Liang Hongyu: China
Liang was a general in the Chinese army and helped fight off the Hun invasion. It is believed by most that she was born in 1102 in the modern day Anhui province. Few things are known about her until she was married in 1121. One of those is that she was a Geisha for a brief time. It's said she met her husband, Han Shizhong, while she was a singer and Han was an officer. Most say that they had 1 child during their marriage.
Liang is best known for her use of drums and flags in battle. Her greatest accomplishment was going up against the 100,000 person Hun army with only 8,000 people in 1129. The Chinese won that battle partly because of Liang's drum and flag signals. Soon after that, Liang and her husband left the army because the emperor had killed a national hero for no apparent reason. It is believed that she died in 1135 due to an illness.
Liang is prominent even today in Chinese culture. It is believed that her tale has survived this long because she was a great warrior, but also because she upheld her traditional duties as a mother and wife. Today, multiple stories and operas continue to tell the general story of Liang Hongyu.
Liang is best known for her use of drums and flags in battle. Her greatest accomplishment was going up against the 100,000 person Hun army with only 8,000 people in 1129. The Chinese won that battle partly because of Liang's drum and flag signals. Soon after that, Liang and her husband left the army because the emperor had killed a national hero for no apparent reason. It is believed that she died in 1135 due to an illness.
Liang is prominent even today in Chinese culture. It is believed that her tale has survived this long because she was a great warrior, but also because she upheld her traditional duties as a mother and wife. Today, multiple stories and operas continue to tell the general story of Liang Hongyu.
Tamar: Georgia
Tamar was the queen the first queen of Georgia. She became the sole ruler of the country when she was 18. She is often called King Tamar because the Georgians saw her as king becuase her father had no other heirs. Tamar ws very religious and spent a lot of time praying and trying to please God. She is considered a Saint by the Christian Orthodox Church.
Tamar was born in 1160. She began ruling the country alongside her father in 1179. She ascended to full control of her country in 1184 because her father died. She married a Russian price, who was soon banished because he was immoral and drank often. She got married again to Davit-Soslan Bagrationi only to preserve the current dynasty.
When faced with the invasion of the Muslim Army, Tamar rallied her own army and they beat the Muslims hands-down. After that, Georgia prevailed over the Turks and other surrounding areas. Georgia was soon seen as a protector of the area and Christians and Muslims recognized their power. Soon the Muslims were planning to invade again. Tamar raised her army, led them into battle, and defeated the Muslims again. That win was a victory for both Georgia and all of the Christian World.
Some of her accomplishments outside of war include building new churches, helping the poor, and reforming her government. Tamar physically worked on several projects, including helping carve a city at Vardzia out of rock. She gave money to many monasteries and convents. She also donated her own possessions to those who needed it more. Tamar changed her goverment by outlawing the death penalty and all types of torture.
Tamar soon got sick. They had it had to do with her religious habits, like fasting, sleeping on a stone bed, and spending a lot of time bare foot while praying or going into battle. She tried to cover up being sick, but it got s bad that she had to seek help. The best doctors in Georgia couldn't diagnose her. She died in January of 1213. Her burial place is unknown. Some say she's buried in Gelati in the branch of tombs that contains the Bagrationi Dynasty. Others say she and her relics are preserved at the Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem.
Tamar was born in 1160. She began ruling the country alongside her father in 1179. She ascended to full control of her country in 1184 because her father died. She married a Russian price, who was soon banished because he was immoral and drank often. She got married again to Davit-Soslan Bagrationi only to preserve the current dynasty.
When faced with the invasion of the Muslim Army, Tamar rallied her own army and they beat the Muslims hands-down. After that, Georgia prevailed over the Turks and other surrounding areas. Georgia was soon seen as a protector of the area and Christians and Muslims recognized their power. Soon the Muslims were planning to invade again. Tamar raised her army, led them into battle, and defeated the Muslims again. That win was a victory for both Georgia and all of the Christian World.
Some of her accomplishments outside of war include building new churches, helping the poor, and reforming her government. Tamar physically worked on several projects, including helping carve a city at Vardzia out of rock. She gave money to many monasteries and convents. She also donated her own possessions to those who needed it more. Tamar changed her goverment by outlawing the death penalty and all types of torture.
Tamar soon got sick. They had it had to do with her religious habits, like fasting, sleeping on a stone bed, and spending a lot of time bare foot while praying or going into battle. She tried to cover up being sick, but it got s bad that she had to seek help. The best doctors in Georgia couldn't diagnose her. She died in January of 1213. Her burial place is unknown. Some say she's buried in Gelati in the branch of tombs that contains the Bagrationi Dynasty. Others say she and her relics are preserved at the Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem.
Khutulun: Mongol Empire
Khutulun is a descendant of Genghis Khan. She was born around 1260. She rejected luxury and wanted to live the rough life of a Mongol. She was very strong and she used her strength to participate in games, like archery and wrestling, as well as participate in war.
She grew up with 14 brothers and learned how to fight at a young age. As she got older, she began to take part in public competitions and soon after started collecting prizes. Her athletic talent made a great battle field companion. Her father often brought her along for battles. Together, they helped keep the Chinese out of their territory.
Khutulun didn't really want to get married, but said she would marry the man who could beat her in wrestling. Many men tried, but none prevailed. One suitor, who was very well liked by her parents, wagered one thousand horses to wrestle her. Before that match, her parents tried to convince her lose the match on purpose, which she agreed to do. The plan to lose faltered right at the start at of the match when she changed her mind. After a long and tiring match, she threw him to the ground and won. He was humiliated by his loss and fled after giving her the horses.
Her different way of life sparked gossip among the mongols and other leaders. Some said she was a relationship with her father and wouldn't marry anyone as long as he lived. To put down the rumors, she married one of her father's followers without wrestling him.
Khutulun was said to be the obvious favorite of her father's. She outperformed all of her brothers in battle and in wrestling. Her father often sought her advice on political decisions. It's said that her father tried to name her the next Khan before he died in 1301, but failed. Instead, she supported her brother Orus to be Khan because he promised to make her military commander. She and Orus had an alliance for a few years, but in 1306 Khutulun was found dead under unexplained circumstances.
She grew up with 14 brothers and learned how to fight at a young age. As she got older, she began to take part in public competitions and soon after started collecting prizes. Her athletic talent made a great battle field companion. Her father often brought her along for battles. Together, they helped keep the Chinese out of their territory.
Khutulun didn't really want to get married, but said she would marry the man who could beat her in wrestling. Many men tried, but none prevailed. One suitor, who was very well liked by her parents, wagered one thousand horses to wrestle her. Before that match, her parents tried to convince her lose the match on purpose, which she agreed to do. The plan to lose faltered right at the start at of the match when she changed her mind. After a long and tiring match, she threw him to the ground and won. He was humiliated by his loss and fled after giving her the horses.
Her different way of life sparked gossip among the mongols and other leaders. Some said she was a relationship with her father and wouldn't marry anyone as long as he lived. To put down the rumors, she married one of her father's followers without wrestling him.
Khutulun was said to be the obvious favorite of her father's. She outperformed all of her brothers in battle and in wrestling. Her father often sought her advice on political decisions. It's said that her father tried to name her the next Khan before he died in 1301, but failed. Instead, she supported her brother Orus to be Khan because he promised to make her military commander. She and Orus had an alliance for a few years, but in 1306 Khutulun was found dead under unexplained circumstances.