View source for Boudicca of the Iceni

''For the play that [[William Shakespeare (Ruled Britannia)|William Shakespeare]] wrote in an [[Ruled Britannia|alternate universe]], see'' [[Boudicca (Play)]]
{{Stack begin}}{{Infobox Historical Figure
|name           = Boudicca
|image          = Boudicia.jpg
|nationality    = [[Iceni]]
|religion       = {{Polytheists}}Polytheism
|birth          = {{1stCentCEBirthOTL|1st century}}
|death          = {{1stCentCEDeathOTL|61 CE}}
|cause of death = {{DeathUnknownOTL}} Disputed
|occupation     = Warrior, {{Revolutionary}}, monarch
|spouse         = Prasutagus {{WidowedPeopleOTL}}
|children       = [[Boudicca's Daughters|Two daughters]]
|political office={{QueenConsort|Queen Consort of the Iceni}}<br>{{MiscelBritMonarch|{{QueenRegnant|Queen Regnant of the Iceni}}}}
}}{{Clearright}}{{Ruled Britannia Historical Character
|type of appearance = Posthumous references
|children = [[Epona (Ruled Britannia)|Epona]], [[Bonvica]]
|family = [[Caratach]] (brother-in-law)
|cause of death = Suicide by poison}}{{Stack end}}'''Boudicca''' (d AD 61) was an ancient queen of a tribe known as the [[Iceni]] in [[Britannia (Roman province)|Britannia]]. After being subjected to humiliation at the hands of the [[Roman Empire]] (including the annexation of her people, the rape of [[Boudicca's Daughters|her daughters]], and her own flogging), she led her tribe in a rebellion against the Roman occupiers in AD 60 or 61. Although she burned several settlements, [[London|Londinium]] among them, Boudicca was ultimately defeated by a Roman army led by [[Gaius Suetonius Paulinus]]. There are numerous conflicting accounts of how she died. Her story became a part of British lore.

Alternate spellings of Boudicca include '''Boudica''' and '''Buddug'''. Starting in the 16th century, some authors referred to her as '''Boadicea''' or '''Bonduca''', but these names are now generally considered to be in error.

==Boudicca in ''[[Ruled Britannia]]''==
'''Boudicca''''s deeds were the inspiration for the [[England (Ruled Britannia)|English]] playwright [[William Shakespeare (Ruled Britannia)|William Shakespeare's]] 1598 [[Boudicca (Play)|play bearing her name]]. The play had been secretly commissioned by [[William Cecil (Ruled Britannia)|Sir William Cecil]] in the hopes that it would inspire English audiences to overthrow the [[Spain (Ruled Britannia)|Spanish]] occupying forces and restored [[Elizabeth I (Ruled Britannia)|Queen Elizabeth]] to the throne. This it did in 1598, not in small part because it drew many parallels between Boudicca and Elizabeth.

In the play's 1598 debut at [[The Theatre (Ruled Britannia)|the Theatre]], Boudicca was played by [[Joe Boardman]].
{{S-start}}
{{S-reg}}
{{Succession box
 |before=Prasutagus
 |title=Queen of the [[Iceni]]
 |years=60-61 (dates estimated)
 |after=none; [[Gaius Suetonius Paulinus]] as [[Roman]] Governor of Britannia
}}
{{End}}
{{Ruled Britannia}}
[[Category:Britons]]
[[Category:Celts]]
[[Category:Generals|Boudicca]]
[[Category:Boudicca Characters]]