This is a topic that came up one time during dinner and it got me thinking, how can it be that in times when women were ubiquitously lower than men on the social hierarchy there were still female rulers, seemingly an exception to the rule?
Here's a great answer which has both information relevant to your question by u/chocolatepot as well as a set additional answers to follow-up with.
Perhaps someone has something new to add, but pleasant reading until then!