They say that the word “tart” may have originally been a short form of the word “sweetheart”, but it’s more likely that it came from the British term “jam tart” that referred to an attractive woman. Wherever it came from, it has come to mean a woman of flamboyant tastes and, well, let’s call them “adjustable morals”. Please don’t misunderstand. We LIKE tarts! These are the femmes fatales, the sirens, the seductresses who inspired song and legend! A tart is a woman who knows exactly what she wants and goes after it. She is also a woman who would bend a rule or two if she found them inconvenient. From Eve to Britney, from Pocahontas to Catherine the Great, these women are movers and shakers. Without fail, the Tarts, that we will introduce to you, were strong, resourceful women who have helped shape our history.
For your consideration and inspiration, we present our “Tart of the Week” category.
Perhaps the name Tart came from the first Cistertian Abbey (Le Tart Abbey in France) which like others of the time took in wealthy unmarried women to financially support the abbey. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your perspective, this led to a “lowering of moral standards” which eventually led in the 1600s to the move to nearby Dijon.
And by the way in your list of famous tarts you don’t mention Queen Jezebel whose noble and powerful life was besmirched by the murderous villains who threw her to her death after murdering her weak husband when she was a grandmother. Her only sin was to paint her face (oh and to worship another god). But still she should be there as a strong and sexy lady.