Famous Moms in History: 6 of the Greatest Moms of All Time

Moms are the unsung heroes of the world. They rise to accept a responsibility that takes hard work and dedication, often sailing under the radar. Chances are that you know plenty of amazing moms (and may even be one yourself) — but it’s important that we also tip our collective hat to mothers of the past.

But although the most impactful women in history get credit for being incredible leaders, history books usually fail to mention that they were also mothers. Why is that?

“I think it’s important to keep in mind that there wasn’t much of a choice about whether a woman was going to be a mother or not in earlier times,” says Mary Dillard, Ph.D., director of graduate studies in women’s history at Sarah Lawrence College.

“That, of course, does not mean these women didn’t want their children, just that the time was different," Dillard says. "I think one of the largest reasons that important, historical women aren’t often recognized for both their historical accomplishments and their motherhood is that, in history, it’s not usually something that’s noted. Even with men, genealogy and parenthood aren’t discussed unless they’re pertinent to what happens after them — a political dynasty, for example."

Further, Dillard believes these details about powerful women could sometimes be left out intentionally, to separate the image from strictly nurturing.

“It’s often hard to separate the image of a mother from just being a nurturer — that’s a powerful image,” she says. “To emphasize these aspects of these famous women could have the potential to undermine the focus of the things they did.”

Today, with Mother's Day on the horizon, we want to look at these powerful & famous women in history to recognize their accomplishments with this in mind — they were mothers, too.

Inspiring historical figures who happened to have been moms

These women were leaders, influencers, and women who made differences so substantial they altered the course of history — and through it all, they were dedicated and determined mothers, to their own children and beyond.