# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/21 "2009-04-04T18:49:12Z")
Queen Elizabeth I of England was definitely not to be trifled with. ---
**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, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/22 "2009-04-04T18:54:47Z")
> [@First\_Amongst\_Daves](#): > > Theodora, Empress of Byzantium. Really? I thought that a pretty basic element in the definition of “dictator” is that all executive power is concentrated in one person. It would be pretty hard to say that about Theodora, who was second-in-command to her husband, Justinian, who was one of the greatest rulers in the history of human civilization (I’d say top 25). Don’t get me wrong: she was a very impressive lady. But not dictator material. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/23 "2009-04-04T19:07:42Z")
[Tamar of Georgia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamar_of_Georgia) certainly qualifies in my book. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/24 "2009-04-04T19:29:03Z")
Note that most of these examples were hereditary monarchs or other aristocratic claimants. While such a person may wield absolute authority, and technically be a “dictator” by some definitions, I tend to agree more with the definition used in the opening of the Wikipedia article: > [@](#): > > A dictator is an authoritarian ruler (e.g. absolutist or autocratic) who assumes sole and absolute power with military control but, without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. It might be interesting to restrict the discussion to women who attained dictatorial power through means other than a hereditary claim. ---
**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, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/25 "2009-04-04T20:08:14Z")
And no Hillary Clinton references either, please. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/26 "2009-04-04T20:10:29Z")
Gang of Four\* founding member [Jiang Qing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiang_Qing). CMC fnord! \*No, the other [Gang of Four](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_of_Four). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/27 "2009-04-04T22:04:35Z")
> [@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. I think it does apply to all absolute rulers, but few Kings and Queens rule absolutely. I believe the nobility actually gained a lot of power under Catherine the Great, for example. Queen Elizabeth had to deal with Parliament. There are kings (and perhaps Queens) who have had close to dictatorial powers (Louis IIIIX is a popular example) but just being a monarch doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a dictator. ---
**Author:** ![telebox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@telebox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/telebox)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/28 "2009-04-04T22:31:41Z")
Mary I, Queen of England and Ireland - ‘Bloody Mary.’ > **[Mary I of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_I_of_England)** > > Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, and as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She is best known for her vigorous attempt to reverse the English Reformation, which had begun during the reign of her father, King Henry VIII. Her attempt to restore to the Church the property confiscated in the previous two reigns w... ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/29 "2009-04-04T23:35:42Z")
Again, British monarchs had their power constrained by Parliament. They weren’t dictators. ---
**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 5, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/30 "2009-04-05T02:11:09Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > It might be interesting to restrict the discussion to women who attained dictatorial power through means other than a hereditary claim. How would you view the Dowager Empress of China I cited above? She was of non-royal origin herself. She took advantage of her position as mother of the heir to the throne to seize far more power than she was entitled to according to the norms of Chinese royalty, and then ruled despotically. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/31 "2009-04-05T02:36:31Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > (Louis IIIIX is a popular example) You mean Louis XIIII, and not Louis VI, right? Because Louis VI wasn’t that powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/32 "2009-04-05T02:44:27Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > You mean Louis XIIII, and not Louis VI, right? Because Louis VI wasn’t that powerful. Doh! Louis XIV is what I meant. If I ever start a dynastic line, I’m using Arabic numerals to lessen confusion for future generations. Thanks, Simplicio 1 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/33 "2009-04-05T02:53:21Z")
:: beheads Simplicio 1 :: The King is dead! Long live the King! -Simplicio 2 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/34 "2009-04-05T11:10:08Z")
Sacred and Divine Empress Regnant [Wu Zetian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Zetian). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/35 "2009-04-05T14:03:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > How would you view the Dowager Empress of China I cited above? She was of non-royal origin herself. She took advantage of her position as mother of the heir to the throne to seize far more power than she was entitled to according to the norms of Chinese royalty, and then ruled despotically. I’m inclined to allow her, although she still manipulated claims to royal titles to attain her power. As you observe, she wasn’t born to them. Still, one reason for not including hereditary monarchs under “dictator”, is that you really want to apply it to somebody that junked a system and imposed their own absolute rule. Somebody attaining the top spot in a system that allows for an absolute ruler in the first place isn’t as notorious as the leader of the military junta that overthrows the existing government of a Republic and starts, well, dictating. It’s difficult to draw a really clear distinction, of course. Most power grabbers legitimized themselves within hte political system at some point. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/36 "2009-04-05T14:21:27Z")
So you cannot inherit the “dictator” title? The North Koreans will be thrilled to learn that. ---
**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 5, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/37 "2009-04-05T14:43:48Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > So you cannot inherit the “dictator” title? Who claimed that? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/38 "2009-04-05T14:49:59Z")
Well, this > [@yabob](#): > > Somebody attaining the top spot in a system that allows for an absolute ruler in the first place isn’t as notorious as the leader of the military junta that overthrows the existing government of a Republic and starts, well, dictating. ---
**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 5, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/39 "2009-04-05T15:00:17Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Well, this Nothing in what you quoted implies that a dictatorship can’t be inherited. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938/40 "2009-04-05T15:40:30Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > [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). I don’t think she belongs in this list. We have no evidence that she tried or desired to rule politically, only that she led the people in battle after the death of her husband. Second, almost all of what we know about her comes from Roman sources, who were not above presenting stereotypes as fact to prove a point. The rest of our knowledge comes from archaeology; nothing from contemporary Celtic written sources. Third, we have no way of comparing her actions to the legitimate rulers of the Iceni or other contemporary tribes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dictators/491938.md?page=3)