As the old saying goes, "Behind every great man, there's a great woman." Yet humans are complex, and few people fall absolutely on the side of great or terrible. Throughout history, male royalty, world leaders and other "great men" have often been moved by captivating women. Some of those women might -- in the public perception of their era -- have been considered "good." Others may have had a different label. Women "of ill repute," for instance. The article linked below focuses on ten such women whose names history remembers. One example is Cora Pearl, pictured above. To quote the article:
"Emma Elizabeth Crouch was born in London in the 19th century. Crouch wasn't an average prostitute who lived on the streets. She attended a boarding school in France where she became well-educated and obtained high society social skills. After a terrible encounter with man who raped and then paid her in London, Crouch became a mistress in a notorious bar and brothel, The Argyll Rooms. While traveling in Paris, Crouch took the name Cora Pearl and began to make a name for herself as a courtesan to wealthy men. Pearl became a huge celebrity in Paris and slept with many famous men such as Napoleon Bonaparte. She was also known for having a flashy style and rocked bold hair colors such as lemon yellow."
Read about and see pictures of nine other prostitutes who made the history books here.