Asian Women Warriors

During the Shang Dynasty (1766 - 1122 BC) in China noblewomen known as fu held office, paid tribute to the Emperor for the lands they controlled, led armies, regulated agriculture and supervised religious activities. Fu Hao was a royal consort and general who led her armies in the Hunan province around 1199 BC.

In 529 BC, Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae in southwest Asia, led her armies in defeating the invasion of Cyrus the Great of Persia.

In the first century the sisters, Trung Trae and Trung Nhi, led a revolt of Vietnamese peasants against Chinese rule. Both sisters led their troops in battle and both were noted for their heroism. In 40 A.D. they led an army of 80,000 peasants against To Dinh forcing him to flee to China and freeing Vietnam of Chinese domination for the first time in over 1,000 years. They took control of 65 fortified towns and trained 36 women, including their mother, as generals. When they were eventually defeated by the sheer numerical superiority of Chinese reinforcements they committed suicide rather than be captured. They became a symbol of Vietnamese nationalism and temples were built in their honor, one of which still stands in Hanoi. The anniversary of their suicide is a national holiday and the name Trung has the same connotation in Vietnam that Amazon has to the western world.

Trien Au (222-248 AD) was a Vietnamese resistance leader who raised an army to fight Chinese rule. When her forces were defeated after 6 months of battle, she along with Trieu Thi Tink (one of her female generals) committed suicide.

Pimiku, the first known ruler of Japan, held power from 197 to 247 AD. She led and participated in both land and sea battles throughout her reign.

Kogo Jingo, Empress of Japan was skilled with sword, bow and naginata. She conquered Korea in 201 AD, personally leading her navy who she prohibited from raping or plundering when they took cities. She governed for 70 years and was succeeded by her son Emperor Ojin. Among the tributes she brought back from her conquests was Japan's first written language.

In the mid-first century Hau Mu-Lan became one of China's most famous warriors when, disguised as a man, she took her father's place in battle for 12 years. She was celebrated in plays and poems. Her commanding officer was so impressed with her military skills that he offered his daughter in marriage to what he thought to be his greatest male warrior.

Empress Wu Chao, the daughter of a general, ruled China from 605 to 650. For the first 15 years she was the de facto power behind her Emperor husband, after his death she ruled alone. She ended China's long running war with Korea by leading her navy in a decisive victory at sea. She led her army in quelling numerous insurrections and survived several assasination attempts. She was considered by historians to be a ruthless but extremely effective leader of her country who insured decades of peace and prosperity.

 Like their noble European counterparts Japanese women of the samurai caste were expected to protect their family's lands and castles in their male relatives absence. They were trained in the use of weapons, especially the naginata and knife and taught to train and ride warhorses. In the Kamakura period (1192-1333) clan warfare was so widespread that women frequently took to the battlefield. Itagaki led a charge of 3,000 warriors of the Taira clan against 10,000 Heike soldiers in 1199. In the 12th century Fujinoye, wife of Kajiwara Genda Kagesuya defended Takadachi Castle killing at least two of the attackers in hand to hand combat.

Tamara of Georgia ruled for 24 years and was called "king" by the men she led into battle because she campaigned with them and shared the hardships of an ordinary soldier. Before her death in 1212 she had conquered those parts of Turkey, Persia, Russia and Armenia which bordered Georgia and ended the frequent invasions which had decimated her nation prior to her reign.

In 1600 Shen Yunying, the daughter of a Chinese army captain, took over his command when he was killed in battle. Later by special decree she was made a second captain so that she could legitimately succeed her father and command troops. Approximately 90 years later Chin Liang-Yu fought at her husband's side and after his death continued to lead her army to many victories in a civil war.

Ma Ying Taphan led the all female palace guard in 19th century Siam (now Thailand). Her troops were considered the best trained and most loyal of all the King's soldiers and were never defeated in battle.

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