Kurmanjan Datka

As a young woman Kurmanjan fled from a husband chosen for her and returned to her father's home — unheard-of courage at the time. She later married Alymbek, leader of the Alai Kyrgyz.

From 1832 she shared in ruling the Alai Kyrgyz and took full power after her husband was killed; the Kokand Khanate and the Emirate of Bukhara granted her the rank of datka (ruler).

When Russian troops arrived in 1876 she chose peace to avoid bloodshed. Called the "Mother of the Nation", she has monuments in Osh and Bishkek, and the 2014 film Kurmanjan Datka tells her life.