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Worldwide
Guide to Women in Leadership
NON DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED
FEMALE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT
Before the
introduction of constitutional democratcies most Heads of State were executive,
but throughout the ages some women held the seperate office of Chief of
Government
without being Head of State.
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1316-17
Principal Minister
and
Regent
Qutlug Sah Hatun of Persia and Iraq
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the death of her husband, Ghiyath al-Din Muhammed Uljaytu (1282-1304-16)
the 8th Il Khan she was regent for their son, 'Ala al-Dunaya wa 'l-din
Abu Said (1304-1317-1335).
The dynasty had reigned Persia and Iraq China since Kubilai Khan
of Mongolia and China appointed his brother, Halagu (1256-1265) as
tributary sub-ruler. With the death of Abu Sa'id the Il-lkhanid dynasty
in Iran virtually came to an end. |
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1338-39
Acting Principal Minister
and
Caliph Governor
Sati Beg Hatun of the Mongols Il Khans Empires
in Persia (Iran)
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used the title Al-sultana al-radila Sati Bek Khan Khallad
Allah mulkaha - The just sultana Sati Bek, may Allah perpetuate her
reign, and was daughter and sister of some of the earlier rulers. After Mohammad
was overthrown, she took power and married Suleiman, who became titular
co-ruler. The Mongols Il Khans controlled Persia as a sort of local
Mongol authority under the Great Horde.
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1403-04 President
of the Council of State
Queen Isabeau
Baverie
of France |
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1392-1419 Regent of France
during her
husband's, Charles IV fits of insanity, which were to
last until his death in 1422, and would make him unable to reign. Isabeau was given large lands in Normandie, around Paris and in
Champagne as a security, and officially declared regent during the
"absence" of her husband. From 1395 she actively engaged in
politics, and arranged the marriage of her children in very young age.
Her advisors, the brother's of her husband, Philippe de Burgundy and d'Orléans, engaged in a fierce
power struggle, which almost resulted
in a civil war. In 1402 she took over the control of the taxation and at
26.4.1403 she became President of the Council of State and took over the
management of the Government. One year later Louis died, and she reigned
jointly with Philippe. After the birth of the last child, she removed
totally from Charles, who became more and more violent and dangerous. In
1407 her position was reaffirmed in an official act, but her husband's
cousin, Jean placed his followers in all the central positions. 1411-12 a civil
war broke out between the Burundians and Orleans. In 1415 her 18 year
old son, Louis, took over the government, and soon after the English
attacked France. After Louis' death, his brother, Jean (Married to
Jakobäa of Hainault, Holland and Zeeland) was regent until his death two years
later. She then was in charge again, and appointed Jean without Fear as Governor
of the French Kingdom. In 1419 and 1420 she met the English king, Henry
V and negotiated a peace-treaty. After the death of her husband, she
lived alone, plagued by rheumatism and immobile because of her heavy
weight. Originally named Elisabeth von Bayern, she was mother of 12 children, and
lived (1370-1435). |
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Circa
1809-25 Presidentessa of the Republiqueta Juana Azurduy de
Padilla of the Eastern Region (Bolivia) |
| She and
her husband, Manuel Ascencio Padilla (1774-1816), were
co-rulers of the Eastern Bolivian area which was established
during the wars for independence. When Bolivia declared its
independence in 1809, her husband and she raised a small army to
fight for an independent republic. Her husband was killed early
into the war, but she continued to fight against royalist forces
until Bolivia became an independent republic in 1826 when
Spanish forces were finally overthrown. Juana Azurduy had managed
to form a small "republiqueta" (little republic) with
the territory her small army held. This republiqueta was
basically under siege from 1810 until 1825 when other republican
armies under Simon Bolivar were able to join her remote
forces. She lived (1781-1862) |
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1819-32 Kuhina Nui Queen Elizabeth Ka'ahumanu I of Hawaiian Islands
(USA)
1823-24 Sole Regent of the Kingdom
1824-32 Regent of the Kingdom
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First married to Kamehameha I, whom her father had served as
Councillor. She supported him in his efforts to unite the islands of
the archipelago under his central authority and shared largely in
their governance. After her husband's death in 1819, she became
Kuhina nui (premier) to his successor, Liholiho Kamehameha II,
and instigated many reforms. She worked in particular to overcome the
taboos placed on women in the islanders' traditional religion and
scored a major victory in persuading Kamehameha II to eat publicly
with women. When Liholiho went to England in 1823 she was
appointed regent until Kaukeouali Kamehameha III should come of age.
To ensure the Kamehameha line, she married the two leading contenders
for the throne, King Kuamalii of Kauai and his son. She worked closely
with the Christian missionaries and was baptized in 1825. She
travelled much among the islands, promoting the evangelizing and
educational work of the missionaries, until her death. She lived
(1772-1832). |
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1832-39 Kuhina Nui H.R.H. Princess
Kalani-Ahumanu-i-Kaliko-o-Iwi-Kauhipua-o-Kina'u Ka'ahumanu II
1832-33 Regent of the Kingdom |
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Kīna'u was first
married to her half-brother Lihohilo Kamehameha II, King of the
Hawaiian Islands (1797-1824), secondly her cousin, Prince Kahalaia
Luanu'u, Prince Mataio Kekuanao'a, who was Governor of Oahu 1834-1868
and Premier from 1863 until the promulgation of the new
constitution in 1864. She was regent for half brother Kamehameha III
Kauikeaouli (1814-1824-54). Their children included both Kamehameha IV
and Kamehameha V. Following the death of her aunt, Kaohumareu in 1832, she
assumed the position of Kuhina Nui,
and her term of office was marked by
discord as the young King Kamehameha III, her half-brother, struggled
with her and the chiefs for political power. She was responsible for
enforcing Hawai‘i’s first penal code, proclaimed by the King in 1835.
She became a Christian in 1830, and was involved in the persecution of
Hawaiian Catholics and attempts to expel French priests. This
contributed to a diplomatic confrontation with France that threatened
Hawaiian sovereignty.
Mother of five sons and one daughter, and lived (1805/07-39). |
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1839-45 Kuhina Nui H.R.H. Princess Miriam
Auhea-Kalani-Kui-Kawekiu-o-Kekauluohi-Keali'iuhiwaihanau-o-Kalani-Makahonua-Ahilapalapa-Kai-wikapu-o-Kaleilei-a-
Kalakaua Ka'ahumanu III of Hawaii (USA) |
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When Kekāuluohi succeeded her
half-sister, Kina'u, she declared: "…The authority hitherto possessed
by my mother Ka‘ahumanu II. Until her decease is now transferred to my
other mother (Miriam Kekāuluohi) though Victoria Kamehamalu II is her
superior, but still under my direction." Initially, she was considered
something of a "place-holder" for Kīna‘u’s infant daughter Victoria
Kamāmalu, who would later assume the office.
As Kuhina nui
she signed, with the king, all official documents; conducted all
executive business affecting the Crown; received and transferred
government lands; and served as special Councillor to the king, with
exclusive veto power over his decisions. She was
a co-signer with Kamehameha III of the
country's first Constitution in 1840, which provided for an elected
representative body, a first step toward the common people gaining
political power. The constitution also codified for the first time,
the responsibilities and authority of the Kuhina Nui.
As
a child she was betrothed to a prince of the Pomare line of Tahiti,
but because of the prince's early death, the union never took place.
In 1809 she married the first of her seven husbands, her uncle
Kamehameha, as a companion in his final years, until his death in
1819. She then married her cousin, King Lihohilo Kamehameha II
(1797-1824) and later to Kana'ina and one of her two children, William
Charles Lunalilo, later became king of Hawai'i. .
She was daughter of Alii Kalaimamahu and Alii Kaheiheimalie Kalakaua,
both Governors of Maui, and died from influenza,
after having lived
(1794-1845). |
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1855-63 Kuhina Nui H.R.H. Princess
Victoria Kamāma
Ka'ahumanu IV of Hawaii
1863 Acting Monarch of Hawaii |
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1832 she inherited the lands of Chiefess Ka'ahumau, and her brother,
King Kamehameha IV, appointed her to the office of premier soon after
he acended to the throne. As the
daughter of Kīna'u, the second Kuhina Nui, and as the highest ranking
female chief of the day, it had long been her destiny to assume the
responsibilities of the office. She presided over the King’s Privy
Council.
On 30 October
1863, her brother, King Kamehameha IV, died without naming a successor
and, as the Premier, she constitutionally assumed the office of
Monarch until the successor was inaugurated, and until her death she
was heir to her other brother, Kamehameha V. The office of Kuhina nui
was abolished in 1866. She lived (1838-66). |
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1891-1901 President of the Executive Council Makea Takau Ariki
of the
of Cook Islands
(5.6-11.6) |
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She was Ariki
of Roatonga and Aurua
1868-1901,
Supreme High Chiefess of
the
Cook Islands
1874-1911 and
Leader of the Council of Chiefs
1888-1900.The Cook Islands federation lasted until 1901 when it was
incorporated into New Zealand.
In 1885 4 of the 5 high chiefs of Rorotonga were women. Queen Makea was married
to Chief Ngamaru Rongotini (d. 1903) and was succeded by son. She lived (circa 1845-1911) |
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1935-49 President of the Cabinet and Vice-President
of the State Council Princess Abida Sultan Begum of Bhopal (India)
1960-61 Titular Nawab
Sahiba
, Begum Sultan of Bhopal |
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Her full name was
Colonel Suraya Jah, Gauhar-i-Taj, Nawab Abida Sultan Begum Sahiba, but is
normally known as
Begum Abida Sultan. She was appointed
as Heir Apparent to her father and recognized as such by the Indian
government in 1928. In 1950 she moved to Pakistan. were she was a
Delegate to UN in 1954, Ambassador to Brazil and Chile 1954-59. She was
also an active politician and supporter of Miss Fatima Jinnah's
candidacy for President of Pakistan. She Contested the succession after
the death of her father,
HH Sikander Savlat Ifrikar il-Mulk Haji Sir Muhammad Hamidullah Khan Badur,
in February 1960, but the Indian government ruled against her in January
1961 in favour of her sister, H.H.Sikander
Saulat Iftikhar ul-Mulk Haji Nawab Mehr Tai Sajida Sultan Begum Sahiba (1960-95). Aida
lived (1913-2002)
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Last update
12.04.07
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