What an amazing woman indeed! While her intellect and contributions to the developing of science and, well, equality in her time and space are awesome, I'm quite more impressed by her, as you put it, badassery.

To even turn the Pope to her cause and make him support her speaks volumes of her abilities. Fighting for something, for your own merits to be recognized, in the face of a society for which the very concept of you having such merits is alien, is amazing.

Run them over with your skill, your wit, your intellect and indomitable heart and you'll have earned your place in history. I'm glad I read this today; I may not be a woman but I find myself inspired to keep fighting for my ideals.

(Also, I know this is not the Men in Supporting Roles Contest but, damn, it must have taken some integrity for her husband to be who he was to her and probably face the scorn and humiliation from his peers, who must have thought him weak, or simply crazy. What a couple.)