Smithsonian Magazine | Biography

The Swamp Fox

Elusive and crafty, Francis Marion outwitted British troops during the American Revolution

The frivolous 14-year-old Austrian princess who came to France to marry the future king, Louis XVI, developed strength and character over the years.

Marie Antoinette

The teenage queen, now the subject of a new movie, was embraced by France in 1770. Twenty-three years later, she lost her head to the guillotine. (But she never said, "Let them eat cake")

The Egyptian queen frequently surrounded herself with splendor, but luxury was less an indulgence than a political tool. (Wikipedia)

Who Was Cleopatra?

Mythology, propaganda, Liz Taylor and the real Queen of the Nile

Joan of Arc retains her status as a religious and patriotic heroine, especially in France.

France's Leading Lady

Relics from her 1431 execution are a forgery. Will we ever know the real Joan of Arc?

With his stylish clothes and powdered wig, Stede Bonnet (in a c. 1725
woodcut) stood out among the bearded, unkempt, ill-mannered pirates with whom he sailed.

The Gentleman Pirate

How Stede Bonnet went from wealthy landowner to villain on the sea

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The Parthenon

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The Swamp Fox

Marie Antoinette

Who Was Cleopatra?

France's Leading Lady

The Gentleman Pirate