Through biographies, history comes alive. Learning about the history of women changes the perspective on the past. Great women have existed in every century: from antiquity to our time. Saints, empresses, queens, composers, painters, singers, scientists, artisans, doctors, philosophers, athletes, writers, and Nobel laureates. The work not only describes the lives of European women but also of internationally renowned women in 50 short portraits. The book gathers a diverse range of life stories from antiquity to the 17th century. A further volume featuring women’s portraits up to the present day will follow.