Margaret Cavendish
Margaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, was born into a wealthy Essex family as the youngest child.
At 20, she became Maid of Honour to Queen Henrietta Maria, accompanying her into exile in Paris in 1644 during the English Civil War.
There she married William Cavendish, Marquis (later Duke) of Newcastle.
A prolific writer despite societal opposition to women authors, she published extensively between 1653 and 1668 on diverse subjects including natural philosophy and fiction.
Nicknamed "Mad Madge" for her unconventional dress and intellectual pursuits, she became the first woman to visit the Royal Society in 1667, remaining its only female member until 1945.
