It's long been said that behind every successful man is a strong woman, although it is not a pre-requisite for career success, the world’s most successful men have often had a woman behind them driving them to succeed through love and ambition.
Academy Award Nominee (2008, Best Foreign Language Film) Mongol – The Rise To Power Of Genghis Khan tells the story of the legendary warrior Genghis Khan (Japanese actor Asano Tadanobu) who, born as Temudgin in 1162, went on to establish the vast Mongol Empire, stretching from modern day China to Eastern Europe.
Genghis Khan was driven to become the world’s most feared and revered warrior by his lifelong companion and only empress Borte.
But this is not the only example of a powerful leader driven by the love and ambition of the woman in their life. Here are the other women who throughout history have helped shape our past and present.
Eva Braun
She was born in Munich, and first met Adolf Hitler in the studio of his photographer friend, Heinrich Hoffmann (q.v.), in 1929, describing him to her sister, Ilse, as "a gentleman of a certain age with a funny moustache and carrying a big felt hat."
Famously, In April 1945 she joined Hitler in the Fuhrerbunker, as the Russians closed in on Berlin. She declined to leave in spite of his orders, claiming to others that she was the only person still loyal to him to the bitter end. "Better that ten thousand others die than he be lost to Germany," she would constantly repeat to friends.
On 29 April 1945 Hitler and Eva Braun were finally married. The next day she committed suicide by swallowing poison, two minutes before Hitler took his own life.
Josephine
Much has been written about the love between her and Napoleon 1st of France. They were married in March of 1796, just before he marched off to conquer Italy on behalf of France.
In letters, Napoleon gave Josephine credit for fueling his confidence. They married in 1796 and while Bonaparte was a fine stepfather to her children, Josephine had regular dalliances with other men.
Her affairs almost led to divorce, however, a furious Bonaparte was persuaded to ignore her indiscretions on the grounds that a stable marriage was necessary for his political ambitions.
Josephine also aided Bonaparte's bid for power with a deft social and political touch that smoothed opposition and allowed him to become First Consul.
Anne Boleyn
She was the second wife of King Henry VIII of England and was queen consort from 1533 until 1536. She was made lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon.
Around 1525 or 1526, Henry became enamoured of Anne and began pursuing her. Anne parried the King's advances, refusing to become his mistress. Thus, the King became absorbed with annulment of his marriage to Catherine so he could marry Anne.
When Pope Clement VII seemed unlikely to grant the annulment, so began the inexorable rift between King Henry and the Church. It was as a direct result of Anne’s influences that so became the Church of England.
Anne failed to produce a surviving male heir, which proved her downfall. Sir Thomas Cromwell led a plot to replace her, some say at the King's order. Despite unconvincing evidence against her, she was condemned and beheaded as guilty of adultery, incest, and high treason.
Hillary Clinton
She saw something special in Bill Clinton when the two met at Yale's law school. She shared the vision he had for himself, and provided a sounding board for his ideas and actions in all of his political campaigns.
The intensity of the Clintons’ ambitions and the complexities of their marriage and political partnership had a profound impact on his presidency, fascinating the American public. The Clintons came to the presidency with a long history of consulting each other on virtually every consequential policy and political decision.
With such strong political routes, it was fitting that she campaigned in the 2008 US presidential elections and despite defeat she is still a strong candidate for vice-presidency.
Even if Bill and Hillary end up switching roles, their collaborative habits are deeply rooted, and their years in the White House offer strong clues as to how they would conduct themselves if they returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
It's well known that
Laura Bush
single-handedly persuaded her husband, George W. Bush, to lay off the bottle when he was in his early 40s. By being an emotional rock when her husband needed it the most, Laura helped Bush get back on his feet.
Thanks to Laura's emotional strength, Bush went on to become the Governor of Texas and the President of the United States. Polled as one of the most popular first ladies, Laura Bush is involved in topics of both national and global concern.
She has continued to advance her trademark interests of education and literacy by establishing the annual National Book Festival in 2001 and encouraging education on a worldwide scale.
She has also advanced the causes of women through The Heart Truth and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She serves as a representative of the United States during her trips abroad, which tend to focus on HIV/AIDS and malaria awareness.
Jacqueline Kennedy
It was Jacqueline who updated the White House and turned it into a showcase for design, fashion and art, while her husband, John F. Kennedy, tackled the political crisis of the early '60s.
In a column for New York's The City Review, Michele Leight writes of Jacqueline, "Her impact on American culture was significant.
She took America out of the staid and conservative 1950s and into the world of classy international elegance and also became an important champion of the arts and historic preservation."
Mongol – The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan is available to own and rent on DVD and Blu-Ray from 29th September 2008.
It's long been said that behind every successful man is a strong woman, although it is not a pre-requisite for career success, the world’s most successful men have often had a woman behind them driving them to succeed through love and ambition.
Academy Award Nominee (2008, Best Foreign Language Film) Mongol – The Rise To Power Of Genghis Khan tells the story of the legendary warrior Genghis Khan (Japanese actor Asano Tadanobu) who, born as Temudgin in 1162, went on to establish the vast Mongol Empire, stretching from modern day China to Eastern Europe.
Genghis Khan was driven to become the world’s most feared and revered warrior by his lifelong companion and only empress Borte.
But this is not the only example of a powerful leader driven by the love and ambition of the woman in their life. Here are the other women who throughout history have helped shape our past and present.
Eva Braun
She was born in Munich, and first met Adolf Hitler in the studio of his photographer friend, Heinrich Hoffmann (q.v.), in 1929, describing him to her sister, Ilse, as "a gentleman of a certain age with a funny moustache and carrying a big felt hat."
Famously, In April 1945 she joined Hitler in the Fuhrerbunker, as the Russians closed in on Berlin. She declined to leave in spite of his orders, claiming to others that she was the only person still loyal to him to the bitter end. "Better that ten thousand others die than he be lost to Germany," she would constantly repeat to friends.
On 29 April 1945 Hitler and Eva Braun were finally married. The next day she committed suicide by swallowing poison, two minutes before Hitler took his own life.
Josephine
Much has been written about the love between her and Napoleon 1st of France. They were married in March of 1796, just before he marched off to conquer Italy on behalf of France.
In letters, Napoleon gave Josephine credit for fueling his confidence. They married in 1796 and while Bonaparte was a fine stepfather to her children, Josephine had regular dalliances with other men.
Her affairs almost led to divorce, however, a furious Bonaparte was persuaded to ignore her indiscretions on the grounds that a stable marriage was necessary for his political ambitions.
Josephine also aided Bonaparte's bid for power with a deft social and political touch that smoothed opposition and allowed him to become First Consul.
Anne Boleyn
She was the second wife of King Henry VIII of England and was queen consort from 1533 until 1536. She was made lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon.
Around 1525 or 1526, Henry became enamoured of Anne and began pursuing her. Anne parried the King's advances, refusing to become his mistress. Thus, the King became absorbed with annulment of his marriage to Catherine so he could marry Anne.
When Pope Clement VII seemed unlikely to grant the annulment, so began the inexorable rift between King Henry and the Church. It was as a direct result of Anne’s influences that so became the Church of England.
Anne failed to produce a surviving male heir, which proved her downfall. Sir Thomas Cromwell led a plot to replace her, some say at the King's order. Despite unconvincing evidence against her, she was condemned and beheaded as guilty of adultery, incest, and high treason.
Hillary Clinton
She saw something special in Bill Clinton when the two met at Yale's law school. She shared the vision he had for himself, and provided a sounding board for his ideas and actions in all of his political campaigns.
The intensity of the Clintons’ ambitions and the complexities of their marriage and political partnership had a profound impact on his presidency, fascinating the American public. The Clintons came to the presidency with a long history of consulting each other on virtually every consequential policy and political decision.
With such strong political routes, it was fitting that she campaigned in the 2008 US presidential elections and despite defeat she is still a strong candidate for vice-presidency.