She began writing at the age of seven, and by the age of seventeen her work had become very popular across Japan. Her poems seek unity between nature with humanity.

Kaga no Chiyo (1703-1775), also known as Chiyo-jo or Chiyo-ni, was a Japanese poet of the Edo period and a Buddhist nun. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of haiku (then called hokku).

Ukiyo-e illustration representing the poet Kaga no Chiyo carrying a bucket of water from a well. Caption reads: See the forest for the poetry

See the forest for the poetry

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Chiyo of Kaga Province, about 1845, Museum of Fine Arts Boston #arthistory #puns

De Gouges was associated with the moderates during the French Revolution and her opposition to the execution of Louis XVI led to her eventual arrest and beheading by guillotine in 1793.

Olympe de Gouges (born Marie Gouze; 1748-1793) was a French playwright and political activist. She is best known for her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen and other writings on women's rights and abolitionism.

Portrait of a woman in late 18th century fashion, wearing a blue dress, white shawl and a powdered hairstyle. Caption reads: Guiding rights

Guiding rights

Alexander Kucharsky, Olympe de Gouges, 18th century, Private Collection #arthistory #puns

Quitéria was the first woman to serve in a military unit in the country.

Maria Quitéria de Jesus (1792-1853) was a Brazilian soldier and national heroine. She served in the Brazilian War of Independence in 1822–24 dressed as a man. She was promoted to cadet and lieutenant and later decorated with the Imperial Order of the Cross.

Illustrated portrait of a woman wearing a Brazillian military uniform from the 1820s. Caption reads: Be a bit military

Be a bit military 

Edward Francis Finden, Dona Maria de Jesus, 1830, Brown University Library #arthistory #puns

historical, philosophical, political, and religious reviews and analyses. Her best known works are The Book of the City of Ladies and The Treasure of the City of Ladies. Her books of advice to princesses, princes, and knights remained in print until the 16th century.

Christine de Pizan or Pisan (c1364-1430), was an Italian-born French court writer for King Charles VI of France and several French dukes, in both prose and poetry. Considered to be some of the earliest feminist writings, her work includes novels, poetry, and biography, and she also penned literary,

Medieval illustration of four women in an interior room. The one on the left is seated at a writing desk, the second holds a mirror, the third a ruler and the fourth an astrolabe. Caption reads: To make matters verse

To make matters verse

Artist Unknown, Christine de Pisan from The Book of the City of Ladies, 15th century, Bibliothèque nationale de France #arthistorypuns

was going under the name of James Burrow. She was sentenced to 7 years transportation to Australia. Once freed, she became legendary as a successful businesswoman and a community role model for her charitable works and interest in education in the colony. She is featured on the Australian $20 note.

Mary Reibey (née Haydock; 1777-1855) was an English-born merchant, shipowner and trader in colonial Australia. Raised by a grandmother who sent her into service, she ran away from her employer and was arrested for stealing a horse when she was age 14. At the time, she was disguised as a boy and...

Miniature portrait of an elderly woman in a lace bonnet, black dress, white shawl and pince-nez glasses. Caption reads: Trade secret

Trade secret

Artist Unknown, Mary Reibey, circa 1835, State Library of New South Wales #arthistorypuns

Born in London, she came from the upper class Anglo-Irish Protestant landowning elite, which she abandoned in favour of Irish independence and social reform. Eva Selina Laura Gore-Booth (1870-1926) was an Irish poet, committed suffragist, social worker and labour activist.

Constance Georgine Markievicz (née Gore-Booth 1868-1927), also known as Countess Markievicz and Madame Markievicz. She was an Irish revolutionary nationalist politician, suffragist and socialist who was the first woman elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Portrait of a young woman in a late 19th century style blue dress and tan brimmed hat slouching on a chair. Her coat is draped across the chair arm. She leans against her left hand, deep in contemplation. Caption reads: Got the suffragist of it

Got the suffragist of it

Constance Gore Booth, Portrait study of a young woman believed to be the artist's sister, Eva Gore-Booth, c1892-1926, Countess Markievicz Lissadell collection #WomenArtists

When Boudicca objected, she was flogged and her two daughters raped. She mounted a revolt against Rome which left over 80,000 citizens of Roman Britain dead before she was defeated.

Boudica (or Boudicca) was a queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe, who led a failed uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61. When her husband Prasutagus died, all his lands were forcefully taken by Rome.

Colour illustration of Boudica addressing the Iceni tribe. She stands on the back of a horse drawn cart, one arm raised, the other holding a spear, the men surrounding her are preparing for battle. Caption reads: There will be rebel to pay

There will be rebel to pay

William Sharp (after Thomas Stothard), Boadicea Haranguing the Britons, 1859, Getty Images #arthistorypuns

An illustration of a calico cat in a blue patterned dress putting a pie in a Victorian era range. Caption reads: I'll pie you later

I'll pie you later

Beatrix Potter, The Pie Made of Mouse, from The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, 1905, Project Gutenberg #WomenArtists #piday

Their actions included the mass expulsion of Jews from Spain, initiating the Spanish Inquisition and financing Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage to the New World.

Isabella I (1451-1504) with King Ferdinand II, unified Spain and marked the start of the Spanish Empire, allowing Spain to dominate European politics for the next century.

Early Renaissance portrait of Isabella I of Castile. She holds a book of hours in her left hand. She wears a brown brocade dress, a white chemise and a coif. Around her neck is a ruby and pearl pendant hanging from a double-strand gold cord necklace. Caption reads: Showed a queen streak

Showed a queen streak

Artist Unknown, Isabella I of Castile, circa 1490, Museo del Prado #arthistorypuns

intended her to be a figurehead, but she increasingly asserted herself. She started appearing in public dressed in traditional male attire, riding on elephants through the streets of Delhi and making public appearances like the earlier Sultans. She was overthrown, imprisoned and eventually killed.

Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din (c. 1205-1240), popularly known as Razia Sultan, was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. She was the first Muslim female ruler of the subcontinent, and the only Muslim female ruler of Delhi. The nobles who supported Razia...

18th century Indian equestrian miniature painting of Razia Sultana. It features a woman in profile on horseback. Caption reads: Taking a huge risque

Taking a huge risque

Artist Unknown, Equestrian miniature painting of Razia Sultana, circa 18th century, Archaeological Museum, Red Fort, Delhi #arthistorypuns

between 1846 and 1855. Though a member of the geographical societies of both Berlin and Paris, she was denied membership by the Royal Geographical Society in London as it forbade the election of women before 1913.

Ida Laura Pfeiffer (1797-1858), was age 45 when she became an explorer, ethnographer, and travel writer. She journeyed an estimated 32,000 km/20,000 miles by land and 240,000 km/150,000 miles by sea through Southeast Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa on two trips around the world