Cartimandua

Cartimandua
Queen of the Brigantes
"Caractacus, King of the Silures, deliver'd up to Ostorius, the Roman General, by Cartismandua, Queen of the Brigantes." – print by F. Bartolozzi, British Museum.
Queen of the Brigantes
Reign	before AD 51 – AD 69
Successor	Venutius
Co-ruler	Venutius (until divorce) Vellocatus (from remarriage)
Born	c. 1st century AD
Died	after AD 69
Spouse	Venutius (divorced) Vellocatus

Cartimandua or Cartismandua (reigned c. AD 43 – c. 69) was a 1st-century queen of the Brigantes, a Celtic people living in what is now northern England. She is known through the writings of Roman historian Tacitus.

She came to power during the time period that Rome was campaigning against Britain. She was widely influential during her reign. As ruler of the Brigantes, she united various British tribes that eventually surrendered their loyalty to Rome.

Cartimandua is portrayed notoriously in Tacitus's account of her. She is recorded betraying the Celtic chieftain Caratacus, insincerely offering him sanctuary, but instead turning him in to the Romans in exchange for wealth. She also is recorded for her disloyalty to her husband, whom she divorced and replaced with a common military man. She subsequently engaged in extended military conflict with her ex-husband as he staged revolt against her multiple times, eventually losing.