Articles by Lauralee Swann

About Lauralee Swann

I am a former elementary teacher in Tennessee. I have a bachelor’s degree in Liberal and Civic Studies from St. Mary’s College of California, a master’s in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the College of Saint Mary. Because my family are from East Asia, I have a passion for historical Chinese and Korean television shows. I always wanted to separate fact from fiction in dramas. Writing articles from History of Royal Women gives me a chance to dig deeper and explore these royal women as they might have been in real life. Also, it gives me a chance to look at the history and culture of where my family originated. I love researching East Asian royalty because they rarely get enough attention in the West often being overshadowed by European royalty. I find these royal women to be just as fascinating and their stories deserve to be told. Thus, I am excited to write for History of Royal Women!

Herodias – The Princess who wanted John the Baptist’s head

Saturday, 16 September 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Herodias was one of the Bible’s most famous villainesses. She was a Jewish princess and the ruler of Galilee.[1] She was the wife of the famous Herod Antipas, who played a big part in the execution of Jesus of Nazareth. Herodias is best known for prompting her daughter Salome to have John the Baptist’s “head on [read more]

Agrippina the Younger – Rome’s Enigmatic Empress

Tuesday, 5 September 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Agrippina the Younger was the sister, wife, and mother of Roman Emperors. She was one of the most powerful women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Because of her position, she has often been maligned in history. Ancient sources portray her as “a consummate schemer, lusting after power, manipulating men and women to her own ends, and [read more]

Queen Kapiolani – Hawaii’s Philanthropist Queen

Saturday, 2 September 2017, 4:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Queen Kapiolani was one of Hawaii’s last reigning and beloved queens. Queen Liliuokalani even described her as a woman of “sweet disposition and amiable temper”.[1] She was a woman who was mostly known for her philanthropy and was deeply committed to the health, education, and well-being of the Hawaiian people.[2] Her motto was “Strive for the Highest”.[3] She [read more]

Empress Irene of Athens – The first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire

Saturday, 26 August 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Irene of Athens was the first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire. She was also known to have initiated the Second Council of Nicea. Irene was also known for her generous financial policies, which were especially friendly to monasteries.[1] After her death, she became a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church[2]. Empress Irene was born [read more]

Queen Ahmose-Nefertari – The first “God’s Wife of Amun”

Tuesday, 22 August 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Ahmose-Nefertari was the first Egyptian queen to hold the title of “God’s First Wife of Amun”.[1] This title gave her the religious and economic influence in the cult of Amun-Re.[2] Her status in the cult gave her the position of “The Divine Adoratrice” and “the Second Priesthood of Amun”, which was a financial office in which [read more]

Queen Tetisheri – The Mother of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty

Thursday, 17 August 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 3

Queen Tetisheri was known to be one of Ancient Egypt’s most important queens. She was known for her strong influence over her son, Seqenenre Tao and her grandson, Ahmose, the founder of the 18th dynasty. Queen Tetisheri held the titles of “King’s Mother” and “Great King’s Wife”. She would, later on, play an active role [read more]