The Power of Beauty

Most women don’t like being summed up by their looks, but it’s hard to deny the impact certain women had on the world simply because of their beauty. Of course, these superficial features are in addition to other traits that made them quite influential in their time. With that in mind, here are 20 historical bombshells that have had lasting effects.

Sam Shaw on Wikimedia

1. Nefertiti

Nefertiti lived in ancient Egypt from 1370 to 1330 BCE and was famed for her devastating beauty. She was the wife of the Pharaoh Akhenaten and was a key player in the religious revolution that occurred in Egypt as they shifted from a pantheon of gods to the worship of the singular sun god, Aten. Her fame skyrocketed after a showcase in 1912 featuring her symmetrical appearance and elegance immortalized her.

Arkadiy Etumyan on Wikimedia

2. Helen of Troy

Everyone has heard of the Trojan War, and some believe the cause of it was none other than Helen of Troy. The inspiration for the woman lived during the Greek Bronze Age and was considered so beautiful that she was either abducted or eloped with Paris of Troy. This angered her husband and led to the incitement of the war.

Evelyn De Morgan on Wikimedia

3. Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I lived in England from 1533 to 1603 and ruled for a significant 45 years. Her rule was noted as a golden age, and she led to innovations in the arts. In terms of her beauty, she had quite the cultivated image and was known for her pale skin, red hair, and extravagant outfits.

Formerly attributed to George Gower on Wikimedia

4. Pocahontas

Pocahontas lived in modern-day Virginia from 1596 to 1617 and had quite the tragic story. After saving the life of an Englishman named John Smith, she was indoctrinated into American culture and married a settler named John Rolfe. Now, she is remembered as a timeless historical beauty.

EricThriller on Unsplash

5. Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe is very much alive in the hearts of today’s people, with plenty of women turning to her for inspiration. She’s as culturally iconic now as she was then, having originally lived in the United States from 1926 to 1962. Best known for her movie career, she has gone on to define beauty trends, including the red lip and the curvy figure.

Studio publicity still on Wikimedia

6. Hypatia

Hypatia lived in Alexandria, Egypt, from 360 to 415 CE. She was a mathematician and philosopher and is one of the first known female scholars. Her story ends sadly, as jealous rivalries led to her untimely passing. She was a blend of both worlds, known to be strikingly beautiful and devastatingly intelligent.

Raffaello Santi on Wikimedia

7. Queen Nzinga

Queen Nzinga lived in Angola from 1583 to 1663 and was known for her fierce leadership and bravery as she resisted the Portuguese colonization of Africa. Not only was she a talented strategist, but she was also a skilled diplomat who fought against slavery until her passing. In addition to her heart and power, she was also an icon of beauty.

Achille Devéria on Wikimedia

8. Cleopatra

Cleopatra is still very popular today and originally lived in Egypt from 69 to 30 BCE. Best known as a Ptolemaic Pharaoh of Egypt and the star-crossed lover of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, Cleopatra’s story has both bold and sad moments. Her ability to gain tactical advantages through relationships only speaks to her physical beauty and charming wit.

Fox Film Corporation on Wikimedia

9. Empress Elisabeth of Austria

Empress Elisabeth lived from 1837 to 1898 and was best known as the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I. What made her so unique was her independent spirit and rebellious nature. After a tragic and unexpected passing, she was immortalized for her beauty and grace.

Emil Rabending on Wikimedia

10. Hurrem Sultan

Hurrem lived in the Ottoman Empire from 1502 to 1558 and was the wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. She wielded great political power through her husband and was one of the first to rise from a concubine standing to becoming a legal wife and even a reliable advisor.

Workshop of Titian on Wikimedia

11. Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr lived from 1914 to 2000 and was both a famed inventor and Hollywood actress. In fact, she contributed to the development of frequency-hopping technology, which is the basis for modern-day Wi-Fi. In addition to this impressive accomplishment, her genius was often overshadowed by her beauty.

MGM / Clarence Bull on Wikimedia

12. Sappho

Sappho was a Greek poet who lived on the island of Lesbos from 630 to 570 BCE. If the language seems a bit familiar, that isn’t a coincidence. Regardless, she was known for both her lyrical abilities and beauty and even had an influence on Western literature.

liam matthews on Unsplash

13. Marie Antoinette

Most people have heard the infamous line from Marie Antoinette, although the reality of what was said may vary. She lived in France from 1755 to 1793 and was the reigning queen during the French Revolution. Nowadays, she symbolizes extravagance, which is easy to understand when considering her lavish hairstyles and fashions.

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun on Wikimedia

14. Empress Theodora

Empress Theodora was the wife of Emperor Justinian and lived in the Byzantine Empire from 500 to 548 CE. She was known for her captivating beauty and went on to use her political power to shape women’s rights and introduce ethical laws into the Byzantine Empire.

Artist Jean Benjamin Constant on Wikimedia

15. Lucrezia Borgia

Lucrezia lived in Italy from 1480 to 1519 and was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI. Despite a string of political marriages, her fame stems from her involvement in certain court scandals. In terms of beauty, she was featured in many Renaissance paintings and was known for her ethereal beauty.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti on Wikimedia

16. Princess Diana

Princess Diana is a relatively modern beauty who lived in the United Kingdom from 1961 to 1997. Her tragic passing may have helped immortalize her, but even before then, she was known as the people’s princess and was adored for her humanitarian work and elegant style.

John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA on Wikimedia

17. Yang Guifei

Yang Guifei lived in China from 719 to 756 CE. She was an imperial consort to Emperor Xuanzong and was quite influential over the Tang Dynasty. Her relationships would eventually lead to political turmoil, but her beauty would go on to establish feminine beauty standards across the country.

Yashima Gakutei on Wikimedia

18. Lola Montez

Lola Montez lived in Ireland from 1821 to 1861 and was the mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. She was famed for her dancing capabilities and captivating charisma and quickly rose to high society.

Joseph Karl Stieler on Wikimedia

19. Mata Hari

Mata Hari lived from 1876 to 1917 and was essential in the events that occurred during World War I. She was an exotic dancer doubling as a spy, making her literally the stuff of legends. Unfortunately, her involvement in the war led to a tragic ending.

Koene & Com / Batavia-Amsterdam on Wikimedia

20. Simonetta Vespucci

Simonetta lived in Italy from 1453 to 1476 and was the inspiration for Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus painting. Not only was her beauty iconic, but it set quite the standard in Renaissance art, with some considering her the quintessential muse.

Probably Sandro Botticelli on Wikimedia