seen from Japan
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Switzerland
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Belgium
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from China
seen from Spain
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Japan
seen from Canada
Day 27: Marie de France, poet and (maybe) abbess. Aside from her name and place of origin, her identity is unknown, though she was potentially a relative of King Henry II of England and/or an abbess. She adapted Breton narrative poems into French verse and translated Aesop’s Fables from Old English.
Day 23: Anastasia of Kyiv. She was probably the second daughter of Prince Yaroslav and married King Andrew I of Hungary when he was in exile at her father’s court. After Andrew’s brother rebelled against him, she and her children fled to the Holy Roman Emperor who supported her son Solomon’s claim. By the end of his reign, Anastasia had begun to quarrel with her son, so she retired as a nun.
Day 26: Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd. She was the daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan, king of Gwynedd, and married the prince of Deheubarth. While her husband was away consolidating alliances, she stepped up to defend her country against Norman raiders. She led an army into battle, but was captured and beheaded along with two of her sons.
Day 3: Atalanta, devotee of Artemis and the only woman to travel with the Argonauts. Atalanta joined the heroes Jason, Heracles, and Orpheus on their quest to seek the Golden Fleece. She was renowned for her speed and skill with a bow.
Day 9: Julia Soaemias, mother of Elagabalus. Soaemias and her mother Julia Maesa elevated her child Bassianus (better known as Elagabalus) to the imperial purple after the death of Caracalla. She and Bassianus were eventually murdered by the Praetorian Guard who were discontent with the family’s eccentric eastern customs.
Day 4: Helen of Troy, the woman who launched a thousand ships. Wife of Menelaus of Sparta and mother of Hermione, it was her abduction/elopement with Paris of Troy that began the Trojan War.
Day 24: Elisiv (or Elisaveta) of Kyiv. Potentially the eldest daughter of Prince Yaroslav, Elisiv married Harald Hardrada who had also been in exile at Yaroslav’s court. During his time in the Byzantine Varangian guard (and before they were married), Hardrada would compose love poetry addressed to Elisiv. She is sadly the sister we know least about despite her husband being by far the most famous of Yaroslav’s in-laws. The sagas say she accompanied her daughters and husband as far as Orkney in 1066, but even that is debated.
Day 29: Isabella of France. Isabella married Edward II of England when she was only 12, but was quick to establish herself and her French connections as one of Edward’s key allies. When her husband’s lover Hugh Despenser threatened her position of influence and the stability of the kingdom, she invaded England with a mercenary army, forced her husband to abdicate, and then ruled as regent for her son Edward III. As regent, she settled conflicts with Scotland and France, and though she was later overthrown by her son, she continued to live comfortably and remained close to her family and the court.
