Mata Hari was born Margaretha Zelle in Leeuwarden, Netherlands in 1876. She was the eldest of four children to Adam Zelle and Ante van der Meulan. Her father was successful in his business ventures, including a hat shop and oil investments....
Wu Hou, born as Wu Zhao, came from a minor aristocratic family in China. She became the first woman to hold the title of Emperor of China, and her extraordinary story starts with her becoming the concubine of Emperor Taizong, of the Tang dynasty. She was selected at...
Phryne (c.371BCE Р?) was an ancient Greek courtesan from 4the century BC. She was nicknamed ‘Phryne’ Рthe Greek word for toad Рdue to her yellow complexion. Despite this she was considered very beautiful; not...
Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764) also known as Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson was the official mistress of Louis XV of France from 1745-1751. This was a staggering jump for a member of the bourgeoise to make. It all began when she was 9 and her mother took her to see a...
Mary Boleyn was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn and Lady Elizabeth Howard, and the older sister of English Queen Anne Boleyn, who was the second wife of Henry VIII. Through her mother’s side she was also the cousin of Henry’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard....
