By Tim Lambert
There were many famous women in Europe in the 16th century. Women were rulers, writers, artists, and entrepreneurs. The following is a list of some of the great women of the 16th century.
Jeanne d’Albret 1528-1572
She was the queen of Navarre
Isabella Andreini 1562-1604
Isabella was an actress and writer
She was an English queen
Tullia d’Aragona 1510-1556
She was a poet
She was an important English Protestant
Sofonisba Anguissola 1532-1625
She was an artist
Anne Boleyn 1501-1536
She was an English Queen
Katharina von Bora 1499-1552
She was a German Protestant
Lucrezia Borgia 1480-1519
She was an important noblewoman
Sophia Brahe 1556-1643
Sophia was a Horticulturist and astronomer
Maddalena Casulana 1544-1583
Maddalena was a composer
Vittoria Colonna 1490-1549
Vittoria was a poet
She was the queen of England
Lavinia Fontana 1552-1614
She was an artist
Beatriz Galindo (c 1465-1523)
Beatriz was a great scholar and writer
She was a very rich woman in England
Caterina van Hemessen 1528-1587
Caterina was an artist
Louise Labe c. 1524-1566
Louise was a poet
Rose Lok 1526-1613
Rose was a rich English businesswoman. She died aged 86.
Barbara Longhi 1552-1638
Barbara was an artist
Catherine de Medici 1519-1589
Catherine was a French queen
Olympia Morata 1526-1555
Olympia was an important humanist scholar
Gracia Mendes Nasi c.1510-1569
She was a very wealthy businesswoman, born in Portugal
Plautilla Nelli 1524-1588
Plautilla was a famous artist
She was an English queen. Catherine was also a famous writer.
Marietta Robusti 1560-1590
Marietta was an artist
Roxelana (Hurrem Sultan) c. 1502-1558
She was born in what is now Ukraine but she was kidnapped and made a slave. She was forced to be a concubine but later became the wife of the Ottoman Emperor Suleyman the Magnificent. She was a highly influential woman.
Diana Scultori 1547-1612
Diana was an engraver
Levina Teerlinc 1510-1576
Levina was a painter
She was the queen of England
Katharine Zell 1497-1562
She was a German Protestant