March is Women’s History Month. You may notice that it is currently February. That is because there is no reason for women’s history to be confined to a single month. Even when we do celebrate Women's History Month, most of these spotlights tend to be focused on American women from the 19th and 20th centuries, but there are so many more amazing women in history who have managed to succeed against the pressures of a patriarchal society. To celebrate a year dedicated to women, I have come back with the stories of three dynamic women from Greece to China.

Starting from the very beginning is the prostitute turned Roman Empress Theodora. Born in Constantinople in the year 490, poor financial circumstances forced Theodora and her sister into prostitution. However, Theodora was able to escape her financial circumstances through an institution that is still dominant today: sports. Rather than football, the Romans had a different favorite: chariot racing. Theodora supported the Blues, the same faction favored by Justinian–nephew of the Emperor Justin and heir to the imperial throne. Justinian and Theodora rapidly fell in love, to the point where Justinian had Rome’s legal code changed so that he would be allowed to marry Theodora. Having already skyrocketed her social status, Theodora still wasn’t content to just be the emperor’s side piece. When a riot over sports killed thousands and threatened Justinian’s reign, Theodora stopped her husband from fleeing by stating that “royal purple is the noblest [burial] shroud.” In standing their ground together, the two were able to withstand and quell the riots. Theodora also used her stature throughout Justinian’s reign to help underprivileged women who came from backgrounds similar to her. When Justinian faced the plague firsthand in the 540s, Theodora even had to partially take the reins of the empire herself, holding together the restored Roman Empire her husband had built. Theodora died in 548, but is still immortalized today in the Basilica of San Vitale in Italy, where her likeness can be seen surrounded by a halo.

Seventy-six years after Theodora’s death, a girl named Wu was born in China. She was a concubine of the Emperor Taizong, and after his death, Wu seduced and became a concubine of Taizong’s ninth son, Emperor Gaozong. Wu clashed with the Consort Xiao and Empress Wang, eventually killing the two romantic rivals. This paved the road for Wu to marry Gaozong in 655, becoming Wu Zetian. Wu, as you may have guessed, was horrendously power hungry, no mere girlboss, but a #girlchiefexecutiveofficer. Five years after marrying the emperor, Wu gained partial control of the empire, presiding over the royal court and using her own seal of approval. With the death of her husband, this control became absolute. Seven years later, Wu formalized her control and founded the Zhou dynasty, becoming the only female emperor in China’s thousands-of-years-long history. Wu consolidated power by relying on a system of spies, informants and assassins. She even used her authority to command some of her enemies to commit suicide. Wu also created a system of self-supporting farmer colonies and local militias to maintain both popularity and a formidable army. Wu died at the age of 81, leaving her empire to her son. Though scholars discredit her dynasty as a mere extension of the Tang, Wu left behind a strong legacy, honored by her son, and an example of how female empowerment does not often come about by the most noble means.

If you love Eleanor Roosevelt, get ready for Eleanor of Aquitaine. This mother of an empire inherited the Duchy of Aquitaine in 1137, when she was between twelve and thirteen years of age. Aquitaine was the biggest duchy in the French Kingdom, and so the very same year Eleanor was married to Prince Louis, and by Christmas the couple were King and Queen of France. Unfortunately for Eleanor, Louis wasn’t the one. After 15 years of marriage, Eleanor only bore two children, both daughters, and only a boy could inherit the French throne. This enraged Louis, as did a disagreement during the Second Crusade where Eleanor supported (and according to some rumors slept with) her uncle instead of her husband. Thus, the two decided to get their marriage annulled, on the grounds that they were too closely related. As soon as Eleanor arrived at her capital after the annulment, she sent a letter to Henry of Normandy asking for his hand in marriage. Eight weeks later, the two married in a private ceremony. Two years after their marriage, Henry became King of England. The size of Aquitaine meant that their heirs would rule more of France than the French king. Henry, unfortunately, was power hungry, locking Eleanor in a tower for a decade and a half. However, after the death of her husband, Eleanor was truly able to take center stage. She held together the new Angevin Empire she had built by taking care of the throne while her sons fought each other or went on crusade. When she finally did pass, she built her tomb next to her husband’s, but made it taller, highlighting how her legacy would eventually eclipse that of her husband. Today, Eleanor of Aquitaine remains a feminist icon, while her husbands have been lost to time.

Although women have been oppressed throughout history, and the three mentioned in here largely gained status through marriage, they remain examples of how women have been able to use their own talents to raise their own stature. Theodora could have remained a prostitute, Wu a concubine, and Eleanor an oppressed duchess. However, by using their charisma, ambition, intellect, and in some cases, ruthlessness, they became rulers who immortalized themselves in history and stand as testaments to female empowerment today. This Women’s History Year, I wish for you all to reflect on feminism, and so have decided to end with some feminist reading recommendations: The Handmaid's Tale, The Maiden, The Red Tent, and The Midwife's Tale. Happy reading, and happy celebrating women’s history.