ernestine Franziska. Anna
Catharina's older sister, Maria Sophie (1620-74) was Abbess in Elten
and the other Anna Salome (1622-88) in Elten. They were daughters of Altgraf
Ernst Friedrich, (1583-1639) and Countess Maria Ursula zu Leiningen
(†1649). Anna Catharina's daughter, Bernhardine Sophia was
Fürstäbtissin of Essen 1691-1726. Anna Katharina lived (1624-91). |
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1647-90 Princess-Abbess Anna Salomé von
Manderscheid-Blankenheim of Thorn, Lady of Thorn, Ittervoort,
Grathem, Baexem, Stramproy, Ell, Haler and Molenbeerse (The
Netherlands)
1689-91 Princess-Abbess Anna-Salome II of Essen, Lady of
Breisig, Huckard and Rellinghausen (Germany)
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Had to raise taxes in the principality because of the ongoing wars,
and worked closely together with her sister, Clara Elisabeth, who was
her second-in-command. In 1688 Anna-Salome was elected Fürstäbtissin
of Essen.
She
was daughter of Ernst Friedrich von Manderscheid-Blankenheim and Maria
Ursula zu Leiningen.
Her
sister, Marie Sofie (1620-74), was Abbess in Eltern. Anna Salomé
and
lived (1622-91). |
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1647-58 Regent Dowager Countess Barbara Magdalena von
Mansfeld-Hinterort of Mansfeld-Eisleben (Germany)
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After the death of her husband, Johann Georg II von Mansfeld-Eisleben,
took over the regency for his oldest son Hoyer Christoph II von
Mansfeld-Eisleben, (1636-53) from his marriage to Barbara Maria zu
Stolberg in Schwarza (1596-1636). Barbara Magdalena became regent for
her own son, Johann Georg III, when he succeeded older half-brother at
the age of 13.She was daughter of Count David von Mansfeld zu
Schraplau (1573-1628) and his second wife, Juliane Marie Reuss zu Gera
(1598-1650).
She later
married Anton von Werthern, Georg Andreas Schwab von Lichtenberg and
Georg Albert von Mansfeld-Vorderort (1642-96/97), and lived (1618-96). |
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1647... Sovereign Countess
Louise de
Béon of Brienne
(France) |
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Succeeded mother, Louise de Luxembourg, who
inherited the County in 1608. She held the title jointly with her
husband,
Henri-Auguste de Loménie, who died 1666. |
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1647-51 Executrix and Acting Lord Proprietor Margaret Brent of
Maryland (USA) |
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1648 she appeared before the State Assembly and requested two votes as a landowner and as Lord Baltimore's
attorney. Together with two brothers and a sister, she had arrived
from England to Maryland 10 years before. She became a substantial
landowner and she was named jointly with Governor Leonard Calvert as joint
guardian for Mary Kittamaquund, daughter of the chief of the
Piscataways. Her continuing unmarried state was
unusual in a settlement where the male/female ratio was about six to
one. Governor Calvert died during an attack on the settlement and on his deathbed, exhorting her to "Take all and pay all," he
appointed her as his executor, a testimony to his faith in her
abilities. The most pressing problem was paying Leonard Calvert's
soldiers, who were on the verge of a mutiny. She averted that
disaster by having the assembly transfer to her Calvert's
power of attorney for his brother Lord Baltimore. Because his estate was not sufficient, she sold some of Lord Baltimore's cattle to pay the soldiers. 1651 she and her family relocated to Virginia by 1651, where she set up a large
plantation. She lived (1610-71). |
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1647-53 Reigning Dowager Lady Dowager Hereditary Princess
Magdalene Sibylla von Sachsen of Denmark of Lolland-Falster,
Royal County Sheriff
of the County
of
Nykøbing with the two Shires of Falster and the County of Ålholm, Denmark |
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After her husband, Hereditary Prince Christian died, she withdrew to
her dowry in the south of Denmark, but in 1652 she married Duke
Friedrich Wilhelm II zu Sachsen-Altenburg (d. 1669), with whom she had
her first child Johanna Magdalene in 1656 and the next, Friedrich
Wilhelm II, in 1658.
She lived
(1617-68). |
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1647-86 Hereditary Duchess Elisabeth Marie of Münsterberg-Oels
(Ziębice-Oleśnica) (At the time part of Germany, now Poland)
1664-72 Regent Dowager Duchess of Württemberg-Oels (Germany) |
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Also known as
Elżbieta Maria Podiebrad, she was the
only child of the Slesian Duke Karl Friedrich, she was married Silvius
Nimrod von Württemberg (1622-64), and after her father's death, he was
granted the Duchy by emperor Ferdinand III and he founded the line of
Württemberg-Oels, the first Slesian line, and after his death, she was
regent for two sons, Silvius Friederich (1651-97) and Christian Ulrich
(1652-1702), who were declared prematurely of age by the Emperor
against her protests. She lived (1625-86). |
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1648-51 Regent Dowager Countess Juliane von Hessen of
Ostfriesland (Germany)
1651-59 Reigning Dowager Lady of Burg Berum and the Estate of
Westerhof bei Osterode am Harz |
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The widow of Count Ulrich II,
she governed in the name of her son, Enno
Ludwig, 1st Prince of Ostfriesland. Her reign was marked by the Thirty
Years War and plague, but she managed to bring the territory trough
the worst ordeals. Her son was declared "of age" before time and she
withdrew to her dowry.
She lived
(1606-59). |
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1648-56 Regent Dowager Countess Agnes von Effern of
Holzappel
1656
Reigning Lady
of Schaumburg, Bibrich, Cramberg, Steinsberg and the County of
Holzappel included Esten, Holzappel, Dörnberg, Eppenrod, Geilnau, Giershausen,
Horhausen, Isselbach, Kalkofen, Langenscheid, Laurenburg, Ruppenrod
and Scheidt | |