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Alyona
Alyona was born into an Eryan peasant family. She joined Stephan Razin in the peasants' revolt in Russia in 1670. She commanded hundreds of men in the revolt against the Tsar and the nobility. Her efforts were extraordinary and they eventually led to the capture of Temnikov in 1670 -
Catherine The Great
This primary source by Dmitry Levitsky painted in 1782 is a portrait of Catherine the Great, a women who became empress of Russia through an ambiguous coup d'etat and who eventually led Russia to its golden age. This women is a very important figure as she is a clear example that even in the 18th century, women were able to rule nations through their most prosperous moments. -
Women's March on Versailles
This primary source by Jean Francois Janinet shows the revolted women departing from Paris in direction to Versailles to protest in front of King Louis XVI because of the rising price of bread and the injustice between the third estate and the first and second estates. This event will prove to be one of the most significant moments of the French Revolution as it will be the last time the Louis XVI will see Versailles. -
Laskarina Bouboulina
This primary source was painted in the 19th century and is currently exposed at the National Museum of History in Athens. Bouboulina was a Greek naval commander who led her own troops during the Greek war of independence against the Ottomans. She fought for two years, spending her entire fortune acquiring ships and arming and feeding her troops, which eventually led to the fall of the fort on November 13th, 1822. -
Frances Buss
This primary source was painted in 1896 by Ida Southwell Perrin and is currently exposed at the Camden School for Girls. Frances Buss was a pioneer of female education and argued that the world would be a better place if women were educated. Her school (North London Collegiate School) became a model school which kick-started a revolution in female education from which all women have benefited. -
Women's Demonstration in Petrograd
This primary source shows the the women's demonstration in Petrograd on International Women's day which sparked the Russian Revolution in 1917. This demonstration was caused mainly by food riots but also by the post war economic situation in Russia. Within five days only, the regime collapsed and the people forced the Tsar to abdicate.
