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15. Irene of Athens
Irene of Athens from the Byzantine Empire was a ruthless power-hungry lady to say the least. She went to great extents to keep the throne all to herself. Even though she brought some noteworthy changes to the empire like improving relations between the Orthodox Church and the Church of Rome, her ultimate goal was the throne. After reigning for a disturbing decade with his son, Constantine VI, she showed her true colors by gouging her son’s eyes out so that she could be the sole successor of the throne.