Your Royal Queen Lineage, Based On Your Zodiac Sign

In a way, every woman is a queen—just not an “official” one, and not listed in the history books as one. The queens of ancient times are to be admired because they had to take charge and manage volatile circumstances back in the days when women were mostly expected to have babies and keep quiet. That took a lot of attitude and a lot of courage. Somebody say, “Yass, Queen!”

Here’s how 12 historical queens affected world events while manifesting the character traits of their respective zodiac signs. Can you relate?

Aries: Catherine de Medici of France (b. April 13, 1519)

Catherine was born in Italy as the only child of Lorenzo de Medici, who ruled the City of Florence and was a member of a ruthless banking and political family. At fourteen years old, she married Henry, Duke of Orleans, the son of King Francis I of France. Her early wedded years were emotionally difficult, because her husband, who eventually became King Francis II, cheated on her with several mistresses. But she still powered through and bore him nine children, seven of whom lived to adulthood. When her husband died and her son became king, she used her assertive Aries personality and natural leadership skills to keep her family in power. She was described as courageous and confident—typical Aries queen!

Taurus: Queen Catherine the Great of Russia (b. April 21, 1729)

This ambitious Taurus used her stubborn intelligence to expand Russia’s imperial power, making her the longest-reigning queen in Russian history. But just like all Tauruses—who are ruled by Venus, the planet of sensual indulgence—Catherine the Great was rumored to have taken many lovers, most of them among the nobility. If you asked her numerous sexual conquests how good she was in bed, they’d probably say, “Catherine was great!”

Gemini: Queen Victoria of England (b. May 24, 1819)

Through 63 years on the throne—a reign longer than any other monarch in British history at the time—Victoria oversaw one of the greatest and vastest empires the world has ever seen. Her rule became known as the “Victorian Era.” She was a “double Gemini”; not only was she born on May 24, but at a time and place when the Moon was in Gemini. Since Geminis are gifted communicators, she journaled throughout her life and was an eager pen pal to people across the globe. But the most famous and enduring thing she ever said was the brief and cutting phrase “We are not amused.”

Cancer: Queen Maria Christina of Spain (b. July 21, 1858)

Born in Austria as part of the legendary Habsburg royal dynasty, Maria Christina became Queen of Spain after marrying King Alfonso XII. Described as “tall, fair, sensible, and well educated,” she became Alfonso’s second wife because he’d had no children with his first wife and desired to keep his dynasty going. In keeping with Cancer’s natural maternal instincts, Maria Christina bore him two daughters, making sure that her beloved husband’s royal bloodline would remain unbroken.

Leo: Queen Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo of Spain (b. August 9, 1847)

As fire signs ruled by the Sun, Leos are naturally the most regal and royal sign in the zodiac. Born to nobility in Italy, Maria married King Amadeo I of Spain and became his Queen in 1870. But although she was from a wealthy bloodline and ascended to the throne, she was also known as being exceedingly generous. The poor loved her, which led to her nickname “The Queen of Charity.” 

Virgo: Queen Elizabeth I of England (b. September 7, 1533)

Elizabeth was the only child of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. When she was only two years old, she was declared an illegitimate child after her mother was accused of adultery and decapitated. But King Henry restored her to the royal bloodline when she was 10 years old, and she eventually became Queen of England from 1558 to 1603. What does any of this have to do with being a Virgo, you might ask? Because she never married or had children and became known as the “Virgin Queen.”

Libra: Queen Isabella II of Spain (b. October 10, 1830)

Izzy 2.0 was the only Queen Regnant in Spanish history—meaning she ruled without a King by her side from 1843 until she was deposed in 1868. She was said to have a wonderful singing voice but was also described as a bit of a lazy slob who indulged all her many temptations. Libras are known to be manipulative and charming, and Isabella was no slouch in that department—her rule was described as one of “palace intrigues, back-stairs and antechamber influences, and barracks conspiracies,” leading to her eventual ouster during the Spanish Revolution of 1868.

Scorpio: Marie Antoinette (b. November 2, 1755)

Scorpios are probably the most feared of all zodiac signs because their primary traits are intensity, vindictiveness, and a steamy sexuality. Marie became Queen of France at a very unlucky time, though—during the French Revolution, which formally abolished the monarchy. French rebels accused Marie of being a wasteful spender, a promiscuous strumpet who birthed several illegitimate children, and someone who collaborated with France’s enemies, which included her birthplace of Austria. Although historians say it probably never happened, she is best known for sadistically replying, “Let them eat cake” to revolutionaries who claimed that their children were starving and had no bread. Possibly the most notorious Queen of all, she was beheaded by the guillotine in 1993.

Sagittarius: Mary, Queen of Scots (b. December 8, 1542)

Sagittarians are celebrated for being curious, impulsive, and maybe even a tiny bit reckless. Mary was such a natural-born world traveler that for a time, she was Queen of two countries—France and Scotland. She became Queen of Scotland at a wee six days old when her father, King James V, died. But she was raised in the French court—“raised” so well that she grew to over six feet tall. At age sixteen she married French King Francis II. She then returned to Scotland and then got into trouble as a Catholic in a Protestant country, and on her way to Edinburgh she was captured and held in a castle. She escaped her capture and returned to England, only to be captured again and imprisoned for 18 years until she was beheaded. (What’s with all these queens losing their heads?)

Capricorn: Queen Zenobia of Palmyra(b. December 23, 245 CE)

The most ancient of our royal ladies on this list, not much is known about this shadowy woman of Middle Eastern ancestry except that she married a man who eventually became King of Palmyra, which was part of the ancient Roman Empire and was located in what is now Syria. But showing that legendarily plucky Capricornian determination, Zenobia took it upon herself to lead a military invasion that temporarily conquered the entire nation of Egypt. What a boss bitch!

Aquarius: Livia Drusilla, Empress of Rome (b. January 30, BC)

Aquarians hate drama, and Livia was known among Roman citizens as a “model of old-fashioned propriety” who was smart, poised, and dignified. She became empress of Rome as the wife of legendary emperor Augustus. But in keeping with her Aquarian nature, she stayed behind the scenes and offered Augustus advice. Rumor has it that she ordered the deaths of several of her hubby’s rivals. If that’s true, despite his role as the leader of what was the largest empire in the world at the time, it’s likely that Augustus was very careful not to make Livia mad.

Pisces: Margaret of Scotland, Queen of Norway (b. February 2, 1261)

Although Queen Latifah is a Pisces, technically she doesn’t count. In her stead we have an actual Queen from the medieval era. Margaret was born in Scotland and stayed a virgin until age 20, which was very rare in those days—not the being-born-in-Scotland part, but the staying-a-virgin-unti-you’re-20 part. You can chalk it up to being a Pisces, who are more focused on spiritual matters than sins of the flesh. She was forced to marry Eric II, King of Norway, when she was 20. She didn’t want to, but her dad made her do it. It is unknown whether she simply wanted to remain chaste and spiritual, or whether Eric was savagely unattractive.