In present-day northern Angola, Queen Nzinga Mbande (1583-1663) was a warrior, diplomat, and Queen. She proved to be an exceptional negotiator and diplomat. From 1656 until her death, Nzinga transitioned from warfare to state-building. Matamba became a thriving trade hub dealing with Portuguese and Dutch merchants.

Some medieval monasteries served the local population as urgent care centers since they were centers for studying medicinal plants and experimenting with those described in the classic texts. Monastic herb gardens produced herbal cures for those seeking care and made remedies prescribed by professional physicians.

Edith Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence” critiqued the life of New York City’s elite and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1921.

Louise-Reine Audu, “La Reine des Halles” (the Queen of the Markets), was a brave woman of the French Revolution, a leader in both the Women’s March on Versailles in 1789 and the Storming of the Tuileries Palace in 1792.