In history, this woman remained as one of the most dissolute persons. Despite her high status (she was the wife of Emperor Claudius), Valeria literally became the personification of lust and fornication in Rome. Messalina lived in the 1st century AD. Contemporaries say that she was more promiscuous than Nero himself. But he became famous for wild orgies, harems with children and a palace that became a brothel. It is said about Messalina that she came to one of the brothels of Rome, taking the place of a prostitute there. Only this could satisfy her passion. Valeria herself did not miss a single handsome man. For a long time, her behavior got away with her, her blinded husband did not notice anything. But Valeria also decided to enthrone her next lover, Gaius Silius. The plot failed, and Messalina herself was killed by order of the emperor at the age of 28. Historians say that at that time the woman was already stricken with syphilis, so such a death was no worse end to a dissolute and shameful life.

2 Cleopatra

This woman is considered one of the wisest mistresses. Also, Cleopatra is one of the most scandalous characters of the Ancient World. Because of her, powerful states fought each other. The night with Cleopatra cost each of her new slave lover their lives, nevertheless, the fatal beauty (some sources say that outwardly she was not a beauty) beckoned men to her. Each of them dreamed of conquering a woman with his strength and love skills, and in the morning to wake up not only alive, but also the king of all Egypt. Nevertheless, Cleopatra continued to kill her lovers, unaccepting compromise. Specialists in ancient Egypt call the queen one of the first adherents of free love. It was believed that she was an experienced fellatrix, that is, she skillfully gave a blowjob to her chosen ones. Perhaps this is what tied Antony to her? The ancient Greeks nicknamed the queen Meriohane, which literally means "open-mouthed", "women with a thousand mouths." Another nickname for the mistress was "fat-lipped." Although Cleopatra had all the makings of a good ruler, her own desires prevented her from ruling skillfully. She also indulged her own famous lovers. For Caesar, Cleopatra seemed modest and intelligent, and for Antony she became a mad hunter for carnal pleasures. Love for the latter became tragic, the couple decided to resist Rome, for which they paid with their lives.

3 Phryne

But this Greek hetera became famous for its beauty. She worked as a model. From it, the ancient creators sculpted and painted Aphrodite herself. They wrote that Phryne was very bashful and extremely reluctant to be naked. She even met her men in the dark. As a result, the getter was condemned for the negative impact on the most enlightened citizens of the republic. But when she was led to her execution and her clothes were torn off, the audience saw the perfect body of Phryne. Geter was immediately acquitted, since it was decided that a dissolute soul simply could not live in such a divine body.

4 Thais of Athens

This impudent hetaera became famous for seducing Alexander the Great himself. Although she was a prostitute, she became famous for her impregnability. She attracted the great conqueror herself by the fact that she did not want to give herself to him for any treasures or riches. The woman told Alexander that it was necessary to win her heart and then the whole world would fall before him. Subsequently, Thais was able to marry the Egyptian king Ptolemy I.

5 wu hu

This Chinese empress from the Tang Dynasty announced the advent of the era of female superiority in the country. To do this, in court etiquette, even the custom appeared to lick the "stamens of the lotus." The Empress demanded that all government officials and visiting dignitaries show her special respect through cunnilingus. This ceremony has remained even in old paintings: Wu Hu holds her dress, and a guest kneels in front of her, who kisses her genitals.

6 Scheherazade

This woman is famous for her intelligence. Naturally, she did not only tell fairy tales with the Sultan. After each love intercourse, Scheherazade began to tell an interesting story, which she interrupted at the most interesting place. At first, the Sultan even wanted to exile her to the lower harem, as a wife who no longer satisfies him. However, it turned out that no one else was able to tell such interesting tales to the ruler. Shahriyar continued to listen to his concubine. So the book of fairy tales "A Thousand and One Nights" appeared. That's how long it took the ruler to regain common sense and stop killing virgins. And what happened after that with the most desirable wife of the Sultan is unknown. Some infection is said to have caused her death.

7 Elizabeth Bathory

This woman went down in history under the name of the Bloody Countess. She had many lovers, the most famous of which is the painter Caravaggio. They say that she became for him not only a model, but also a real muse and goddess. Contemporaries recall that Bathory was of unearthly beauty, until her death she kept her face like a young girl. This effect became possible supposedly due to the fact that the countess bathed in the blood of tortured and murdered virgins. In total, she killed about 600 women, among whom were not only peasant women and servants, but also noble persons. They say that Bathory came up with terrible mechanisms. For example, a metal coffin containing spikes inside. They entered the body shallowly, not killing immediately, but causing only bleeding. Thus, the victim died gradually, giving his blood to the insatiable countess. They say that Bathory invented several thousand sophisticated tortures and devices for this. Only in 1611 was the 50-year-old sadist condemned. There are several versions of her death. They say that the angry mob simply staged lynching for her, immuring her alive in the walls of her own castle. A popular story is that Bathory got away with it. Her family was too powerful. The bloody countess was sent to the dungeon to live out her term, away from human eyes. There is an opinion that Elizabeth was slandered. The fact is that she was richer than the king himself, who wanted to take away all her property from her. After the death of the countess, five of her children disappeared somewhere, and all her gold and lands went to the ruler. Bathory went down in history not only as a bloodthirsty killer, but also as one of the most beautiful women of her time with unfading beauty. In Hungary itself, the woman was called a vampire, believing that in terms of the number of her atrocities she was in no way inferior to Count Dracula.

8 Marquise de Pompadour

This favorite of the French king Louis XV was not only a skillful and tireless mistress, but also played an important role in European politics. It is said that she owes her passion to celery. Every day, the Marquise used two of the strongest aphrodisiacs at once - chocolate and celery root. In the morning she drank a mug of hot chocolate, adding ground root there. During the day she ate a special salad with apples, walnuts and celery. While it's not clear if she knew these foods helped her stay lovable, Pompadour could make love up to 10 times a day with different partners. Celery is generally a well-known pathogen. So in different countries, peasants put a bunch of this plant at the head of the bed on their wedding night. Jeanne Poisson herself, the future Marquise of Pompadour, was promised the love of the king himself at the age of nine. What more could a young girl dream of? The origin of the Pompadour remains a mystery. There is an opinion that she was generally of low origin, just one day she successfully found herself a patron in the form of a nobleman and ended up at court. There, at a masquerade, she met Louis XV. The monarch was intrigued by the behavior of the girl, who coquettishly hid her face under a mask. And when the mask was removed, the king finally fell in love. It was not easy to achieve a high position and the status of a favorite for many years, but Jeanne was able to do it. She did not limit her activities to just bed. The Marquise of Pompadour took up the development of the arts, patronizing many artists and writers. Until her death, she remained for the king not only a mistress, but also a close friend. This in itself is a rarity.

9 Josephine

Napoleon's chosen one at the time of their meeting was not young, she was already over thirty and she had two children. However, she looked flawless on the outside. Although Bonaparte himself gave imperious orders to the rest, he was shy in front of Josephine and experienced either tender or passionate feelings. The secret of the victory over Napoleon was simple. Josephine was not just a beauty, she was also an excellent listener. A wise woman always approved of the actions of her lover, no matter what he did. And as a reward for this, she became the first Empress of France. The divorce of the couple took place only for the good of France - the country needed an heir.

10 Inessa Armand

This woman, although she was right in the center of revolutionary actions, her role was bashfully hushed up by historians. After all, she was the mistress of Vladimir Lenin himself, which somehow did not fit in with the immaculate image of the leader. Armand met him in front of Krupskaya in Paris. Inessa's personal relationship with Lenin was so close that Nadezhda Konstantinovna herself was in the background with her husband. Krupskaya was forced to forgive her husband's passion for his mistress, if only it was for the good of the revolution. Inessa herself was wholeheartedly devoted to her occupation and to Lenin himself. Armand left behind three children who were born before meeting the leader. And she died of cholera in 1920 and was buried not far from her beloved - under the Kremlin wall.

11 Mata Hari

This courtesan earned her living by performing exotic dances. At one time, all of Paris admired her. Many high-ranking officials of France and Germany became lovers of the artist. According to legend, during the First World War, Mata Hari was a spy, while cooperating with both warring parties at once. It is not known whether she was able to extract really valuable information from her patrons. Nevertheless, in 1917 the French shot Mata Hari for her spying for Germany. She herself became a legend, embodying the images of a femme fatale and a fearless intelligence agent.

12 Isadora Duncan

This American dancer led a bohemian lifestyle. She is considered the founder of free dance, from which the Art Nouveau style was born. She had many admirers, some of whom she reciprocated. Having survived the death of her two children, she went to Russia, where she met Sergei Yesenin. He became her lover and later her husband. Isadora herself, according to her contemporaries, did not captivate with her brilliant beauty. But she was very natural and had a natural sexuality. On stage, Duncan performed barefoot, and her every movement was filled with grace and natural charm. All her dances spoke of the fact that she was open to life and madly in love with her in all manifestations. She herself wrote: "If my art is symbolic, then this symbol is only one: the freedom of a woman and her emancipation from the rigid conventions that underlie puritanism." Contemporaries believed that Duncan's work opens up new horizons for the women of the future. Her dances were called brilliant, she was able to change both art and everyday life. But relations with Yesenin did not work out - two gifted creative people were jealous of each other's glory.

13 Lilya Brik

Men were drawn to her by her sense of inner freedom. This woman had many admirers - Pablo Neruda, Marc Chagall, Louis Aragon, Sergei Parajanov, Fernand Léger, Yves Saint Laurent. But Brik's most famous lover was Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poet even lived with her and her husband, embarrassing the townsfolk with such a love triangle. Brik herself said: “It is necessary to inspire a man that he is wonderful or even brilliant, but that others do not understand this. And to allow him what is not allowed at home, for example, to smoke or go wherever he pleases. Good shoes and silk underwear will do the rest.” As you can see, the secret of seduction is not so complicated. Lilya Brik often appears as a femme fatale. If a man attracted her, then nothing could stop her. The history of Brik is covered with legends, there was some kind of mystery in it that attracted the most famous men of that time to her. Talking with people, Lily skillfully and cleverly emphasized her interest in her interlocutor. Brik has always been fashion-conscious, dressing with taste and hiding her flaws in her clothes. It was she who became the first woman in Moscow who dared to wear trousers. The straightforward Akhmatova recalled Lila in this way: “Hair is dyed and insolent eyes on a worn face.”

14 Marilyn Monroe

This mistress is one of the most mysterious in history. The sex symbol of the 20th century had a close relationship with US President John F. Kennedy. But this connection, like the subsequent death of the actress, is shrouded in mystery. It is not clear if Monroe's death was a suicide or if her love for Kennedy became a hindrance to someone and she was simply removed. During her lifetime, she managed to tarnish the reputation of an excellent family man and the pride of America, John F. Kennedy. It is still unprofitable for someone to reveal the secret about those events. One thing is clear - the sexy beauty Marilyn Monroe was deeply unhappy in her personal life. More than half a century has passed since her mysterious death, but she still remains the standard of femininity and sexuality. And the actress herself has turned into a promoted and popular brand. With the help of her name, billions of dollars are earned annually in the world.

15 Edwina Curry

The mistress of the English Prime Minister John Major significantly complicated his political career after he decided to break with her. Although the woman was even threatened with reprisal, she did not want to remain silent, writing the whole truth about her relationship with a powerful admirer. Written at the risk of his life, the book quickly became a bestseller, and Major's own career went downhill. Curry said that she was not only threatened, but also attacked and beaten twice. The criminals demanded silence from her and promised to kill her if the book was published. But she did it anyway. Maybe she was driven by a sense of revenge, or maybe the desire to prove that even powerful men should be held accountable for their actions. In the end, the truth about the premiere turned out to be stunning. No British politician was told so many humiliating details as about him. The most intimate details of his life became the property of the public. And this happened because one day he decided to leave the one who loved him. Fear for a career and threats only exacerbated the position of the unfortunate lover.

16 Sylvia Kristel

This beautiful woman became famous for her leading role in the sensational erotic film "Emmanuelle". Her attractiveness did not go unnoticed by the most prominent men. Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, President of France, became Christelle's mistress. Moreover, their romance began even before he took this prominent post. d'Estaing himself never hid this relationship. As a result, Sylvia was even invited to all official events related to the head of state. She acted as hostess at his receptions. Yes, and on foreign trips, the president often took Sylvia with him. Thus, Christelle seemed to have received the status of an "official" mistress.

17 Anne Penjo

As already mentioned, often mistresses created a scandal around their politician admirer. So it was with Anne Penjo. This mistress of Francois Mitterrand even settled in the Elysee Palace. But when the new president, Jacques Chirac, came to power, the first thing he did was order the eviction of Penjo and her illegitimate daughter from his predecessor from the state residence. Biographers say that the loving Mitterrand had many mistresses. Penjo was just one of them. That is why the French themselves were calm about the fact of its existence. But the fact that the president gave her free housing in the Elysee Palace, and even denied it, the citizens of the country could not forgive him. After Mitterrand's death, another scandal erupted. The mistress, along with the president's illegitimate daughter, wanted to attend the funeral, which his family vehemently opposed. Now Ann does not lead a luxurious life at all - she works in a museum, barely making ends meet. And Mitterrand's illegitimate daughter, with the help of the court, won the right to her father's surname and went into politics.

18 Monica Lewinsky

This mistress turned out to be very selfish. She not only had a strong influence on the career and family of her partner, but also did not fail to earn several million dollars from this. Monica told the press about all the details of her intimate relationship in the Oval Office. Already after this connection became known to the public, everyone was literally amazed at how the intern, unknown to anyone before, managed to carry out the operation she had planned. She even saved for history the dress in which she made love with Clinton. For the president, that story almost turned into a resignation and even a prison for lying before the court. Monica herself, with memories of those relationships, traveled all over the world. Lewinsky wrote a book about her intimate connection and even made a documentary film Monica in Black and White, for which she received a multi-million dollar fee. And Clinton himself is frankly sorry, even his wife forgave him. It is not clear just what the charming and popular politician found in the unsightly plump Lewinsky.

These women changed the lives of not only the men who were with them, but also the history of the world. For their sake, they abandoned the throne and created new churches.

Elena the beautiful

The story of Helen of Troy was told by Homer in the poem "Iliad". Known as the "Girl of 1000 Ships", Helena of Troy is considered one of the most beautiful female images in literature.

Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, fell in love with Helen and kidnapped her. The offended Greeks gathered a large army, led by Menelaus' brother, Agamemnon, to return Helen.

An armada of 1,000 Greek ships crossed the Aegean and arrived in Troy. For nine whole years the city remained impregnable until the Greeks resorted to a trick. They built a large wooden horse with Greek soldiers inside. Despite warnings to the Trojans "Beware of the Danes who bring gifts", the Trojans accepted the horse as a gift.

After waiting for the night, the Greeks got out of the horse, opened the gates of Troy to let in the army of Menelaus. Troy was destroyed. Helen safely returned to Sparta with Menelaus, received the nickname "Trojan", becoming a fatal symbol of the destruction of the Hellenic era.

Guinevere

The legends of the beautiful Guinevere were written by Sir Thomas Malory in his book Le Morte d'Arthur (1485)
Wife of the legendary King Arthur. Daughter of the King of Laudergrans who ruled Camlard.
The image of Guinevere is considered the first image of the Beautiful Lady in the literature of the Middle Ages.

Thomas Malory described Guinevere as a very beautiful woman. Naturally, her beauty captivated not only King Arthur. Lancelot, one of Arthur's knights, was madly in love with Guinevere. This is eloquently evidenced by his act: he was the only one who stood up for the queen when she was accused of poisoning Sir Patrice.

Insulted, Arthur went after Lancelot and Guinevere, leaving Mordred, his nephew, in charge. Having achieved nothing, Arthur was forced to return to his homeland.

In the absence of the king, Mordred decided to seize power by overthrowing Arthur. He called for the help of the Saxons and met Arthur on the coast with an army. Everyone died in the battle. Mordred was slain by the king, but Arthur himself was mortally wounded. Dying, he asked Sir Bedivere to throw the sword Excalibur into the lake. Dying Arthur was taken by the sorceresses in a magical boat to Avalon.

Cleopatra

Queen Cleopatra was a smart, powerful, strong, charming, insightful, daring, ambitious and fatal woman. She was admired by many and still admired to this day.
A brilliant politician and strategist, she skillfully used female charms to achieve her goals. For example, in order to please the sophisticated Julius Caesar, she ordered to wrap herself in rags and throw them at his feet. Caesar was shocked by such an act - the ruler of Egypt herself was at his feet! But the love and political connection of Cleopatra and Caesar turned out to be objectionable to the Romans - it is believed that Caesar, having contacted Cleopatra, signed his own death warrant.

Salome

Who: Jewish princess, daughter of Herodias and Herod Boet, stepdaughter of Herod Antipas
Herod Antipas ruled in Judea, which in 6-7 AD became a Roman province.

At the age of 50, Herod liked the wife of his brother Herodias and he married her. This way of choosing a companion did not please John the Baptist, he criticized the marriage of Herod and Herodias. Herodias was very domineering and vindictive, and the answer to the reproaches of John the Baptist was not long in coming.

A feast was held in honor of Herod's birthday. Herodias sent her daughter Salome to perform an incendiary Syrian dance. According to legend, the guests and Herod were so bewitched by her dance that after her performance Herod exclaimed: “Ask whatever you want!”. On the advice of her mother, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist as a gift.

The image of Salome is the first image of femme fatale in the biblical story.

Valeria Messalina

Valeria Messalina was born in 25 AD, belonged to the highest patrician power. At the age of 14, she was married to the uncle of the emperor Caligula, Claudius. He was considered a fool, he was middle-aged, limped and had two divorces behind him. But Claudius fell in love with Messalina so much that he believed her unconditionally and turned a blind eye to her many lovers.

In 41, Caligula is killed and Claudius becomes emperor, and Messalina becomes empress. And then it was already unstoppable - balls, feasts, numerous lovers and squandering the treasury of the Empire. But Claudius was still indulgent about her adventures.

Meanwhile, Messalina fell in love "for real". One of the young and noble handsome Gaius Silius became her chosen one. He was horrified by her persecution, feeling that it would no longer be an empty affair - that the Empress was now "everything was serious."

So much so that she orders the best furniture from the imperial palace to be moved to the house of Celius! Messallina finally lost her head and decided to become the wife of Gaius, giving Claudius a marriage contract to sign. The emperor signed the document without looking at what was in it, and left to improve his health.

Left alone in Rome with Silius, Messalina celebrated her wedding with a frightened groom, in compliance with all the ancient rites, as a "decent woman." It is not known how long the holiday would have lasted if one of the drunken guests had not seen the approaching imperial motorcade.
Lawsuits began that did not spare a single lover of Messalina. Even the cunning Mnester was not spared, who claimed that he was only following the emperor’s order to obey his wife in everything.

Ann Bolein

Anne Boleyn is the second wife of Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I of England. She was born into a wealthy but not noble family of Thomas Boleyn. Anna's mother, Lady Elizabeth Howard, came from an old noble family of Howards.

From childhood, Anna's parents planned for their daughter a high position at court. She received an excellent home education: she sang well, danced, and mastered musical instruments. She was fluent in French and Italian, composed poetry and music. At the age of 7, Anna was sent to be raised at the court of the French queen, where she mastered the art of flirting and learned the principles of court intrigues.

At this time, between Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII there was a serious discord. The king dreamed of an heir, but Catherine, due to her age, was unable to give birth to a boy.

The Duke of Norfolk decided to "help" in a delicate situation and Anne Boleyn returned to England to become the king's concubine and strengthen her uncle's position at court. Anna skillfully flirted with Henry, not letting him near her body, more and more inflaming the passion of the king.

The girl did not want to be only a concubine, she wanted to become the Queen of England. Anna hinted to Henry that he would get everything only if he divorced the queen and made her his wife. But circumstances played against the union, because Catherine of Aragon was a Spanish princess and the dissolution of the marriage meant that Henry was going against Charles V and the Vatican.

The situation required a strong-willed decision, Anna urged the king to break off relations with the Vatican and create his own - the Anglican Church. Henry VIII severed relations with the Roman Catholic Church, declared himself the head of the Anglican Church, and declared the marriage with Catherine of Aragon invalid. Anne Boleyn achieved her goal - she became the wife of Henry VIII and the Queen of England.

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I, "Virgin Queen", daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII was afraid to leave the state without a strong king, but his fears were not justified - Elizabeth I became such a king.

She ruled for 45 years, and this period in the history of England is called the "Golden Age". The only queen who chose a country as her husband. As she liked to say, "I am married to England." During her reign, William Shakespeare worked, Francis Drake traveled around the world, and the Spanish Armada ceased to be invincible.

Elizabeth's path to the throne was not easy. Generally, the successor to the English throne is the eldest male descendant of the reigning monarch. Henry VIII died, leaving behind Edward VI. Edward ruled for a short time - from 1547 to 1553, and left no heirs. By right, the throne could pass either to Mary (the future Bloody Mary) or to Elizabeth. But the time of Elizabeth had not yet come, and Mary became queen.

In 1554, Elizabeth was imprisoned by Bloody Mary. Because of her illness, Mary became very suspicious, she saw conspiracies everywhere, one of which was accused of Elizabeth. In addition, the fierce Catholic Mary hated that Elizabeth was a Protestant. In a word, Maria did everything to poison the life of her half-sister. But at this time, the "iron" character of the future queen was formed.

During her reign, there was the so-called "cult of Elizabeth" or the cult of the Virgin Queen. Most often, she was depicted as Venus, Circe, Aphrodite, in order to maintain the halo of the divine queen.

Despite this image, the queen had many admirers. Thomas Seymour (husband of Catherine Parr), Duke Robert Dudley (according to historians, she pushed her wife down the stairs to woo the queen), King Philip II of Spain (after refusing to send the Armada to England, the case ended in the complete defeat of the Spanish ships) ), Archduke Karl of Austria and Duke of Anjou.

Catherine II

Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst-Everskaya is the real name of Empress Catherine II. Daughter of Prince Christian-August and Joanna-Elizabeth. Some historians say that Sophia's real father was Frederick the Great. It was he who advised Princess Sophia as a wife to the heir to the throne, Peter, when he learned that Elizaveta Petrovna was looking for a bride for her son.

Thus, the German princess ended up at the Russian court. At baptism, she received the name Catherine. She was trained by the best teachers to become a worthy wife of the Russian emperor. Sophia (now Ekaterina) perfectly mastered the Russian language, Russian history, the history of Orthodoxy and sought to learn as much as possible about Russia, which she perceived as a new homeland.

In 1762, Catherine organized a palace coup and overthrew Peter III, becoming empress. The time of her reign is called the "golden age of the Russian nobility." Catherine was an adherent of the Enlightenment, she loved to read the French enlighteners and corresponded with many of them, including Voltaire.

Under Catherine, favoritism reached its peak. Her favorites were Prince Potemkin, Zavardovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov. There were 21 official favorites in total. She helped each of them make a career.

But almost all after the termination of relations were either expelled from Russia without the right to return, or fired, or on the orders of Catherine, relatives of the favorites were mutilated.

One of these people was Alexander Mamonov. He fell in love with Princess Elizabeth Shcherbatova and intended to marry, which he reported to Catherine. Catherine agreed, arranged a luxurious wedding, and two weeks later ordered the soldiers to take revenge on Mamonov. They tied him to an armchair and gagged him, and soldiers abused the young countess, after which they flogged her to complete deformity. Liza miraculously survived. Count Mamonov took his sick wife abroad, never to return to Russia again.

Evita Peron

Evita Peron (real name Maria Eva Ibarguren Duarte de Peron) went down in history as the wife of President Juan Peron and the first lady of Argentina.

They met in 1944 at a charity event in the city of San Juan. The evening was dedicated to the victims of the earthquake. That evening, Evita approached Colonel Peron and told him the words that turned her life upside down.
"Colonel," she said, touching his sleeve.
- What do you want, girl? he said without turning his head.
- Thank you for being.

With these three words, the new life of Evita Peron began. Then the colonel will understand what kind of woman he got - fanatically devoted to him and his ideas, the "mother" of the Argentine people.

Evita had great power over Juano Peron - it was she who insisted that he become head of government. After painstaking work, in 1946, Juan Peron really becomes the president of Argentina. As the first lady, she enjoyed immense popularity among the poor and disadvantaged.

De jure, she did not hold any post in the state apparatus, de facto she was the Minister of Health and Labor. Evita worked like clockwork, helping her husband hold on to the presidency. The foundation she headed built schools, hospitals, nursing homes and housing. She perceived the Argentine people as her children. Probably because she could not get them due to illness.

After Evita's death, political luck turned away from Juan Peron. The rating was plummeting, the dictatorship of the president was boring to all sections of society, and without the support of his wife, he did not last long. In 1955, three years after Evita's death, a coup took place in the country and Juan Peron hastily left the country that his wife so fanatically loved.

Lola Montez

The life of this fatal woman was short - only 40 years. Over the years, she managed to conquer Franz Liszt, Honore de Balzac, Alexander Dumas Sr., she was able to become the favorite of the Bavarian king Ludwig I, for the sake of Lola he renounced the throne.

Lola Montez's real name is Elizabeth Rosanna Gilbert. Her parents moved to India, where her father was to serve. In India, he contracted cholera and died. Elizabeth's mother did not grieve for long and married the commander to James Craigie, and Elizabeth was sent to James's relatives in Scotland. Years in a strange family, and later in a boarding house, turned out to be a difficult test for the girl. Growing up, Elizabeth fled the boarding house with Lieutenant Thomas James to Ireland, and from there to India.

Thanks to her natural charm and artistry, she was able to attract the attention of the elite in Calcutta, but this was not enough for her. In India, she took dance lessons. Later, Elizabeth went to England to visit her husband's relatives, but on the way she met Lord Lenox, and never returned to India. The windy beauty went to Spanish Seville to continue her dance training.
Like Mata Hari, she invented a past for herself - now she was a Spanish widow and took the pseudonym Lola Montes.

In June 1843, Lola made her London debut at the Royal Theatre. Incendiary Spanish dances, coupled with the erotic movements of the East, caused a storm of delight.
The further life of Lola Montes resembles a kaleidoscope. Her phrase "What Lola wants, Lola gets" has become a catchphrase. What did the young girl want? Of course, money, a beautiful life and fame. Franz Liszt and Balzac were among her fans at different times, and one of the best theater critics in France died because of Lola in a duel, having managed to make a will in her name. After this incident, Lola Montes had to leave France, and she leaves for Bavaria.

Ludwig I, King of Bavaria, was captivated by Lola's beauty and spontaneity. Already 6 weeks after they met, he gives her a chic mansion, and she walked with a cigar through the streets of the capital of Bavaria, trying to equalize men and women by her example.

In February 1848, Lola paid the price for her behavior. A crowd of students attacked her, but Lola, threatening them with a gun, miraculously escaped. Ludwig, for the sake of his beloved, did not come up with anything better than to close the university. There were a lot of dissatisfied people, Ludwig canceled the decree, and on March 19, 1848 he renounced the crown in favor of his son Maximilian.

Queen Margo

Marguerite de Valois, French princess, daughter of King Henry II and Catherine de Medici.

Queen Margot - Beautiful lady of the Renaissance. Beautiful, smart, educated and with a sense of humor. Wife of Henri de Bourbon, their union was supposed to cement the two French royal houses, and ease tensions between Catholics and Huguenots. At the wedding, which took place in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the groom was forced to stand outside because he was not a Catholic. Six days later, the Catholics begin to massacre the Huguenots in protest.

Lan Ke (Empress Cixi)

The girl was born in 1835 into a noble but impoverished Manchu family. At birth, she was given the name Lanier (Orchid)
The life story of the empress, who exalted the eunuch Li Lianying and ruled gigantic China with an iron fist for almost half a century, is more like a myth than a real biography. By the end of her life, her full official title was: Merciful, Happy, Beneficent, Gracious, Home.

Lan Ke was known as a beauty, her typical Manchu appearance was complemented by a lively character. As a concubine of the fifth, lowest rank, she was able to become the Empress of China. Lan Ke knew how to take advantage of her unenviable position.

Receiving little money, Lan Ke spent it on singing and drawing lessons and gave a small part to the eunuch Li Lianying, who helped her in the palace. Eventually, she caught the attention of the Sanfen Emperor and became the chief concubine. Entered the trust of the first wife of Emperor Qian. But Lan Ke's position was still precarious, and she decided to strengthen it by giving birth to the boy Tongzhi. But this was not enough for the ambitious Cixi.

During the Opium Wars, the emperor, Qian, and Cixi hid in the provinces, fearing that the enemy troops would be pursued. There, Xiangfeng had an accident that Cixi is blamed for. While walking on the lake, Xianfeng changed into Cixi's boat and "accidentally" fell into the water. After that, he fell ill and died.

From that moment on, Cixi became the regent of Tongzhi. In 1837, Tongzhi dies (the assassination was organized by Cixi) and Lan Ke achieves his goal - to become the sole ruler of the Chinese Empire.

It is customary to think that making history is a purely masculine thing, and the main characters in it are brutal commanders, courageous rulers, talented orators, restless revolutionaries and public figures. However, in the history of our country there were many strong and smart women who made an invaluable contribution to its development.

Women scientists, women empresses, women writers - it was they who meticulously built and methodically destroyed the careers of great men, more than once sharply turning the course of history and culture. Women who were ahead of their time more than once, women who showed real endurance and incredible firmness, women whom we admire and who we still try to imitate.

Duchess Olga

Princess Olga is the ruler of the ancient Russian state from 945 to about 960. The first of the Russian rulers adopted Christianity even before the baptism of Russia and the first Russian saint. After the death of her husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich, she cruelly and subtly took revenge on the worst enemies of the Drevlyans for his death, and then completely gathered an army for a military campaign, walking through the Drevlyan land with a sword, setting tributes and taxes.

Thus, the unity of the territory was preserved and even increased, and Olga herself was considered by the people to be a wise and fair ruler.

After her triumphant return to Kyiv, with her fearlessness, wisdom, will and cunning, she proved that she was able to single-handedly manage the state, protecting it from enemies. Leaving external affairs, she turned to internal problems: she carried out the first financial reform in the history of Russia, laid the foundation for stone town planning.

Although both the squad and the Russian people under her were pagans, Olga herself was baptized, and after her death she was canonized as a saint Equal-to-the-Apostles. Only 5 other holy women in Christian history have received such an honor (Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Empress Helena Equal to the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia Nina).

Feodosia Morozova

Boyarynya Morozova is the most famous Old Believer, who has become a symbol of masculinity, iron will and fearlessness in the struggle for her beliefs. The main activist of the Russian Old Believers, an associate of Archpriest Avvakum for her adherence to the "old faith" was arrested by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and then deprived of her estate and all honors, was exiled to the Pafnutyevo-Borovsky Monastery, where she was subjected to severe torture and interrogations and withstood them, was she was imprisoned in an earthen prison in the Borovsky city prison, and 14 of her servants were burned in a log house for belonging to the old faith at the end of June 1675. Dying from physical exhaustion, Feodosia Morozova asked her jailer to wash her shirt in the river before her death in order to die in a clean shirt. Revered by the Old Believer Church as a saint.

Ekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova-Dashkova

One of the notable personalities of the Russian Enlightenment, Ekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova-Dashkova became the first woman in the world to manage the Academy of Sciences. A friend and associate of the future Empress Catherine II, an active participant in the coup d'état of 1762, which she described in great detail in her memoirs.

However. After accession to the throne of the empress, Dashkova did not play any role in politics. At her suggestion, the Imperial Russian Academy was also established, with one of its main goals being the study of the Russian language. On her own initiative, the magazine "Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word" was founded, which was published in 1783 and 1784 (16 books) and was of a satirical and journalistic nature. The best literary minds of that time were published in it: Fonvizin, Derzhavin, Kheraskov, Knyazhnin and Bogdanovich.

Dashkova translated Voltaire's "Experience on Epic Poetry" with her own hand, wrote poetry in Russian and French, and was the author of several academic speeches.

Catherine II the Great

The All-Russian Empress, who ruled from 1762 to 1796, came to power as a result of a palace coup that overthrew her husband Peter III, unpopular among the people and guards. As a result of the reign of Catherine, there was a significant strengthening of the Russian state, and her policy was called enlightened absolutism. In cultural terms, the Empress contributed to the entry of Russia into the ranks of the great European powers, she herself was fond of literary activities, was engaged in patronage, collected masterpieces of painting and was in correspondence with the French enlighteners. Under her, the boundaries of the empire were greatly expanded: the annexation of Novorossia, the Crimea, partly the Caucasus, as well as sections of the Commonwealth.

Sofia Kovalevskaya

The first female professor in Russia and Northern Europe and the first female professor of mathematics in the world. Foreign Corresponding Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Daughter of Lieutenant General of Artillery V.V. Korvin-Krukovsky and Elizaveta Feodorovna, who received her first mathematics lessons from governesses and a home tutor.

The admission of women to higher educational institutions in Russia at that time was prohibited and the only way to continue their education was to go abroad to enter a foreign university. However, a travel passport could only be issued with the permission of the parents or husband. The father opposed the "scientific" future of his daughter, so Sophia had to independently organize a fictitious marriage with a young scientist V. O. Kovalevsky.

In 1874, after defending her dissertation at the University of Göttingen, Kovalevskaya was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

In 1879 she made a presentation at the 6th Congress of Naturalists in St. Petersburg, and in 1881 Kovalevskaya was elected a member of the Moscow Mathematical Society.

In 1884 he was a professor at the Department of Mathematics at Stockholm University, and in 1888 he was a laureate of the Borden Prize of the Paris Academy of Sciences.

In 1889 he was awarded the Swedish Academy of Sciences and elected a corresponding member of the Physics and Mathematics Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In addition to mathematics, she was engaged in literary work: the author of several stories, essays and a book of memoirs.

Anna Pavlova

One of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century, whose name is still a symbol of Russian ballet of the 20th century. According to some critics, the main difference between Pavlova and other dancers who shone on the stages of theaters before and after her was her unique and incomparable character, personality and temperament. She herself was the living embodiment of dance: she lived by it, lived in it and for its sake.

After graduating from the Imperial Theater School, Pavlova was accepted into the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater and, after 7 years of performing parts in classical ballets, took the place of the leading dancer of the troupe. In 1907, at a charity evening at the Mariinsky Theater, she performed the miniature The Dying Swan, fateful for her career, composed for her by M. Fokin and brought her fame, and after participating in Sergei Diaghilev's Russian Seasons in Paris, she became world famous. .

“The secret of my popularity is in the sincerity of my art,” Pavlova repeated more than once, drawing up her tour routes, crossing all the continents of the earth, carrying choreographic culture even to the most remote corners of the world. It is with her name that the Russian ballet school is still associated.

Natalia Goncharova

The most famous painter, theater artist and graphic artist, whose name is associated with the art of the avant-garde era in Russia, was the great-grandniece of Pushkin's wife, Natalya Nikolaevna Goncharova. She was actively engaged in book illustration, lithography, poster art, participated in productions of Sergei Diaghilev's Russian Seasons, and was engaged in solo exhibitions. Natalya Sergeevna Goncharova was distinguished by her incredible ability to work.

At one of the exhibitions in Moscow, she presented 762 works. According to the memoirs of her contemporaries, she had extraordinary charisma and was a brilliant orator. Her exhibitions continue to be very popular even after her death, and her paintings are more expensive than any other artists in the world of art.

Anna Akhmatova

The greatest Russian poetess, one of the most prominent figures of the Silver Age of Russian culture, whose poems remain relevant for any time. Her bright talent, outstanding personality and incredibly tragic fate left perhaps one of the deepest traces not only in the culture of the 20th century, but in the history of Russia in general.

A translator and literary critic, a nominee for the Nobel Prize in Literature, a mother and wife, a disgraced poetess - all this is one person, a woman who in pre-revolutionary Russia managed to get a taste of fame, publishing her first collections in considerable editions. In post-revolutionary Russia, however, there was not and could not be a place for Akhmatova, as well as for many talented people, scientists, cultural and art workers.

And then everything rolled into the abyss: the arrests of loved ones, the exile of her only son, executions, the Patriotic War and the blockade of Leningrad ... The tragedy of Akhmatova is the tragedy of an entire people, which she embodied in her poems, talking about the monstrous and unfair upheavals that befell him.

Having passed the literary path from poetry, according to Akhmatova herself, which were “suitable only for lyceum students in love”, and ending with essays about Soviet repressions, Akhmatova became a symbol of several eras that hastily, bloody and cruelly succeeded each other.

Faith Cold

Extraordinary appearance, natural charm and naturalness helped Vera Kholodnaya to become the most famous and famous actress of her time in a very short period of her film career. "Queen of the screen", trendsetter, the personification of a new decadent type that came to Russia in the 1910s, replacing the rather boring image of a "cheeky, ruddy Russian beauty."

Vera Kholodnaya was filmed by the best directors of that time: E. Bauer, V. Viskovskiy, P. Chardynin, Ch. Sabinsky. In 1917, one of her best films, "By the Fireplace", was released on the screen, which was a resounding success with the public and, of course, was later destroyed by the Soviet authorities, like other popular pre-revolutionary films.

Vera Kholodnaya was incredibly popular abroad: films with her participation were shown on the screens of Europe, America, Turkey and mysterious and unknown Japan. She was offered contracts by European film studios, but she refused, saying that her place was only in Russia.

It seemed that nothing threatened her popularity: neither the revolution nor the civil war, but the sudden and early death of the actress disrupted all plans and led to a long series of rumors and disputes about the true reason for her sudden death. Thus, Vera Kholodnaya went down in history not only as the most popular actress of the silent film era in Russia, but also as one of the most mysterious women in her history.

Valentina Tereshkova

The world's first and so far the only woman in the world to have made a space flight alone, Valentina Tereshkova was born in the family of a tractor driver and a textile factory worker.

At the beginning of 1962, out of several hundred applicants, she was selected as candidates for the role of the first female astronaut in history. During the training, she underwent endless training on the stability of the body and parachute training. The launch of the Vostok-6 spacecraft took place on the morning of June 16, 1963, and the first female cosmonaut in history landed on the morning of June 19.

In total, the flight lasted two days, 22 hours and 41 minutes. During this time, Valentina Tereshkova made 48 orbits around the Earth. By the way, naturally, Valentina Tereshkova did not tell her relatives about her flight: firstly, it was a military secret, and secondly, like the rest, she did not know how such a flight could end. So the relatives of Valentina Tereshkova learned about the feat of the hero on the radio.

1.Cleopatra

You might think you don't know anything about her. Well, let's pretend that you fell from the moon and tell. She lived in the 1st century BC. e. Ruler of Egypt. Mistress of Caesar and Mark Antony. Famed for her beauty, she is a lover of milk baths and ointments made from dissolved pearls. She died due to technical problems with the snake. By the way, the images on the coins are the only 100% proven portraits of the queen. And they all look like this.

2.Lina Cavalieri

3.Phryne

4.Cleo de Merode

5.Ninon de Lanclos

6.Praskovya Zhemchugova

7.Diane de Poitiers

8.Ann Bolein

9.Messalina

10.Empress Theodora

11.Barbara Radziwill

12.Simonetta Vespucci

13.Agnes Sorel

14.Nefertiti

15.Marquise de Maintenon

16.Marquise de Montespan

17.Zinaida Yusupova

18.Wallis Simpson

19.Madame Recamier

20.yang guifei

21.Veronica Franco

22.Aspasia

23.Isadora Duncan

24.Kitty Fisher

25.Harriett Wilson

26.Mata Hari

27.Tullia d'Aragona

28.Carolina Otero

29.Liane de Pugy

30.Countess di Castiglione

31.Ono no Komachi

32.Empress Xi Shi