The Most Powerful Warrior Queens In History

Publish date: 2024-05-09

The Emperor Wu Ding of Shang Dynasty China ruled in the 13th century BCE and was known to shore up alliances with neighboring tribes by marrying women from those tribes. By most accounts, he had around 60 wives. You would have to be pretty special to stand out among 60 wives, especially over 3000 years ago in a society where women were not particularly encouraged to assume leadership positions. But as Ancient Origins explains, that is exactly what Lady Fu Hao–queen, military leader, priestess, and politician–did to great success.

Relics from the Shang Dynasty reveal the military prowess of Fu Hao, who led campaigns against the enemies of the Shang, including the Tu-Fang, whose generations-long feud with the Shang she ended in a single, decisive battle. Her campaigns against the Yi, Qiang, and Ba tribes were also resounding successes. Additionally, her accomplishments were not just in military matters. While the Shang emperor had total control over ceremonial matters such as religious rituals and sacrifices, relics reveal Wu Ding frequently entrusted these things to Fu Hao, revealing his high opinion of her. 

The surest sign of Fu Hao's great power, however, is her insanely lavish tomb, which contained hundreds of bronze weapons and ritual items, thousands of jade, bone, and ivory objects, piles of Shang money, and the remains of people sacrificed to be her servants in the afterlife.

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