Emma of Normandy
Picture it: England 1002. A young woman of 18 was sent from her country of Normandy to marry the English king, Aethelred (the Unready). She was a direct descendant of the Viking Rollo, who founded Normandy. Tensions were high between these two countries and this young woman, Emma was sent to quell the unease. Can you imagine leaving everything you know to go into a situation where you might not be welcomed? Yet Emma managed this with the upmost poise and grace. England in the 11th century was a place of conflict and intrigue. Aethelred, by all accounts, was not much of a loving husband or father and it was suspected that he was given to bouts of paranoia.
After Swein Forkbeard of Denmark invaded and promptly conquered England, Emma's family in Normandy offered safe harbor to her, her husband, and children in 1013. Swein died soon after the invasion and the royal family returned. This was short lived though as Swein's son, Cnut, came to finish what his father started in 1015 and by 1016, Aethelred was dead. Emma had 3 small children to worry about and through her mastery of diplomacy, she married the new king Cnut and was able to convince him to spare her children. The children were sent again to Normandy. It seems by all accounts from that time period that the marriage, although political in the beginning, became a love match. Emma was known for her high intelligence and political astuteness and through this marriage, her influence increased considerably. At one point in time, Emma was the single wealthiest woman in the whole of England.
After Cnut's death, she was once again sent into exile when her stepson assumed the throne that was supposed to pass down to her own son, Harthacnut. Once Harthacnut returned to take what was his, she was invited back to court. Through her influence, her oldest son from her first marriage, Edward (the Confessor) was named heir.
She was the wife of 2 kings, mother to 2 kings, and the whole reason why the current line of English kings came from Normandy in 1066. She held and maintained influence during a time when women weren't typically allowed to. That's pretty badass to me.
