A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country

A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country is a large book created by Mary Matilda Betham and published in 1804. It included short biographies of Mary Magdalene, Cleopatra, Madame Roland, and other notable historical women from around the world.

The book was said to have taken Betham six years to compile. Some believe it to be the first of its kind although similar works pre-date it. In fact Betham notes that she shelved her project when she read that another was being compiled. However Betham saw the competitor's work and decided it was "a selection of historical extracts."A_Biographical_Dictionary_of_the_Celebrated_Women_of_Every_Age_and_Country at Wikisource Betham's work is novel because it includes contemporary women and some who were not well regarded.

Betham chose a large variety of celebrated women and, in one case (mistakenly), a man. The lasting importance of Betham's work can be seen, in that, her error was repeated by a later work... which blamed Betham for the mistake. Betham used authoritative sources although she sometimes added her own interpretation.

In 1948, nearly 150 years after it was published, American biographer Katharine Anthony wrote that Betham's "compendious Biographical Dictionary...still survives as an evidence of the author's phenomenal industry and of the strong public interest in women's achievements."

Contents A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and CountryMaryBlanche of CastileCleopatraMarie de FranceHéloïse d’ArgenteuilElizabeth I of EnglandJoan of ArcÉmilie du ChâteletHypatiaCatherine I of RussiaSapphoSarah Churchill, Duchess of MarlboroughAndromacheMarie-Jeanne L'HéritierCatherine II of RussiaEmma of NormandyIsabella I of CastileMarie AntoinetteChristina of SwedenÉlisabeth Jacquet de La GuerreMaria Sibylla MerianMary MagdaleneMaria CunitzHildegard of BingenCaroline of AnsbachKatharina von BoraAnne BoleynCaterina SforzaMary I of EnglandÉlisabeth Sophie ChéronBarbara UthmannMary WollstonecraftSemiramisLady GodivaDiane de France, Duchess of AngoulêmeSaint AfraUta of SchauenburgMarie HuberAnna WaserJuliana BernersMary, Queen of ScotsCatherine de' MediciMaria Theresa of AustriaEmpress MatildaAnne of AustriaIsabeau of BavariaAgrippina the YoungerMargaret of Austria, Duchess of SavoyQueen of ShebaAnna I of RussiaLady Jane GreyCatherine of AragonHelena AugustaCostanza I of SicilyTeresa of ÁvilaEleanor of AquitaineAnna KomneneCatherine of AlexandriaSor Juana Inés de la CruzBoudicaMadame de PompadourZenobiaMargaret of Valois-AngoulêmeSaint BarbaraCatherine ParrMaria Gaetana AgnesiAgatha of SicilyAnne of BrittanyMargaret I of DenmarkBridget of SwedenIrene of AthensAgnes of RomeArtemisia GentileschiDeborahZoe KarbonopsinaMargaret of ValoisAspasiaIsabella of FranceJoan I of NavarreCatherine of SienaMargaret BeaufortJulia DomnaPhilippa of HainaultJeanne d'AlbretAelia EudociaAdèle of ChampagneAgrippina the ElderOctavia the YoungerMessalinaLa MalincheSaint Margaret of ScotlandBrunhilda of AustrasiaMadame de MaintenonMadame du BarryNitocrisFredegundMadame de MontespanMaroziaMargaret of AnjouJulia MaesaAnne Marie Louise d'OrléansAgnès SorelArtemisia II of CariaAphra BehnPulcheriaLouise de La VallièreArtemisia I of CariaClotildeSaint ApolloniaPhryneAnne of FranceEmpress JingūAnastasia of SirmiumFulviaLouise of SavoyGenmeiConstance, duchess of BrittanyRachel RuyschCorneliaGaleria ValeriaMonica of HippoChristine de PizanJulia Avita MamaeaJeanne-Marie Bouvier de La Motte GuyonMary Wortley MontaguÆthelflædGenshōJoanna I of NaplesTheanoAlys, Countess of the VexinHipparchia of MaroneiaMargaret of France, Duchess of BerryRenee of FranceGenevieveSofonisba AnguissolaLavinia FontanaManon RolandJulian of NorwichNinon de LenclosMadame de LafayetteMadeleine de ScudéryLouise LabéMadame de SévignéAdrienne LecouvreurRosalba CarrieraBalthildPaula of RomeParysatisBertha of KentMacrina the YoungerCatherine of GenoaAnyte of TegeaCorinnaSophonisbaAnne BradstreetLocustaMargaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-TyneJane NevilleMargaret Stewart, Dauphine of FranceAnna Maria van SchurmanVittoria ColonnaEngelbergaPorciaHürrem SultanErinnaAnne-Geneviève de BourbonHildaBianca CappelloMadame d'AulnoyGaleria FundanaHortense ManciniArete of CyreneKassiaSalome AlexandraMariamneBertrada of LaonCyniscaSaint MarcellaEadgifu of WessexCatarina van HemessenMarie Thérèse Rodet GeoffrinPhilaLaura de NovesAntoinette BourignonElisabetta SiraniRosamund CliffordFrançoise d'AmboiseAgnes of AustriaAnna BijnsAnne DacierCountess Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-MünzenbergOlympia Fulvia MorataAlpaïs of CudotTarquinia MolzaIsotta NogarolaMary of Jesus of ÁgredaDiane de PoitiersPraxillaTelesillaJoanna of FlandersLeonora DoriSosipatraMaria van OosterwijckProperzia de' RossiDelarivier ManleyAbbasaAcca LarentiaAmalasunthaNitocris of BabylonQueen MarciaAgallisMatilda of FlandersLaura BattiferriTimychaAryenisClaudine Guérin de TencinElizabeth of SchönauArbella StuartLamia of AthensMarie Angélique ArnauldMadeleine de PuisieuxLais of CorinthArriaEustochiumCassandra FedeleElizabeth MontaguTullia d'AragonaMaviaAlexandra the MaccabeeMarie DentièreAnne AskewFrançoise de GraffignyElizabeth BartonMarie GuyartDhuodaEireneCresilasPernette Du GuilletMadeleine Françoise BasseporteAmageKitty CliveBlandinaCatherine of BolognaAnacaonaModerata FonteAnne-Thérèse de Marguenat de CourcellesBlaesillaMatilda of TuscanyMarie-Catherine de VilledieuMarie Anne BarbierLucia AnguissolaJeanne Marie Leprince de BeaumontElena Cornaro PiscopiaJeanne HachetteLouise Marguerite of LorraineSarah FieldingThargeliaChand BibiMary SidneyMarie de GournayAnna Louisa KarschLiviaHortensiaJane ShoreGabrielle-Suzanne de VilleneuveAntoinette du Ligier de la Garde DeshoulièresAnne BaconPeg WoffingtonMary DelanyAgeltrudeMargaret RoperGinevra CantofoliAnne Finch, Countess of WinchilseaFrançoise de CezelliMary Darby RobinsonCatherine BernardAnne-Marguerite Petit du NoyerIaiaTimareteCatharine MacaulayNur JahanLaura BassiMoeroMarietta RobustiLeaenaSulpiciaAnna Maria AnguissolaAnne HalkettFaltonia Betitia ProbaAntiopeHuldahChiara MatrainiMarie-Thérèse ReboulAristareteCarmentaMadeleine Des RochesJezebelFrances BrookeEstherMaria PitaCumaean SibylEveJeanne de ClissonDidoSusanna CentlivreKhawla al-HanafiyyaCatharine TrotterEleanor, Fair Maid of BrittanyJulie d'AngennesChiara VarotariAlessandra ScalaDiotima of MantineaCornificiaLombardaGuditElizabeth GriffithMantoHippeEuropa AnguissolaSybilla of ConversanoMargaret ClementEliza HaywoodHenriette Wolters-van PeeSusannah Maria CibberClaude Catherine de ClermontBeatriz GalindoCalypsoAnnaHester ChaponeMarie d'Orléans-LonguevilleLucrezia MarinellaLady CarcasMargaretha van GodewijkCharlotte of AlbretKetevan the MartyrArignotePantea ArteshbodKatherine PhilipsGiulia GonzagaDamaris Cudworth MashamNovella d'AndreaMary BealeMary AstellMarquise de CaylusCatherine DescartesLouise-Marie de LanternâtFrançoise Bertaut de MottevilleLeontionAlmucs de CastelnauMaria VerelstAlan GuaElizabeth Jane WestonJeanne DuméeSelina Hastings, Countess of HuntingdonDorotea BuccaLeonora BaroniIsabella AndreiniHelena of AdiabeneJacqueline de LongwyMaría PachecoGiovanna d'AragonaAnaxandraAniella di BeltranoAnne-Louise Élie de BeaumontAnne-Marie Bigot de CornuelAnne-Marie du BoccageAnne de La VigneAnne de La Roche-GuilhemAnne de MarquetsAntoinette de LoynesAntoinette de SalièsChilonisCammaCatherine Des RochesCatherine DurandCatherine DucheminCatherine de ParthenayCharlotte-Catherine PatinCharlotte-Rose de Caumont La ForceClorinda RenieriClémence IsaurePhemonoeDiana ScultoriWallada bint al-MustakfiElizabeth RoweFanniaLuisa Sigea de VelascoFrançoise-Albine BenoistMarie Jeanne RiccoboniGabrielle-Charlotte PatinGabrielle SuchonGeorge Anne BellamyGeorgette de MontenayHenriette-Julie de MuratHenriette de Coligny de La SuzeIrene di SpilimbergoJeanne-Michelle de PringyLouise-Geneviève Gillot de SaintongeLubna of CordobaMarie de MiramionMadeleine Angélique Poisson GomezMadeleine BoullogneMadeleine PatinMarguerite de LubertMarguerite de LussanMarguerite de Launay, baronne de StaalMarie-Anne de Roumier-RobertMarie-Louise-Charlotte de Pelard de Givry de FontainesMarie Madeleine de Rochechouart de MortemartMarie Anne Victoire PigeonMarie Bruneau des LogesMarie Marguerite BihéronMarie DupréMarie Gigault de BellefondsMarie Prudence PlissonMyrtis of AnthedonOctavie GuichardOliva SabucoPamphile of EpidaurusPhilis de La CharceBlanche ParryTeresa del PoViolante Beatrice SiriesÉlisabeth GuibertAloaraAndrocleiaBlanche ArundellBona LombardaMargaret SeymourJane SeymourCostanza d'Avalos PiccolominiÆbbe of ColdinghamLaura CeretaLucrezia GonzagaMargherita CostaMargherita SarrocchiMaria Maddalena MorelliMaria Oriana Galli da BibbienaBettina d'AndreaAgnes RandolphAisha bint Ahmad al-QurtubiyyaAishaAlrude Countess of BertinoroAmaesia SentiaAnn BaynardAnna, Lady MillerAnne KilligrewAnne OldfieldAnne WhartonAntonia PinelliGunhildeBattista MalatestaBaudoniviaJuliana MorellBettisia GozzadiniBirgitte ThottPlautilla BricciAnne CliffordFritigilVendela SkytteCaterina TarabottiCatherina BoeveyCatherine TalbotCharlotte BrookeLucia Casalini TorelliClaude de BectozClaudia RufinaClaudine Bouzonnet-StellaConstantia GriersonDorothy, Lady PakingtonElizabeth, Lady WardlawElizabeth BlandElizabeth BuryElizabeth ElstobElizabeth HobyElizabeth LucarElizabeth RyvesElizabeth ThomasElizabeth TolletElspeth BuchanEsther InglisFrances Norton, Lady NortonFrances SheridanAna de Castro EgasAna Caro de MallénDevorà AscarelliIsabella ParasoleJane LumleyJuffrouw RozéeKatherine Jones, Viscountess RanelaghElizabeth HastingsMary ChudleighLaetitia PilkingtonMadeleine de l’AubespinePotamianaMary ChandlerMary MonckRachel Russell, Baroness RussellThomaWinifred Maxwell, Countess of NithsdaleMatilde BentivoglioBiblisCaterina CantoniRoberta CarafaAna CervatónDamophilaAdélaïde d'EspinassyPhiliberte de FleursOlimpia MalipieroMademoiselle Chabot de MarchebruscMaroula of LemnosAnna MetranaPerillaMarie-Thérèse Potar DuluLucretia RégnierAngelica RegnierAnna RegnierAgnès du RochierThymeleHannah PritchardMaddalena AceiaiuoliArgentaria PollaSenana ferch CaradogGeneviève BoullogneMildred CookeCharlotte BouretteJeanne de Montégut-SéglaMary LeaporRhodopisCambraMarseille d'AltouvitisMarie de LouvencourtMme de BeaumerMaria AlphaizuliMary ArundellCatharina BureaAspasia the YoungerIsabel de JosaMegalostrataTheanoBernarda Ferreira de LacerdaClémence de BourgesJacqueline Bouette de BlémurJeanne GaillardeCapillanaElizabeth WalkerSusanna HoptonEleanor DaviesMary FisherKora of SicyonHelena of EgyptFrancisca de LebrijaElizabeth BurnetGrace GethinCatherine KilligrewPerpetuaElizabeth Clinton, Countess of LincolnSarah PenningtonElizabeth FaneAnne de GravilleMarianne-Agnès FalquesLucrezia QuistelliSusanna MayrLaura GuidiccioniLorenza StrozziRenée du Bec-CrespinMary BassetClaire-Marie Mazarelli de Saint-ChamondAnna Felicitas NeubergerPriscillaIsabella Discalzi MazzoniElizabeth DaunceyLouise de BallonJudithLucretiaMarguerite de Foix-CandaleGertruida van VeenGabrielle de BourbonMaría de la AntiguaJacquette GuillaumeMarie de Saint-AubinJeanne de CambryElpisCornelia AdrichomiaCharlotte Saumaise de ChazanSuzanne HabertJeanne de Schomberg LiancourtMarie Angelique Anel Le ReboursMarie-Priscille de CatellanLucia ScaligeriAnne de DeysterMarguerite de CambisLucia BertanaMaria Elena PanzacchiAnne ClargesAnne de SeguierCharixeneIsabella SforzaAnne-Eléonore de Béthune d'OrvalMarie-Eléonore de RohanCharlotte-Marie-Anne Charbonnier de La GuesnerieCharlotte de MelsonMarie-Madeleine d'AguesseauMadame BontemsSitti Maani Gioerida della ValleMargaret of AttenduliAnne de ParthenayFrançoise MasquièreMademoiselle de BermannJacqueline Aimée BrohonBarbara BurriniMarie HéricartDamigella TrivulzioMargaret LambrunMinerva BartoliAnna SmijtersAngela Veronica AirolaElizabeth LeggeAthyrte

References

External links at Archive.org at Wikisource at the Smithsonian