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Ariadne and Bacchus. Source: Ruslan Gilmanshin / Adobe Stock

The Many Stories of Ariadne’s Life and Love

One of the largest Bronze Age archaeological sites in Crete is the palace ruins at Knossos. The passageways have an elaborate layout and one can still see murals that show a sport in which men would...
AI representation of female Mongolian generals and warriors on the steppe.  Source: Hui/Adobe Stock

Khutulun: The Mongol Warrior Princess (Video)

In the 13th century, Marco Polo claimed to have encountered the remarkable Khutulun , the great-great-granddaughter of Genghis Khan. Amidst the fragmented Mongol Empire, Khutulun emerged as a...
Representation of an elite Mongolian woman. Source: B@rmaley / Adobe Stock.

Xiongnu Princesses Shaped Mongolian Traditions, New Study Shows

Princesses have played crucial roles in the organization and structure of empires throughout history, yet their contributions have often been overlooked. From the Greeks to the Mughals to the Mongols...
The legend of Princess Tuag is a tragic tale in Irish mythology. Source: Вероника Преображенс / Adobe Stock

The Legend of Princess Tuag: An Irish Tragedy

Tuag is a princess in Irish legend. Stories say she was so beautiful that she even attracted the attention of a god, who sent a bard to kidnap her. However, tragedy struck, and the princess lost her...
Isabel Moctezuma: The Last Aztec Princess

Isabel Moctezuma: The Last Aztec Princess

Isabel Moctezuma was an Aztec princess who lived during the time of the Spanish Conquest of Mexico. Isabel was the daughter of Moctezuma II, and by the time she was 11 or 12 years old, she had been...
Persian princess. Credit: odnolko / Adobe Stock

Mummy Cold Case: Tracing the Identity of the Mystery ‘Persian Princess’

This story details a cold case like no other. It occurred after the discovery of a mummy that was alleged to be an ancient Persian Princess. It ultimately led archaeological investigators on a wild...
Zeb-un-Nisa: Mughal Princess and Rebel Poetess

Princess Zeb-un-Nisa: Rebel Sufi Poetess and her Gilded Garden Prison

Sitting alone in her quiet gardens, reciting verses of poetry and waiting for the end to come. This is how Princess Zeb-un-Nisa spent the final years of her life. Zeb-un-Nisa means “jewel among women...
The Polish Princess, The Priest and the Treasure

The Polish Princess, The Priest and the Treasure

A Polish archaeologist come treasure hunter, has followed a series of historical clues leading to the unearthing of an ancient royal treasure trove. The 900-year-old princess’ treasure was found in a...
Portrait of Catherine the Great of Russia (1729-1796) (cropped) by Fydor Rokotov      Source: Public Domain

Destined for Glory: The Reign of Empress Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great takes up a rare role in the history of Russian rulers and Emperors. In many ways she was a woman of firsts, as well as being the country’s longest ruling female leader. From the...
The shrine of Medieval Saint Eanswythe in the Folkestone church, England. Source: A Clerk of Oxford

Bones of Medieval Saint and Princess Found Hidden in Church Wall

Scientists have finally managed to solve a centuries-old mystery. They have been able to show with a high degree of probability that some bones located in a church wall belonged to a medieval saint...
The blackened bones of the Polish ‘princess’ were discovered in a log on a cliff. Source: Marcin Bielecki/PAP

Black Bones of a Polish Princess Modeled by Tech Geniuses

A 2000-year-old skeleton of a Polish ‘princess’ was thought to be impossible to scan because of its dark color. A group of tech wizards has been able to create a model of the skeleton despite the...
The rich double burial contained the skeletons of a male and female, who may have been a prince and princess. Source: Tengri News

Touching 4,000-Year-Old Royal Double Burial Found in Kazakhstan

Archaeologists working in a desolate and remote area of the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan have made a remarkable discovery. They found the remains of an adolescent couple from 4000 years ago in...
Modern Representation of a Varangian Guard.

Varangian Guard: Bodyguards and Berserkers of the Byzantine Empire

Read Part 1 The tale of the Varangians continues in its prime in the form of the Varangian Guard, a prominent and selective Byzantine army arising in the 10th century. Composed of the Scandinavian...
 Princess Henrietta of England

Henrietta of England and Her Tragic Life of Calamities and Heartbreak

Henrietta of England was an English princess who lived during the 17 th century. She belonged to the House of Stuart and after her marriage to Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, became the Duchess of...
Meeting on the Isle of Pheasants, June 1660; Maria Theresa is handed over to the French and her husband by proxy, Louis XIV.

Maria Theresa of Spain: Betrayal, Incest, and Black Baby Rumors

Maria Theresa of Spain was an infanta (meaning ‘princess’) of the Spanish Empire who lived during the 17 th century. She belonged to the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg , and is best-known...
Warrior Khutulun in the series Marco Polo

Khutulun: The Undefeated Bad-Ass Mongolian Warrior Princess

Khutulun was a Mongolian noblewoman who lived during the time of the Mongol Empire. She is recorded to have been a great warrior and was especially noted for her prowess in the sport of wrestling...
Persian Women dancing. From a wall painting at "Hasht Behesht Palace" (Palace of 8 heavens), Isfahan, Iran.

My Mother’s Persian Stories: Rose and Marigold

The custom of telling bedtime stories is ancient. Over the ages, they have passed from one generation to another through oral tradition. Each generation has embellished them in new ways by adding or...
This 14th-century Persian painting portrays a scene from the Kushnameh in what scholars believe could be the betrothal of prince Abtin (kneeling) and Silla princess Frarang (sitting). (Hanyang University Museum)

The 1,500-Year-Old Love Story Between a Persian Prince and a Korean Princess that Could Rewrite History

More than a thousand years before the first European explorer reached Korea’s shores, the Persian Empire was writing love stories about Korean princesses. It’s a little-known story that could change...
Some Saxon Queens had killer reputations. (Public Domain);Deriv.

The Wicked Queen and Her Scandalous Daughter: How Murder & Mayhem Took a Saxon Princess from Palace to Poverty

While we might be gripped by the intrigues, the machinations, and the violence of the Lannisters and the Starks in the Game of Thrones television series and the Song of Ice and Fire series of novels...
‘Die Amazonenschlacht’ by Anselm Feuerbach, 1873.

Who was the Powerful Amazon Queen Orithyia and What Drove Her to Launch a Fated Attack on Athens?

Orithyia was one of those dangerous women whose beauty was so often described by terrified and excited men that it became legendary. For centuries, the Amazons were believed to be nothing more than a...
The Chariot race. Cynisca was a Spartan princess and the first women to win the chariot race in the ancient Olympic Games.

How Did She Do It? Cynisca, a Spartan Princess Who Won the Ancient Olympic Games

Since the beginning of time, women have liked to surprise men with their extraordinary power, strength, and skills. Few are shocked by female success in these areas nowadays, but in ancient times...
Pocahontas, after 1616, Oil on canvas by Unidentified Artist.

Pocahontas Shrouded in Myth: A Princess Goes to England

As Ancient Origins reported in its article “ The True Story of Pocahontas as Not Told by Disney ,” the real life Pocahontas was different from her portrayal in the 1995 animated feature film. However...
Fascinating Figurines Accompanied a Chinese General and his Princess Wife to the Afterlife

Fascinating Figurines Accompanied a Chinese General and his Princess Wife to the Afterlife

Over 100 grave goods accompanied a Chinese general and his princess wife to the afterlife. The elite couple were buried in 564 with a collection of figurines. Their double burial likely had some...
The Oldest University in the World May Not Be Where You Think And the Founder May Also Surprise You

The Oldest University in the World May Not Be Where You Think And the Founder May Also Surprise You

Although many people would imagine that the oldest university in the world is in Europe or China, it’s not. The oldest standing university on Earth is in Morocco. Founded in 859 AD, Al-Qarawiyyin is...

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