Here’s What Cleopatra And Other Historical Figures Would Look Like Today (18 New Pics)

Hatshepsut came to the throne of Egypt in 1478 BC. She ruled longer than any other female pharaoh and is regarded as being one of the most successful pharaohs in Egyptian history. Egyptologist James Henry Breasted said she is "the first great woman in history of whom we are informed." She re-established trade networks and embarked on great building projects in Egypt. There were so many statues produced during her reign that nearly every major museum that has an Ancient Egyptian exhibit has a Hatshepsut portrait.

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson (known later as Madame de Pompadour) was a member of the French court in the mid 18th century. She was the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to 1751 and remained influential as a court favorite until her death. She was not born noble but was raised in a wealthy household. An interesting fact I learned during my research was that she was actually groomed from a young age to become the mistress of a king. Supposedly her mother took her to a fortune teller that predicted she would one day reign over the heart of a King. She received a private education and was very quick-witted—learning all the skills she would one day need to thrive at Versailles. As the king’s mistress, she became a noblewoman and was considered a valuable aide and advisor. Pompadour was a major patroness of architecture and decorative arts, especially porcelain. She was a patroness of the philosophes of the Enlightenment, including Voltaire.

Shaka kaSenzangakhona (Shaka Zulu) was a powerful South African King, ruling over the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 - 1828. He was born in 1787 near present-day Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal Province. Shaka was the illegitimate son of the previous king and served as a soldier in his youth. When Shaka came to power, he began to expand the empire and align with smaller neighbors to protect them from their Northern enemies, the Ndwandwe. Shaka preferred to apply diplomatic pressure over warfare. He was a master of social and propagandistic political methods, as well as a great warrior when he decided to engage. He is often depicted holding the distinctive spear and shield of the Zulu warriors. Shaka was ultimately assassinated by his own half brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana. His reputation is a bit shaky, as scholars disagree on the extent to which he revolutionized warfare methods as he is credited. Overall a really interesting figure to learn about.

Louis XIV, known also as the Sun King, ruled France from 1643 until 1715, which is the longest reign in French history. France was a leading power during the reign of Louis, but it was a time period marked by near-constant warfare. The Sun King was notoriously excessive, and he cared very much about his image and legacy. He commissioned over 300 portraits of himself during his lifetime (the portrait I’ve chosen here is Louis as a young man of 23). He saw maintaining the royal image as a political duty during the age of absolute monarchies in Europe. It’s clear that Louis was “photoshopped” in portraits after the age of 9 when he contracted smallpox because a single scar is never seen in portraits. Louis was focused more on projecting a mythical image of himself rather than reality (which is similar to most kings and queens throughout the ages). Who knows how close the original portrait I worked from even resembles the king, but it’s a fun exercise nonetheless. I figured a man who was as extra as Louis and wore such insane wigs might have this stylish model blowout I chose on the right.

Pocahontas (c. 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia and her travels to England. She was the daughter of the chief Powhatan, the great chief of a network of tributary tribes in the Tsenacommacah, encompassing the Tidewater region of Virginia. We don’t have that many details of her life, but it was certainly not what the Disney film was showing us! She never had a love affair with John Smith and she didn’t save his life during his capture. Pocahontas was captured by hostile colonists in 1613 and encouraged to convert to Christianity—her Christian name became “Rebecca.” She married John Rolfe, and they traveled to London together, attempting to show that she was a “Civilized Savage” in hopes of getting more support and supplies to the Jamestown settlement. Unfortunately, Pocahontas died on the return voyage of an unknown illness at the young age of 21 or 22.

Idia was the mother of Esigie, who ruled as the Oba of Benin from 1504-1540 in what is now modern-day Nigeria. She was described as a great warrior who was integral in the rise and reign of her son who was the oba (king) of the Edo people.