Comparing Ancient Female Rulers
Chrystal Hamrick
Strayer University
Humanities 111
Dr. Elaine Friedrich
November 28. 2015
Introduction
Cleopatra the Seventh, born in 69 BC (69- 30 BC) and Wu Zetian, born in 624 in Wenshui County, (624-705) were both women who ruled over the Egyptian and Tang Dynasties respectively. They ruled over their empires a time when women were not supposed to rule unless they did so by their husbands. Both were great leaders who seized the moment and eventually rose to power. They were intelligent and made unique achievements that improved the prosperity of their regions. The following paper compares their rise to power, leadership styles, and accomplishments and provides lessons to today’s women in business and politics.
Early life, cultural contexts, and rise to power
The cultural contexts of both rulers had striking similarities that had a great influence on how they rose to power, led and how their subjects regarded them. First, their beauty contributed to their rise in power in both cases. For example, Wu served as a concubine for Emperors from the young age of 14 (Tian & Yang, 1997). The cultural depictions of the time also present Cleopatra as a female ruler who used charms to influence powerful men in Europe (Wassynger, 1996). …show more content…
Both Wu and Cleopatra’s fathers were influential men who used their influence to educate their daughters and involve them in leadership. For instance, Wu Shihuo, who was once a Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, trained her daughter and gave her many books to read (Tian & Yang, 1997). Likewise, Cleopatra, at the age of 14, became the joint regent and her father’s deputy (Wassynger, 1996). However, in both cases, the men never allowed them to rule with autonomy, they gave them few responsibilities with limited powers. For example, Emperor Taizong noticed Wu’s literary talents and allowed her to assist only as a
Chrystal Hamrick
Strayer University
Humanities 111
Dr. Elaine Friedrich
November 28. 2015
Introduction
Cleopatra the Seventh, born in 69 BC (69- 30 BC) and Wu Zetian, born in 624 in Wenshui County, (624-705) were both women who ruled over the Egyptian and Tang Dynasties respectively. They ruled over their empires a time when women were not supposed to rule unless they did so by their husbands. Both were great leaders who seized the moment and eventually rose to power. They were intelligent and made unique achievements that improved the prosperity of their regions. The following paper compares their rise to power, leadership styles, and accomplishments and provides lessons to today’s women in business and politics.
Early life, cultural contexts, and rise to power
The cultural contexts of both rulers had striking similarities that had a great influence on how they rose to power, led and how their subjects regarded them. First, their beauty contributed to their rise in power in both cases. For example, Wu served as a concubine for Emperors from the young age of 14 (Tian & Yang, 1997). The cultural depictions of the time also present Cleopatra as a female ruler who used charms to influence powerful men in Europe (Wassynger, 1996). …show more content…
Both Wu and Cleopatra’s fathers were influential men who used their influence to educate their daughters and involve them in leadership. For instance, Wu Shihuo, who was once a Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, trained her daughter and gave her many books to read (Tian & Yang, 1997). Likewise, Cleopatra, at the age of 14, became the joint regent and her father’s deputy (Wassynger, 1996). However, in both cases, the men never allowed them to rule with autonomy, they gave them few responsibilities with limited powers. For example, Emperor Taizong noticed Wu’s literary talents and allowed her to assist only as a