History of Women and Women's Rights

This timeline is dedicated to women scientists, philosophers, poets, politicians and warriors who, overcoming enormous obstacles and despite being excluded from main stream of public knowledge throughout much of history, made important contributions to science and society by acting, speaking, writing, and identifying injustice in the social status quo.

You will notice the focus is on women from more distant past as I wanted to give some more highlight to the Middle Ages, Antiquity and events outside Europe, areas that I believe are somehow neglected when considering women in history. This approach brought few surprises, i.e. women's rights in Middle East during Middle Ages and social position of women in Ancient Africa and Vietnam, all so different from modern era. ;xNLx;;xNLx;The timeline starts from Lucy whose life marks beginning of human history and it finishes in 1900; I excluded XX century as the number of events is so vast, it needs a separate space in my opinion.;xNLx;;xNLx;Search through the stories using left and right arrows or simply slide across the timeline to find something specific. The categories are easily distinguishable using colors. You can also switch from standard view to category bands by changing view type. ;xNLx;;xNLx;Please note: ;xNLx;;xNLx;I am a nerdy student at University of Glasgow who created this timeline to learn more about women contribution to human history. In order to make it as complete as possible, you're eagerly invited to add what I have missed. ;xNLx;;xNLx;I'm not a writer, I started off this project for myself when I have noticed that the knowledge about these great women is somehow scattered around depending on time, culture, country they lived or their accomplishments. I wanted to have it all in one place. The text is mostly from Wikipedia. Otherwise, I included the source link. ;xNLx;;xNLx;I am not a historian also, so please excuse any inaccuracies and feel free to correct me if I have add anything wrong. ;xNLx;;xNLx;If you think the timeline is missing some great woman and an event concerning women, just drop me an email at anothercontext@hotmail.com.;xNLx;;xNLx;Thank you! :)

0001-01-01 02:43:05

?- 43 Vietnamese Trung Sisters

Trung Trac and Trung Nhi were the daughters of a Vietnamese nobleman and military general in the area near Hanoi. In 39 CE, Trung Trac's husband, a noble named Thi Sach, lodged a protest about increasing tax rates. In response, the Chinese governor apparently had him executed. The Chinese would have expected a new widow in her early thirties to go in to seclusion to mourn her husband. Trung Trac, however, did nothing of the kind. Instead, she rallied supporters and launched a rebellion against foreign rule. Along with her younger sister Trung Nhi, the widow raised an army of some 80,000 fighters, many of them women, and drove the Chinese from Vietnam.

0021-12-31 10:24:02

1st- 3rd century Maria the Jewess

(or Maria Prophetissima, Maria Prophetissa, Mary Prophetissa, Miriam the Prophetess) is a figure appearing first in the works of the Gnostic Christian writer Zosimos of Panopolis. Zosimus' sources are not clear, and may be developed from Miriam, sister of Moses, but on the basis of his comments she is estimated to have lived anywhere between the first and third centuries AD. She is attributed with the invention of several chemical apparatus and is considered to be the first nonfictitious alchemist in the Western world.

0111 BC-06-18 22:20:34

Ancient Vietnam

Beginning in 111 BC, Han China sought to impose political and cultural control over northern Vietnam. The Chinese assigned their own governors, who oversaw the existing local leadership. Despite the relatively loose control, cultural differences made relations between the Vietnamese and their Chinese conquerors tense. In particular, Han China followed the strictly hierarchical and patriarchal system espoused by Confucius (Kong Fuzi), whereas the Vietnamese social structure was based on more equal status between the sexes. Unlike those in China, women in Vietnam could serve as judges, soldiers, and even rulers. They also had equal rights to inherit land and other property. To the Confucian Chinese, it must have been shocking that the Vietnamese resistance movement was led by two women - the Trung Sisters, or Hai Ba Trung.

0169 BC-06-06 12:12:42

c.169- 269 Japanese Empress Jingu

According to the stories, Jingu was married to the fourteenth emperor of Japan, Chuai, who reigned between 192 and 200. After his death, she ruled as a regent for her young son. To pass the time, she invaded and conquered Korea without shedding a drop of blood, according to the legend. about.com

0350-01-01 14:53:35

350- 415 Hypatia

was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher in Roman Egypt who was the first historically noted woman in mathematics. As head of the Platonist school at Alexandria, she also taught philosophy and astronomywas a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher in Roman Egypt who was the first historically noted woman in mathematics. As head of the Platonist school at Alexandria, she also taught philosophy and astronomy

0371 BC-07-23 19:20:37

4th Century Diotima of Mantinea

(Latin: Diotīma, Greek: Διοτίμα) is a female philosopher who plays an important role in Plato's Symposium. Her ideas are the origin of the concept of Platonic love. Since the only source concerning her is Plato, it is uncertain whether she was a real historical personage or merely a fictional creation. However, nearly all of the characters named in Plato's dialogues have been found to correspond to real people living in ancient Athens.

0381 BC-07-23 19:20:37

381 BC - 326 BC Pythias

(Greek: Πυθιάς, Pūthias) was the adoptive daughter of Hermias of Atarneus, as well as Aristotle's first wife. She was probably born about 381 BC and died in Athens after 326 BC. She predeceased Aristotle, which is known from his will, since it directs that her wish be honored to have her bones buried with his. Together Aristotle and Pythias had a daughter, also named Pythias. This Pythias married three times, but is also said to have predeceased her father. Her first husband was Nicanor, Aristotle's nephew by his sister Arimneste. According to Aristotle's will, Nicanor was to manage the family affairs until his son, Nicomachus came of age. Pythias' second husband was Procles of Sparta. Pythias' third husband was Metrodorus a physician.

0389 BC-12-31 00:00:00

4th Century BC Lastheneia

Lastheneia (or Lasthenia) of Mantinea was one of Plato's female students. She was born in Mantinea, an ancient city in Arcadia, in the Peloponnese. She studied in the Academy of Plato dressed as a man. After the death of Plato she continued her studies with Speusippus, Plato's nephew. She is also said to have had a relationship with Speusippus. A papyrus fragment from Oxyrhynchus mentions an unidentified woman who studied under Plato, Speusippus, and then Menedemus of Eretria.[4] The fragment goes on to explain that "in her teens she was lovely and full of unstudied grace." This woman is probably Lastheneia or Axiothea of Phlius.

0400 BC-07-23 19:20:37

?- 350 BC Artemisia II of Caria

(in Greek, Ἀρτεμισία; died 350 BC) was a sister, the wife and the successor of the king Mausolus. She was a daughter of Hecatomnus, and after the death of her brother and husband she reigned for two years, from 353 to 351 BC. Her administration was conducted on the same principles as the one of her husband (see definition of "Satrap" and its origins), whence she supported the oligarchical party on the island of Rhodes.

0440 BC-12-31 17:13:16

440 BC Cynisca and Olympic Games

was a Greek princess of Sparta. She became the first woman in history to win at the ancient Olympic Games.

0460 BC-12-31 17:13:16

Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

While most women in the ancient Greek world were kept in seclusion and forbidden to learn any kind of skills in sports, riding or hunting, Spartan women by contrast were brought up from girlhood to excel at these things so as to produce strong children, by going through early training similar to that of their brothers. The ancient Olympic Games were almost entirely male-only and women were forbidden even to set foot in the main stadium at Olympia, where running events and combat sports were held. Women were allowed to enter only the equestrian events, not by running but by owning and training the horses. Cynisca employed men and entered her team at the Olympics, where it won in the four-horse chariot racing (tethrippon Greek: τέθριππον) twice, in 396 BC and again in 392 BC. The irony is that she probably didn't see her victories. There have been some speculations over the motives of Agesilaus in directing his sister to join the equestrian competitions. One explanation is that he wanted to rekindle the warlike spirit in the Spartan society, which had given ground for the sake of a win in the Olympic Games. Another possible reason is that Agesilaus wanted to display Cynisca's abilities, or promote women generally. According to Xenophon, she was encouraged to breed horses and compete in the Games, by her brother Agesilaus II, in an attempt to discredit the sport. He viewed success in chariot racing as a victory without merit, which was only a mark of wealth and lavish outlay due to the involvement of the horses' owner, while in the other events the decisive factor was a man's bravery and virtue.[3][4] By having a woman win, he hoped to show the sport to be unmanly, but Cynisca's victories did not stop wealthy Spartans' engagement in the sport. However, Cynisca was honored by having a bronze[5] statue of a chariot and horses, a charioteer and a statue of herself in the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, by the side of the statue of Troilus, made by Apelles, and an inscription written declaring that she was the only female to win the wreath in the chariot events at the Olympic Games.[6] The first person in the inscription indicates that Cynisca was willing to push herself forward and Xenophon says that this inscription was Agesilaus' idea.[7] In addition to this, a hero-shrine of Cynisca was erected in Sparta at Plane-tree Grove,[8] where religious ceremonies were held. Only Spartan kings were graced in this way and Cynisca was the first woman to receive this honor.

0470 BC-07-23 19:20:37

470 BC- 400 BC Aspasia

was a Milesian woman who was famous for her involvement with the Athenian statesman Pericles. Very little is known about the details of her life. She spent most of her adult life in Athens, and she may have influenced Pericles and Athenian politics. She is mentioned in the writings of Plato, Aristophanes, Xenophon, and other authors of the day.

0500 BC-01-17 15:22:33

490 BC- 458 BC Spartian Queen Gorgo

She is described by David Kahn in his book The Codebreakers as one of the first female cryptanalysts whose name has been recorded.

0550 BC-01-01 14:20:06

Ancient Athens

Women in Classical Athens (5th and 4th centuries BC) were seen inferior to the men of Athens. The differences between women and men were not the only differences though. It also depended on whether you were a slave, a prostitute, or a housewife. Each of these classes of women were looked at differently and played different roles in Athens.

0599 BC-12-31 10:24:02

6th Century Theano

(Greek: Θεανώ; 6th-century BC) is the name given to perhaps two Pythagorean philosophers. She has been called the pupil, daughter and wife of Pythagoras, although others made her the wife of Brontinus. Her place of birth and the identity of her father are just as uncertain, leading some authors to suggest that there was more than one person whose details have become merged (these are sometimes referred to as Theano I and Theano II). A few fragments and letters ascribed to her have survived which are of uncertain authorship.

0606-09-26 01:18:59

606- 647 Queen Seondeok

We know that she was born Princess Deokman in 606 CE to King Jinpyeong, who was the 26th king of Silla, and his first queen Maya. Although some of Jinpyeong's royal concubines had sons, neither of his official queens produced a surviving boy.

0624-01-01 19:30:53

624 - 705 Empress Wu of Zhou

Wu Zetian, the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regent. She was a Chinese sovereign, who ruled officially under the name of her self-proclaimed "Zhou Dynasty", from 690 to 705; however, she had previous imperial positions under both Emperor Taizong of Tang and his son Emperor Gaozong of Tang, of the Tang Dynasty of China.

0640-01-01 14:18:55

Middle East

Whilst in the pre-modern period there was not a formal feminist movement, nevertheless there were a number of important figures who argued for improving women's rights and autonomy. These range from the medieval mystic and philosopher Ibn Arabi, who argued that women could achieve spiritual stations as equally high as men to Nana Asma’u, daughter of eighteenth-century reformer Usman Dan Fodio, who pushed for literacy and education of Muslim women.

0658-08-30 00:21:48

c.601- c.699 Ghazāla al-Harūriyya

Ghazāla al-Harūriyya (Arabic: غزالة الحرورية‎) was the wife of Habib ibn-Yazīd al-Harūrī, founder of the Harūriyya sect of Kharijite Islam, which held that it is permissible to entrust the imamate to a woman if she is able to carry out the required duties. Ghazāla commanded troops, following in the footsteps of previous Muslim women like Juwayriyya bint al-Ḥārith at the Battle of Yarmuk. In one battle, she put the famous Umayyad Iraqi general Hajjāj ibn-Yūsuf to flight.

0700 BC-01-01 14:20:06

Ancient Sparta

Women in ancient Sparta were famous for their independence relative to that of other Greek women. In contrast to Athens, in Spartan society girls were reared much like boys, including physical fitness training.

0801-01-01 20:54:07

? – 880 Fatima al-Fihri

(nicknamed Oum al Banine, meaning the mother of the kids) was the daughter of Mohammed al-Fihri, with whom she migrated to Fes, Morocco from Qairawan, located in present-day Tunisia and came earlier from west Arabia of Fihrids family origin. In 859, Fatima founded the world's first academic degree-granting university existing today, the University of Qarawiyyin, with money inherited from her father, a wealthy businessman. She is said to have fasted in order to become closer to Allah during the building of the university.

0900 BC-01-01 14:20:06

Ancient Greece

Women were treated differently in different regions and poles (city states), though always considered inferior to men. In Athens they were very limited, and women of nobility were basically just emprisonned in their houses. Ordinary women were allowed to go outside to fetch water from public springs. In Sparta women were honored because they gave birth to new soldiers for the polis, and had several rights Athenian women did not have, they could own private property for example, and were usually managing everything cause their men folk were always off to war.

0901-01-01 14:53:35

901- ? Fatima de Madrid

Fatima was the daughter of the astronomer and scientist Maslama al-Mayriti (whose name means Man from Madrid). She wrote several works which are known as 'Corrections from Fatima' and she worked with her father on astronomical and mathematical investigations.

1001-01-01 14:53:35

1001-? Trotula

Trotula can refer to Trotula of Salerno (11th–12th centuries) or the Trotula texts. Trotula of Salerno was a female physician who worked in Salerno, Italy. She was one of seven Salerno physicians who contributed to an encyclopedia of medical knowledge, On the Treatment of Illnesses.

1005 BC-01-02 08:18:59

1005 BC Queen of Sheeba

The queen of Sheba has been called a variety of names by different peoples in different times. To King Solomon of Israel she was the Queen of Sheba. In Islamic tradition she was called Bilqis or Balqis by the Arabs, who say she came from the city of Sheba, also called Mareb, in Yemen or Arabia Felix. The Roman historian Josephus calls her Nicaule. The Luhya of Kenya call her Nakuti while the Ethiopian people claim her as Makeda or Maqueda. She is said to have been born some time in the 10th century BC. Traditionally her lineage was part of the Ethiopian dynasty established in 1370 BC by Za Besi Angabo, which lasted 350 years; her grandfather and father were the last two rulers of this dynasty.[citation needed] According to the Kebra Negast her mother was known as Queen Ismeni and in 1005 BC, Makeda's father appointed her as his successor from his deathbed.

1098-01-01 18:04:50

1098- 1179 Hildegard von Bingen

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, O.S.B. (German: Hildegard von Bingen; Latin: Hildegardis Bingensis) also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath.

1101-06-06 12:12:42

12th- 19th Japan- Female Samurai

Linguistic purists point out that the term "samurai" is a masculine word; thus, there are no "female samurai." Nonetheless, for thousands of years, certain upper class Japanese women have learned martial skills and participated in fighting.

1157-06-06 12:12:42

c. 1157–1247, Tomoe Gozen, samurai

During the Genpei War (1180-1185), a beautiful young woman named Tomoe Gozen fought alongside her daimyo (and possibly her husband), Minamoto no Yoshinaka, against the forces of his cousin Minamoto no Yoritomo.

1200 BC-09-01 04:22:22

1200 BC Tapputi and (-)-ninu

also referred to as Tapputi-Belatekallim ("Belatekallim" refers to female overseer of a palace), is considered to be the world’s first chemist, a perfume-maker mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from the second millennium BC in Babylonian Mesopotamia. She used flowers, oil, and calamus along with cyperus, myrrh, and balsam. She added water then distilled and filtered several times. This is also the oldest referenced still. She also was an overseer at the Royal Palace, and worked with a researcher named (—)-ninu, whose first part of her name has been lost.

1201-01-01 02:43:05

Middle East

Important role of woman continued through to the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th and 13th centuries, when 160 mosques and madrasahs were established in Damascus, 26 of which were funded by women through the Waqf (charitable trust or trust law) system. Half of all the royal patrons for these institutions were also women. As a result, opportunities for female education arose in the medieval Islamic world.

1201-06-06 12:12:42

1201 Japanese Hangaku Gozen

Famous female fighter of the Genpei War was Hangaku Gozen, also known as Itagaki. She was allied with the Taira clan, which lost the war.

1203-08-23 01:47:08

c.1091-? Banu Zuhr family physicians

Ibn Zuhr ecame the first Muslim scientist to devote himself exclusively to medicine, established surgery as an independent field by introducing a training course designed specifically for future surgeons before allowing them to perform operations independently.

1301-01-01 14:20:06

European Renaissance

Protofeminist is a term used to define women in a philosophical tradition that anticipated modern feminist concepts, yet lived in a time when the term "feminist" was unknown, that is, prior to the 20th century. The precise use of the term is disputed, 18th-century feminism and 19th-century feminism being also subsumed under "feminism" proper.

1342-01-01 18:04:50

1342 - 1412 Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich wrote her text 'Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love' about her vision and religious meditations. The book was believed to be the first book written in English by a woman.

1364-08-19 07:49:58

1364 – c. 1430 Christine de Pizan

was a Venetian-born late medieval author who challenged misogyny and stereotypes prevalent in the late medieval culture. As a poet, she was well known and highly regarded in her own day; she completed 41 works during her 30 year career (1399–1429), and can be regarded as Europe’s first professional woman writer.

1398 BC-01-01 14:20:06

1398 BC – 1338 BC Egiptian Queen Tiye

Queen Tiye is among the women who have most marked history. 1,400 years ago she was the wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Queen Tiye’s beauty was legendary, but her personality was even more powerful. For her pleasure the Pharaoh built a new palace for her in Thebes (now called Malkata). He also dug her a lake in the middle of the desert, just to please her. The revolution in Egyptian art dates back to her rule. Her influence on the Pharaoh was so great that she seemed to the supreme authority in the empire.

1508 BC-01-02 08:18:59

1508 BC- 1458 BC Pharaoh Hatshepsut

also Hatshepsut; meaning Foremost of Noble Ladies; was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.

1556-01-01 06:37:15

1556 - 1643 Sophia Brahe

Sophia Brahe assisted her older brother, Tycho Brahe, in making astronomical measurements that became the basis for modern planetary orbit predictions. She was the youngest of ten children and began assisting Tycho with his astronomical observations when she was barely a teenager. Tycho and Sophia were condemned by their family for studying science, who thought it an inappropriate past time for noble people, but Tycho was very supportive of his younger sister, and although he had trained her in horticuluture and chemistry, he was very proud that Sophia had learnt astronomy on her own.

1601-09-14 00:39:57

1601- ? Marie Crous

was a French mathematician. She introduced the decimal system to France in the 17th century.

1646-06-05 14:53:35

1646- 1684 Elena Piscopia

was a Venetian philosopher of noble descent, and the first woman to receive a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

1700-01-01 14:53:35

Russia

Woman's subordinate status in life and law coexisted, sometimes uneasily, with their leagl right to own and manage immovable property, which Russian wives, as well as single woman and widows enjoyed. Even married woman could buy and sell and enter contracts, a status that was unique in Europe.

1709-12-17 14:53:35

1709-1749 Émilie du Châtelet

was a French mathematician, physicist, and author during the Age of Enlightenment. Her crowning achievement is considered to be her translation and commentary on Isaac Newton's work Principia Mathematica. The translation, published ten years after her death in 1759, is still considered the standard French translation.

1711-11-29 14:01:31

1711- 1778 Laura Rossi

was an Italian scientist, the first woman to teach at a university in Europe

1718-01-01 14:53:35

1718 USA- Right to Manage Property

Province of Pennsylvania (now U.S. state of Pennsylvania): Married women allowed to own and manage property in their own name during the incapacity of their spouse.

1718-01-01 23:53:35

1718 Russia, Sweden- Banned Gender Segregation, Women- Taxpayers

Russia: Gender segregation is banned Sweden: Female taxpaying members of the cities' guilds are allowed to vote and stand for election during the age of liberty; this right is banned (for local elections) in 1758 and (general elections) in 1771

1718-05-19 14:04:07

1718- 1799 Maria Gaetana Agnesi

an Italian mathematician and philosopher.

1722-09-14 14:31:14

1722 Russia- Forced Marriages Ban

Ban against forced marriages

1750-03-18 14:39:57

1750- 1848 Caroline Herschel

was a German-British astronomer and the sister of astronomer Sir William Herschel with whom she worked throughout both of their careers.

1753-09-14 14:31:14

1753 Russia- Separate Economy

Married women granted separate economy

1754-01-01 14:53:35

1754 Dorothea Erxleben

the first woman doctor.

History of Women and Women's Rights

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