Cleopatra : Badass Queen of History

A boss from start to finish, conquering, managing politics to being a strong independent ruler in a male-dominant society. Cleopatra is everything that women may look up to even today.

Cleopatra VII

Egypt's Cleopatra VII was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty. She got the throne as a co-ruler with her brother just at the tender age of eighteen years. Her co-ruler was her brother Ptolemy XIII. He was also her husband as marrying their siblings was normal in Pharaohs. 

Cleopatra 

As Cleopatra indicated being a strong independent woman, she became a so-called threat to her 10-year-old brother. Hence, the guardians of Ptolemy conspired against her and sent her into a three-year-long exile. While everyone expected Cleopatra to breakdown and give up during exile time, she took this time to enhance her knowledge. Cleopatra studied and grew smarter day after day. And the day she returned, the kingdom saw a new Cleopatra who was all the more stronger.

Even though at times one may complain that equal rights are not given to women in today's society, Cleopatra ruled a whole empire while she fought for her rights in a highly male dominant society. And not just fought blindly, she used her brains and made sure she uses her assets well. 

As she studied the world closely, Cleopatra knew that her empire was not the only strong one. There were potential threats of capturing her kingdom from one of the most powerful men of that era, Julius Caesar. So what did our wise queen do? She built alliances. They say the only way to completely finish your enemies is to make them your friends. And that's what the queen did. 

Cleopatra The Girl Boss

Cleopatra's first alliance was with the Roman General and Statesman, the mighty Julius Caesar. She seduced him and established strong relations with him which made him favour her. The power couple was known to seal the alliance by taking a cruise through the Nile in her posh royal barge. Soon the couple was pregnant with a son named Caesarion from their affair. 

Unfortunately, their alliance didn't last long as Augustus and their alliances gained an upper hand. 

Today at times women are stereotyped to be too naive for politics, Cleopatra proved to the world that women have in their abilities anything that they may wish for.

But that didn't make the queen weak. In fact, she adapted. After a little while, Mark Antony invited the queen to visit Egypt. And that's when they bonded and became inseparable. Antony had deep love embedded for the culture which crossed miles far from politics. Cleopatra being learnt herself could easily connect with him intellectually. So in total, the man couldn't stand in front of her beauty, elegance, the sweetness of voice and her brains.

Soon, the couple was blessed with twins, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. The twins were followed by another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus. But this alliance too didn't last long as Antony's wife and his younger brother started creating troubles in his kingdom. 

During this time, Egypt though not the strongest in terms of the army grew to be the richest empire in the world all by the grace of their queen.

So it is safe to say that Cleopatra did the best that she could and took the utmost advantage of her strength of being a woman. She was strategic and clever. And worked towards the right interest of her subjects.

And the reason why she suits perfectly as a 'girl boss' and just a boss is that she proudly accepted the feminine side of hers. Many women may think that dressing like men or behaving like them makes them look strong and powerful. But that's totally a myth. Accepting one's instincts and realising the path to be followed is what makes us stronger. A girl boss is a woman who knows what her strengths are and uses them efficiently towards achieving success.

Ultimately, Cleopatra was the woman who was in charge of her life, from start to end.

Historians believe that Cleopatra died by suicide as she poisoned herself by an asp, a poisonous Egyptian serpent, and symbol of divine royalty. She led her way, she loved her way and she died her way. And therefore, she becomes one of the true authentic examples of girl bosses in history.

Image Credits : Smithsonian Magazine