# Female Dictators **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938 "2009-04-04T03:24:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/1 "2009-04-04T03:24:29Z")
None come to my mind. Have there been any, and were they brutal ? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/2 "2009-04-04T03:32:32Z")
Indira Gandhi imposed a State of Emergency in India between 1975-1977, and essentially ruled by decree. However, she gave up power after being defeated in elections she called. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/3 "2009-04-04T03:36:14Z")
[Countess Elizabeth Bathory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory), not technically a dictator, but snooker loopy and did use her status in society for…er, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/4 "2009-04-04T03:49:23Z")
Irene was Empress of Byzantium in the eighth century. I don’t know if she would strictly be considered a dictator, but she was certainly autocratic. She conducted a reign of terror, wherein she seized the throne, gouged out the eyes of her son, the rightful emperor, flipped the empire’s stance on iconoclasm, repressed her people, and went on a couple of disastrous military campaigns. [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_of_Athens). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/5 "2009-04-04T03:50:03Z")
Another example might be the [Empress Dowager Cixi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Dowager_Cixi) of China, who ruled from 1861-1908. The daughter of a minor official, she became a concubine of the emperor. She seized power in a coup after he died and became de facto ruler. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/6 "2009-04-04T04:25:04Z")
Not a dictator either, but this month’s National Geographic has an article on [Hatshepsut](http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/04/hatshepsut/brown-text), the She-King of Egypt. She went on a building spree that was really impressive. She apparently was insecure about her legacy. And then when she died, her asshole stepson went ahead and chiseled off nearly every mention of her. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/7 "2009-04-04T04:29:47Z")
Catherine the Great, obviously. She even came to power in classic dictator style - my performing a coup d’etat against the previous ruler, who happened to be her husband. In a more abstract sense, there was the Sultanate of the Women, a 130 year period in the 16th and 17th Centuries when the Ottoman Empire was effectively ruled by the Sultans’ mothers, the rulers of the Harem. The Sultans themselves, who were never allowed out of the palace before they ascended the throne, were utterly incapable of ruling and were often quite insane. See [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6sem_Sultan), for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/8 "2009-04-04T04:40:11Z")
Eva Peron had no official position beyond First Lady (though she tried to be made VP many times), but is generally considered to have been vital to her husband’s election and co-regnant with him domestically. Her exact role is much debated. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/9 "2009-04-04T05:19:45Z")
Would Isabella I of Castile (Spain) qualify as a dictator? That nasty Inquisition . . . I know, you didn’t expect that. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/10 "2009-04-04T07:38:32Z")
Can I mention Margaret Thatcher? ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/11 "2009-04-04T07:46:55Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Can I mention Margaret Thatcher? A dictator with a mandate.:eek: Doubly dangerous IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![First\_Amongst\_Daves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@First\_Amongst\_Daves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/First_Amongst_Daves)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/12 "2009-04-04T07:51:38Z")
Eugenie, Empress of France. Napoleon III was at her command in his final days of rule. Theodora, Empress of Byzantium. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia (she tried to abolish the serf system to her credit and was very leaned, but was nonetheles a despot - and one whose followers got rid of her husband for her). ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/13 "2009-04-04T08:28:43Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Can I mention Margaret Thatcher? Not in polite society you can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/14 "2009-04-04T08:32:35Z")
[Previous thread on the subject](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=360550&highlight=dictatrix). Also the word for it is “dictatrix”. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/15 "2009-04-04T08:34:24Z")
Cleopatra, maybe? I say maybe because I’m not so clear on the distinction between “dictator” and “autocratic monarch”. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/16 "2009-04-04T15:36:09Z")
[East Timor’s First Female Dictator Hailed As Step Forward For Women](http://www.theonion.com/content/video/east_timors_first_female_dictator) (video, sound) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/17 "2009-04-04T17:39:39Z")
I think the word _dictator_ (or dicatrix) needs to be defined. I have trouble thinking of a queen as a dictator, unless the term applies to all absolute rulers. Though three queens I do think would qualify would be: Hatshepsut (mentioned above)- she wasn’t really supposed to be queen regnant, just regent, but once in she wouldn’t step down- [Boudicca](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudicca) (or Boadicea), who while not the first Celtic queen was definitely the meanest (due to being the most justifiably pissed off) and definitely the most powerful and dictatorial (she was merciless not just with Romans but with their Celtic allies, including members of her own family). [Zenobia-](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenobia) (by some accounts a descendant of Cleopatra)- the bedouin noblewoman who became empress by marriage and then empress regnant, kicked some serious Roman ass, and though defeated like Cleo and Boudi actually, unlike them, died of natural causes in a luxurious villa. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/18 "2009-04-04T17:44:35Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Can I mention Margaret Thatcher? I’ve wondered if she’s seen the musical Billy Elliot and if so how she reacted during the [Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NWB5wdDAyQ)number. The chorus: > [@](#): > > So merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher > May God’s love be with you > We all sing together in one breath > Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher > We all celebrate today > 'Cause it’s one day closer to your death ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/19 "2009-04-04T17:45:28Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I think the word _dictator_ (or dicatrix) needs to be defined. I have trouble thinking of a queen as a dictator, unless the term applies to all absolute rulers. Don’t see why it wouldn’t. It’s an executive with absolute power. I suppose some people really believed in the “divine right of kings” ideology, but I suspect most acquiesced to the rule of hereditary monarchs simply because they didn’t want the army to come marching in. Now, the original (Roman) dictators were in theory only empowered during times of crisis, but of course it didn’t often work that way. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/20 "2009-04-04T17:49:26Z")
[Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_I). Flashman’s depiction of her was not necessarily fictional. > [@](#): > > The death of nearly half the population (largely by torture) during her reign is seen as a unique cultural quirk [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938.md?page=2)