Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor was born into the twisted world of Medieval royalty—and his dramatic life rivaled that of his contemporary, Henry VIII. Though Charles became maybe the most powerful person on Earth, his life was anything but classy. With his scandalous affairs and vicious feuds, the twisted life of Charles V proved one thing: Absolute power corrupts, absolutely.
A land full of outlaws needed someone just as wild to provide order. Wild Bill Hickok was a hero. Outlaws feared him as he ruled towns with quick hands and a quicker temper. However, even a lawman can rack up sins in the Wild West, and it was only a matter of time before Hickok’s past came back to haunt him.
Queen Anne makes the most emotional rulers look level-headed by comparison. Equal parts stubborn and sensitive, her reign was a roller coaster for everyone around her. She completely reshaped Great Britain as we know it, but her years on the throne were marked by wild scandals, tragic losses, and a dramatic love-triangle between her and two other women. The Favourite was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to this queen.
A marriage poisoned by secrets. A lesbian love affair. And a first lady dogged by controversy. Right to the bitter end, Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the White House into a den of scandal—and her story is as empowering as it is twisted.
Whoever says that women have no place in politics or as a warrior have clearly never heard the story of Empress Matilda. A Queen by the age of 10 and a warrior shortly thereafter, Matilda’s actions rocked the European continent—and all before she even became an Empress! You don’t want to miss the story of one of the most powerful women that the world has ever known.
Roald Amundsen had his destiny burned into his blood. From the moment that he entered the world, the waters called to him, beckoning him from the safety of his home into the great unknown. Without Amundsen, huge chunks of the globe might’ve remained unknown. If only Amundsen could’ve ignored the call just once. Maybe then he’d have been spared a mysterious and icy fate.
In some corners of the world, all it takes is a hushed mention of “Queen Soraya” to summon a tale of dazzling beauty, royal betrayal, and enduring tragedy. From a teenage marriage to a mysterious end in a Paris penthouse, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary’s life reads like a darkly twisted fairy tale. It’s no wonder they called her “the sad-eyed princess.”
In the infamous Wars of the Roses, no man—or king—was as feared as Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick. A puppet master in the midst of chaos, Neville wasn’t just the power behind the throne; he was the throne. His decisions and whims made or broke kings…and he usually felt like breaking them.
The name “Marcus Junius Brutus” has become synonymous with the word “betrayal”. Brutus rose to power in Ancient Rome under the wing of Julius Caesar—then he plunged a knife into his back. But whether he was a fierce defender of freedom or an opportunistic traitor remains a matter of debate.
Ada Lovelace's brilliance laid the groundwork for the modern world as we know it—but it wasn't a smooth road. From the moment of her birth, scandal followed her everywhere she went, right up until her tragic end.
As Henry VIII’s sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr is often treated as little more than the last chapter in his story. She’s continually framed through other people—her late husbands before Henry, the stepchildren she brought back together, and the aging king she helped see through to the end. But Catherine Parr’s life, both before and after Henry, was a romantic saga in its own right. Still, she’ll likely always be remembered as Henry VIII’s great “survivor.” Separate myth from reality with these 53 resilient facts about Catherine Parr.
Everyone knows Buzz Aldrin as the second man on the Moon. An accomplished student and a decorated air pilot, Aldrin arrived at NASA with impressive credentials but still ended up playing second fiddle. And after leaving NASA, the astronaut fell on some dark times that may have had foreshadowing earlier in life…
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