Agnes Strickland

Born in 1796, she was an English historical writer and poet from the Strickland family, several of whom also became authors. She is chiefly remembered for Lives of the Queens of England, a widely read multi-volume series first published in the 1840s and written with help from her sister Elizabeth.

Her work stood out for focusing on the lives, personalities, and influence of royal women at a time when political history often centered on kings and ministers. She drew on letters, memoirs, and other historical sources, and although later historians have sometimes questioned her accuracy or dramatic style, her books played a major part in popularizing women’s history for Victorian readers.

She continued writing historical biographies for decades and remained closely associated with royal and court history throughout her career. She died in 1874, but her lively portraits of queens and princesses kept her name in print long afterward.