Eliza Gilbert, a.k.a. Lola Montez, b. 1818. "La Grande Horizontale."

Top Five Reasons She's Our Favorite Tiny Dancer:

1. This Irish native and "Spanish dancer" sometimes claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron...and sometimes claimed her father was a matador. (Dream big, darlin'.)

2. Was rumored to have stabbed and shot at her lovers when they disappointed her in the bedroom. (And you thought your temper was bad.)

3. Seduced King Ludwig of Bavaria by slitting her dress open with a knife. After he made her a countess, she caused a revolt that eventually forced him to abdicate. She left the next night for California. (If only they'd been making movies back then...)

4. Declared her intentions to "capture" California during the gold rush and name herself queen of her newly annexed "Lolaland." (Where I come from, we call that "entrepreneurial spirit.")

5. The lady was persistent--after failing as an actress, she moved on to dancing. When an editor gave her infamous "spider dance" a bad review, she challenged him to a duel.