Google Search Central Blog https://www.factinate.com Fun Facts About Everything 2026-08-13T11:23:34+00:00 en hourly 1 https://www.factinate.com?p=25119 <![CDATA[The Shadiest Attempted Cover-ups In History]]> 2026-08-13T10:30:00+00:00 2026-08-12T16:51:48+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/things/facts-shadiest-attempted-cover-ups-history Theresa Di Mauro Things History's Shadiest Cover-Ups As much as we don’t want to admit it, every once in a while, the conspiracy theorists get it right and a massive government cover-up is revealed—or revealed, and then immediately debunked. In many cases, it’s understandable that certain operations have to be performed secretly to protect those involved, but many of the examples here that were ultimately exposed showed some pretty shady activity that probably shouldn’t have been happening in the first place.

]]> 24. Sleeper Agents It was when the Cold War was at its peak that the US considered using mind-controlling substances to infiltrate communist Russia with sleeper agents. In a project named MK-Ultra, the CIA began testing this possibility by getting government scientists to experiment on human subjects using psychedelic substances, methamphetamine, and barbiturates, in combination with hypnosis, to break the subject down. They would then rebuild them with qualities specific to their spy missions. The Project was determined to be a failure and scrapped, with CIA Director Richard Helms ordering the destruction of all documents related to the project.

]]> 23. Whatever Happened to Do No Harm? In 1931, Dr Cornelius Rhoads set off to Puerto Rico to infect its citizens with cancer cells, presumably to study the effects. Thirteen of them died. Regarding the events, Rhoads allegedly wrote the following:

"The Porto Ricans [sic] are the dirtiest, laziest, most degenerate and thievish race of men ever to inhabit this sphere... I have done my best to further the process of extermination by killing off eight and transplanting cancer into several more... All physicians take delight in the [misuse] and torture of the unfortunate subjects."

Despite these horrendous remarks and actions, Rhoads later received a seat on the United States Atomic Energy Commission. He was also elected by the US to be put in charge of chemical warfare projects. Furthermore, he somehow even became vice-president of the American Cancer Society.

]]> 22. Trading Trama Considered to be one of the biggest coverups of recent history, the Iran-Contra affair took place during Ronald Reagan’s Presidency. The deal which facilitated the sale of firearms to Iran began in order to free seven American hostages being held captive in Lebanon. After the sale was made, a portion of the money ended up funding anti-Sandinista and anti-Communist rebels in Nicaragua. Reagan’s involvement in the deal remained classified, and the convictions of minor political players were either overturned or pardoned by President George H W Bush during the final year of his presidency.

]]> 21. Collateral Damage During the Vietnam War, there was a mass killing of approximately 500 unnamed civilians which was initially reported as a routine battle. It wasn’t until a helicopter gunner sent a letter to Congress asking for an investigation that the facts became apparent and it came to be known as the My Lai massacre. Despite the devastation, many still consider the massacre to be part of the collateral damage of war.

]]> 20. Higher Powers Still one of the most widely-contested government coverups, the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) was initiated as an ionospheric research program jointly funded by the US Air Force, the US Navy, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Its original purpose was to analyze the ionosphere and investigate the potential for developing ionospheric enhancement technology for radio communications and surveillance. Theorists debate both the function and necessity of having a High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program at all, claiming that it can be used to “weaponize” weather and be used to trigger floods, major power outages, and thunderstorms.

]]> 19. The Real X-Files The Majestic 12 (or MJ-12) was purported to be a secret committee made up of scientists, military leaders, and government officials. The committee was formed in 1947 by President Harry S Truman to facilitate recovery and investigation of an alien spacecraft. The alleged cover-up was brought to light in 1984 due to a series of supposedly leaked secret government documents first circulated by ufologists. The FBI investigated and determined that the supposed documents were “completely bogus”, however the legend of the Majestic 12 lives on in the minds of serious conspiracy theorists.

]]> 18. Sounds Innocent, But Isn’t Regarded as the “greatest and most sensational scandal in the history of American politics”—prior to the Watergate Scandal—the Teapot Dome Scandal was a bribery incident that took place during the administration of Warren G Harding, from 1921 to 1922. Albert Bacon Fall, Secretary of the Interior, had leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome in Wyoming, along with two other locations in California, to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding. The leases were investigated, and Fall was convicted of accepting bribes and became the first Cabinet member to go to prison.

]]> 17. Deal With the Devil Unit 731 was a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII. As head of this unit, Dr. Ishii was responsible for carrying out violent human experimentation on tens of thousands of “logs” as he called them. He would perform vivisection (experimental surgery) on unwilling prisoners, without the use of anesthesia; force pregnant women to terminate their pregnancies; and induce strokes, heart attacks, frostbite, and hypothermia. The facility and remaining prisoners were destroyed in 1945, and Ishii was apprehended. Then, the respected General Douglas McArthur allegedly struck a deal with Ishii: The US would grant Ishii immunity from his crimes, if he exchanged all germ warfare data based on his human experimentation.

]]> 16. Involuntary Testing In the 1940s penicillin was established as a cure for syphilis, but its effectiveness was still being researched. The US experimented on the citizens of Guatemala by using infected working girls to spread the infection to unknowing prison inmates, insane asylum patients, and soldiers. When this was ineffective, they turned to inoculating unsuspecting patients by pouring syphilis bacteria onto the men’s manhood, forearms, and faces. Although the intention was for all subjects to receive the treatment of penicillin, as many as 1/3 never did, which likely spread to further generations. Hilary Clinton apologized for the events on October 1, 2010, and new research began to determine if anyone affected was still alive and suffering with the infection.

]]> 15. Experimental Dermatology Dr Albert Kligman set out to use human subjects to test the effects of Agent Orange on the skin, which was deemed as “dermatological research”. He not only injected his subjects with dioxidin, the main component of Agent Orange, but he was rumored to have done so in 468 times the amount he was authorized to. The US Army oversaw the testing to “learn how the skin protects itself against chronic assault from toxic chemicals, the so-called hardening process.”

]]> 14. Post-War Push Operation Paperclip was a program that the US government covertly instituted following WWII. This program secretly brought more than 1,500 German scientists, technicians, and engineers from Nazi Germany and other foreign countries to the United States for employment. This was partly done to prevent German scientific expertise and knowledge from leaking to the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom; additionally, there was the intent to keep post-war Germany from redeveloping its military research capabilities. The scientists were “bleached” of their Nazi ties, and all documents tying them to the party were altered or destroyed.

]]> 13. Report Card It took five years of preparation, but in 2014 the Senate Report on the CIA Detention Interrogation Program was finally released. It was shown that the CIA had been using illegal and “enhanced” interrogation techniques, and that they yielded very poor results. If that’s what was left in, one can’t help but wonder what the five years of “preparation” may have left out.

]]> 12. Side Effects In the 1960s the US Department of Defense performed a series of irradiation experiments which were targeted to non-consenting, poor, African-American cancer patients. The subjects were told that they would be receiving radiation treatment, however, they were not informed that they would be receiving extremely high doses in order to determine the effects on the human body. The consent forms were only signed with initials in order to avoid litigation and to prevent the patients from receiving any compensation for the government. It was reported that the radiation doses equaled 7500 x-rays to the chest, which caused intense pain, vomiting, and bleeding from the nose and ears. At least 20 of the subjects died.

]]> 11. Not Just Imagined The ex-Beatle John Lennon became very well known for his protests against war and advocacy for peace. Fearing that he might disrupt the 1972 National Republican Convention, the FBI placed Lennon on its “watch list.” They terminated his visa and even began deportation proceedings against him. When Lennon and his family were not found to be doing anything “suspicious,” the FBI closed its investigation a month after Nixon’s re-election. After his demise in 1980, historian Jon Weiner fought and won a 14-year legal battle to force the FBI to release its Lennon files under the Freedom of Information Act.

]]> 10. Multi-Generational Toll Castle Bravo was the most powerful nuclear device that the US ever set off. It was detonated in 1954 over Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands as part of the ongoing response to increased Soviet explosive activity. Although originally meant to be kept a secret, there was a massive fallout from the blast which affected the citizens of nearby islands. The effects included birth defects and radiation sickness. The effects continued to be felt later on as many children whose parents were exposed to the blast developed thyroid cancer and neoplasms. In response to this, Project 4.1 was launched in order to examine the effects of radiation fallout on humans.

]]> 9. War of the Worlds In 2010, newly-released files showed that the UK government took the threat of UFOs in the 1950s so seriously that UK Intelligence Chiefs met to discuss the issue. The ministers went on to commission weekly reports on UFO sightings from a committee of intelligence experts. Perhaps most intriguing, however, is a wartime account claiming that Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered a UFO sighting be kept secret to prevent “mass panic”. The sighting he was referring to was the bizarre incident off the Coast of England where a renaissance plane and its crew were returning from a mission over occupied Europe and encountered a metallic UFO which shadowed them. It left both the crew and the experts consulted afterward so confused and uncertain that Churchill ordered it to remain a secret for at least 50 years.

]]> 8. The Secrets of Area 51 There are many who still theorize that the famed Area 51 is the site of a downed UFO and/or alien bodies and artifacts. While this is the most popular theory, the much more likely explanation for Area 51 is that it is a restricted area where new/emerging technologies and weapons are developed and tested. CIA veterans who have been relieved of their secrecy vows surrounding Area 51 have said that the site was the testing ground for spy planes like the A-12 and its record-breaking speedy successor the SR-71 Blackbird in the 1960’s. So while the site is still considered to be a cover-up of sorts, it is doesn’t seem likely that the government is hiding aliens out there.

]]> 7. The Smithsonian Coverup Recently, The Smithsonian became entangled in a great alleged conspiracy of its own. On April 5, 1909, the Phoenix Gazette carried a front page spread about a great archeological dig in the Grand Canyon. The story went into great detail about recovered objects of Egyptian origin being discovered by Professor S A Jordon from the Smithsonian. This discovery indicated migration of ancient peoples. The Smithsonian had adamantly rejected this narrative, denying any knowledge of the dig or the people supposedly involved. Many believe that the cited article may just be a great example of old “fake news,” however, others remain intrigued by the many “Egyptian” names given to sites surrounding the Grand Canyon.

]]> 6. Nessy Revealed Most are familiar with the famous sighting of the dark, brontosaurus shaped image in the water of Loch Ness, captured in what is now known as the “surgeon’s photograph”. Referring of course to the Loch Ness Monster, this tall tale sent the public into a whirl in 1934 and has since inspired many other “sightings.” Often rebutted by skeptics, believers may have a new glimmer of hope. Newly published documents reveal that a former Scottish Police Chief named William Fraser remarked, "That there is some strange creature in Loch Ness seems now beyond doubt, but that the police have any power to protect it is very doubtful." The existence of the famed monster has not yet been confirmed, but there continues to be a possibility, and that is more than enough to keep looking!

]]> 5. Weaponized Seashells It has been reported that from 1960 to 1965, at least 8 plots to take out Fidel Castro were brainstormed by the CIA. A report that was drafted in 1967 (and declassified 36 years later) listed several possibilities to carry out this proposed idea, including using smokes, contaminated air, poisoned pills, and syringes. The one plot that really caught people’s attention was the booby-trapped seashell. Castro was known to be an avid diver, so the CIA planned to plant a beautiful seashell in a reef that he was known to frequent. The idea was to make the shell so beautiful that Castro would have to pick it up, triggering an explosion. However, the elaborate scheme was deemed to be impractical.

]]> 4. Bon Appetit In August 2008, the United States National Archives released an incredible number of former personnel files of those who had worked for the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA.  Included in the list of former employees was Julia McWilliam—better known as Julia Child, the famous chef and master of French cuisine. Although her work in Intelligence was never deemed to be a secret, it was not publicized either. After the release of these files, many more people became aware of her service during WWII.

]]> 3. Dark Days Nine stories below the lowest floor of Grand Central Station in New York sits a bunker known as M-42. There was a fear of sabotage while the station’s trains were being used to transport soldiers in and out of New York during WWII, therefore the bunker was rumored to be secured by armed guards with shoot-to-kill orders. Also located below the Station is Track 61, which was built for wealthy travelers arriving to NYC on private trains. The track has a freight elevator that rises up to the garage level of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Its most frequent user was President Franklin D Roosevelt, who suffered from mobility issues due to polio.

]]> 2. Quite the Trip The CIA set out to building safehouses in New York and San Francisco for the sole purpose of studying the effects of psychedelic substances on non-consenting subjects. One outfit was called Operation Midnight Climax: In order to lure people into these safe houses, the CIA had several working girls on their payroll—yes, you read that correctly—who would entice their “clients” to come back to the houses. Once there, the women would dose them with psychedelic substances. The subjects were then monitored behind a two-way mirror. It is alleged that the officials who ran the experiments described them as "fun, fun, fun." Where else could a red-blooded American boy lie, kill, cheat, steal, [expletive] and pillage with the sanction and bidding of the All-highest?

]]> 1. The Potemkin Village A “Potemkin Village” has become known as any deceptive or false construct, conjured often by cruel regimes, to deceive both those within the land and those peering in from outside. This is said to reference the story of a dashing 18th Century Russian nobleman, Grigory Potemkin, who endeavored to show Catherine the Great the best face of his empire. To accomplish this, it is said that pasteboard facades of pretty towns were set up at a distance on riverbanks, and whole populations of serfs were moved around and dressed up in fanciful garb to flaunt a prosperity that didn't exist. Recent historical work has determined that this origin story is likely exaggerated, but real examples Potemkin Villages have nonetheless occurred. The kicker to all this? Catherine the Great and Potemkin had once been lovers, and enjoyed a tryst of "laughter, [intimacy], mutually admired intelligence, and power." Why you gotta do me like that, Grigory?

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=31855 <![CDATA[Eng and Chang Bunker were the original “Siamese Twins,” but their rise to fame was so messed up—it’s enough to turn anyone’s stomach.]]> 2026-08-12T10:30:00+00:00 2026-08-11T15:55:49+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-eng-and-chang-bunker Melissa Gervais People The Original “Siamese Twins” Chang and Eng Bunker led extraordinary lives. Born as conjoined twins, they lived in poverty in Siam before coming to the West to be showcased as “freaks.” And even though they ultimately found success as the famous “Siamese Twins,” it was never easy: They endured great prejudice, exploitation, and an incredible loss of their bodily autonomy. Still, they eventually found their voices and soared up the American social ladder…but at what cost?

]]> 1. Their Appearance Was Startling As one could imagine, the twins’ debut into the world was a bit of a shocker. Chang and Eng Bunker were born on May 11, 1811, in Meklong, Siam (now Thailand), to their mother, Nok, and their father, a Chinese fisherman named Ti-eye. Although their mother claimed that their birth wasn’t any more laborious than those of her other children, the sight of the twins reportedly horrified the midwives.

]]> 2. Their Mother Saved Them Distressingly, both Chang and Eng were connected at their sternums by a band of flesh. Even worse, the band was twisted, forcing the infants into a dangerous face-to-face position. Fortunately, while the midwives were presumably busy staring at each other in confusion, Nok’s instincts kicked in—and she did something jaw-dropping. 

In a move that likely saved the twins’ lives, she reportedly untwisted their band, which connected to just one umbilical cord, and repositioned the twins so they could instead lay staring into each other’s eyes. Still, there were more challenges to come.

]]> 3. They Lived As Normally As Possible Nok was adamant that her babies would live regular lives. So, as Chang and Eng grew older, she urged them to exercise to try to stretch their connection, and as a result, their band eventually extended just long enough to allow them to walk alongside each other. After that, there was no stopping them. The twins were energetic, happy-go-lucky kids who endlessly ran around and played with their friends.

But sadly, the joys of their youth were short-lived.

]]> 4. They Suffered A Heartbreaking Loss Chang and Eng’s carefree childhood all but came to an abrupt end when a smallpox epidemic hit their community hard in 1819. Although both boys caught the sickness and miraculously survived, their father, Ti-eye, wasn’t nearly as lucky. He died from the illness when they were only eight years old. Naturally, losing their father was devastating for the twins in more ways than one.

]]> 5. They Fell On Hard Times Because Ti-eye was the household’s breadwinner, Chang and Eng’s family struggled financially without him. Unfortunately, their mother’s solution to the problem was devastating. You see, shortly after they lost their father, the twins somehow wound up employed in the cocoa bean oil industry. But remember: They were eight years old when their dad passed, meaning that (by today’s standards, at least) these poor tykes were working as child laborers. Not cool.

Still, the universe ultimately had other plans for the twins.

]]> 6. They Caught Someone’s Eye After a few years, Chang and Eng abandoned the oil business to help their mother raise ducks for eggs and travel as merchants. Then, a chance encounter changed their prospects forever. While out for a sunset swim in the Menam River in 1824, the twins accidentally scared the pants off a Scottish merchant named Robert Hunter, who was floating in a fishing boat nearby.

At least, until he looked a little closer…

]]> 7. He Mistook Them For Something Inhuman At first, the wide-eyed merchant assumed he’d just seen some sort of “strange animal” swimming in the river (ahem—not cool). However, Robert quickly realized his mistake upon meeting the conjoined twins and discovering that, yup, the boys were actually human after all. Fortunately, there’s no indication that Chang and Eng were offended by the identity error, so I imagine they all got a good chuckle over it.

But then, Robert’s previously startled eyes suddenly turned into dollar signs.

]]> 8. He Convinced Them To Travel West For Robert, his serendipitous encounter with the conjoined twins must have felt like winning the lottery—imagine the riches he could fetch with them! Of course, it took Robert almost no effort at all to convince the nearly destitute Chang and Eng of their potential worth. He told them of his ingenious plan. All they had to do was follow him back to the West, where they could earn a quick and easy fortune simply by putting themselves on display.

It’d be super easy peasy, right? Well, actually, no...

]]> 9. Their Mother Was Hesitant Although Chang and Eng agreed to the too-good-to-be-true proposition straightaway, the twins weren’t the only ones Robert had to persuade, and naturally, Nok didn’t want to let her sons go. Not only did she love her boys, but she needed them to work to help support their super large family. They had seven siblings in total, four older and three younger.

So, thinking fast, Robert came up with a solution.

]]> 10. They Negotiated An Agreement To help put everyone’s minds at ease, Robert proposed that they all sign a contract stating that Chang and Eng’s tour would be limited to five years (ha, fat chance). Robert also offered Nok $500 to financially compensate for the loss of income she’d have to endure due to the twins’ absence. It did the trick: Feeling more reassured, they all signed the contract together, and then it was a done deal.

Unfortunately, that deal later sparked a nasty rumor.

]]> 11. Their Contract Stirred A Lot Of Gossips Although the agreement was probably well-intentioned at the time, Chang and Eng’s contract eventually fell under fierce scrutiny when the public learned about it. You see, because money technically exchanged hands between Robert and Nok, a terrible rumor spread. People whispered that the twins’ mother had essentially sold them to Robert…as slaves. Oof.

Naturally, the outcry against their mother profoundly hurt the twins, and they categorically denied any wrongdoing on Nok’s part. But that wasn’t even the worst of their problems.

]]> 12. They Caught The King’s Eye Eventually, the King of Siam became aware of Chang and Eng’s unique existence and immediately forbade them from leaving the country. However, the reason why isn’t clear. While some speculate that the king wished to show the conjoined twins off at court, Robert Hunter later claimed that it was due to a far more sinister reason.

]]> 13. Their Lives Were In Danger According to Robert, the king ordered Chang and Eng to remain in Siam because he ultimately intended to execute them. Now, whether or not this version of events is accurate may never be known. Still, there’s no question that it took Robert and his American sea captain partner, Abel Coffin, five long years to persuade the monarch.

They claimed to have bribed him with a telescope and a temple dancer troupe to allow the twins to leave. If only the twins had known what lay ahead of them...

]]> 14. They Became Media Curiosities On April 1, 1829, Chang and Eng, now 17 years old, finally boarded a trading vessel to Boston, Massachusetts. Though the trip was grueling—138 days!—the twins kept busy along the way by learning English. And when they finally landed on August 16, they were in for a shock. They arrived to a media storm intent on hyping them up.

]]> 15. They Gained The Public’s Attention It all started the very next day when the Boston Patriot reported that the conjoined twins would “probably be exhibited to the public.” After that, other news organizations were quick to hop on their bandwagon, so to speak…just not necessarily in a good way. A lot of the articles viewed the twins through a very sensationalized and, well, prejudiced lens.

In fact, most of the articles were wrought with ethnic stereotypes—and even outright lies—about them. But that was only a smidgeon of what was to come.

]]> 16. They Went On Display Robert and Abel promptly hired a manager named James W. Hale to help get the twins’ exhibit going. Before long, American gawkers could gaze upon the wonder that was “The Siamese Double Boys” for a mere 25 cents—though Chang and Eng actually preferred to be called “The Siamese Youths.” James even ensured that pamphlets or drawings of the twins would be available for their audiences to purchase as souvenirs.

Excitingly, their show started to gain traction. However, it wasn’t exactly in good taste…

]]> 17. The Show Crudely Emphasized Their Heritage Apparently, someone at some point lost sight of the fact that it was Chang and Eng’s conjoined status—and not their ethnicity—that was supposed to be their primary audience pull. Regardless, the show seemed to purposely exploit and capitalize on the twins’ Asian background by dressing them in “Oriental” garb and styling their hair into pigtails to accentuate their “exoticness” (ugh).

And that wasn’t all…

]]> 18. They Performed Like Show Ponies For four hours a day, six days a week, Chang and Eng displayed themselves as “public curiosities” at various theatres and venues across the United States. Although showcasing their physical connection always remained a key feature of their exhibit, the duo soon took to performing parlor tricks, acrobatics, and feats of strength—together, they could carry a 280-pound man—to make their “freak show” all the more entertaining.

Unique as they were, Chang and Eng became an instant hit. Unfortunately, they soon found themselves in demand for more than just amusement.

]]> 19. Physicians Demanded To Examine Them Following the success of their show, Chang and Eng quickly drew the medical community’s attention. Before long, some of the greatest doctors in America began gathering to see the twins for themselves, and upon realizing that the brothers were the real deal, they begged for permission to examine them. But some doctors had more sinister intentions. Some wanted to experiment on them.

]]> 20. The Medical Community Coveted Them You see, the doctors were practically drooling over Chang and Eng because (at the time) few conjoined twins ever survived into adulthood. Yet, here they were: the shiniest of medical marvels. With their connecting band now approximately the size of a child’s arm, Eng stood at 5’2” tall, while Chang (who was attached to Eng’s left, from their perspective) was an inch shorter than his brother and wore lifts in his shoes to keep from pulling Eng down.

But surely, the doctors would never be allowed to experiment on them, right? Nope, wrong…

]]> 21. The Offers Intrigued Their Managers Even though Chang and Eng earned a profit from all their performances, Abel Coffin supposedly once boasted to a group of people that he and Robert Hunter “owned” them, thereby signaling that he probably didn’t care very much about the twins’ personal rights and freedoms. Especially since, as it turned out, the doctors’ offers actually piqued his interest for one majorly selfish reason.

]]> 22. They Had To Tolerate Multiple Medical Examinations The twins’ handlers wanted to use the medical community’s seal of approval to bolster the show even further. In fact, Chang and Eng’s promoters later decided to actually mention in their showcase posters that, according to the doctors, even women and children could watch the twins “without harm or offense.” Yes, really.

Regrettably, such ringing medical endorsements came at the expense of the twins’ bodily autonomy, not to mention their comfort…

]]> 23. They Endured Weird Experiments Honestly, Chang and Eng put up with such annoying medical studies that, as far as I can tell, the only thing the doctors truly tested was the twins’ patience. One doctor kept sneaking into their room at night to see if touching one brother would wake the other, while another repeatedly pricked at their connecting band with needles just to test who it would hurt more.

The doctors also fed the twins sour foods and subjected them to tickle tests…You know, for science. Fortunately, Chang and Eng’s endless patience paid off in the end.

]]> 24. Their Tour Went International In time, Chang and Eng grew so popular that their handlers decided to take their show overseas. In 1830, the twins set sail to meet their British audiences—and also, unfortunately, meet with British doctors. Nevertheless, their trip was a success, and by the time they returned to New York in March 1831, they’d turned a large profit.

But then, things started to change…

]]> 25. They Lost Their Original Advocate By this point, the twins were older, wealthier, and much more experienced in the biz…and they were finally starting to find their voices. Whether that factored into what happened next is unclear, but one thing remains for certain. Chang and Eng’s initial supporter, Robert Hunter, called it quits. He sold his portion of the show to Abel Coffin and then walked away for good.

It should’ve given them a fresh start—but instead, it was the beginning of a downward spiral for the twins.

]]> 26. They Got Caught In A Mob That summer, while out on a hunting retreat with their manager in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, a group of more than a dozen local men randomly approached Chang and Eng. Believing that the men were there to mock and intimidate them, the situation quickly flew out of hand when one of the twins suddenly used the end of their firearm to hit a man named Elbridge Gerry.

Of course, Elbridge didn’t like that and was quick to retaliate…

]]> 27. They Defended Themselves Elbridge responded by grabbing a large rock and heaving it toward the twins, hitting one of them in the head. With one twin now bleeding, Chang and Eng fired back at him with their weapon, though (thankfully) their shot turned out to be blank. Even so, it was enough to scare the locals; they scattered, and the twins most likely figured that was the end of it.

Spoiler alert: It wasn’t.

]]> 28. The Locals Blamed Them The next day, Chang and Eng learned the hard way that one of the men had filed charges against them. Uh-oh. Even though officers ended up detaining the twins for disturbing the peace, Chang and Eng quickly regained their freedom after appearing before a special court and paying a bond for good conduct. Still, their troubles weren’t over…

]]> 29. The Incident Hit The Newsstands Somehow, the media caught wind of the brawl between the twins and the townspeople, with the Salem Mercury and other news outlets initially characterizing Chang and Eng as the victims, but Elbridge Gerry wasn’t having it. Two weeks after the incident, Elbridge penned an open letter entitled “To The Public” that got published in the press, claiming it was the twins—not him—who’d started the fight.

Then, Chang and Eng’s manager found out.

]]> 30. Their Manager Was Furious When their manager at the time, James Hale, learned that the Lynnfield incident could potentially tarnish the twins’ prestige, the consequences were devastating. He hit the roof and quit. Fortunately, James’s successor turned out to be his friend, Charles Harris, whom he could advise with all sorts of helpful hints, like how to avoid paying exhibition taxes in Virginia.

And it looked like poor Charles would have his work cut out for him, too: As Chang and Eng struggled to deal with the fallout from their last incident, a whole new controversy erupted...

]]> 31. They Got Involved In Another Public Quarrel In the middle of a performance in Alabama, yet another physician demanded that Chang and Eng Bunker allow him to examine their connecting band (oh, sigh). But this time, Chang and Eng said no: They hadn’t allowed doctor examinations for over two years by this point because they’d grown tired of getting poked and prodded by strangers.

Also, the pamphlets for their show included the results of the studies already conducted on them by renowned medical professionals, so why should they agree to yet another exam just to placate some rando? But frustratingly, the twins’ logic was lost on this doctor, a male Karen who didn’t understand the word “No.” Whew, boy…

]]> 32. Their Audience Turned On Them Rather than respecting Chang and Eng’s wishes, the doctor became enraged and screamed, “You are all a bunch of pickpockets and impostors!” He then incited an uproar, causing audience members to throw things at the twins from across the room. Amidst the chaos, Chang and Eng understandably bolted, but unfortunately, running away turned out to be the wrong move…

]]> 33. They Wore The Blame Once again, the twins were in hot water. Officials needed someone to blame for the mayhem—and it wasn’t about to be the jolly old doctor. Instead, Chang and Eng’s rapid exit off the stage made them appear extremely guilty in the eyes of the law, prompting the investigating officers to believe “they probably were the first ones to disturb the peace.” So, for the second time that year, the twins wound up paying a good-behavior bond.

Then, just like after the last incident, yet another close relationship of theirs broke down.

]]> 34. Their Needs Got Ignored Abel Coffin frequently traveled, leaving his wife, Susan, responsible for the twins...and Susan was a total nightmare. In fact, Susan rapidly became a source of great distress for the twins, as she tended to neglect their needs, even rejecting their pleas for an extra $3 a week so they could afford to feed their horse. Growing desperate, Chang and Eng eventually begged their manager, Charles Harris, to intervene, hoping that he’d write letters to Susan on their behalf.

After some initial reluctance, Charles finally agreed. Still, his letters didn’t help, for one blood-boiling reason…

]]> 35. They Weren’t Considered Equals Sadly, even though Chang and Eng perceived their business with the Coffins as a partnership of equals, the Coffins only ever saw the twins as their subordinates. Indeed, the Coffins forced the twins to perform when they were unwell, care for Susan whenever Abel was away, and once, while traveling, the Coffins even booked the twins into steerage as servants…and lied to their faces about it.

Needless to say, Chang and Eng were utterly miserable. So, they began plotting their exit strategy…

]]> 36. They Planned Their Escape Because Abel once guaranteed the twins could be “their own men” when they turned 21, Chang and Eng became 100% determined to be free of the Coffins forever the moment they reached adulthood. But there was a problem: Abel had set sail for Asia in late 1831 with plans to come back to America in January, and he still hadn’t yet returned by the time the twins’ 21st birthday rolled around in May.

So, desperate for their freedom, Chang and Eng took drastic measures.

]]> 37. They Took Off On Their Own Increasingly anxious at the thought that if Abel never came back, they’d be stuck working for the Coffins forever, Chang and Eng decided to split—rather unceremoniously, I might add. As a result, when Abel Coffin finally did return to Massachusetts in July 1832, it shocked him to his core to learn that Chang and Eng had gone AWOL. And, boy, was he ever mad.

]]> 38. They Got Tracked Down With his prized cash cows on the run, Abel went nuts. He even falsely accused the twins’ former manager, James Hale, of “exciting his subjects to rebellion,” which I doubt James appreciated. After a frantic search, Abel eventually located the twins in Bath, New York, where he supposedly found them “whoring, gambling, and drinking.” Infuriated, Abel saw red.

]]> 39. Their Former Friend Confronted Them Abel confessed to James that when he finally found Chang and Eng, he flew into a disturbing rage. He proceeded to give them the biggest “thrashing they ever had in their lives,” which definitely isn’t the way to go when you’re trying to win your friends back. Sure enough, the twins refused to return with Abel. Interestingly, Abel later downplayed the entire encounter with the twins in a letter to his wife, writing: “We have had much talk; they seem to feel themselves quite free from me.”

And free, they were…

]]> 40. They Took Control Now that Chang and Eng had regained control of their lives, they could finally run their show the way they wanted. In a bit of a shakeup, they contracted their own crew, began dressing in American attire, and they even took to conversing with their audiences in English. Perhaps most tellingly, they stopped presenting themselves as “boys” and instead began referring to themselves as “The Siamese Twins.”

Still, things didn’t feel quite right. Ultimately, Chang and Eng needed to make an even more drastic change…

]]> 41. They Quit Having devoted nearly 10 years of their lives to getting gawked at by strangers, Chang and Eng’s excitement for the spotlight began to wane. They’d grown weary of being labeled as “human oddities,” and now that they’d accumulated a nice chunk of wealth, all they wanted was to live as normally as possible. So in October 1839, the twins quit the biz (sort of) and retired to North Carolina, where they acquired a 150-acre farm in Wilkes County.

But that’s not to say their fame didn’t still come in handy from time to time…

]]> 42. They Wanted Citizenship Status Fame has its perks, and in Chang and Eng’s case, their celebrity allowed them to rub elbows with the members of the elite Wilkes society while in North Carolina. This later proved quite useful because if it weren’t for those same introductions, they might never have achieved the next step in their plan for normalcy. They wanted American citizenship.

You see, they had an obstacle: Thanks to a 1790 federal statute, only “free white individuals” could apply to become naturalized citizens in the USA...which they were not. So, the twins were going to need help from someone higher up…

]]> 43. They Became Naturalized Americans Despite the federal statute, local governments tended to handle their citizenship cases according to the ideologies of their constituents, meaning that Chang and Eng could still potentially achieve their American dream if they talked to the right people. Fortunately, they were now acquainted with the members of the Wilkes society—including the county’s superior clerk, James W. Gwyn Jr., who agreed to administer the twins’ oath of allegiance.

Naturally, Chang and Eng were over the moon. But then, yet another predicament emerged.

]]> 44. They Needed A New Name When the brothers arrived at the office to formalize their American citizenships, a revelation quickly came to light: Chang and Eng had no last name. Obviously, this would’ve caused a major pickle with their paperwork, so they hastily named themselves “Bunker” in honor of a lady they’d met in New York—although some sources say they actually just borrowed the surname of the man standing in line behind them.

Either way, mission accomplished: The twins officially became naturalized US citizens. But before you feel too happy for them and their American dream, hang on, because their story takes a bit of a twist…

]]> 45. They Became Slave Owners Chang and Eng were eager to emulate the affluent lifestyles of their fellow 19th-century Southerners, which unfortunately meant participating in horrific acts that you wouldn’t think they’d want to engage in—such as slaveholding. Yet, they willingly purchased 30 slaves to labor on their farm, which must have made for some fascinating mental gymnastics given the level of offense they’d taken to past rumors about their own enslavement.

Still, as much as they tried to “fit in,” some hurdles were just too high.

]]> 46. They Fell In Love Chang and Eng met their neighbors, the Yates family, shortly after establishing their farm, and their gaze quickly fell on two of the Yates daughters, Sarah and Adelaide. While Sarah was allegedly the “simple” and “more portly, fair one,” Adelaide, who “excelled in personal beauty,” was younger, taller, and thinner than Sarah and was also said to have more refined taste.

To Chang and Eng, it seemed like a match made in heaven. But alas, love can be complicated…

]]> 47. They Both Desired The Same Sister The Bunker’s courtship of the Yates sisters was unusually dramatic because both Chang and Eng fell in love with Sarah, tossing poor Adelaide aside to kick rocks. Of course, despite their unique circumstance, the two brothers couldn’t possibly marry the same woman, so Chang eventually settled for Adelaide—or maybe Sarah just liked Eng better, who knows. Either way, the twins soon announced their intentions to wed.

And the public didn’t take the news very well.

]]> 48. Their Relationships Caused An Uproar The happy couples declared their intent to marry by riding in an open wagon together. It should’ve been the happiest moment of their lives—but instead, it turned into a nightmare. The media insulted them, the entire town flew into a tizzy, and a few local men even went as far as to shatter the Yates’ windows the night before the wedding.

They even threatened to destroy the Yates’ crops if Sarah and Adelaide’s father refused to “manage his daughters.” Sheesh. Still, the hate didn’t stop the lovebirds.

]]> 49. They Got Married Anyway It must have felt like the world was against them, but it didn’t matter. On April 13, 1843, Chang and Eng Bunker married Adelaide and Sarah Yates. While they all shared a home at first—and a colossal bed—the twins eventually built two separate houses for their respective families and traded off between them every three days.

And their unique home dynamic, er, paid off pretty well…

]]> 50. They Had A LOT Of Babies As a whole, the number of Chang and Eng’s children could have filled an entire classroom. Their first babies arrived just six days apart, with Sarah giving birth on February 10, 1844, and then Adelaide on February 16. Although other sources cite different numbers, Chang and Adelaide had ten children altogether, while Eng and Sarah had eleven, which…is a lot of diapers.

If only there was a grandmother around to help. Oh, wait…

]]> 51. Their Mother Thought They’d Passed On Remember poor Nok, the mother the twins left behind? The woman to whom everyone promised that Chang and Eng would only be gone for five years? Um, yeah, it turned out that she 100% thought her sons were dead this entire time. She hadn’t seen nor heard from them in 15 years by this point, and only learned through Christian missionaries in 1845 that not only were her boys still alive, they were also happily married with families of their own.

Sadly though, she ended up dying just four years later. PSA: Always call your mom, guys.

]]> 52. They Wanted To Separate As Chang and Eng grew older, the sinister reality of their condition set in. They began to worry about what would happen if one of them fell ill, or worse, passed. So, whenever the twins traveled for the odd performance, they were now the ones who’d seek out the physicians, hoping that someone would be willing to perform a surgical separation.

Unfortunately, each visit always proved to be a letdown, as every surgeon warned them that the operation would be lethal. Regardless, the twins clung to their optimism and continued seeking medical advice for a potential procedure until they were more than 60 years old. But as depressing as that sounds, don’t worry; their lives really weren’t all that bad...

]]> 53. They Became Ridiculously Wealthy Chang and Eng became incredibly money-savvy over the years and successfully generated a lot of income in the late 1840s and early 1850s. Indeed, their investments performed so well that they could afford to acquire more than one residence while still living in the lap of luxury as plantation owners. Nevertheless, the twins’ business acumen never seemed to garner much respect from the public.

On the contrary, the media continued to criticize them for a horrifying reason…

]]> 54. They Used Child Labor By 1850, 10 of Chang and Eng’s 18 slaves were younger than seven years old, meaning that the vast majority of the Bunkers’ laborers were actually very young children. Worse, the twins didn’t even keep some of the kids to work their plantations, oh no. Instead, they later flipped them for profit, which was really just a different kind of horror.

Even so, Chang and Eng disputed any wrongdoing on their part.

]]> 55. They Defended Their Actions Of course, the twins denied all allegations of mistreatment. First, the twins claimed that their spouses oversaw the children and treated them very kindly, even raising cash for their schooling. Secondly, because their farms cultivated food and not tobacco, this apparently meant that their plantations served only to feed the people who lived there and didn’t exist for profit, which somehow was supposed to make the whole situation seem better. Sure, sure.

Despite their excuses, the media continued to portray the Bunkers’ treatment of their slaves as being unusually severe. And the negative press was just getting warmed up, too.

]]> 56. They Became Unwilling Political Symbols With the Civil War looming on the horizon, citizens in the United States soon began splitting into two factions. And because the press loved to use Chang and Eng as media fodder, journalists chose to unfairly exploit the twins’ conjoined condition as a metaphor for the divide in political opinion, which probably didn’t help Chang and Eng’s dwindling public image.

But the twins were already focused on other problems…

]]> 57. They Began To Struggle Financially Chang and Eng both had huge families to support, and despite their many business ventures, it started to look more and more like they’d have to come out of their semi-retirement from the exhibition industry. So, the twins resumed touring and even occasionally featured their own children in their acts. They also scored a brief contract with P.T. Barnum, which undoubtedly gave them a nice boost, too.

Still, Chang and Eng’s finances were about to take a major hit.

]]> 58. They Lost Their Bread And Butter Chang and Eng quickly found themselves in dire straits when the Civil War ended in 1865. A lot of their money was in Confederate currency (now worthless), and following the Emancipation Proclamation, all of their slaves had to be set free. Now suddenly down a good chunk of their money and unable to run their farmland alone, the twins would again have to showcase themselves as freaks to make ends meet.

But disastrously, Chang and Eng’s exhibition wasn’t as well-received this time around…

]]> 59. They Lost Their Spectatorship Calamitously, because Chang and Eng were former Confederate slaveholders, a large chunk of their audiences suddenly turned sour. So in desperation, the twins decided to change up their act by playing the sympathy card. They were just two elderly men with large families to support…They’d only grudgingly backed the Confederates; none of it was for realsies, and…Oh! They both had sons injured or captured in battle! And, and…

Needless to say, their performance didn’t elicit a whole lot of compassion from the crowds. Then, to make matters even worse, the unthinkable happened…

]]> 60. Chang’s Health Deteriorated After finding success in Europe once more in 1870, the twins were traveling aboard a ship on their way back home when terrifyingly, Chang’s right side suddenly went paralyzed. He’d suffered a devastating stroke, and it was damaging enough to Chang’s system that his right leg had to remain in a sling for the rest of his days. Sadly, this effectively ended the twins’ freakshow performances once and for all.

And Chang—who was much moodier than Eng—didn’t cope with the situation very well…

]]> 61. Chang Grew Sicker Unhappy, Chang promptly took to drinking. Heavily. But, as horrible as Chang’s condition was, I can only imagine what it was like for Eng to have to perpetually care for an inebriated guy tethered to his side. Then four years later, Chang’s health deteriorated even further when he caught bronchitis in January 1874. Concerned, their doctor advised the twins to remain indoors to allow Chang to heal.

Except, the twins had an agreement to switch houses every three days, remember?

]]> 62. Their Worst Fear Came True On January 15, the Bunker brothers made the trek through the wintery cold from Chang’s house to Eng’s house. Sadly, it was a fatal mistake. Though Chang’s health appeared to improve the next day, his breathing had become so much more difficult by the evening that the twins had to spend the night resting upright in a chair by the fireplace.

However, this was uncomfortable for Eng, who was having trouble sleeping, so he requested that they return to their bed. Then, the following morning, one of Eng’s sons woke him with the devastating news: Chang had died. And understandably, Eng panicked.

]]> 63. Eng Refused To Leave His Brother Upon hearing the horrifying news that his twin brother was gone, Eng’s response was heartbreaking. He cried: “Then I am going!” And for the next hour, he suffered in great agony and misery. He broke into a cold sweat, and at one point, he even moved Chang’s body to be closer to him. Although the family quickly sent for a doctor, Eng died on January 17, a little over two hours after Chang passed. They were 62.

But still, the brothers couldn’t be left in peace…

]]> 64. The Doctors Performed An Autopsy The public demanded an autopsy after learning of Chang and Eng’s passing. Although rumors floated that the doctors paid the Bunker widows for permission to examine their husbands’ remains, it’s more than probable that they just coerced Sarah and Adelaide into allowing it in the name of science. Either way, Chang and Eng’s bodies were kept cold for two weeks before finally being transported to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

And the autopsy results, while scientifically fascinating, were also incredibly heartbreaking…

]]> 65. Eng Suffered A Terrible Ending While the autopsy results revealed various facts about the twins’ condition, including that they shared a liver through their connecting band, they also disclosed what ultimately ended their lives. Distressingly, the examination showed that, while Chang passed from a cerebral blood clot, Eng’s subsequent demise wasn’t actually the result of any physical ailment.

Despite alternative theories, Eng likely passed from the brutally intense shock of having his worst nightmare realized…remaining connected to his deceased twin brother. What a horrible way to go.

]]> 66. Their Legacy Lives On Before finally laying Chang and Eng to rest, physicians photographed the twins’ connective tissue, had their conjoined livers preserved in a jar of fluid, and commissioned an artist to make a plaster cast of their bodies. Chang and Eng’s liver and plaster casts are now on permanent display at The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia.

And finally, decades after their sad end, the twins’ bodies were ultimately buried at the White Plains Baptist Church cemetery outside Mount Airy in North Carolina in 1917.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, , , 6

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=62376 <![CDATA[The image of Davy Crockett in his coonskin cap is iconic. But the cap wasn’t even his. Who was the real Davy Crockett?]]> 2026-08-13T10:55:00+00:00 2026-08-11T14:37:43+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-davy-crockett Brendan Da Costa People Davy Crockett Was A Folk Legend With Controversy Davy Crockett was the American statesman, militiaman, and frontiersman who became famous for his fateful final stand at the Alamo. However, his legacy has become a tangled tumbleweed that weaves together fact and fiction, man and myth.

]]> 1. He Wasn’t Born On A Mountaintop Forget the song. David “Davy” Crockett was born on Aunullgust 17, 1786, in a valley in what is now Greene County, Tennessee—nowhere near a mountaintop. Nevertheless, the frontier was in his blood from the start. His father, John Crockett, had fought as one of the Overmountain Men at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution and later dabbled in local politics.

Even as a child, Davy pushed the frontier forward.

]]> 2. His Family Pushed The Frontier Davy was one of nine children—the fifth son—born to John and Rebecca Hawkins. But John could never quite outrun his debts and dragged the family from Lick Creek to Cove Creek to Mossy Creek and finally Morristown, where he opened a tavern. That constant movement to new frontiers in search of fortune was part of the Crockett DNA.

But it came at a terrible cost.

]]> 3. His Ancestors Paid The Price Crockett’s lineage went all the way back to French-Huguenot and English settlers who arrived in Virginia in the mid-17th century. And his ancestors paid a brutal price. In 1777, Crockett’s grandfather and grandmother were slain near modern Rogersville by Creeks and Chickamauga Cherokees. One great-uncle was wounded; another was captured and held for 17 years.

The frontier took as much as it gave.

]]> 4. He Was Sent Away As A Boy Struggling to pay off his debts, Crockett’s father handed the 12-year-old Davy over to a cattleman named Jacob Siler to work off what the family owed. Davy showed a knack for cowboy work, accompanying Siler’s herd on a grueling 400-mile trek to Natural Bridge, Virginia. Siler treated him well and even paid him, but Crockett eventually made his own way back to Tennessee.

He was already learning to fend for himself.

]]> 5. He Ran Away From Home School was no place for a future frontiersman. Crockett regularly skipped school, and when his father tried to discipline him, the 13-year-old bolted. Out in the world on his own, he got the education that no school—or parent—could ever give him. When he finally returned home in 1802, he’d grown so much that his own family didn’t recognize him.

But they recognized what they could get out of him.

]]> 6. He Wanted To Marry The Boss’ Niece Crockett came home, but not to a warm welcome. He spent months paying off his father’s $36 debt to Abraham Wilson and a separate $40 debt to a man named John Canady. Curiously, even after clearing both ledgers, Crockett stayed on at Canady’s employment. Though there was a likely explanation. While there, Crockett had fallen for Canady’s niece, Amy Summer.

Unfortunately, Summer was already engaged to Canady’s own son, Robert. Then Crockett found another match.

]]> 7. His Bride Chose Someone Else Crockett didn’t cry many tears over Summers. While serving in her wedding party, he met a woman named Margaret Elder and talked her into marrying him. The two drew up a marriage contract on October 21, 1805 and seemed set for their “happily ever after”. But Elder had been hedging her bets—she’d gotten herself engaged to another man at the same time.

In the end, Elder married the other suitor and left Crockett standing alone.

]]> 8. He Refused To Take No For An Answer After two failed marriage attempts, Crockett wouldn’t take no for an answer a third time. He met Mary “Polly” Finley and her mother Jean at a harvest festival and set his sights on her immediately. Jean Finley wanted nothing to do with the match and even insulted Crockett, but Crockett declared he’d marry Polly regardless—wherever and however it had to happen.

He would have his bride, no matter what her mother said.

]]> 9. He Showed Up Ready For Anything On August 12, 1806, Crockett took out a marriage license and rode to Polly’s house with a “wedding party” in tow—prepared to take his bride away if necessary. Polly’s father, seeing the entourage, pleaded with Crockett to hold the ceremony at the Finley home instead. Crockett agreed—but only after Jean apologized for the way she’d treated him.

Being a husband would be harder than he thought.

]]> 10. His Family Grew Faster Than His Fortune Crockett got his wish and married Polly on August 14, 1806, in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and the couple settled on a small rented farm near her parents. The marriage proved fruitful, and the couple quickly produced three children—but no money. As Crockett himself put it: “In this time, we had two sons, and I found I was better at increasing my family than my fortune”.

But he could put meat on the table.

]]> 11. He Took Down Bears By The Dozens—Or Hundreds Crockett kept up his family tradition, moving his family around the frontier before eventually settling on Beans Creek in Franklin County. There, Crockett built a little homestead that he named “Kentuck,” but he was never a good farmer. Though he didn’t need to be. In a single season, Crockett brought down 105 bears.

The flesh was dinner, the furs and skins were cash, and the shots were training for what came next.

]]> 12. He Joined The Fight After Fort Mims On August 30, 1813, Creek Indians stormed Fort Mims near Mobile, cutting down roughly 500 settlers. The news rippled through the frontier, and Crockett answered the call. Less than a month later, Crockett enlisted as a scout in Francis Jones’ Company of Mounted Riflemen, riding under Colonel John Coffee. No amount of bear-hunting could have prepared him for what he saw.

]]> 13. He Witnessed Something Unspeakable On November 3, 1813, Crockett took part in the storming of Tallussahatchee—and the memory sickened him. “We now shot them like dogs,” he later wrote, “and then set the house on fire, and burned it up with the forty-six warriors in it”. More than 200 Creek men, women, and children perished. The conduct of his fellow militiamen turned his stomach.

He would only take aim at something else after that.

]]> 14. He Preferred Hunting To Heroism After the butchery at Tallussahatchee, Crockett realized he was better suited to tracking game for his fellow servicemen than to fight alongside them. He served until Christmas Eve in 1813, leaving the moment his 90-day enlistment expired. By walking away when he did, he missed  decisive victory at Horseshoe Bend the following March.

But his time on the front wasn’t over yet.

]]> 15. He Paid Someone Else To Serve Crockett re-enlisted on September 28, 1814, signing on as third sergeant with the Tennessee Mounted Gunmen under Captain John Cowan. His unit scouted through the West Florida swamps but saw little action as they were days behind the frontlines. But Crockett wanted real adventure. So, in December he headed back home and hired a young man to finish out his service for him.

He was needed at home anyway.

]]> 16. He Lost The Love Of His Life Crockett came home to joy and sorrow in equal measure. Polly had given birth to their third child, Margaret. But shortly after, she fell suddenly ill and passed on in 1815—an event Crockett called “the hardest trial which ever falls to the lot of man”. Left alone with three young children, he asked his brother John and sister-in-law to move in.

He was already devising a plan to solve his predicament.

]]> 17. He Was Like A Fox In A Hen House As a recent widower, Crockett turned his attention to Elizabeth Patton. Patton was, herself, a widow whose husband had fallen in the Indian conflicts. But it wasn’t that he loved her. Crockett admitted he had his eye on her "snug little farm,” and, as he put it, “began to pay my respects to her in real good earnest; but I was as sly about it as a fox when he is going to rob a hen-roost”.

Regardless of the motives, Crockett and Patton got married in 1816 and had three more children of their own.

]]> 18. He Climbed The Ranks Fast With his new, larger family, Crockett relocated to Shoal Creek in Lawrence County, Tennessee, and Crockett’s public career took off like a bushfire. He served as magistrate, justice of the peace, and town commissioner in quick succession. Then, on March 27, 1818, he topped it all by winning election as lieutenant colonel of the Fifty-seventh Regiment of Tennessee Militia.

Politics was supposed to be his way out of poverty.

]]> 19. His Timing Was Spectacularly Bad In 1821, Crockett won a seat in the Tennessee General Assembly, rousing voters with his newfound gift for storytelling. Less than two weeks after sweeping into power, however, a flood of the Tennessee River swept away his businesses. His father-in-law had to give him 800 acres to start over, but Crockett had to sell most of it just to cover his debts.

Ruin seemed to follow him like a shadow.

]]> 20. He Fought For The Little Guy Despite—or because of—his own troubles, Crockett approached politics differently. Throughout his time in the legislature, he championed land reform and the rights of poor settlers who risked losing their property under Tennessee’s tangled grant system. As Crockett himself explained, the government should “at least occasionally, legislate for the poor”.

That principle would eventually cost him dearly.

]]> 21. He Lost Before He Won Crockett’s first run for a US House seat in 1825 ended in disaster and defeat at the hands of incumbent Adam Rankin Alexander. Crockett might have given up on politics altogether had it not been for a chance encounter with the Memphis mayor Marcus Brutus Winchester, who convinced him to try again. The backwoodsman was headed for the capital—in style.

]]> 22. He Took His Opponent’s Speech Crockett’s second campaign became a turning point in American political history. Perpetually short on cash, he had to rely on his storytelling ability to make up the difference. On one particularly notable occasion, Crockett memorized his rival’s entire stump speech and delivered it, mockingly, word-for-word. The crowd, predictably, responded with uproarious laughter.

]]> 23. He Didn’t Impress Everyone Fame came fast once Crockett reached Washington. The American people lumped him in with Andrew Jackson’s “age of the common man”—though, not everyone found that flattering. French observer Alexis de Tocqueville met Crockett in 1831 and sniffed that the congressman “has no education, can read with difficulty, has no property, no fixed residence, but passes his life hunting, selling his game to live, and dwelling continuously in the woods”.

In other words, you can take the man out of frontier, but you can’t take the frontier out of the man.

]]> 24. He Tried To Shut Down West Point Crockett won re-election in 1829 and promptly picked fights with the establishment. On February 25, 1830, he introduced a resolution to abolish the United States Academy at West Point, arguing it funneled public money to men born into rich families. He also spoke out against granting $100,000 to the widow of naval hero Stephen Decatur.

He made enemies as easily as friends.

]]> 25. He Made A Presidential Enemy When President Jackson pushed through the Indian Removal Act of 1830, Crockett was the only member of the Tennessee delegation to vote against it—and make an enemy out of the president. “I believed it was a wicked, unjust measure,” he wrote. “I voted against this Indian bill, and my conscience yet tells me that I gave a good honest vote, and one that I believe will not make me ashamed in the day of judgement".

While Cherokee leaders thanked Crockett for his support, others condemned him.

]]> 26. His Conscience Cost Him His Seat Jackson’s political apparatus went after Crockett with everything it had. His vote against Indian removal was deeply unpopular back home, and Jackson mobilized his political machine to deliver a narrow victory for their man, William Fitzgerald, in the 1831 race. However, by that time, Crockett had a reputation to uphold.

]]> 27. He Became A National Sensation By 1831, Crockett’s fame had outgrown his congressional seat anyway. One newspaper called him “an object of universal notoriety” and declared that visiting the capital without seeing him “betrayed a total destitution of curiosity”. That same year, actor James Hackett debuted as Colonel Nimrod Wildfire in the play The Lion of the West—a character everyone immediately recognized as a Crockett caricature.

Crockett was taking it all in good humor.

]]> 28. He Bowed Back In December 1833, Hackett brought The Lion of the West to Washington for a benefit performance. Sitting in a reserved box seat for the occasion, he demonstrated his own amusement with his national notoriety. When Hackett appeared onstage in his buckskin costume, he turned and made a deliberate bow toward Crockett. Crockett courteously rose and bowed right back.

The whole audience went wild.

]]> 29. His Iconic Cap Was Borrowed The image of Davy Crockett in his coonskin cap has become synonymous with the American frontier. But here’s the catch: the cap wasn’t Crockett’s. It was Hackett’s. Before 1835, no contemporary portrait or written account placed a coonskin cap on Crockett’s head. Sources say that the first drawing of Crockett wearing a fur cap—actually a wildcat skin—appeared on the cover of Davy Crockett’s Almanack in 1837, and it was based on a sketch of Hackett in character.

The King of the Wild Frontier wore a borrowed crown.

]]> 30. He Came Back Swinging After two years out of office—spent, naturally, hunting bears in the frontier—Crockett stormed back into politics and defeated Fitzgerald in the 1833 election. But he was still holding a grudge. During his third term, Crockett drifted from Jackson’s orbit entirely. He joined the Whig Party and even garnered talk as a potential presidential candidate for 1836.

He just had to get his story right first.

]]> 31. He Wrote His Own Story During his final congressional term, Crockett teamed up with Kentucky Congressman Thomas Chilton to pen his autobiography, A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, Written by Himself, published in 1834. But it wasn’t a vanity project. Crockett said he’d been compelled to write the book to set the record straight against an unauthorized 1833 publication called Sketches and Eccentricities of Col Crockett.

Clearly, people preferred the myth to the man.

]]> 32. He Lost To A Man With A Wooden Leg Despite his autobiography, speaking tours, and two ghostwritten Whig books, Crockett couldn’t hold his congressional seat. In August 1835, he fell to Adam Huntsman—a peg-legged lawyer—in a narrow defeat. But Crockett hadn’t done himself any favors as, by that time, the Whig Party had largely turned its back on him for stubborn refusal to submit to their control.

No one could control Crockett. Not even his voters.

]]> 33. He Told His Voters Where To Go Crockett’s exit from politics produced one of the most quoted lines in American history. “I told the people of my district that I would serve them as faithfully as I had done,” he said after his defeat, “but if not, they might go to hell, and I would go to Texas”. Of course, Crockett had no way of knowing that he would be going to his destiny—and history.

]]> 34. He’d Been Eyeing Texas For Years Crockett’s march toward Texas wasn’t as impulsive as the legend suggests. He’d been mulling the move since at least December 1834, writing to friends about heading south if Martin Van Buren won the presidency. By October 1835, he wrote that he was “on the eve of Starting to the Texes” and planned to “explore the Texes well before I return”.

He had no way of knowing that he was about to make his last stand.

]]> 35. His Daughter Watched Him Leave Personal matters delayed Crockett’s departure, but he finally left his home near Rutherford on November 1, 1835, with three companions. His youngest daughter Matilda later recalled the moment: “He was dressed in his hunting suit, wearing a coonskin cap, and carried a fine [shooting iron]…He seemed very confident the morning he went away that he would soon have us all to join him in Texas”.

She never saw him again.

]]> 36. He Drew Crowds Everywhere He Went Crockett’s party swelled to 30 men as they traveled through Tennessee. By the time his party reached Little Rock, Arkansas in November of 1835, hundreds swarmed the town, and leading citizens threw a dinner in his honor at the Jeffries Hotel. Eyewitness accounts seem to suggest that Crockett had accepted his folk hero status at this point.

James D Davis later recalled that Crockett “wore that same veritable coon-skin cap and hunting shirt”—the first recorded sighting of the famous cap on the actual man.

]]> 37. He Insisted On His Own Terms Crockett arrived in Nacogdoches, Texas, in early January 1836 and signed an oath to the Provisional Government of Texas, alongside 65 other men with the promise to receive roughly 4,600 acres of land—each. Crockett, as it turns out, was instrumental in shaping Texas’s identity. He refused to sign the oath until the word “republican” was added.

He believed he'd found his new home./

]]> 38. He Was Full Of Hope On January 9, 1836, Crockett sat down in San Augustine and wrote to his daughter Margaret. “I have but little doubt of being elected a member to form a constitution for this province,” he told her. “I am rejoiced at my fate. I had rather be in my present situation than to be elected to a seat in Congress for life”. He would get his wish.

Just not the way he imagined.

]]> 39. He Arrived Like A Celebrity In early February 1836, Crockett and his companions—calling themselves the “Tennessee Mounted Volunteers”—rode into San Antonio de Bexar. The crowd demanded a speech, and Crockett obliged, delivering a real barnburner. “I have come to aid you all that I can in your noble cause,” he said. “I shall identify myself with your interests, and all the honor I desire is that of defending as a high private…the liberties of our common country”.

He would give his life for those liberties.

]]> 40. He Danced While Danger Approached Crockett reached the Alamo Mission on February 8, 1836—with no idea of what the near-future held. Two days later, the garrison threw a grand fandango in his honor, but mid-celebration, a scout burst in with a report: the Mexican forces had crossed the Rio Grande, just 150 miles away. Everyone agreed that the Mexicans couldn’t possibly be that close.

The dancing went on and on.

]]> 41. He Prepared To Defend The Alamo The scout had been right: General Antonio López de Santa Anna’s forces arrived at the Alamo on February 23, 1836, catching the garrison off guard. Crockett and the other defenders scrambled into the Alamo as the Mexican forces hoisted a blood-red flag, indicating they would not show any quarter. And neither would Crockett.

]]> 42. He Was Everywhere At Once During the siege, Alamo commander William Barret Travis noted in his written reports that Crockett seemed to be everywhere—rallying the defenders, bolstering morale. Even when 200–300 of Santa Anna’s men crossed the San Antonio River to establish a new position, Crockett and his men were there, providing suppressive cover while the Alamo’s heavy ordnance roared.

Crockett put up a good fight—but it just wasn't enough.

]]> 43. He Wanted To Face His Fate As the siege dragged on and the munitions ran as low as the morale, Crockett tried to keep spirits up with his fiddle. But he wasn’t fooling anyone—least of all himself. Crockett allegedly told fellow defender Susannah Dickinson: “I think we had better march out and [perish] in the open air. I don’t like to be hemmed up”. By the time Crockett and others called for reinforcements, it was too late.

]]> 44. He Made His Last Stand The final attack came in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836. Santa Anna hurled roughly 1,500 men at the Alamo’s walls, with 100 of them headed straight for Crockett and his men. But Crockett wasn’t sweating it. According to one account, the frontiersman paused briefly in the chapel to pray before sprinting to his post.

The battle raged for over an hour, and when their long arms became useless, Crockett’s men swung them as clubs and reached for their blades. In the end, however, no defender survived. Not even Crockett.

]]> 45. His Ashes Were Never Found After the battle, Santa Anna had Crockett’s and his fellow defenders’ remains carried to a nearby grove, stacked with timber, and set alight. It wasn’t until February of 1837—almost a year later—that forces returning to the area uncovered the ashes. A local carpenter built a simple coffin for the ashes and carved only the names of Travis, Crockett, and Bowie on the lid.

The exact location of the coffin today remains a mystery. As do the actual events of Crockett’s last stand. 

]]> 46. He May Have Gone Down Fighting How Crockett met his end remains one of the most contested questions in American history. One tradition comes from a man named Ben—a formerly enslaved man who served Santa Anna’s officers. Ben reported that Crockett’s remains were found in the barracks with "no less than sixteen Mexican corpses".

Santa Anna’s own account, that no defender “showed signs of desiring to surrender” seems to back up this claim. But questions linger.

]]> 47. He Was Just A Tourist A rival account tells a very different story. In 1955, Jesús Sánchez Garza uncovered the memoirs of José Enrique de la Peña, a Mexican officer who was present at the Alamo. According to de la Peña, Crockett pretended to be a tourist who had only “taken shelter” in the Alamo. Despite pleas from his own generals, Santa Anna had Crockett and the other defenders executed anyway.

]]> 48. His Legacy Sparked A Paper Chase The de la Peña diaries were in doubt from the moment they surfaced. Historian William Groneman III argued that inconsistencies in the journal’s paper raised doubts about its authenticity. Others noted that the timing of the discovery was too convenient, coinciding with the peak of the 1955 Walt Disney Davy Crockett craze.

But the evidence was not in their favor.

]]> 49. He Got The Last Word—Sort Of In 2001, archivist David Gracy published a forensic analysis that quieted many skeptics of the de la Peña diaries. Lab results confirmed that both the paper and the ink were consistent with what the Mexican army would have used in the 1830s. Handwriting analysis further confirmed a match to de la Peña. The diary, it seemed, was real.

But the debate was not over.

]]> 50. His Fans Took It Personally Carmen Perry—the English translator of the de la Peña diary and former librarian of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas—learned the hard way that some legends are not to be questioned. Crockett loyalists bombarded her with anonymous letters and intimidating phone calls, treating the mere suggestion that their hero might have surrendered as outright blasphemy.

But the diaries did little to actually diminish Crockett.

]]> 51. He Reportedly Faced His End With Dignity However Crockett met his end, he met it as any frontiersman should. In his diaries, de la Peña described Crockett as a man “in whose face there was the imprint of adversity, but in whom one also noticed a degree of resignation and nobility that did him honor”. The captives, de la Peña wrote, met their ends “without complaining and without humiliating themselves before their torturers”.

]]> 52. His Motto Outlived Him Whether he was deep in the frontier hunting bears, fighting for the poor in Washington DC, or making his final stand at the Alamo, Crockett lived by one motto. Circulated in almanacs between 1835 and 1856, Crockett’s philosophy can be summed up in his most famous and unforgettable words: “Always be sure you are right, then go ahead”.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=28685 <![CDATA[Queen Nzinga Defied An Empire—But She Paid A Terrible Price For Victory]]> 2026-08-12T10:55:00+00:00 2026-08-11T14:36:59+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-queen-nzinga David O'Shea People An Overlooked Queen For most of history, Queen Nzinga hardly ever got a mention alongside the titanic figures that shaped the world since the dawn of civilization. Recently, however, historians have concluded that the Angolan conqueror is, in fact, one of the Old World’s most consequential rulers, who changed the course of European and African history forever.

But while her status as a female ruler is almost certainly the reason for historians’ past ignorance, Nzinga herself was much more complex, responsible for changing the way the world thought about female rulers for the better—but also for a number of horrific atrocities.

]]> 1. She Was Royalty Nzinga was born in central West Africa around 1583, in a Mbundu kingdom in modern-day Angola. She was no mere commoner, however; the young queen-to-be was born into the royal family of Ndongo, during the reign of her grandfather, Ngola Kilombo Kia Kasenda. She did not come from completely royal stock, however.

]]> 2. Her Mother Was Lowborn Nzinga’s father was Kilombo of Ndongo, son of the king, and as a “perk” of his position, the prince kept many slave wives. His favorite concubine was Kengela ka Nkombe, and it was she who birthed Nzinga in 1583. She couldn’t have known just how significant her daughter would be, but there were immediate signs that the infant would excel.

]]> 3. She Was Born In Struggle Legend has it that the process of birthing Nzinga was extremely difficult for her mother. In fact, it was this very struggle that gave the future queen her name. Nzinga’s face was upturned, with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck; after surviving birth, they named the infant after a variation of the word kujinga, which means “to twist or turn”. Those present at the birthing took it as a sign of things to come.

]]> 4. Her Success Got Foretold Mbundu culture viewed difficult and unusual births as more than just medical incidents; many believed that children of the royal family who survived such births possessed spiritual gifts, and some even viewed birthing struggles as a sign that the baby would grow to be a proud and powerful figure. In Nzinga’s case, this prediction nailed it. But first, it was her dad’s turn.

]]> 5. Her Father Ascended  When Nzinga was 10 years old, her grandfather passed, meaning it was her father’s turn to serve as king or, as they called the position within the kingdom, Ngola. This word, in fact, is where the country of Angola got its name—the Portuguese misunderstood the meaning, thinking it was the name of the kingdom itself. Being a girl, however, Nzinga was not the first in line to succeed her father.

]]> 6. She Had An Obstacle Nzinga was not an only child. She had two sisters, Kambu and Funji (also known as Lady Barbara and Lady Grace, respectively), and, unfortunately for her ambitions, a brother named Mbandi, who was, of course, the heir to his father’s throne. Just because Mbandi was next in line, however, did not mean he was the favorite.

]]> 7. She Got Doted On During childhood, Nzinga was her father’s clear favorite. The King lavished attention on her, amused by her obvious strength and intelligence. The fact that Nzinga was not considered an heir probably helped her in this regard: because she was no (obvious) threat to her brother’s position, no one was offended by her receiving the bulk of the King’s attention. This came with many advantages.

]]> 8. She Was Groomed For Power Because of his favor, Nzinga got many opportunities from her father rarely afforded to female Ndongan children. She received combat training and political education, both of which she showed a great aptitude for. She took to one instrument in particular.

]]> 9. She Was A Natural The traditional weapon of Ndongan warriors was the mighty battle axe, and Nzinga not only received training in the art of its use—she excelled at it. The young princess displayed considerable skill with the axe and put many of her fellow male students to shame. In fact, she had a habit of excelling in male-dominated fields.

]]> 10. She Was A Presence Nzinga’s competence and capability meant that she became a prominent presence in her father’s court. Her political acumen allowed her to participate in many of her father’s governing duties. The young queen-to-be attended both legal and battle councils and took part in important rituals vital to maintaining her father’s power. She became a go-to for some visiting Europeans, too.

]]> 11. She Was Accommodating The incursion into Africa by the Europeans had ramped up by Nzinga’s time, and the Kingdom of Ndongo was not spared. It was the Portuguese Empire that set its sights on modern-day Angola, and like many colonizing forces, it began with a trickle of missionaries. Nzinga was accommodating to these visitors, even letting them teach her to read and write in Portuguese. This would come in handy later, but not before things got difficult.

]]> 12. Her Visitors Overstayed Their Welcome As Portugal’s colonization efforts ramped up, Ndongo fell into multiple crises. After years of peace between the two parties, relations soured when the colonizers began doing what colonizers do: they brutalized the region, burning villages, taking hostages, and seizing resources. Most consequentially of all, the Portuguese began taking slaves. Nzinga and her family watched on in horror. Unfortunately for them, however, this only led to cracks in their power.

]]> 13. Her Foundations Shook In 1590, Ndongo rallied against the European invaders and defeated the Portuguese at the Battle of Lucala. The damage had been done, however: Nzinga’s family had lost much of their territory, a fact which eroded the King’s power. Devastatingly, many Ndongan noblemen (known as sobas) began siding with the Portuguese, seeing them as the more reliable regional power. The King’s efforts to rectify the situation through diplomacy failed. It was time for new blood.

]]> 14. Her Brother Rose To Power 1607 only saw things get worse for the Ndongo kingdom as they faced invasion by the Imbangala, a fierce and religious local tribe of warriors. The Portuguese even exploited this position by siding with the Imbangala at times, in an effort to destabilize Ndongo. It proved too much for Nzinga’s father, who passed in 1617. Her brother, Ngola Mbandi, ascended to the throne, and a grim bloodbath followed.

]]> 15. Her Family Split Ngola Mbandi, the new king, felt insecure in his power, given the unstable situation in Ndongo. To secure his position, he engaged in months of political bloodletting, taking out any rival claimants to the throne that he could get his hands on. His victims included his own half-brother and, brutally, the rest of that brother’s family alongside. Mbandi also turned his sights on his sister’s family, slaying Nzinga’s young son. Nzinga herself got spared, but at great cost.

]]> 16. She Was Brutalized Though she kept her life, Nzinga did not get off lucky. After slaying her young son, Mbandi turned on his sisters in brutal fashion: Nzinga and her two sisters got forcibly sterilized, ensuring they could mother no potential threats to Mbandi’s rule. It was a despicable move by her brother, and one that may have been years in the making.

]]> 17. She Got Out Of Dodge Some sources believe the King singled Nzinga out for particularly harsh treatment. The reasons given for this were an apparent long-time rivalry with her brother, likely stoked by her father’s preferential treatment for his daughter. Regardless of her brother’s motivation, Nzinga still feared for her life and fled Ndongo at the first opportunity, settling for now in the Kingdom of Matamba. Her brother would come to regret his actions.

]]> 18. Her Brother Pleaded Mbandi quickly learned that ruling was difficult, and he did not possess the political and tactical skills that Nzinga had been blessed with. He continued the fight against the Portuguese but struggled greatly. Finally, in 1621, he swallowed his pride and contacted his sister, requesting her diplomatic assistance. It was the first smart thing he did.

]]> 19. She Became A Diplomat Nzinga’s brother requested she serve as his emissary to Portugal, and she was certainly a great fit for the job: the princess had the royal lineage, diplomatic acumen, and fluent Portuguese required of a competent ambassador. She negotiated a stipulation with the King that he allow her to lead the diplomatic mission and speak in his name. There was no better woman for the job.

]]> 20. She Was Good At Her Job In this mission, and throughout her storied life, Nzinga showed great aptitude for defusing political crises. She was not afraid to make compromises—for example, she asked her brother for permission to be baptized, knowing it would serve as an important diplomatic tool with the Portuguese. But while she excelled at compromise, she was not afraid to establish her identity either.

]]> 21. She Stood Up For Her Culture When other Ndongo leaders met with Portuguese diplomats, they would typically dress in European clothing, in a desperate appeal to European power. Nzinga was different, however; the King’s sister-emissary opted to dress in opulent traditional Ndongo clothing, adorned in feathers and jewels, to communicate to the colonizers that her culture was not inferior to theirs. It was a bold and admirable move, and it wasn’t even her most daring one.

]]> 22. She Asserted Herself One popular story recounts a meeting between Nzinga and the Portuguese where the colonizer officials sat on chairs but only provided a mat for the Ndongan emissary. This was classic European condescension: the Portuguese employed tactics like this often to display, according to one historian, a “subordinate status, a status reserved for conquered Africans”.

Nzinga and her chosen diplomatic convoy would not stand for such insults—quite literally. Seeing this sign of disrespect, one of her attendants immediately formed herself into a chair for Nzinga to sit on, establishing the ambassador as an equal and displaying her people’s devotion. Of course, being a skilled diplomat, Nzinga knew when to soften her stance too.

]]> 23. She Buttered Up While she insisted on asserting herself as an equal, Nzinga was not afraid to concede to the Portuguese on her own terms. As part of her diplomatic skillset, she would often strategically employ flattery, particularly to contrast her decorum with her brother’s fiery belligerence. Her methods led to results, though the outcomes were a mixed bag.

]]> 24. She Brokered Peace Nzinga’s chief diplomatic goal was to secure peace with the Portuguese, and she did so, though at some cost. She promised an end to hostilities with the colonizers, blaming her brother’s mistakes on his youth but, controversially, allowed Portuguese slave traders to remain in operation in Ndongo. She even agreed to return escaped slaves of the Portuguese to their oppressors.

In exchange, she got the invaders to agree to remove forts they had built within Ndongan territory, and refused to pay tribute to the colonizers, remaining adamant that only conquered peoples did so. The Portuguese were skeptical of her desire for peace, however, so she had to pull another move.

]]> 25. She Played The Enemy’s Game Faced with Portuguese cynicism, Nzinga deployed another diplomatic maneuver: she offered to undergo public baptism. Portuguese Christians met the offer with delight. Adding to the flattery, the Ndongan diplomat adopted the Christian name Donna Anna de Sousa, in honor of the Portuguese governor’s wife. This led directly to a peace treaty between the two nations, and Nzinga returned home in triumph, where she launched her next plot—this one against her brother.

]]> 26. She Played Her Brother While Nzinga had successfully brokered peace with the Portuguese, the conflict between the Ndongo and the Imbangala continued. The Ndongan royal family appealed to their new Portuguese “allies” for assistance against the Imbangala, but the colonizers refused to do so unless the King would also agree to baptism.

Mbandi was already distrustful of the Europeans and, seeing an opportunity, Nzinga manipulated her brother. In a possible political ploy, she convinced him not to get baptized, warning him that the act would offend his traditionalist supporters. It worked like a charm, but as a result, things kept getting worse for the Ndongo against the Imbangala. For Nzinga personally, this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

]]> 27. She Took Soft Control All the while, Nzinga was increasingly gaining power at court. This culminated in 1624 when, faced with the Imbangalan crisis and bubbling tensions with the Portuguese, King Mbandi fell into a deep depression. Confining himself to his quarters, the King ceded many of his duties to his sister, placing Nzinga in her most powerful position yet. Her proximity to the King paid off.

]]> 28. She Ascended Later that year, Nzinga’s brother suddenly perished of mysterious causes. Some sources claim the King took his own life; others say he got poisoned. Either way, the path was now clear for his capable sister, whom the King had named his successor, and Queen Nzinga ascended to the throne of Ndongo. But she had to make sure she held onto it.

]]> 29. She Dug In Being a female ruler, Nzinga found herself in an unprecedented position, and had to move quickly to consolidate her power. She took numerous measures to do so: she had her supporters seize monarchy-associated ritual objects to prevent their use by potential rivals and began systematically eliminating her rivals from court. She had good reason to be worried.

]]> 30. She Was Threatened Nzinga’s ascension did indeed face severe opposition, mostly from male claimants of other noble families. It was not just her gender that was used against her, however; many believed that Nzinga (and her brother, for that matter) should never have ascended to the throne because she and her siblings were the children of their father’s slave wives, not his first wife.

Nzinga countered this with the fact that, through her father, she was a proper descendent of the kingdom’s main royal line, a fact that was not the case for any other rival claimant. All this aside, however, Nzinga was clearly the best choice for leadership.

]]> 31. She Was Capable The Ndongan kingdom could have done a lot worse than Nzinga. It was as if the Queen was born to rule; she showed incredible acumen for every aspect of leadership. Many remember Nzinga for her diplomatic wisdom, intelligence, political savviness, and even battlefield tactics. And with times as they were, the Ndongan people needed someone like her to weather the historical storm brewing.

]]> 32. She Met Her Moment Nzinga’s capability as a leader was especially evident because of the era she presided over; she didn’t exactly have an easy job. Her rise coincided with the rapid expansion of the African slave trade, which caused ripples of crisis across the continent.

Despite the tepid peace she had brokered with the Portuguese, the colonizers continued their encroachment into West Africa. Indeed, relations strained with the Europeans as Nzinga’s rule continued, culminating in a complete breakdown.

]]> 33. Her Friends Turned On Her Nzinga’s policies as ruler threatened the income of the Portuguese nobles pillaging the region, which caused grumbles within the country’s halls of power. In an effort to destabilize her rule, the colonizers recognized Hari a Kiluanje, a rival claimant, as King of Ndongo.

Nzinga was furious, but kept her cool for now, negotiating with the Portuguese while she secretly built her forces to move against them. The Portuguese caught on, however, and, feeling deceived, declared a campaign against Nzinga on March 15, 1626. It would prove disastrous for the hard-pressed queen.

]]> 34. She Turned Heel The conflict with the Portuguese did not go well for Queen Nzinga. She was already rebuilding her forces from a previous battle when the colonizers declared against her, and after facing the full-scale invasion, her forces were severely depleted by 1628 (with some estimating she was down to only 200 men). With the walls closing in, the situation forced Nzinga to flee her kingdom. That didn’t mean she was giving up, however.

]]> 35. She Sought An Alliance With essentially no army left, Nzinga desperately needed to bolster her forces—and desperate times called for desperate measures. She received a message from Kasanje, an Imbangalan warlord who had previously fought the Ndongan.

Kasanje suggested an alliance, but it came with a price: Nzinga would have to marry him. Seeing little other choice, the Queen made the political decision to do so. Now finding herself in a new culture, she exercised her characteristic diplomacy to great effect.

]]> 36. She Adapted Without Concession Ever the skillful political player, Nzinga quickly adapted to her new culture. To win the hearts and minds of the Imbangalan people, she adopted many of their religious rites (including one in which she had to drink human blood!), which ingratiated her as a leader with her new people.

Crucially, however, she did not abandon her own cultural roots; instead, she competently weaved together her people’s beliefs with those of the Imbangala, which resulted in the rebuilding of a highly capable army. With such a force behind her, she turned her sights home again.

]]> 37. She Pressed Forward By 1631, Nzinga had amassed a big enough force to engage the Portuguese again. Over the next four years, she waged a guerilla campaign in the neighboring Kingdom of Matamba, eventually deposing the rulers there and claiming the land as her own. It was a long and arduous fight, and she had to get the funds somewhere.

]]> 38. She Compromised Her Morals Complicating Nzinga’s legacy as a just and trailblazing woman was the odious practices she engaged in to retake her homeland. Having captured Matamba, the Queen began extensively expanding the slave trade within her new kingdom, sacrificing the people of Matamba to fund her campaign to recapture Ndonga. It was a shameful act by a desperate queen, and she began changing in other ways too.

]]> 39. She Masked During the 1630s, Nzinga, previously unashamed of her femininity, began adopting more masculine traits. She adopted male titles and dressed in male clothing; she also established an all-female bodyguard. She took many lovers too and, hilariously, ordered that her male concubines dress in women’s clothing and address her as king. This was the least of the male concubines’ worries, however.

]]> 40. She Made Them Fight Nzinga’s harem of 50-60 cross-dressing male concubines enjoyed the luxuries of royal association, but that didn’t mean their lives were always comfortable. Legend has it that Nzinga would select two of her lovers and make them fight until one of them slayed the other for the privilege of spending the night with her.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Nzinga would put the winner to the sword the next morning too. The 1630s were a strange decade for the Queen, but she got back on track with the dawn of the 1640s.

]]> 41. She Saw Another Chance In 1641, the chess pieces shifted again in West Africa, after forces from the Dutch West India Company captured the Ndongan city of Luanda in a massive hit to Portugal. Nzinga sensed an opportunity and quickly sent an emissary to broker an alliance with the Dutch, offering to open the slave trade to the Company. They accepted her terms, and Nzinga eyed a dramatic return home.

]]> 42. She Took It Back Now backed by the powerful Dutch West India Company, Nzinga launched an all-out assault on Portuguese-occupied Ndongo, reclaiming large parts of the territory in a series of dramatic battles between 1641 and 1644. Things seemed to go well, but when the dust settled, it would leave Nzinga with only consolation gains.

]]> 43. Her Allies Abandoned Her Despite numerous defeats of the Portuguese, Nzinga and her forces never successfully captured the Fortress of Massangano, a key defensive fixture that secured the colonizers’ longevity in the region. To make matters worse, the Portuguese recaptured Luanda in 1648; seeing the writing on the wall, the Dutch no longer viewed Angola as a safe investment and evacuated their forces. Nzinga adopted increasingly desperate measures to pacify the Europeans.

]]> 44. She Christianized Throughout the 1640s, Nzinga began tentatively implementing more Christian cultural traditions within her kingdom, hoping to secure closer relations with any potential European allies. These efforts were not without controversy among her people, however, with a number of Ndongan conservative religious figures pushing back against her policy shifts. It was no wonder Nzinga was returning to diplomacy, though—the fighting had gone on too long.

]]> 45. She Was Tired By 1650, Nzinga and the Portuguese had been in constant conflict for nearly 25 years. Both sides were exhausted and peace finally seemed to be on the table. Negotiations for this peace began in earnest in 1651, and lasted five long years, finally culminating in a peace treaty in 1656. The Queen looked around at what remained of her kingdom and decided it was time to secure her legacy.

]]> 46. She Rebuilt With peace secured, Nzinga now turned her efforts to rebuilding her kingdom, hoping to leave it a little more intact than it was for her successor. The Queen established many changes at court as well.

She developed Matamba as a trading power, reformed the legal code to align more with Christianity (hoping to gain status as an internationally recognized Christian kingdom), and abolished concubinage, opting to marry her favorite boytoy in a Christian ceremony. A health scare convinced her to finally look to the future too.

]]> 47. She Named An Heir After suffering from a serious illness in 1657, Nzinga bluntly faced her immortality; it was time to name a successor. Fearing her demise would cause a succession crisis, she appointed her sister, Kambu, as her heir, feeling she would be the best candidate to carry on her work. She settled into her final years as ruler.

]]> 48. She Departed Queen Nzinga fell ill with a throat infection in October 1663, which confined her to her bedchambers. By December, the illness had spread to her lungs, and she would never recover. Nzinga passed in her sleep on the morning of December 17. She was around 80 years old and lived an astonishingly long and eventful life. Her impact rippled for centuries thereafter.

]]> 49. She Changed The Game Many today remember Nzinga today as the Mother of Angola. Her success as a ruler normalized female rule in the region, and she got succeeded by many women leaders. Even today, women in Angola demonstrate a remarkable level of social independence and occupy many positions of power across numerous sectors, all thanks to Nzinga’s influence. Of course, her legacy had its negative sides too.

]]> 50. She Was Complicated Western historians largely ignored Nzinga’s legacy for centuries, but modern historians have reassessed her as a major figure in Angolan, Atlantic Creole, and, indeed, world history. Her legacy gets complicated by some of what appear, in retrospect, to be major transgressions, namely her support for and expansion of the African slave trade. Queen Nzinga was a complex figure who, regardless of her net impact, deserves our attention and fascination.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=27988 <![CDATA[Queen Jadwiga may be a saint, but she lived a truly cursed life.]]> 2026-08-11T10:30:00+00:00 2026-08-10T20:54:35+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-jadwiga-poland-queen Kyle Climans People Marcello Bacciarelli, Wikimedia Commons 1. Long May She Reign Jadwiga’s reign as Queen of Poland lasted just under 15 years, from October 16, 1384 until her death at the tender age of 25.

]]> 2. Welcome to the World Jadwiga was born in the city of Buda (now part of Budapest), which used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary. She was the third and youngest child of Elizabeth of Bosnia and Louis I, King of Hungary and Poland. Her family was incredibly wealthy and powerful, but their sad plight proves that money and status can't buy happiness.

]]> 3. High Prize Within the Patriarchy Louis I, Jadwiga’s father, was a fierce warrior, but there was one battle he couldn't win. Louis just couldn't seem to produce a male heir. Instead, he had three daughters and made the best of an awkward situation. Already seen as beautiful potential brides for any European prince, the Polish princesses only became more popular when Louis revealed his controversial plan. He made it clear that he wanted his daughters to inherit his titles and lands.

]]> 4. Tragedy in Childhood Most people don't realize that Jadwiga was never supposed to be Queen. Instead her older sister Catherine of Hungary should have inherited the throne. Catherine's parents were so certain that they even engaged her to be married at just four years old. But all these plans were for naught. Tragedy struck when Catherine tragically died at the tender age of seven. As Louis grieved, he also struggled with his reign. When the engagement fell through, the united kingdoms that Louis built started to crumble.

]]> 5. Getting Hitched Early Evidently, in the Polish royal family, being single at four years old made you a spinster. After Catherine's death, Jadwiga's father had her engaged to William of the Habsburg family before she was even a year old. Her fiance William was just four years old, but a very eligible baby bachelor. He as the eldest son of Leopold III, the Duke of Austria.

]]> 6. Best Laid Plans After Catherine's early death, Polish lords flocked Jadwiga's eldest sister Mary with elaborate oaths of loyalty. She probably felt complimented, but these pledges didn't exactly happen organically. Instead, King Louis demanded that Polish royals praise his daughter and her fiance Sigismund of Luxembourg. But after Louis' death, everything came crumbling down. In the end, Mary took over Hungary while Jadwiga reigned over Poland.

]]> 7. Lost in Translation While history remembers the Polish Queen as Jadwiga, her name could also be spelled and pronounced much more magically. For Hungarians, Jadwiga would look a lot more like “Hedwig.”

]]> 8. Elizabeth's Choice When Jadwiga was a young child, the Polish nobility insisted that their ruler actually live in the country. Jadwiga’s mother Elizabeth was heartbroken. She desperately tried to make a deal where Jadwiga would spend three extra years in Hungary, hoping to hold onto her daughter. Sadly, this deal fell apart as contenders for the throne rose up. The Polish nobles threatened to elect the popular and charismatic Duke of Masovia.

]]> 9. Goodbye, Mommy Elizabeth eventually conceded defeat in 1384. Ten-year-old Jadwiga was taken to Poland and crowned, while Elizabeth had to stay behind and look after her other daughter’s ascension in Hungary. She would never see Jadwiga, her own beloved daughter, again.

]]> 10. Cruel Twist of Fate Soon after Jadwiga went to Poland for her coronation, her mother Elizabeth and her sister Mary faced a terrifying situation. They rapidly lost ground in Hungary when a powerful enemy, Charles III of Naples, attempted to take it for his own. Elizabeth knew she had to do something extreme or lose her territory forever. She had Charles murdered, thinking this would mean victory. Tragically, she was so, so wrong. 

]]> 11. Heartbreaking News Just three years after Jadwiga went to Poland for her coronation, she received utterly heartbreaking news. Her mother died, and not just that, she died a truly horrible death. After Elizabeth had Charles murdered, his furious allies captured her and her daughter Mary. When the enemy forces heard that Mary’s husband, Sigismund, was approaching with an army to save them, they did the unthinkable. They strangled Elizabeth to death before Mary’s eyes.

]]> 12. I Can Never Remember Her Birthday! We’re not actually sure when Jadwiga was born, but historians have narrowed it down to somewhere between October 3, 1373, and February 18, 1374.

]]> 13. Dear Old Dad Jadwiga’s family drama was barely confined to her cut-throat mother. Her father was Louis the Great, the King of Hungary. But one country wasn't enough for Louis: He also became the King of Poland when his uncle tragically died without a son. When Louis took the throne,  he was determined to make his uncle and his people proud. He led fierce military campaigns to restore Hungary's glory. After decades of defeat against chilling enemies like the Golden Horde, Louis became Hungary's most powerful and ruthless monarch.

]]> 14. Ill-Fated Sister Jadwiga’s older sister Mary would survive her imprisonment thanks to the rescue by her husband, Sigismund. She would rule Hungary as its queen for nearly ten years, beginning in 1387.

]]> 15. Dark Day In 1395, Mary was out riding in a forest when her world came crumbling down around her. Her horse tripped and threw her to the ground. Mary was terribly injured, but her mind wasn't on her own pain: it was on her unborn baby. Mary was pregnant at the time, and the horse's throw made her go into premature labor. While Mary managed to give birth, she died of her injuries soon after. Tragically, her son perished as well.

]]> 16. For Education One of Jadwiga’s most lasting achievements as Queen was bringing education to her people. The monarch restored the esteemed University of Krakow. After falling into disrepair, Jadwiga used her powers of persuasion to get Pope Boniface IX to sanction a new faculty. She even made sure to put her money where her mouth was, personally buying property for the new school. If only this was where the story ended.

]]> 17. Straight A Tragically, Jadwiga didn’t live to see her crowning glory. She died before the university started up again, but even in death, she made sure to take care of her brain child. In her heartbreaking will, she asked that her jewelry be sold with proceeds funding the university that was so near to her heart. Because of Jadwiga's generosity, the institution is still open today.

]]> 18. King in Name When Jadwiga and Mary were crowned the rulers of Poland and Hungary, respectively, they weren’t actually crowned as queens. Instead, they were both crowned “king” of their respective kingdoms. This fancy title hid a dark secret: the girls were crowned "King" so that their spouses couldn't seize power from them after marriage. Sadly, such intimate betrayals weren't uncommon in European royalty.

]]> 19. Wasn’t She Named After an Owl? Jadwiga was named after her ancestor Saint Hedwig of Silesia. While Hedwig may have died in a monastery, her life was full of drama. She got married at 12 years old, then risked her life to save her husband from a rival duke. After her husband died, poor Hedwig was dealt another heartbreaking blow as she watched her only son die.

]]> 20. Hail! All the strife that was brought about with the death of Jadwiga’s father ended when the young girl-king was finally brought to Poland. She was crowned on October 16, 1384.

]]> 21. A Polish Lyanna Mormont? Given how young Jadwiga was when she began her reign over Poland, historical records disagree over how many decisions made were actually her own. Most sources insist that Jadwiga depended on her advisors for everything, but one historian suggests otherwise. Oscar Halecki says that Jadwiga was wise beyond her years, and quickly adapted to ruling from a very young age.

]]> 22. A Bad In-Law Relationship With the death of her sister, Mary, Jadwiga made a claim on the throne of Hungary, since she claimed to be Mary’s heir by blood. However, Mary’s husband, Sigismund, refused to give up his own crown to Jadwiga. The relationship between Jadwiga and her power-hungry brother-in-law would, er, not improve.

]]> 23. Talk About an Awkward Thanksgiving Sigismund keeping Poland looks like chump change when you compare it to what he did next. Jadwiga's brother-in-law quickly dealt her another profoundly ruthless betrayal. next to his most ruthless betrayal. Jadwiga was shocked to learn that he was plotting against her family with the Teutonic Knights. It turned out that Sigismund didn't want to keep Poland for himself. He wanted to divide it up and reap the profits.

 

]]> 24. What a Great Guy  And that's not even the worst part. Jadwiga learned that Sigismund was scheming to ravage Poland long before Mary's untimely death. While it would take too long to sum up all the backstabbing that went on while Jadwiga tried to resolve the conflict with the Teutonic Knights, in the end, the Queen conquered. A peace treaty was finally signed in 1398.

]]> 25. The Call Is Coming From Inside Your Marriage One of the first conflicts that Jadwiga had to deal with was her own fiancé, William. The Polish nobles weren't exactly happy with the idea that a teenage Austrian would be their queen's significant other. Instead, they offered their own contender: Jogaila of Lithuania. As an enthusiastic pagan, Jogaila was a controversial choice, to put it lightly. The fact that the highly Christian Poles chose him tells you a lot about how much they hated the idea of William.

]]> 26. Battle for the Bride Two men enter the marriage arena. One man leaves with a bride. Jogaila of Lithuania sent elaborate envoys to Jadwiga in Poland and her mother in Hungary to get them to choose him. Meanwhile, William and his father, Duke Leopold III of Austria, traveled east to plead their case with Elizabeth and Jadwiga. Historians argue over exactly what happened, but we do know that someone sent William away from Krakow before he could marry Jadwiga. Looks like Jogaila won this time.

]]> 27. Pass the Tissues The story of Jadwiga's marriage to Jogaila is shrouded in mystery. One tragic version of events says that William managed to sneak into Jadwiga's bedchamber to declare his love. When Polish noblemen realized what William had done, they chasted him out of the castle. A tearful Jadwiga tried to run after him, but was restrained by the nobles.

]]> 28. I’m Too Old for This One person who could have been a dangerous enemy of Jadwiga during her lifetime was her great-uncle, Wladyslaw. Known as Wladyslaw the White, he challenged Jadwiga’s father for the kingship of Poland. But by the time Louis died, Wladyslaw had undergone a shocking change of heart. The once-brutal challenger took monastic vows and lived as a humble monk. Even when Louis’ enemies used a doctrinal loophole to release Wladyslaw from his vows, he refused to leave his home within the monastery.

]]> 29. Not the Happiest Wedding Ever Jadwiga married Jogaila of Lithuania on February 18, 1386. Under all the pomp and circumstance, the ceremony hid a dark truth: The groom was 35 while the bride was just 12. As part of the marriage agreement, Jogaila promised to convert himself and his followers to Catholicism, and took the new name Wladyslaw-Jogaila.

Jogaila also promised a fortune of 200,000 florins to compensate William for the broken engagement. The heartbroken William refused the payment.

]]> 30. Is “Mantle” an Old Name for CPR? Jadwiga wasn't just a queen. She was also a canonized saint. A legend states that when Jadwiga attended a Corpus Christi Day procession, she saw the young son of a coppersmith fall into a nearby river and drown. However, when Jadwiga threw her mantle over the boy, he came back to life. Let's see another queen pull that!

]]> 31. From One Holiness to Another On June 8, 1979, Jadwiga’s sarcophagus was visited by Pope John Paul II, the first Polish Pope in the history of the Catholic Church. John Paul led a prayer at her sarcophagus in honor of the deceased queen and was also responsible for the process which led to her canonization in 1997.

]]> 32. Love Triangle Shortly after all the marital paperwork between Jadwiga and her new husband was settled, the couple was plunged into catastrophe. Jogaila's home country of Lithuania was invaded by Teutonic Knights. Three guesses who they supported? Jadwiga's rejected suitor, young William of Austria. The Knights began a vicious propaganda war to support William and discredit Jogaila.

]]> 33. For the People During her reign, Jadwiga became well known for her humanitarian and philanthropic actions. Hospitals, churches, and schools all received her support and blessings, whether they were already established or whether they were built during Jadwiga’s reign. She also translated religious texts into Polish for the first time, allowing regular people to read their religious books and sing their hymns in their own language.

]]> 34. Jadwiga’s Foot If you travel to the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Krakow, you'll see a footprint embedded in the floor of the church. According to legend, that footprint belongs to Jadwiga. One day, she was approached by a poor stonemason who begged for help from his queen. Jadwiga took some jewelry from her foot and gifted it to the man.

This act of charity was said to have caused her foot to be imprinted into the dry plaster of the floor. Years later, this was one of the miracles that helped Jadwiga become a saint.

]]> 35. Jadwiga’s Cross Jadwiga was known to frequently pray before a large black crucifix at Wawel Cathedral. Allegedly, the figure of Christ on this crucifix spoke to her during one of her regular prayers. The crucifix has since become known as Saint Jadwiga’s Cross.

]]> 36. It’s a Girl! Like her parents before her, Jadwiga had a terrible time when it came to motherhood. She and her husband spent years as a childless couple despite any and all efforts. Historians report that this put a severe strain on their relationship. Finally, in either 1398 or 1399, Jadwiga was with child. Her daughter, Elizabeth Bonaficia, was born on June 22, 1399.

]]> 37. The Queen is Dead Sadly, history has a way of repeating itself. Poor Jadwiga would live out her sister Mary's awful fate.  Jadwiga's baby Elizabeth Bonaficia passed away three weeks after being born. Jadwiga would follow her tiny daughter four days later. Though Jadwiga died at just 25 years old, she had seen enough pain to fill dozens of lifetimes.

]]> 38. Rest in Peace On August 24, 1399, Jadwiga and her infant daughter were laid to rest together in Wawel Cathedral, the place where Jadwiga had gone so often in life. They have been entombed there ever since.

]]> 39. From the Ashes Rises the Phoenix After Jadwiga’s death, her husband Jogaila’s position in Poland got very complicated. Before she passed away, Jadwiga recommended that he marry her distant relation, Anna of Cilli. Jogaila heeded his wife's wise words, marring Anna after a proper amount of time had passed since Jadwiga’s death. Wladyslaw-Jogaila would live another 35 years and begin what is often referred to as Poland’s Golden Age.

]]> 40. Watch the Queen Conquer Jadwiga has her mother to thank for the Polish throne. Elizabeth of Bosnia was a loving parent, but in politics, she was cut-throat and utterly ruthless. After the death of Jadwiga’s father, Elizabeth tried her best to make things work, but just couldn't keep Poland and Hungary united. Instead, she made Jadwiga the "King" of Poland while her older sister, Mary, became "King" of Hungary.

]]> 41. Preparation? After baby Jadwiga was engaged to William of Austria while still in diapers, the infant couple took things to the next level. They took part in a “provisional marriage” when Jadwiga was just a toddler and William was just a kid in 1378. While it was basically a temporary confirmation that she and William were a couple-to-be, the ceremony had a chilling final act. Jadwiga was separated from her family and shipped off to spend two years of her life in Vienna.

]]> 42. Maybe They Were Poker Buddies? When archaeologists uncovered the casket of Saint Simeon in the Croatian city of Zadar, they gasped. Who should they see engraved on the ornate sarcophagus, but Queen Jadwiga and her sisters? This detail did more than surprise them: The sad story of Catherine's death also helped them date the casket. After all, the three girls only got to spend a small amount of time together before Catherine was snatched away by death.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=31020 <![CDATA[From her absolutely scandalous marriage to her disastrous exile, Princess Helen led one of the most tragic and dramatic lives in history.]]> 2026-08-11T10:30:00+00:00 2026-08-10T20:41:10+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-princess-helen Rebecca Wong People The Royal Rebel If you’re looking for a real-life superhero, look no further than Princess Helen, AKA Helen of Greece and Denmark. Helen lived through some of the most horrific times in human history but she always acted selflessly, even at the risk of her own life. A survivor of WWI and WWII, and exiled several times over, Helen’s life was both extraordinary and harrowing.

]]> 1. She Started Out Strong The third out of six royal children, Princess Helen was born on May 3, 1896, in Athens, Greece. Helen spent her childhood getting a good education and spending time with her favorite brother, Alexander. Honestly, as far as female royals go, Helen got a pretty good hand at birth. She was born late enough in history that popping out an endless parade of babies wasn’t her duty, and she wasn’t treated like property. Unfortunately, that’s probably the only bit of luck that life decided to grace her with.

]]> 2. Tragedy Struck Her Early When Princess Helen turned 17, tragedy rocked her quiet life in Athens. Greece suffered a series of unpopular and failed wars, and many put the blame on Helen’s grandfather and ruling monarch, King George I. Tensions eventually snapped, leading to the horrific assassination of Helen’s grandfather on March 18, 1913. Just like that, her father became the new ruling monarch, and Helen became Greece’s new Crown Princess. For Helen, life as a royal was about to get harder.

]]> 3. She Almost Lost Her Father WWI swept over Europe and Helen’s family like an unstoppable tidal wave. At the time, Helen’s father fought to maintain Greece’s position of neutrality, but being the German Emperor’s brother-in-law made it impossible. This eventually threw Greece into chaos, and, as you might imagine, the stress of it all caused Helen’s father to become dangerously ill.

What happened next changed Helen’s perspective on the world forever.

]]> 4. She Witnessed A Miracle With Helen’s father so ill, the royal family decided to send a ship to the Greek island of Tinos to seek the icon of the Virgin and Child, which apparently healed the sick. This led to a series of unbelievable miracles that rocked Helen’s world. Not only did they actually find the icon, but after kissing it, Helen’s father actually partially recovered! Upon witnessing this miracle, Helen “developed a deep religiosity.”

It carried her through some of her darkest days, of which there would be many.

]]> 5. Her Home Came Under Attack When her father recovered, he continued to defend Greece’s right to stay neutral, which royally angered just about everyone on all sides of the conflict. This eventually led to utter catastrophe. The French fleet bombarded Helen’s home, the Royal Palace, on December 1, 1916. As fire and brimstone rained down around her head, no one would’ve blamed Helen for hiding in fear until everything stopped.

However, Helen wasn’t the cowardly type. Instead, Helen did something that nearly ended her life then and there.

]]> 6. She Almost Lost Her Life You see, Princess Helen loved her father. Even with the Palace literally under siege, she had only one thought running through her head: she needed to protect him. So, the young girl got up and ran through the garden of the Royal Palace through a hail of gunfire in an attempt to seek him out. The only thing that saved her was the royal guard, who spotted Helen sprinting through the garden and brought her to safety.

Things eventually calmed down, and Helen found her father and the rest of her family, safe and sound. Tragically, the reunion was short-lived.

]]> 7. Her Family Was Blackmailed Everything came crashing down on June 10, 1917. The Allies threatened to invade the Greek port of Piraeus if Princess Helen and the royal family didn’t make themselves scarce—and quickly. With no other choice, Helen’s family went into exile, and Helen left the only home she’d ever known. And as if it wasn’t enough for Helen to have to lose her home, another tragedy made things about a thousand times worse for the young girl.

]]> 8. She Lost Her Brother Helen’s favorite brother, Alexander, had to stay behind. You see, the Allies weren’t quite ready to establish a people’s republic in Greece, so they needed a legitimate member of the royal family to take the throne. This person needed to be a pliable puppet ruler, and they chose Helen’s brother. As Helen and the rest of the family fled, Alexander became Greece’s new king—and heartbreakingly, Helen never saw her brother, ever again.

]]> 9. Her People Loved Her On June 11, 1917, Princess Helen and the rest of the royal family, sans Alexander, snuck out of the palace—but they did so for a surprising reason. People loyal to the royal family had taken up guard around the palace, refusing to let them leave. Unfortunately, staying wasn’t an option, so the family evaded the mob and soon arrived in Switzerland. There, Helen got another small, hopeful sign that maybe things were about to get better.

]]> 10. She Lived In Exile As it turns out, Helen’s immediate family weren’t the only ones to leave Greece. In a touching display of solidarity, almost everyone in the entire royal family joined Helen in Switzerland, in staunch opposition to the new leadership set up in Greece. Despite the family’s rocky financial situation and her father’s ailing health, being surrounded by her family must’ve given Helen a sense of hope that kept her going.

After a few years, however, Helen met someone that turned her life completely upside-down.

]]> 11. She Met With Disaster In 1920, Helen’s oldest brother, George, got Princess Elisabeth of Romania’s hand in marriage. Extremely happy with the match, Elisabeth’s mother invited George, along with Helen, to visit them in Bucharest, the Romanian capital. Helen accepted the invitation, arriving in early October. A couple of days into her stay, she met their Crown Prince, Carol. The meeting was a disastrous one.

]]> 12. They Were Complete Opposites Princess Helen and Crown Prince Carol couldn’t be any more different if they tried. Helen was every inch the aristocratic princess: kind, graceful, beautiful, and intelligent. Carol liked to party—and bed girls—like a wild animal. Their differences, along with the Queen of Romania’s obvious attempts to play matchmaker, made their initial relationship a frosty one.

Like many things in Helen’s life, however, a tragedy caused their relationship to take an unexpected turn.

]]> 13. Their Love Story Began On October 25, 1920, a telegram bearing devastating news arrived for Princess Helen. Her brother, Alexander, alone in Greece, had lost his life to sepsis. In the face of this tragedy, Helen decided to return to Switzerland. Moved by her sorrow, Carol decided to accompany Helen. On the train ride back, Helen and Carol found out several things about each other that completely changed how they saw one another.

]]> 14. They Fell For Each Other Helen and Carol poured their hearts out to each other. Helen revealed to Carol just how deeply her brother’s passing grieved her, and how Greece no longer felt like home without her brother—her best friend—at her side. Carol told her about a commoner woman named Zizi Lambrino who captured his heart, but who he couldn’t stay with due to their differences in status. Slowly but surely, as the two grew to know each other, they began to fall in love—but not everyone was happy for Helen.

]]> 15. Her Parents Hated Her Fiancé When they arrived in Switzerland, Carol proposed to Helen. Every fiber of Helen’s being wanted to accept Carol’s proposal, but her parents completely disapproved. Carol’s infamous playboy reputation preceded him, and her parents didn’t want him to break Helen’s heart. Helen, however, wouldn’t change her mind. Despite her family’s misgivings, they announced their engagement in November 1920, and for a while, things for Helen started to look up.

]]> 16. She Returned From Exile On November 14, 1920, supporters of Helen’s family won the election against those in power, allowing Helen and her family to return as sovereigns. Helen returned with her new fiancé, taking back her rightful place as Crown Princess. For two months, Helen and Carol explored her homeland, discovering its ancient ruins and seeing the sights of inner Greece. And for Helen, more joy was just around the corner.

]]> 17. She Married Her Prince In a move that must’ve felt oh-so-sweet to Helen, she and Carol married in Athens on March 10, 1921, from where she was once exiled. On top of getting married in the place she called home, Helen also was the first Greek Princess to marry in Athens, and wore a Greek key tiara to commemorate the event. After a short honeymoon, the two returned to Romania, where her life as a Romanian royal began.

]]> 18. Her Married Life Seemed Perfect The two took up residence in chalet Foișor, located just outside of Peleș Castle in the small town of Sinaia. For a while, all seemed well between Helen and her husband. While her husband performed his official duties, Helen used her clout as a royal to become deeply involved in social work and even founded a nursing school in Romania’s capital. However, things started to fall apart, and they fell apart quickly.

]]> 19. Childbirth Almost Ended Her You see, when Helen and Carol returned to Romania, Helen was already pregnant with their son. The pregnancy was a terrible one for Helen, and the birth itself required surgery. This greatly weakened Helen. The doctors forbade her from ever having another child, meaning this baby boy, who she named Michael, would be her only child.

And as if that wasn’t bad enough already, things with her family back in Greece were about to take a nasty turn.

]]> 20. Her Husband Was Unfaithful Another period of unrest in Greece caused her father’s grip on the throne to become tenuous once again. Worried about her father, Helen left to visit him in January of 1922. Tragically for Helen, Carol took this brief period of separation to slip back into his old playboy ways. When Helen returned to Romania, she tolerated his infidelity, for the time being. After all, she had bigger things to worry about.

]]> 21. Her Family Lost Everything In September 1922, a coup ripped the crown away from Helen’s father, forcing him and Helen’s mother into exile in Italy. Devastated by her family’s tragedy, Helen left Romania and stayed with her parents. Things kept getting worse, though. Helen’s father, whose health rapidly declined, passed on in January 1923. Losing her father absolutely broke Helen’s heart, and she was about to lose more than that...

]]> 22. Her Husband Grew Suspicious Helen and Carol’s relationship were already on the rocks—but it was nothing compared to what came next. Several things ended the relationship between them for good. Helen, understandably, wasn’t really in the mood to be a loving partner in the bedroom. Carol, however, was hurt by her rejection and began suspecting her of having an affair.

Their inability to reconcile with each other became too much, and the two began to drift apart. When Carol met a new love, it became the final blow.

]]> 23. She Was Blamed For Everything In the summer of 1924, Carol met and fell in love with a woman named Elena “Magda” Lupescu. Eventually, Carol renounced his right to the throne in order to live out his life with Lupescu, which devastated Helen. To make things even worse, her mother-in-law thought Helen was partially to blame for Carol’s decision to leave. Helen weathered her mother-in-law’s accusations and did everything she could to prove her wrong.

]]> 24. She Tried To Save Her Marriage Despite everything, Helen must’ve believed that she and her husband could turn things around. She wrote to Carol, begging him to return. When that didn’t work, she tried to convince the Romanian politicians to not remove Carol from the line of succession. This didn’t work—if anything, it made the government move things along even more quickly.

Soon, they made her son, Michael, the new heir apparent, and gave Helen the title of Princess of Romania. That title, sadly, turned out to be an empty one.

]]> 25. She Had No Power In July 1927, the King of Romania lost his battle with cancer, meaning Helen’s son, at just five years old, ascended to the throne. Until her son came of age, a Regency Council, headed by Helen’s brother-in-law, led the country. However, Helen was not a part of the Regency Council and held no political power in Romania. She was effectively reduced to being a figurehead, and things were about to get worse.

]]> 26. She Gave Up On Him Helen continued to try and convince Carol to return, but her efforts were in vain. Her futile attempts, along with the dawning realization that Carol’s return put her son’s position as heir in jeopardy, caused her attitude towards him to slowly change. Helen eventually requested a divorce from Carol herself, which he eagerly agreed to.

The two officially separated on July 21, 1928. That, however, wasn’t the end of things between her and her now ex-husband.

]]> 27. Her Husband Returned Despite Carol renouncing the throne, he still had many supporters that wanted to see him take his rightful place as Romania’s ruler. This, along with her mother-in-law’s increasing unhappiness with Helen, put a dark cloud over Helen’s life with her son. In an act of betrayal, Helen’s mother-in-law began orchestrating her son’s return as king, eventually succeeding.

In June 1930, Carol returned to Bucharest to cheers and celebration. Helen was the only one not celebrating.

]]> 28. She Did Anything For Her Son In order to meet with his son, Carol had to go through Helen, and so, he requested an audience with the Princess. Her reaction was surprising. Helen went through with the meeting with about as much enthusiasm as someone finding a slug in their shoe, but, for her son’s sake, she extended her friendship to her ex-husband.

She definitely wasn’t about to forgive him for all that he put her through, but other powers at play certainly did all they could to convince her otherwise.

]]> 29. She Pretended To Be Happy In the weeks following their meeting, Romanian politicians and church officials pressured Helen to resume her life with Carol and to accept the crown alongside him. Helen reluctantly agreed but demanded a separate residence from him. For a while, the two kept up appearances by showing up to events together in public and occasionally taking their meals together.

Helen could almost pretend they were a happy family, but Carol’s shenanigans quickly brought Helen back to reality.

]]> 30. She Couldn’t Be Queen In August of 1930, the Romanian government requested Carol to sign a decree that confirmed Helen as Her Majesty, the Queen of Romania. In an incredibly petty move, Carol struck out the title, replacing it with Her Majesty Helen, refusing to give her the title of Queen of Romania. This infuriated Helen and postponed the coronation. Their strained relationship strained even further, and when Carol’s lover, Lupescu, arrived in Romania, everything went completely sideways for Helen.

]]> 31. She Was Exiled (Again) First, Carol dealt her a heartbreaking act of betrayal. He effectively took her son away from her, only allowing her to see him in exchange for her political silence. Eventually though, he just decided to exile her outright, forcing her to consent to a separation agreement in October 1931. He kept Helen isolated, away from anyone able to lend her a hand. This was a humiliating blow for Helen, but she wasn’t about to go down without a fight.

]]> 32. She Fought Back After a period of negotiations, Helen wrangled a significant amount of money from Carol, got the right to spend four months per year in Romania, and the right to see her son abroad two months per year. It was likely more than what Carol planned to give to Helen, and for Helen, it gave her a small win over her ex-husband.

In November 1931, Helen left for Germany, but the distance between them didn’t make things easier for Helen in the slightest.

]]> 33. She Took Revenge In September 1932, Helen took an opportunity to get a little payback. Carol made two very odd demands of Helen in return for allowing her to receive her son for visits: Michael could not wear shorts in public, and Helen could not be in photographs with her son. Helen made a very public statement by allowing both to happen at the same time during one of Michael’s visits, royally angering Carol. This was exactly what Helen wanted, and she used his anger to begin a violent press campaign against him.

]]> 34. She Angered Her Allies Helen granted an interview with The Daily Mail, hoping to sway public opinion in her favor. To further enrage Carol, Helen returned to Bucharest with Michael and threatened him with legal action. She even tried to get both the Romanian government and Princess Elisabeth involved. Neither party helped much, and in fact, Elisabeth was so scandalized by the interview in The Daily Mail that the two got into a fistfight over it!

This was the last straw for Carol—he banished her from Romania, permanently. This seemed like a loss on the surface, but being banished ended up working out surprisingly well for Helen.

]]> 35. She Was Bribed Now permanently living in Italy, Helen found a sense of stability and still got to see her son for two months out of the year. Unfortunately, the arrival of WWII quickly dashed her dreams of a tranquil life. Germany forced Carol to abdicate the throne, and Helen’s 18-year-old son became King under the watchful eye of the dictator Ion Antonescu.

Antonescu, in an attempt to cozy up to Michael, gave Helen the title Queen Mother of Romania on September 8, 1940, and persuaded her to return to Bucharest. With some trepidation, Helen made the return to Romania but quickly found out that not all was well.

]]> 36. She Put Her Life In Danger Helen arrived in Romania on September 14, 1940, but soon learned that Antonescu had no plans to let her do as she pleased. He controlled her and her son with an iron grip, reducing them to carrying out nothing more than ceremonial duties. Helen would not let this stand though and began to guide her son through this dangerous game of politics.

Helen outwardly supported the regime while undermining their efforts—and this put her in grave danger.

]]> 37. She Saved Others At A Cost During this period of time, Helen pulled off a series of risky political maneuvers—but one was so dangerous, it’s unforgettable. Yup, that’s right, our girl Helen helped protect Jewish citizens during WWII. She personally spoke to Antonescu to halt their deportation, using her political connections to support her appeal.

Eventually, she managed to force Antonescu to emancipate portions of the Jewish population. Although this was a great victory for Helen, it painted a giant target on her back.

]]> 38. She Was Accused Of Treason The relationship between Helen and Antonescu continued to get worse. Helen openly disapproved of Antonescu’s use of the Romanian army, further breaking things down between the two. When Michael organized a resistance against Antonescu, it was the last straw, and it triggered Antonescu’s wrath. He accused Helen of whispering plans for treason into her son’s ear and pulled out the ultimate threat.

]]> 39. She Overthrew A Dictator Antonescu let Helen know, in no uncertain terms, that he would abolish the monarchy if any more treasonous plots cropped up. Despite the threat, Helen and Michael did not back down, and on August 23, 1944, Michael overthrew Antonescu in a royal coup. Things after the coup moved very quickly for Helen. For their safety, Helen and Michael moved in with Princess Elisabeth, despite their tense relationship. Although they won back the crown, the action was just getting started.

]]> 40. She Protected Her Son Helen spent the next several years watching out for attempts on her son’s life. Romania was in political turmoil, and between trying to establish a new government, acts of sabotage all over the country, and the powerful Soviet Union breathing down their necks, Helen had her hands full and then some. Eventually, her son decided that the country needed to establish a democratically elected government.

This greatly displeased the Soviet Union. Despite the danger, Helen supported her son every step of the way.

]]> 41. She Went On Strike In response to the Soviet Union’s disapproval, Helen and Michael essentially went on strike, locking themselves in Elisabeta Palace for six weeks. Their decision left them in an incredibly tough position. In an act that shocked Helen, Western democratic countries refused to support them, and even Princess Elisabeth voiced her support for the communist officials in Romania.

Their positions as sovereign became even more precarious, and the communist officials did not let them forget it.

]]> 42. They Tried To Break Her Throughout the year 1946, the new government gained more and more power, while Helen remained stuck in the palace, which was slowly falling apart. Helen and Michael had no access to running water three hours every day, and didn’t even have electricity most of the time—unsurprisingly, the new government was in no hurry to help.

Eventually, WWII wound down to an end, but peacetime did not turn Helen’s fortunes around. If anything, things somehow got worse.

]]> 43. She Lost It All After the signing of the Paris Peace Treaties on February 10, 1947, Helen and Michael became completely deprived of any royal duties at all. Eventually, an invitation to the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II of England and Prince Philip gave Helen an excuse to travel abroad and escape Romania, even if just for a little while.

She took the time to visit family and even had the opportunity to watch her son fall in love with Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma. Eventually, and despite multiple warnings not to do so, Helen and Michael returned home—and they found themselves far from welcomed.

]]> 44. She Tried To Hang On To Power The new government in Romania had secretly hoped for Helen and Michael to stay abroad, allowing them to abolish the monarchy without fuss. Their return, however, forced the new government to confront the two directly, and they demanded that Michael abdicate. Michael refused, stating that the people should be able to vote upon a decision like this.

Helen and Michael, however, underestimated how desperate the new government was, and did not expect their ominous and chilling threat.

]]> 45. They Threatened Her The new Romanian government presented them with an absolutely disturbing choice. If Michael did not abdicate, they would execute 1,000 student prisoners who disagreed with the new government, without mercy. This piece of blackmail worked. Michael abdicated, forcing Helen and Michael into exile. But because life had more for Helen, it continued to throw her one curveball after the other.

]]> 46. She Barely Scraped By Helen settled with her son in Switzerland, where she had her hands full making sure they had enough money to make ends meet. The Communist Party kicked them out of Romania with no time to take anything with them, so Helen had to scramble for money. She sold off foreign assets when she could, which helped them get by…barely To make things worse, a specter of her past came back to haunt her: her ex-husband.

]]> 47. Her Ex-Husband Returned Carol, apparently hiding in the shadows this entire time, came out of the woodwork to harass Helen, accusing him of keeping Michael away from him. This time, however, Helen didn’t have to face Carol alone. In a shocking twist, Michael finally made one thing clear to Carol: he didn’t want to play nice with the man who openly, and repeatedly, humiliated his mom.

Michael had decided that he didn’t want to see Carol ever again. It was, finally, a victory for Helen, and more small victories were to come.

]]> 48. She Smashed Social Norms The marriage between Helen’s son and Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma was rife with issues, the biggest being their religion. Helen’s son was an Orthodox Catholic, while Anne was Roman Catholic. However, Helen wasn’t about to let religion stand in the way of her son’s happiness, and managed to arrange a wedding between the two in Athens, despite protests from Anne’s family and the Romanian government. Even considering everything else Helen managed to pull off, this was probably one of her proudest moments.

]]> 49. She Fell In Love Once More Towards the end of her life, Helen watched her family grow, now without royal titles or duties. Despite her financial difficulties, she managed to travel frequently to visit family and even began a romantic relationship with King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden. Although the two shared a love of arts, plants, and each other, Helen refused to marry him when Gustaf asked.

Whatever her reasons were, Helen still lived a fulfilling life, right up to when the end loomed near.

]]> 50. She Was A Hero In 1979, Helen became too old to live alone and moved to Lausanne, Switzerland to be near Michael and Anne. One year later, on November 28, 1982, Helen passed at the age of 86. Having lived in relative obscurity, her burial was a quiet one. Eleven years later, for her efforts to save the Jewish population in WWII, the State of Israel awarded Helen of Greece and Denmark, the Queen Mother of Romania, the title of “Righteous Among the Nations.”

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=62243 <![CDATA[Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI thought his Pragmatic Sanction would save his dynasty—instead, it became the spark for one of Europe’s worst wars.]]> 2026-08-11T10:55:00+00:00 2026-08-10T12:37:03+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-charles-vi-holy-roman-emperor Brendan Da Costa People A Messy Succession Charles VI was like many other , except for one key difference: succession crises seemed to follow him everywhere. From conflicts over his own ascension to the controversy surrounding his heirs, the messy monarch never made things easy for the royal powers of Europe.

]]> 1. He Was Born Royal Carolus Franciscus Josephus Wenceslaus Balthasar Johannes Antonius Ignatius, better and more easily known as Charles VI, was born in Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, on October 1, 1685. With a name as long as his, it was clear that his birth set Charles up for life: the infant Archduke was the second son of Emperor Leopold I and the ruler’s third wife, Princess Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg. Coming from such a powerful family, Charles eyed rule from a young age.

]]> 2. He Took A Shot Being a second son, Charles was not the first in line to succeed his father. The young Archduke yearned to sit upon a throne, however, and in 1700, he saw an opportunity. Following the untimely demise of his cousin, King Charles II of Spain, who had no male heirs, Charles VI decided he was as good a person as any to succeed the monarch, both men being members of the House of Habsburg. He boldly declared himself King of Spain, which caused immediate and long-lasting chaos.

]]> 3. He Launched A Long One Charles’ entitled actions immediately launched a conflict within Spain over the Spanish Succession, and it wasn’t a brief affair. The conflict lasted almost 14 years, during which French claimant Philip, Duke of Anjou (the grandson of the King of France), sought to take the late King Charles II’s throne from the newly declared Charles VI. The Austrian King had his backers, however.

]]> 4. He Had Support Despite his out-of-the-blue claim, Charles VI’s declaration as King had its powerful supporters in Europe. The list of backers included the Kingdoms of England, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal, most of Germany, the Netherlands, and the majority of the Holy Roman Empire, all of whom endorsed Charles’ claim, making him a strong candidate. Such a strong shore of support inspired him to move his stuff in.

]]> 5. He Moved To Spain Though it took him a while, Charles eventually moved to Spain in 1705 to sit his throne. He would stay there for the next six years where, confusingly, he became known as Charles III (for the sake of clarity, this article will continue to refer to him by his later title of Charles VI). Because of the ongoing conflict in Spain, however, Charles was only really able to exercise his rule over the Principality of Catalonia. He also needed to find someone to sit next to him.

]]> 6. His Family Played Matchmaker To secure the family’s hold on the region, Charles’ emperor father and his advisors undertook the task of arranging a marriage for the new Spanish King. Charles’ own interest in marrying a woman was likely limited solely to the political (more on that below), and from a short list of potentially useful alliances, his matchmakers’ attention fell on one clear frontrunner.

]]> 7. He Got Hitched Charles’ family ultimately landed on Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the eldest child of a powerful German duke. With arrangements hastily made, the two were married in 1708, giving Spain a new Queen to go along with its fresh King. At just 23 years old, Charles had done well for himself.

]]> 8. His Wife Was A Smoke Show Charles was well ahead of the curve as a second son. Not only was he now a king, but he had secured a marriage that would shore up his power in the region. He punched above his weight in the looks department, too: her contemporaries said that the very-plain Charles’ new wife, Elisabeth, was strikingly beautiful. But just as Charles started getting comfortable in Catalonia, an unexpected loss in the family pulled him back home.

]]> 9. He Jumped The Queue Despite his heavy hand in arranging the marriage, Charles’ father did not actually live to attend his son’s wedding. Emperor Leopold I passed in 1705, paving the way for the ascension of Charles’ brother, Joseph I. But while Leopold’s reign had been among the longest of any Habsburg’s, Joseph would not be so lucky; the new Emperor perished unexpectedly in 1711, changing Charles’ life forever. He quickly rushed back to Vienna to make an unexpected ascension.

]]> 10. He Became The Top Dog At the time of his brother’s passing, Charles was next in line to succeed the top spot. Upon his return to Vienna in 1711, the King of Spain now ascended to become Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, and ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. It was a dizzying few days for the new emperor, and things hardly calmed down after he took his seat.

]]> 11. He Rocked The Boat It did not thrill some to hear of Charles’ ascension to Holy Roman Emperor. The Kingdom of Great Britain, in particular, was nervous about the prospect of Austria and Spain in personal union (i.e. ruled by the same monarch) and withdrew their support for the Austrian coalition, leading to yet another conflict breaking out in Europe. Luckily, this one didn’t last as long.

]]> 12. He Compromised By 1713, the resulting conflict arising from Charles’ ascension resulted in three different treaties that shifted the balance of power in Europe. They were the Treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt, and Baden. This last one, in particular, came with both costs and gains for Charles.

]]> 13. He Lost A Throne The Treaty of Baden, ratified in 1713, came with strict conditions for Emperor Charles VI. Most devastatingly of all for him was the secession of the Spanish throne to newly recognized King Philip of Spain.

But while he had to give up his crown, Charles received vast swaths of former Spanish territory in return: the Kingdom of Naples, the Duchy of Milan, the Austrian Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Sardinia were all now ceded to the Austrian monarchy. Despite all these gains, however, Charles was sore at losing his first royal love.

]]> 14. He Missed His OG Kingdom The new emperor was reportedly extremely upset at losing dominion over Spain, having grown attached to the region during his reign there. To honor his time in Spain, Charles adopted ceremonial aspects and rituals of the staid Spanish Habsburg court, keeping the memory alive in Austria. He even dressed the part.

]]> 15. He Adopted An Old Fit As part of his ceremonial plagiarism, Charles also adopted, in his role as Holy Roman Emperor, the dress style of the Spanish monarch. This outfit included a black doublet and hose, black shoes, and scarlet stockings, leaving the emperor looking very dapper as he presided over his vastly expanded empire. With lands secured, Charles could turn his attention to future concerns.

]]> 16. He Was The Last Man Standing The loss of his brother in 1711 left the ascending Charles VI in a unique position: he was now the last male Habsburg heir in his direct line. This left the monarchy in an incredibly precarious position, ensuring a succession crisis was on the menu should something happen to the Emperor. With that in mind, Charles and his wife got to work.

]]> 17. He Had Some Kids Charles and Elisabeth, as all good royal couples do, set to work producing some heirs for the Habsburg throne. In total, the couple sired four children: a son, their first child, Archduke Leopold Johann (born 1716), and three daughters: Maria Theresa (1717), Maria Anna (1718), and Maria Amalia (1724). Tragically, however, not all of their offspring would see adulthood.

]]> 18. He Experienced Unimaginable Loss Devastatingly, only two of Charles’ children survived infancy. His youngest daughter, Maria Amalia, tragically perished at the age of six. And, most significantly for the Habsburg line, Charles’ eldest child, his son and heir Leopold Johann, only lived for about seven months. The only comfort in the face of this unthinkable tragedy came in the form of his two other kids.

]]> 19. His Daughters Made Names For Themselves Charles’ two surviving daughters grew up to become interesting figures in their own right. The younger Maria Anna became Governess of the Austrian Netherlands. His elder daughter, Maria Theresa, had a fascinating life too, detailed here. Despite their successes, however, neither solved the no-male-heirs conundrum, leading the Emperor to take legislative action.

]]> 20. He Secured His Daughters’ Position Habsburg possessions were subject to Salic law, meaning Habsburg women could not inherit in their own right. In anticipation of a male-line succession failure, Charles issued the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which abolished male-only succession within the monarchy’s realms. With the stroke of a pen, Charles had secured his daughters’ futures—and annoyed a lot of other royals in the process.

]]> 21. He Championed His Own With Charles’ position as the final male heir in the line, it looked certain that a woman would be the next Habsburg monarch following the Emperor’s eventual demise. Charles, however, wanted to make sure it was his direct line that continued. His late brother and predecessor, Joseph I, had also had only daughters, who should have ascended before Charles’ girls. The Emperor did not agree, however, even going so far as to renege on a promise.

]]> 22. He Broke A Pact While Charles’ father, Emperor Leopold I, was still alive, even he could see the upcoming succession crisis, given the serious drought of male Habsburgs. Before his departure for Spain, Charles’ father made both of his sons sign the Mutual Pact of Succession, ensuring the succession rights of Joseph’s daughters over Charles’. With Leopold and Joseph out of the picture, however, Charles reneged on this agreement. To do so, he would need some backup.

]]> 23. He Sought Support With the birth of his first daughter, Maria Theresa, Charles disinherited both of his nieces, ensuring that the succession following his demise would be anything but smooth. To shore up support for his daughter, Charles spent most of the rest of his reign appealing to other European powers for assistance in enforcing his Pragmatic Sanction. He was in a vulnerable position, and the other monarchies knew it.

]]> 24. He Was Disadvantaged The other European powers identified that Charles VI was not in the best negotiating position: in the grand scheme of things, it made little difference to them which Habsburg woman would eventually take over, and so they demanded significant terms from the desperate Emperor. Among these included Britain’s request that Austria close the Ostend Company, a demand that personally stung the Emperor.

]]> 25. He Closed Shop With the steady rise of capitalism in Europe in the 18th century, Charles hopped aboard the gravy train, founding the Ostend Company in 1722, a chartered trading organization that competed with British, Dutch, and French East India Companies. Desperate for his daughter’s succession, however, Charles reluctantly agreed to close the company in exchange for British support. The rest soon fell in line.

]]> 26. He Got His Backers Charles’ appeals were pretty successful (at least for a time), and the list of backers he accrued for his daughter’s claim was impressive. The states that recognized the sanction were Bavaria, Denmark-Norway, the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, the Dutch Republic, France, Great Britain, the Papal States, Prussia, Russia, Savoy-Sardinia, Saxony-Poland, Spain, and Venice. They decisively stacked the deck against Charles’ nieces, but that didn’t stop the young women from trying.

]]> 27. His Nieces Made Moves The foundations of Charles’ European support began trembling when his nieces both agreed to political marriages. One married a ruler in Saxony, the other a Bavarian noble, and this eventually led those rulers to refuse the bond of the Imperial Diet’s decision on succession. But while his nieces built their base of support, Charles expanded his foothold on the continent too.

]]> 28. He Conquered More Territory Charles VI significantly expanded the Habsburg monarchy during his reign, especially following the success of the Austro-Turkish conflict of 1716-1718. The Austrian victory saw the monarchy add the region of Banat to their territory in Hungary, as well as establishing direct Austrian rule over Serbia and Oltenia, all the way down the lower Danube. Even in compromises, Charles often came out on top.

]]> 29. He Made A Good Trade After the dispute with Turkey came the conflict of the Quadruple Alliance from 1718 to 1720. The Austrian victory in this conflict saw the establishment of the Treaty of the Hague, which resulted in Charles swapping Sardinia to the Duke of Savoy in exchange for the large (though defensively challenging) island of Sicily. Indeed, Charles made a lot of gains, but they presaged a significant loss.

]]> 30. His Support Crumbled Despite his success in shoring up European support for his daughter’s inheritance, Charles’ sanction did not hold everywhere. In total, five European monarchies eventually reneged on the agreement: France, Spain, Prussia, and the two monarchies into which his nieces had married, Bavaria and Saxony-Poland. There were varying reasons for these breakdowns, and some of them shook Europe to its core.

]]> 31. His Allies Turned Following the Treaty of the Hague, Europe enjoyed a period of relative peace. This all shattered in 1733, however, with the outbreak of conflict over the Polish Succession. In the dispute over the throne, Charles threw Austria’s support behind Stanisław Leszczyński.

France took the opposite side, supporting Augustus of Saxony. This proxy conflict between the two monarchies caused France to renege on their previous adherence to Charles’ sanction. Fearing the increasing loss of allies, the Emperor had to bring his daughter into the game.

]]> 32. He Offered His Offspring From her early childhood, Charles considered the potential marriage arrangement for his eldest daughter and heir, Maria Theresa. He first betrothed her to Léopold Clément of Lorraine, but the young man perished unexpectedly of smallpox. In the end, the Emperor settled on Léopold’s younger brother, Francis Stephen. Picking a suitable man was not something Charles limited to just his daughter.

]]> 33. He Slept Around Over the course of his life, Emperor Charles VI had numerous sexual encounters with other men at court. Among these included his Master of Horse, a German/Czech Prince of the House of Schwarzenberg, and a hunter’s boy. He favored one man above all others, however.

]]> 34. He Was In Love The love of Charles’ life was, reportedly, Michael Joseph, the Count of Althann. Althann was a groom of the bedchamber at court, and the Emperor gushed that the Count, whom he regularly slept with, was “my only heart, my comfort [...] my soul mate”. The two enjoyed one another’s company for 19 years until Althann’s untimely demise in 1722, which completely devastated the Emperor. He likely found comfort in his faith.

]]> 35. He Was Pious Charles VI was a devout Catholic his entire life, and he sought to rebuild the religion in Europe following the Reformation. Following the 1718 Treaty of Passarowitz, which saw regions liberated from the Ottoman Empire and incorporated into Habsburg territory, Charles supported the reestablishment of Catholic ecclesiastical structures within these newly conquered lands. He was less tolerant of other faiths, however.

]]> 36. He Limited Others Charles did not have nearly as much enthusiasm for other denominations of Christianity, and he heavily regulated the rights and liberties of other faiths within the empire. He softened somewhat later in life, however, granting old privileges to his Eastern Orthodox subjects. Perhaps he felt he was not long for this world and needed to make amends; he wasn’t far off.

]]> 37. He Went Hunting Throughout his life, Charles was an enthusiastic hunter and often took long excursions to engage in the pastime. In October 1740, he set out on a hunting trip across the Hungarian border. Conditions were treacherous: that month went on record as “the wettest and coldest October in memory”. Those around Charles tried to warn him.

]]> 38. He Ignored Advice The day Charles set out on his hunting trip was a cold one, with pouring rain. By now, the Emperor was frailer than he used to be, and his physicians warned him that he risked his health absconding in such conditions. Eager to hunt ducks on the shores of Lake Neusiedl, Charles threw caution to the wind. His decision would prove fatal for the emperor.

]]> 39. He Got Sick Charles returned from the hunting trip, chilled and soaked to the bone. Staying in his country palace at La Favorita, the Emperor quickly grew feverish and began experiencing colic pain. Charles remained stubborn in the face of illness, however, believing a good meal would fix him up.

]]> 40. He Had His Last Meal Despite his poor condition, Charles insisted that his cooks prepare him one of his favorite dishes: a Catalan mushroom stew. According to Voltaire’s Memoirs, the chefs unintentionally prepared the meal with poisonous mushrooms. Whether true or not, Charles soon found out how they tasted coming back up.

]]> 41. He Purged Whether from the meal, the fever, or a lethal combination of both, Charles was in for a rough evening. His illness worsened significantly, and he spent the entire night between October 10 and 11 vomiting, with little relief. To make matters worse, his attendants employed the best medical practice of the time—which was not a good thing.

]]> 42. His Doctors May Have Hurt Him In a grimly amusing sign of just how little medical practitioners knew about medical practice at the time, some historians believe Charles’ physicians may have treated him with the deadliest go-to cure of the age: arsenic. The dangerous substance was used to cure everything from fevers to stomach aches and many of Charles’ symptoms fit the bill for arsenic poisoning—including the absence of signs of liver failure, which is common with mushroom poisoning.

]]> 43. He Got Moved Whether they used arsenic or not, Charles attendants found their medicinal powers limited this deep into the Hungarian boonies. By the following morning, things did not look good for Charles. His attendants knew they needed better facilities with which to ensure the Emperor received the best treatment. They made arrangements to transport Charles to Vienna in a padded carriage. It was a long, slow journey, and it was all for nought in the end.

]]> 44. He Perished Though he made it back to Vienna in just about one piece, Charles VI succumbed to his illness nine days later, on October 20, 1740. Tragically, he was just 55 years old. Perhaps his untimely demise was avoidable, but contemporaries couldn’t even agree on the cause.

]]> 45. His Loss Is Up For Debate Despite some historians’ belief that Charles’ demise may have been aided by accidental arsenic poisoning, for most others, the two main suspects in Charles’ passing were the cold and the mushrooms. Many simply believed that the sickly emperor spent too long in the harsh, rainy conditions of the Hungarian countryside, and that his immune system was not up to the task.

Still, others blame the potentially poisonous ‘shrooms, with Charles occasionally featured on lists of the fungi’s famous victims. Either way, with the Emperor now deceased, Europe exploded in the face of the shaky condition in which he left his succession.

]]> 46. He Sparked Conflict Upon his passing, Charles’ Pragmatic Sanction, the opus of his life, fell into serious contention. An anti-sanction coalition formed in the weeks following the Emperor’s demise, comprising Bavaria, France, Poland, Prussia, Saxony, and Spain, who all reneged on the agreement and began attacking the Austrian frontier, kicking off the costly conflict of the Austrian Succession. Charles had left his daughter a kingdom, and with it, a massive headache.

]]> 47. His Daughter Came Under Siege Following her father’s passing, the resulting conflict over her succession plagued Charles’ daughter and heir, Maria Theresa, for the next eight years. Speaking to her capability as a leader, she eventually saved her crown and most of her territory. But it came at great cost, and the Empress had her father to blame for some of it.

]]> 48. He Left A Mess The issue of his succession was not the only thing Charles had left unfortified. At the time of his passing, the Emperor left the Habsburg lands saturated in debt, placing Maria Theresa in a difficult position. Indeed, she inherited the Habsburg treasury with only a mere 100,000 florins. And finances were not the only thing she found lacking.

]]> 49. His Army Was Shakey Charles VI had also left for his daughter an Austrian force in bad shape: the sporadic army remained dotted across the empire, located in small, mostly ineffective barracks. As a result, morale was low among the enlisted men and desertion was rife. It was small wonder that Maria Theresa survived, especially after eight years. Her father’s legacy remained largely untainted, however.

]]> 50. He Made The Money In the centuries since his demise, Emperor Charles VI has kept a place as a constant motif on many collectors’ coins and medals. As recently as 2006, Austria minted the Göttweig Abbey commemorative coin, which prominently featured Charles’ portrait in the foreground of the coin’s reverse. It shows that, despite the poor condition in which he left the monarchy, the Emperor still holds goodwill with his people’s descendants.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=38213 <![CDATA[Jack Parsons became one of America's most brilliant rocket scientists—but his personal life looked like something out of a horror novel.]]> 2026-08-07T16:21:03+00:00 2026-08-07T18:06:55+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/jack-parsons-facts Brendan Da Costa People The Satanist Who Put Us On The Moon Jack Parsons was a legendary explosives-obsessed rocket engineer with an interest in the occult. He helped to put a man on the moon—and summon a demoness.

]]> 1. He Was The Occult Oppenheimer Jack Parsons was the American rocket engineer who dabbled as much in chemistry as he did in blood magic. His work in rocketry shaped the early years of space exploration but it was his devotion to Thelema and the that defined his life. He could have been an occult Oppenheimer—if it hadn’t all blown up in his face.

2. His Parents Were Oddballs

John Whiteside Parsons was born to parents Ruth Virginia Whiteside and Marvel H. Parsons on October 2, 1914. His suburban Los Angeles, California upbringing was anything but normal. Parsons’ parents were in a “dark whirlwind romance” of “new-age spiritualism” by the time he was born. Their lifestyle certainly left an impression.

]]> 3. He Couldn’t See His Father Shortly after his birth, Parsons’ mother made a devastating discovery. Her husband, as it turns out, had been carrying on an affair with a well-known, shall we say, scarlet woman (remember that term). Enraged, Ruth publicly humiliated her husband, filed for divorce, and drove him out of town. What’s more, is that she forbade any contact between Parsons and his father.

He would follow in his father’s footsteps anyway.

]]> 4. He Was Super Rich Following his parents’ divorce, life actually improved for Parsons—at least, at first. His uber-wealthy grandparents moved to Los Angeles to help take care of him. The family then moved together to a sprawling mansion on Orange Grove Avenue, Pasadena’s “Millionaire’s Mile”. However, his pampered lifestyle didn’t last long.

]]> 5. He Was A Loner Apparently, Parsons’ mother managed to isolate the young boy too well. He grew up very much as a loner. The only company that he seemed to find was between the pages of the science fiction magazine Amazing Stories or the works of Jules Verne. The fantastic stories fueled his desire for escapism—and ignited his lifelong interest in rocketry.

]]> 6. He Made Tiny Rockets By the age of 12, Parsons had already embarked on his lifelong obsession with rockets. Along with his only friend and classmate, Edward Forman, he would go around collecting materials to build his own experimental devices. Using the unburnt black residue of fireworks, glue and aluminum foil, he left his backyard cratered like the surface of the moon.

It was what he did in his bedroom, however, that troubled his mother most.

]]> 7. He Contacted The Devil When he wasn’t attempting to build rockets in his backyard, Parsons kept busy with other peculiar hobbies. Namely, dabbling in the occult. Inspired by the things he had read in Amazing Stories, Parsons carried on terrifying rituals in his bedroom during which he would attempt to contact the Devil. It would not be the last time that he tried to summon a demon.

Only, the second time, he wouldn't fail.

8. He Went To A School For Boys

Between his two hobbies, Parsons paid little attention to school—and his grades began to reflect it. Worried for his future (and his eternal soul), his mother decided to use the family fortune to send Parsons away to the Brown Military Academy in San Diego. The strict school had developed a reputation as “The West Point of the West”.

Too bad they couldn’t point Parsons in the right direction.

]]> 9. He Blew Up The Toilets Strict as they were, the Brown Military Academy couldn't tame Parsons—nor shake his obsession with the supernatural. Not only did his academic performance not improve, but his obsession with rockets and explosives became even more intense. In a crazy stunt, the young rocketman blew up the school’s toilets, resulting in his immediate expulsion.

]]> 10. His Family Lost Everything Parsons returned to Pasadena in 1933 but, just as he was about to finally take his education seriously, his family's fortunes took a turn for the worse. The Great Depression wiped out his family’s money and, even though he had secured a spot at Stanford University, he couldn’t afford to go. He would have to learn on the job.

]]> 11. He Was Only A High School Graduate Today, most people will begrudgingly acknowledge that Parsons was the “father of modern rocketry”. Without him, Neil Armstrong may never have landed on the moon—at least, not safely. Oddly enough, however, Parsons was never a good student and was famously terrible at math, never advancing beyond a high-school diploma. 

But that didn't stop him.

]]> 12. He Was Headed To The Stars Throughout his school years, Parsons’ odd behavior had made him a social pariah. His only real friend, Forman, protected him from bullies who used to prey on him because of his perceived effeminacy. The two became thick as thieves and adopted a motto that they would carry through life: per aspera ad astra. It meant “through hardship to the stars”.

]]> 13. He Worked For Hercules With his family’s financial difficulties, Parsons had to put his studies aside and find work. Naturally, he gravitated to the Hercules Powder Company, where he had easy access to massive quantities of explosives. Along with his best friend Forman, Parsons continued to experiment with rockets, but he knew he needed a better laboratory than his backyard.

]]> 14. He Has Weird Friends As Parsons continued experimenting with rockets and different kinds of explosives, he also continued pursuing his other interest—the occult. With a steady job and sizable income, he turned his home into a haven for occultists, dropouts, artists, and other non-conformists. 

It was a small taste of the strange company that he would keep later on.

]]> 15. He Needed A Real Lab By 1934, Parsons and Forman realized that they had taken their homemade rockets as far as they could on their own. If they really wanted to reach the stars, they would need a proper laboratory. So, in an effort to get access to better resources for their experiments, they attended a lecture at the California Institute of Technology, where they met PhD candidate, Frank Malina.

That was the moment that everything changed.

]]> 16. He Was Going To Prove Everyone Wrong Along with Malina and Forman, Parsons managed to negotiate his way into CalTech’s Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory (GALCIT). However, Parsons and his fellow stooges had not been entirely honest about their intentions. At the time, reputable scientists thought that rocketry was just science fiction. 

Parsons intended to prove them all wrong. Even if he had to conjure spirits to do it.

]]> 17. He Lacked Discipline With the resources of GALCIT behind him, Parsons was free to explore all of his crazy rocketry ideas. Writing in 1968, Malina remarked that Parsons “lacked the discipline of a formal higher education, [but] had an uninhibited and fruitful imagination”. His imagination might have been a little too fruitful—or, perhaps, way too uninhibited.

]]> 18. He Was Part Of A Squad Parsons, Forman, and Malina began calling themselves the GALCIT Rocket Research Group. In the ensuing decades, their research would form the foundation of NASA’s rocket program that put the first man on the moon. However, their initial experiments had disastrous results. 

The rest of the CalTech community took to calling them the “[Expletive] Squad” for their often explosive misadventures.

]]> 19. He Drank To Excess Just as he had when he was a child, Parsons experimented as much with rockets and explosives as he did with the occult and substances. When they weren’t nearly blowing themselves and the wider CalTech community to smithereens, Parsons, Forman and Melina spoke openly about their bohemian values. They “[smoked] marijuana, and [drank] to excess”.

And believe it or not, these were his tame days.

]]> 20. He Married A Church Girl Parsons, perhaps seeking divine inspiration, met Helen Northrup at a local church dance. Their love ignited like a comet streaking through the night sky and by July 1934, Parsons boldly dropped to one knee and proposed. Enraptured by Parsons’ imaginative mind, Helen accepted and the two were married in April 1935. 

It was a strange marriage from the very beginning.

]]> 21. He Brought His Explosives Home The newlyweds moved into a quiet home on South Terrace Drive in Pasadena. But Helen learned pretty quickly that Parsons could only ever love rocketry and explosives. Parsons poured almost all of his hard-earned wages into the coffers of the GALCIT Rocket Research Group. 

He even had a dangerous habit of bringing his work home.

]]> 22. He Turned His Home Into A Lab Driven by his insatiable hunger for discovery and obsession with rockets, Parsons transformed his humble home into a veritable laboratory. To save money for his research, he began manufacturing the highly volatile chemical, nitroglycerin, right inside his home. It seemed he would sacrifice anything to make a star-bound rocket.

]]> 23. He Sold His Wife’s Ring If Helen ever had any doubts about who her husband loved more, her or rocketry, she quickly got her answer. Consumed by his obsession, Parsons pawned Helen's precious engagement ring off to continue funding his research. He even went to Helen’s family, seeking loans that he likely never intended to pay back. His desperation did, however, pay off.

]]> 24. He Went To The Devil’s Gate By 1936, Parsons’ compulsive research habits finally paid off. Having expanded the Squad to nearly ten members, he was finally ready to test his first liquid-fuel rocket. True to form, however, he combined elements of science with mysticism. Parsons chose to hold the rocket launch on Halloween Day near the Devil’s Gate Dam.

He was certainly tempting the spirits.

]]> 25. He Set His Team On Fire Parsons couldn’t have chosen a more auspicious time or place for his first real liquid-fuel rocket test—or a more dangerous one. The team’s first three attempts to launch the rocket all failed. Then it all went terribly wrong. Suddenly, the oxygen line ignited, sending a plume of flames directly at the group of occult scientists.

Fortunately, they all survived. But Parsons caught fire.

]]> 26. He Was An Expert Witness Parsons had achieved a minor level of infamy amongst scientists and academics. But, in 1937, a scandalous trial turned him into a bonafide star. He testified as an explosives expert in the highly publicized trial of a former officer who had attempted to blow up a whistleblower’s car. 

Parsons’ testimony was largely responsible for the conviction. After that, he certainly developed a “cult” following.

]]> 27. He Found Religion With his newfound celebrity, Parsons began to make ever more interesting friends. Two of those friends, John and Frances Baxter, introduced him to the Aleister Crowley founded Church of Thelema. The highly secretive and preternatural church reignited Parsons’ love for the occult and he soon began spending more time drawing pentagrams than chemistry equations.

28. He Was The Most Valuable

Parsons devoted himself completely to the Church of Thelema, moving quickly up the ranks. The sinister founder of the dark order, Aleister Crowley himself, even called Parsons “the most valued member of the whole Order”. Pretty soon, the international cult following of Thelemites began to see Parsons as Crowley’s inevitable successor.

]]> 29. He Combined Sorcery And Science Parsons believed that he could combine the dark arts of Thelemic magick with quantum physics to reach new levels of understanding. Unorthodox as his approach was, it must have had its merits. Soon after he joined the Thelemic Order, Parsons’ rocketry research gained major funding from the government. But he still had to sing for his supper.

]]> 30. He Carried On Incendiary Experiments Most of the money the GALCIT Rocket Research Group got went to repairing the damage they had already done to CalTech’s buildings with their incendiary experiments. With an influx of cash, however, Parsons and his ragtag team of occult scientists continued blowing things up in the hopes of sending a rocket into outer space.

Or blowing a hole through the fabric of spacetime.

]]> 31. He Escaped With His Life With the outbreak of WWII, Parsons’ research into engine fuels became of the utmost importance. But he and his team of scientists pushed their research too far. When testing one of their new fuels, the rocket motor exploded, sending shrapnel flying across the field.

It was a miracle that Parsons and the other researchers escaped unscathed.

]]> 32. He Was A Risk To National Security Parsons’ research was helping the Allies stay ahead of the Axis forces during WWII. Valuable as he was to the US government and the scientific community, however, it became increasingly difficult for them to ignore his occult extracurriculars. As his connections to the Ordo Templis Orientis (a.k.a. the Church of Thelema) deepened, Parsons went from being a “delightful screwball” to a national security risk.

]]> 33. He Found Another Woman After joining the O.T.O. Parsons adopted a far more, shall we say, permissive view of marriage and relationships. In 1941, he and Helen spent an extended period of time apart. In his wife’s absence, however, and encouraged by other members of the O.T.O., he found the loving embrace of another woman. 

Or, another girl to be more specific.

]]> 34. He Dated Sisters Parsons had always been so obsessed with his rockets and exploding devices that he had barely ever shown any affection towards his wife, Helen. He also, it would seem, had the hots for her younger sister. When Helen returned from her extended trip, she made a chilling discovery: Parsons had started carrying on an affair with her 17-year old sister, Sara.

]]> 35. His Wife Left Him To add insult to injury, Parsons refused to end his affair with the precocious younger Northrup girl. The radical rocketman even boasted to Helen that he found Sara to be more physically attractive than she was. Devastated, Helen began an affair of her own with another Thelemite, Wilfred Talbot Smith. As they say; all’s well that ends well.

]]> 36. He Kept His Own Animals Parsons’ strange love square became even stranger when both couples—along with another handful of Thelemites—moved into a sprawling estate at 1003 South Orange Grove Boulevard. Their lifestyle shocked the neighbors. Parsons and his Thelemite cultists kept their own livestock which they regularly butchered for meat—and blood rituals.

]]> 37. He Liked Chemicals As he descended further and further into the occult world, Parsons’ experiments took on another dimension. He was no longer simply interested in the chemicals that went, “Boom!” but also became fascinated with other substances. He developed a serious addiction to intoxicants such as methamphetamine, peyote, mescaline, and opiates—to name just a few.

]]> 38. He Was A Poet Torn between sorcery and science, Parsons’ involvement with the O.T.O. began to impact his professional career and reputation. He would often show up to work hungover. During rocket tests, he would also loudly and dramatically recite Aleister Crowley's poem “Hymn to Pan”. 

His rabid recitals sent shivers down the spines of his fellow researchers.

]]> 39. He Was Part Of A “Black Magic Cult” With terrifying tales of pregnant women leaping through open flames coming out of Parsons’ O.T.O. estate, the FBI launched an investigation. They claimed that Parsons and his fellow Thelemites were, in fact, a “black magic cult”. While, ultimately, the FBI dropped their investigation, the writing was on the wall for Parsons to see.

]]> 40. He Was Out Of Control Inside their dark estate, now nicknamed the “Parsonage”, personal dramas amongst the Thelemites continued to unfold. As the new head of the chapter, Parsons encouraged all forms of debauchery, including a complicated network of affairs, polyandry and polygamy. 

His more wildly promiscuous approach to Thelema met the disapproval of the higher-ups.

]]> 41. He Crowed About Crowley As WWII neared its end, Parsons saw that it was time for a change. He grew disillusioned with Thelema, and openly criticized Crowley’s “appalling egotism, bad taste, bad judgment, and pedanticism”. At the same time, his deepening obsession with the occult finally proved to be too much for the scientific community and they encouraged the government to cut its ties with him.

]]> 42. He Met Another Cult Leader Immediately after WWII, Parsons began to distance himself from the O.T.O. But that doesn’t mean that he was giving up on the occult. Quite the opposite. He began to rent out rooms in the Parsonage to non-Thelemites. His open call for “bohemians, artists, musicians, atheists, anarchists, or any other exotic types” brought him face-to-face with another infamous cult leader.

]]> 43. He Was Humble Around Hubbard One of the people who responded to Parsons’ ad for room rentals was none other than a young L. Ron Hubbard, the future controversial founder of Scientology. Parsons and Hubbard hit it off from the beginning, with Parsons heaping praise on Hubbard. He even believed that Hubbard was “in direct touch with some higher intelligence”.

]]> 44. He Was Jealous Parsons wasn’t the only one who became enamored with Hubbard. Almost as soon as he moved in, the future Scientologist sparked up a romance with Sara, Parsons’s girlfriend (and, yes, still technically his sister-in-law). Not wanting to be a hypocrite, Parsons tried to muster up the courage to bury his jealousy. But he only mustered up spirits. Evil spirits.

]]> 45. He Went Black Losing Sara to Hubbard sent Parsons into a ritualistic tailspin. He openly began to practice black magic in an apparent effort to replace her. One fellow Thelemite wrote to Crowley saying, “our own Jack is enamored with Witchcraft, the [hounfour], voodoo”. Yet his most recent foray into the dark arts might actually have yielded results.

]]> 46. He Haunted His House After beginning his dark incantations, Parsons reported all manner of supernatural occurrences at the house. Poltergeists, disembodied voices, and ghostly apparitions began to haunt the Parsonage. Even Forman recalled an instance when one of Parsons’ rituals brought “screaming banshees to the windows”. 

The event haunted him for life. But Parsons was just getting warmed up.

]]> 47. He Spilled His Nuts On Tablets As his jealousy intensified, so too did his rituals. You might say that they became a kind of relief for him. Borrowing from ancient Enochian magic, Parsons began to orgasm all over magical tablets while listening to classical music. If that puts an odd image in your mind, here’s the rub (no pun intended): Parsons allowed Hubbard to take part in the rituals as his scribe.

]]> 48. He Summoned Mother Earth Strange and sordid as Parsons’ new ritual was, it actually seemed to yield results. He claimed that the sleazy ceremony would bring forth the Thelemite goddess, Babalon. This alleged otherworldly being was, for the Thelemites, the embodiment of Mother Earth “in her most fertile” state. Presumably, Parsons intended to mate with her.

]]> 49. His Seed Worked For months, Parsons kept, shall we say, trying his hand at his curious ritual, to no avail. Then, one day in February 1946, in the middle of Mojave Desert, Parsons ended the ritual midway through and declared that it had been a success. When he and Hubbard returned to the Parsonage, Hubbard was shocked to learn that Parsons had been right.

]]> 50. He Fell For The Scarlet Woman Parsons and Hubbard returned to the Parsonage that night to find an unannounced guest in their home—Marjorie Cameron. Convinced that his ritual had worked, Parsons perceived the scorching hot artist, poet and actress to be his Thelemite goddess; the Scarlet Woman and Mother of Abominations. There was definitely an abomination.

]]> 51. He Made Love For Two Weeks Not wanting to waste any time, Parsons married Cameron later that same year and quickly got to the task of “worshiping” his goddess. For two whole weeks, Parsons and Cameron remained locked up in his bedroom. Behind those closed doors, Parsons performed sensual “rituals” in an effort to bring about a “magical child” whom he believed would usher in a new era.

]]> 52. He Lost His “Magical Child” Shortly after, Cameron departed for a trip to New York, where she learned that Parsons’ magical “rituals” had, in fact, worked. Unsurprisingly, after two weeks of raucous, ritualistic lovemaking, she had become pregnant with Parsons’ child. Sadly, Parsons’ “magical child” never came into being. Cameron terminated her pregnancy.

]]> 53. He Went Into Business Believing that he had successfully brought forth Babalon and ushered in a new era, Parsons returned his focus to the O.T.O. He co-founded a company called Allied Enterprises with Hubbard and Sara, with the intention of buying three yachts and reselling them after sailing them through the Panama Canal. No amount of magic could have predicted what happened next.

]]> 54. His Friends Took His Money Parsons entrusted his entire life savings to Hubbard and Sara—but they had less than honorable intentions with his hard-earned cash. Secretly, Hubbard planned to take Parsons’ money and embark on a globe-trotting escapade on the high seas. Once the other O.T.O. members learned what Hubbard had done, however, Parsons had to save face.

]]> 55. He Was A “Weak Fool” Hubbard and Sara’s scheme left Parsons totally penniless. When Crowley learned about the deceit, he sent a telegram to the California chapter of the O.T.O. branding Parsons a “weak fool”. In a desperate attempt to regain his reputation (and his money), Parsons flew to Miami to confront his fellow cult members. But he was too late.

]]> 56. He Summoned Another Demon By the time Parsons arrived in Miami, Hubbard and Sara had already set sail on the high seas. Parsons, however, had dark magic on his side. A terrible squall forced Hubbard and Sara to turn back. Parsons believed that he had summoned otherworldly forces, invoking the vengeful spirit of Mars to bring the deceitful duo to justice.

]]> 57. He Lost His Faith Parsons managed to bring Hubbard and Sara to justice but only recovered a small fraction of the money they had swindled from him. Nevertheless, the entire experience convinced Parsons of something he had long since believed. It was time for him to part ways with the O.T.O. In a letter to Crowley, Parsons denounced the O.T.O. as an “autocratic organization” and set out on his own.

]]> 58. He Cheated Just Like His Father  Following his split from the O.T.O. Parsons struggled to find work in rocketry and doubled down on his occult practices. Even though he remained married to Cameron, the two were seldom together. Probably because Parsons—like his father decades earlier—carried on numerous affairs with women of ill-repute while performing demonic rituals.

]]> 59. He Made Explosives For Movies By 1952, Parsons’ reputation as an occultist, philanderer and possible communist prevented him from finding work in rocketry. As such, he began making explosives for movies. Ironically, making fake explosives turned out to be more dangerous for Parsons than his years of rockets and rituals. In fact, it turned out to be fatal.

]]> 60. He Mixed Mercury While mixing chemicals, Parsons dropped a tin of mercury. The volatile substance mixed with other chemicals on the floor and set off a catastrophic explosion. The force of the blast completely destroyed the lower half of the building in which Parsons had been working. The real carnage, however, was Parsons himself.

]]> 61. He Blew Himself Up The sheer force of the blast completely severed Parsons’ right forearm and shredded his left. Both of his legs had been broken in the blast, but the scariest injury was a giant hole straight through the right side of his face. By some miracle (or witchcraft) Parsons survived the blast and first responders found him conscious at the scene.

]]> 62. His Mother Couldn’t Live Without Him In the end, there was no incantation, pentagram or demonic ritual that could save Parsons. He briefly tried to communicate with the medics but, ultimately, succumbed to his severe injuries. In an even more tragic twist to Parsons’ story, his mother overdosed on barbiturates when she learned about her son’s passing.

]]> 63. He Was A Mad Genius Parsons remains a mysterious figure. However, the science fiction author L. Sprague de Camp described Parsons better than anyone when he called him, “An authentic mad genius if I ever met one”. Mad or not, however, Parsons’ work with rocketry laid the foundation for space exploration. Even if he did get a little help from Babalon.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=62217 <![CDATA[Barbara Cartland was a prolific romance novelist and society fixture—but her love for scandal clashed with her relationship to the royal family.]]> 2026-08-07T10:55:00+00:00 2026-08-05T19:22:03+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-barbara-cartland David O'Shea People The Queen of Romance Barbara Cartland was one of the most prolific authors of the 20th century. Publishing an astounding number of novels, north of 700 books, her creative output did not stop there. Alongside all this, Cartland was a socialite who dabbled in politics and business, making her a true Renaissance woman. 

Appropriately, considering her genre of choice, she also had a wild love life—and her fair share of scandals, including a feud with one of the most beloved figures in history.

]]> 1. She Was From The Midlands Barbara Cartland was born Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland on July 9, 1901, in Birmingham, England. She was the eldest child and only daughter of Mary “Polly” and Major James Bertrand “Bertie” Cartland. Major Cartland was an officer in the British Army, and while this meant that his daughter was born with some privilege, it didn’t last long enough for Barbara to enjoy it.

]]> 2. She Fell Down The Ladder The Cartlands were an upper middle-class family, and Barbara entered the world in a comfortable position as a result. Unfortunately for her, however, the family’s finances deteriorated rapidly shortly after her birth, sentencing the young Cartland daughter to a childhood far less lavish than her parents had enjoyed. This stroke of bad luck had its origins in tragedy.

]]> 3. Her Grandfather Messed Up Barbara Cartland attributed the turn in her family’s fortune to her paternal grandfather, James, who was a financier. After making an ill-advised speculation on the Fishguard railway, James Cartland faced bankruptcy and, unable to live with that, or himself, took his own life, forcing the family to take a financial hit. This was the story according to Barabara, anyway…

]]> 4. She May Have Lied Barbara Cartland perhaps fabricated a few details of her family history to give herself more of a rags-to-riches narrative. An entry in the probate registry contradicts her claims of (relative) childhood poverty: James Cartland apparently left an estate of £92,000, meaning Barbara’s life couldn’t have been too hard. But while money may not have been as big an issue as she claimed, there was no shortage of devastating loss.

]]> 5. She Lost Her Dad With the outbreak of WWI, Cartland’s father heroically answered the call of duty. Bertie Cartland deployed with the British Army to Berry-au-Bac in France to fight the Germans. Though he fought bravely and led competently, tragically, he would never return. And if things were already difficult for Barbara’s family, they were about to get worse now that the chief breadwinner was gone.

]]> 6. Her Mother Went To Work After losing their patriarch, the Cartlands moved to London. There, Barbara’s mother opened a dry goods store in South Kensington to make ends meet and support her daughter and two sons. Life was certainly a little more precarious for the Cartlands now that their income depended on sales. Still, the young Barbara was not completely closed off from the middle-class life her parents’ initial stature had promised her.

]]> 7. She Got A Good Education Despite the family’s struggles, Cartland still attended private school—multiple schools, in fact. She attended three in total: The Alice Otterly School, Malvern Girls’ College, and an institution in Hampshire named Abbey House. Barbara received a high quality of education at these institutions and likely rubbed elbows with some future prominent British figures. Their robust educational backgrounds gave the Cartland children quite a leg-up in life.

]]> 8. Her Brother Ran For Office Barbara’s brothers were Ronald and James Anthony “Tony” Cartland, and the elder of these made a name for himself: Ronald, as a young man, got elected to parliament, serving as an MP for King’s Norton in Birmingham. His work with the Conservative party even attracted the attention of Winston Churchill. Tragedy still loomed for the Cartland family, however, and world events would once again rock their world.

]]> 9. She Became An Only Child Barbara’s brothers were eager to follow in their father's footsteps at the outbreak of WWII, and both enlisted. Tragically, however, neither would live to see the end of the war: both men perished while serving their country in Flanders, leaving Barbara the only surviving Cartland child. Her family’s tragic battlefield history inspired in her a sense of duty.

]]> 10. She Served In Her Own Way The conflicts in Europe, and their cost to her family, inspired in Cartland a lifelong interest in civic welfare and politics. During WWII, she served in the War Office in various charitable roles. She also joined the St John Ambulance Brigade, maintaining that signature British “keep calm and carry on” attitude all the while. And though she worked hard in times of strife, she enjoyed herself plenty too.

]]> 11. She Got Her Start By 1922, Barbara Cartland had finally begun her writing career. She did not dip her toes into fiction yet, however. Instead, the ambitious young upstart became a successful society reporter, affording her the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the biggest names in British high society. Quite a number of these high society folks quickly fell for her.

]]> 12. She Had Many Suitors Cartland’s unassuming beauty and charismatic presence made her an instant hit with the men of the British upper crust, and many of these men quite literally fell to their knees (at least one knee, anyway) before her. By Barbara’s estimate, she declined a stunning 49 marriage proposals over her first five years as a reporter. With so much attention directed her way, she was bound to eventually find a man who caught her eye, and indeed, 50th time’s the charm.

]]> 13. She Got Hitched With a hurricane of marriage proposals coming her way, Barbara Cartland finally said “yes” in 1927. On April 23 of that year, she married Captain Alexander “Sachie” George McCorquodale. Sachie was Scottish and an officer in the British Army. And perhaps most appealing of all, he was also the heir to a massive printing fortune. But if Barbara had dollar signs in her eyes, she didn’t have hearts in them for long.

]]> 14. She Called It Quits Cartland and Sachie’s marriage was not built to last. Though he spoiled her, showering her with gifts, the Scotsman also had a serious drinking problem—and an even worse philandering one. After discovering evidence of her husband’s affair with a major’s wife, Cartland filed for a messy divorce, which was heavily reported on in the press. The insults began flying.

]]> 15. She Publicly Sparred Cartland’s grounds for divorce were her husband’s infidelity, but Sachie was quick to countercharge her with the very same offense. He alleged that Barbara had engaged in an affair with his cousin, Hugh; Hugh reportedly had a key to her house and would often visit her for “cocktails”. Cartland won the suit in the end, and likely a generous settlement along with it.

But she still had another trick up her sleeve.

]]> 16. She Remarried On December 28, 1936, Barbara Cartland got married once again—incredibly, to Hugh McCorquodale, the cousin of her ex-husband, with whom she’d been accused of having an affair. Despite her victory in the suit against Sachie, it all but proved that he had been correct in his accusations…not that he had been innocent of those leveled against him. The newlyweds quickly settled into family life.

]]> 17. She Lost Two Husbands With Hugh McCorquodale, Cartland had two sons: Ian McCorquodale born in 1937, who would later become a publisher; and Glen, born in 1939, a future stockbroker. The boys’ mother would face yet another double tragedy in the 60s, however: Cartland’s second husband, Hugh, passed in 1963, followed by the loss of her first husband the following year in 1964. Luckily, Barbara had some close friends to see her through the tough times.

]]> 18. She Had Royal Pals Throughout her life, Cartland maintained a close friendship with credibly-accused child abuser Lord Mountbatten. Following his assassination at the hands of the IRA in 1979, she lamented that the loss had been the “greatest sadness of my life” (despite having lost two brothers and two husbands), showing the depth of their care for one another. By that point, Cartland had enjoyed a well-established career as a writer of fiction. But how did she get her start?

]]> 19. She Started Writing All the way back in the 1920s, while still working as a society reporter, Barbara Cartland took great inspiration from the novels of Elinor Glyn, a writer of Edwardian fiction. She decided to give it a go herself and began writing romantic tales with the intention of publishing a novel. She would later meet and befriend her idol, Glyn, who inspired her to get her start. And indeed, she started with a bang.

]]> 20. She Nailed Her Debut While still working as a gossip columnist for the Daily Express, Cartland released her first novel in 1923. Based on her experiences reporting on Britain’s upper crust, the novel was a risqué society thriller that became a smash hit, eventually becoming a bestseller, and setting Cartland on the path of her destiny as a novelist. From there, Barbara’s output accelerated and covered multiple time periods.

]]> 21. She Picked Her Genre Barbara Cartland had one clear preference and, indeed, penchant when it came to genre: the romance novel. The books began practically falling out of her, and she wrote stories with both contemporary and historical settings. She seemed to have a few preferred eras.

]]> 22. She Focused On Eras The primary settings for Cartland’s historical romance novels were the Victorian and Edwardian periods, and she became something of an expert on the eras. Her characters brought the historical periods to life, and even if she faltered here and there, there were certainly enough books to make sure she got it right at least a few times.

]]> 23. She Was Prolific Cartland’s output was simply astounding. Over the course of her long, decades-spanning career, she published a jaw-dropping 723 novels. Few authors, of her era or any other, can boast a number even close to that. Indeed, she certainly reached the peaks of creative flow at one specific point in time.

]]> 24. She Had A Big Yearad One year in particular stands out for the sheer number of novels Cartland worked on. In 1976 alone, she published an incredible 23 novels, earning her the Guinness World Record for most novels published in a single year. As if 723 novels weren’t enough, however, Barbara, if you can believe it, went further still.

]]> 25. She Branched Out Though her romance novels were her legacy, Barbara Cartland did not stop at fiction. Over her storied career, she also wrote non-fiction titles, biographies, dramas, music, operettas, plays, poetry, as well as books on cooking and health. And though there’s only so racy one can make a cookbook, her penchant for cheeky writing attracted some controversy in the world of theater.

]]> 26. She Got Banned As early as the 1920s, Cartland had begun producing stage plays, many known for their racy content and adult themes. The Lord Chamberlain’s Office banned one especially controversial production, 1926’s Blood Money, for its content. It was only a mere blip on the radar for Cartland, of course, who, along with riches, also found world fame.

]]> 27. She Became A Household Name Cartland’s success made her one of the most recognizable names in the world. Indeed, she is one of the best-selling authors of the 20th century, not just in Britain, nor even just the Anglosphere, but across the globe. The numbers are unbelievable.

]]> 28. She Sold A Lot Conservative estimates of Cartland’s sales figures put her at about 750 million copies sold worldwide. There is debate about this, however, and other sources believe the number is more accurately in the area of two billion. With such worldwide fame, her name has become synonymous with the literary greats of human history.

]]> 29. She Crossed Borders Though Cartland’s name rarely gets mentioned among the titans of literature, the sheer reach of her work suggests to some that she should be. International publishers have translated her books into countless languages and, excluding biblical works, she is the fifth most translated author on the planet. With such a wide net cast, she was bound to run into some controversy.

]]> 30. She Got Accused Cartland’s success was not without its detractors: in 1950, author Georgette Heyer accused the romance titan of plagiarism, claiming Cartland had stolen many of Heyer’s character names, traits, dialogue, and plot details for multiple novels. One particularly egregious example was Cartland’s 1949 novel A Hazard of Hearts, which lifted many aspects of Heyer’s novels Friday’s Child and The Knave of Hearts.

Heyer began building a case with her solicitors, but unfortunately for her, it never came to court, and Barbara remained professionally unscathed. This case aside, the author had far more collaborators than detractors.

]]> 31. She Inspired Art Cartland’s novels became known for more than just their (possibly plagiarized) content. Each book featured a cover with portrait-style artwork, and the author’s frequent collaborator, artist Francis Marshall, designed most of these. The shelf life of Barbara’s novels only increased with some adaptations.

]]> 32. She Made It To The Screen Cartland’s stories took on a second life, with many adaptations for the big and small screens. Among the most notable adaptations were film versions of her novels Duel of Hearts, A Ghost in Monte Carlo, A Hazard of Hearts, and The Lady and the Highwayman. With such a huge following in a world before social media, Barbara found interesting ways to stay in conversation with her fanbase.

]]> 33. She Was An Agony Aunt Many of Cartland’s readers turned to their favorite author for advice in their own romantic lives. After receiving hundreds of letters, Barbara began answering these appeals for love life tips through newspaper advice columns and television talk shows. As her career continued to soar, so too did her output and range of talent.

]]> 34. She Grabbed A Mic 1978 saw Barbara Cartland turn her talents to yet another medium: music. Alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the prolific author recorded an EP vinyl for Slate Records called An Album of Love Songs, singing a series of popular standards. Among her dozens of ventures, Cartland took on some very personal projects too.

]]> 35. She Wrote A Tribute Cartland’s brother, Ronald, was a Conservative MP before his untimely demise in WWII. Following her initial success in the world of fiction, Barbara touchingly decided to write a biography of her late brother’s life as a tribute. She also managed to attach a huge name: Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed to write the book’s preface. With such a wide range of output and a contact book full of huge names, there was scarcely anything the author couldn’t do.

]]> 36. She Was A Girlboss Alongside her writing, Barbara Cartland also decided to dip her toe into the world of private enterprise, becoming a successful businesswoman. She founded and headed Cartland Promotions, a publishing and licensing agency. Indeed, Barbara kept herself busy with a lot of work. But that did not mean there was no time for play.

]]> 37. She Was A Socialite As her star rose, Barbara Cartland became a prominent figure in the very London high society nightlife that she began her career reporting on. There was hardly a lavish party in the city that Barbara did not appear at, and all in attendance loved her presence.

]]> 38. She Oozed Charisma Barbara Cartland did not just attend parties; in the 1920s and 30s, most in London high society knew her for hosting them as well. Barbara charmed her guests with her stunning beauty, energetic presence, and daring hosting; her parties were often raucous and raunchy, and the romance author never showed up without donning her signature outfit.

]]> 39. She Had Style Cartland almost never made an appearance without her synonymous look. Her regular fashion choices included blonde wigs, heavy makeup, pink chiffon gowns, and plumed hats, and her natural beauty and zesty charm elevated every element. With such high standards imposed on her own look, Cartland only trusted a select few to dress her.

]]> 40. She Got In On The Ground Barbara Cartland was one of the first clients of designer Norman Hartnell, whose success would eventually skyrocket. The two stayed loyal to one another throughout their lives, and Barbara remained Hartnell’s client right up until his passing in 1979. Cartland’s associations with big names continued as she added yet another job to her resume.

]]> 41. She Ran For Office Following in her late brother’s footsteps, Cartland opted in 1955 to run for a seat on Hertfordshire County Council. Running as a Conservative, her campaign was successful, and she would serve nine years in total. But while she served as a Conservative candidate, her actual work was a lot more progressive.

]]> 42. She Effected Change Despite her status as a Conservative councilor, Barbara Cartland actually did some good things while in office. She successfully campaigned for an improvement in midwife salaries, legislation for the education of Romani children, and broad nursing home reform. Perhaps the progressive influence came from one of Barbara’s most well-known relatives.

]]> 43. She Had A Kid Cartland’s marriage to her first husband brought her one thing at least (before the giant divorce settlement): She gave birth to a daughter, Raine McCorquodale, on September 9, 1929. Barbara could not even let her hated ex-husband have this one, however; she later claimed that Raine was actually the result of an affair with Prince George, Duke of Kent.

Which makes Raine’s own personal life the source of some interesting coincidences.

]]> 44. She Had A Royal Connect Like her mother, Raine McCorquodale had a messy divorce from her first husband after an affair. Raine’s was with John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer—AKA, Lady Diana Spencer’s father. Raine and John went on to marry, making Barbara Cartland Lady Diana’s step-grandmother. Friends knew the two to share a close relationship, and being a hopeless romantic, Diana was, of course, a big fan.

]]> 45. She Had A Royal Fan Princess Diana was a huge fan of her step-grandmother’s novels, but she kept this quiet at first. When Cartland finally discovered the Princess’ enthusiasm for her work, she began sending Diana early copies. The two only grew closer through this act of bonding, which made it all the more surprising when Diana shunned the romance author.

]]> 46. She Got Snubbed Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in 1981, but the elaborate guest list had one notable exception: her step-grandmother, Barbara Cartland. The snub devastated the author, particularly given their previously close relationship and bonding over her novels. The oversight left Barbara bitter and ready to clap back.

]]> 47. She Publicly Shaded Barbara Cartland soured on Diana after the snub, and when the Princess divorced her husband in 1996, the aggrieved author was openly critical of her step-granddaughter’s perceived rejection of the royal family. Reportedly, however, the two women repaired their relationship shortly before Diana’s untimely demise in a fatal car crash in 1997. It was, perhaps, the darkest day in Barbara’s otherwise glowing life.

]]> 48. She Got Honored Throughout her storied career, Cartland received numerous honors for her prolific output, wide-ranging skillset, and contribution to British society and culture. Perhaps the highest honor the author received was her investment as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), given by Queen Elizabeth II herself.

There was another honor, however, that Cartland was more critical of.

]]> 49. She Became Displeased Another honor bestowed on Cartland was the commissioning of a waxwork likeness of the author, to be put on display at Madame Tussauds. Following the revelation of the wax statue, however, Barbara felt scandalized: her son Ian reported that she criticized the statue, saying it was “not pretty enough”. Barbara’s trademark humorous vanity stayed with her right until the end.

]]> 50. She Left A Legacy After suffering for six months with ill health and dementia, Barbara Cartland passed in her sleep on May 21, 2000, at the ripe old age of 98. With a life spanning from 1901 to 2000, Barbara was every bit a woman of the 20th century, and a figure whose success few have matched since.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=29888 <![CDATA[Ragnar Lothbrok was a Viking legend—but his story is more disturbing than people think.]]> 2026-08-06T10:55:00+00:00 2026-08-05T19:20:11+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-ragnar-lothbrok Brendan Da Costa People He Was More Myth Than Man Ragnar Lothbrok is the legendary Viking hero and king who, in his final harrowing moments, predicted that his sons would avenge him with the Great Heathen Army. Or did he? Equal parts man and myth, here is what we actually know about Ragnar Lothbrok.

]]> 1. He Was A Viking Hero And King Most—if not all—of what history knows about Ragnar Lothbrok comes from quasi-fictional sources. The Old Norse sagas, poems, and Icelandic chronicles paint the picture of a fearsome Viking warrior and Danish king. Yet, what is fact and what is fiction remains a matter of debate. Where does the man Ragnar Lothbrok end and his mythology begin?

Probably somewhere in the frozen tundra.

]]> 2. He Was Nordic Nobility The best available information about Ragnar Lothbrok says that he was the son of Sigurd Ring, the storied king of the Swedes and Danes. His mother, allegedly, was Alfhild, a Swedish princess from the small kingdom of Álfheimr. Lothbrok had Nordic nobility coursing through his veins.

He may also have had some lightning in his DNA.

]]> 3. He Claimed The Blood Of Odin Lothbrok was, according to himself, not just nobility—he was practically divine. Lothbrok boldly claimed that he was a direct descendant of Odin, the Allfather. Claiming descent from Odin wasn’t just self-aggrandizement, though. His semi-divine heritage had the effect of legitimizing his reign and striking fear into his enemies.

He did, apparently, look like the son of a god.

]]> 4. He Was The Fairest And Fiercest Of Men The sagas paint a flattering picture of Lothbrok, describing him as “the biggest and fairest of men that human eyes have seen”. Another account called him “a big man, handsome and well-provided with wisdom. He was good to his men and cruel to his enemies”. In short, the perfect Viking—almost, one dares to say, too perfect.

]]> 5. His Tale Wasn’t Told For Centuries Ragnar Lothbrok and his Viking raiders were, it would seem, too busy raiding and pillaging to actually write down where they were raiding and what they were pillaging there. The richest accounts of his exploits, therefore, come from Icelandic sagas, composed decades and even centuries after he was in Valhalla. Even so, “certain scholars” have agreed that “at least part of Ragnar’s story” is historically accurate.

If it was his story at all.

]]> 6. He May Have Been Several Vikings Some scholars argue that the Lothbrok we know today is actually a composite character. They say that all or most of the exploits we attribute to Lothbrok are actually the real deeds of multiple Viking raiders whose victories slowly merged under a single name. A single name that, it should be noted, does not even appear consistently in the historical records.

]]> 7. The Anglo-Saxons Recorded His Shadow Historians mostly rely on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for their facts about Viking raiders. But, even this generally reliable source offers little clarity on Lothbrok. The Chronicle mentions two formidable Viking raiders in 840 AD: one called “Ragnall” and another “Reginherus”. Most experts believe both names point to the same man—Ragnar Lothbrok.

And his exploits are truly legendary.

]]> 8. He Slew A Giant Serpent The first act of heroic bravery attributed to Lothbrok sounds like it comes straight out of a fairy tale. As per the legend, Lothbrok faced down a “giant snake” (sometimes said to be a dragon) that was guarding the fair maiden Thora Borgarhjort. Once he slew the beast, he rescued the damsel and earned her hand in marriage.

Along with a funny name.

]]> 9. His Boots Gave Him His Name Battling a dragon was no easy feat, and Lothbrok needed special armor. According to legend, in his battle against the serpent, Lothbrok wore cow-hide trousers boiled in tar. The result was a “shaggy” protective layer. The unusual outfit earned him the nickname “Lodbrok”—meaning “hairy-breeches”. Clearly, however, the ladies liked his threads.

]]> 10. He Hounded Down His First Wife One of the few facts about Lothbrok that most historians would agree on is that he had three wives. They probably wouldn’t agree on how he “won” these wives. According to legend, Lothbrok’s first wife was not actually Thora Borgarhjort, but Lagertha, a fierce shieldmaiden. To win her hand, he slew a bear and a massive hound that prowled outside her home.

Seems like their marriage was a happy one.

]]> 11. He Left His First Wife The Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus provides some of the only accounts of Lothbrok’s turbulent marriages and private life. Grammaticus claimed that Lothbrok had a son, Fridleif, and two daughters with Lagertha. However, despite a fruitful marriage, Grammaticus claims that Lothbrok later “repudiated” (essentially, divorced her)  his first wife. Perhaps in favor of wife number two.

]]> 12. He Married A Princess As we already know, Lothbrok won the hand of Thora Borgarhjort in marriage after slaying the dragon that was guarding her. But Thora wasn’t just a damsel in distress—she was a princess, daughter of the Swedish King Herrauðr. Grammaticus again records Lothbrok’s children with Thora, naming “Radbard, Dunvat, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Björn Ironside, Agnar, and Ivar the Boneless”.

However, most historians think Lothbrok’s famous sons had a different mother.

]]> 13. He Found A Secret Wife According to the sagas, Thora passed from an unknown illness, leaving Lothbrok all alone. Though not for long. Lothbrok is said to have fallen in love with Kráka, an “outstandingly” beautiful and wise woman. The Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok states that Ivar the Boneless, Björn Ironside, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye were the product of Lothbrok’s marriage to Kráka, not Thora Borgarhjort.

But even that’s not certain.

]]> 14. His Wife Wasn’t Kráka After All When Lothbrok met Kráka, she was staying with a peasant couple. But Kráka wasn’t her real identity. Kráka was actually Aslaug, the hidden daughter of Sigurd Fafnesbane (a dragon-slayer himself) and a fearsome shieldmaiden, Brynhildr. Unlike his marriages to Thora Borgarhjort and Lagertha, Lothbrok didn’t have to slay a beast to win his damsel. 

Once Aslaug solved Lothbrok’s riddle, the mythological couple got married.

]]> 15. He (Possibly) Had A Fourth Wife In Gesta Danorum, Grammaticus’ magnum opus, another woman crops up in Lothbrok’s life. While most sources agree that Lothbrok only had three wives, Grammaticus lists a possible fourth as Svanlaug (or Swanloga). Even so, it’s possible that Svanlaug was just another name for Aslaug. That said, it’s not like Lothbrok was known for his fidelity to marriage.

]]> 16. He May Have Had Another Lover In writing on Danish history, Grammaticus had more to say about Lothbrok’s marriages—and trysts. The famed historian records that Lothbrok had another son, Ubbe, from a possibly extramarital affair with an unnamed woman. With all of those little Odinsons running around, it was understandably hard for Lothbrok to keep track.

]]> 17. His Sons Were Definitely Real Lothbrok’s dragon-slaying and hound-fighting might have been mythological, but his sons almost certainly were not. Multiple historical records from different times and places confirm that many of Lothbrok’s sons actually existed. Ivar the Boneless, Ubbe, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Fridleif, Halfdan Ragnarsson, and Björn Ironside are all confirmed historical figures.

And almost all of them would outshine their father.

]]> 18. His Son Was “Utterly Cruel” Given that his sons certainly existed, historians have been on the hunt for conclusive evidence that proves Lothbrok, too, was an actual man and not just a myth. One of the pieces of evidence they often point to comes from the Chronicon Roskildense—a 12th-century historical document—that calls Lothbrok (spelled “Lothpardus”) the father of “the utterly cruel Norse King Ywar [likely Ivar the Boneless] and his brothers”.

]]> 19. His Name Went Down In History Around 1190, the Danish chronicler Sven Aggesen became the first person in recorded history to use Lothbrok’s full name as we know it today: “Regnerus Lothbrogh”. Aggesen’s account was given more weight given that he claimed that it was Lothbrok’s son, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, who invaded Denmark, sent its king to Valhalla, and married his daughter before assuming the throne for himself.

All pretty factually accurate.

]]> 20. His Legend Spread To Iceland By the 12th-century, real or fake, Lothbrok’s legend had spread far and wide across the Nordic world. The Icelandic scholar Ari Thorgilsson, writing sometime between 1120 and 1133, confirmed details of Lothbrok’s exploits. Namely, Thorgilsson claimed that it was “Ivar, son of Ragnar Lothbrok” who had put an end to King Edmund of East Anglia.

It wasn’t long before the bards got in on the legend.

]]> 21. He Was A Muse For Poets The poets did as much to immortalize Lothbrok as the historians. The 9th-century poet Bragi Boddason composed Ragnarsdrápa, a skaldic poem that made Lothbrok a legend. Though there is some debate over the poem’s exact origins, its story is clear. The lyrics praise “Ragnar, son of Sigurd” and talk about his “richly decorated shield”.

The only shield he would need, however, would be from his own sons.

]]> 22. He Banished His Son Part of the difficulty in confirming Lothbrok’s life and exploits is that almost all of the information about him comes from Norse sources. That is, until the Norman historian William of Jumièges wrote about “King Lodbrok of Denmark” who banished his son, Björn Ironside, from his realm. History definitely records Björn raiding and pillaging from Normandy to the Mediterranean.

Lothbrok’s other sons were just as fearsome.

]]> 23. His Son Was Cruel To Christians In writing a history of the Archbishopric of Hamburg-Bremen, the chronicler Adam of Bremen makes passing mention of Lothbrok that warrants further scrutiny. Adam wrote about the cruelty of Ivar the Boneless  and his “Norse warriors” (read: Vikings) towards Christians. And he made sure to mention that Ivar was “filius Lodparchi”—Lothbrok’s son.

But, was Lothbrok even a man?

]]> 24. He Might Have Been A Woman The famous chambered tomb in Maeshowe on Orkney has the only confirmed “runic inscription” that actually mentions Lothbrok. Though, not in any way you might expect. “This howe was built a long time before Lodbrok’s,” the inscription reads. “Her sons, they were bold; scarcely ever were there such tall men of their hands”.

The inclusion of “her sons” has led some to believe that Lothbrok was a shieldmaiden!

]]> 25. He Blitzed His Opponents Fact or fiction, man or myth—or, man or woman, as the case may be—Lothbrok was one thing above all: terrifying. Multiple sources confirm that Lothbrok was an expert at the Viking style of conflict, the dreaded “blitzkrieg”. Striking hard and fast and only when he had the upper hand, Lothbrok instilled fear in his opponents before they could even mount a proper defense.

Paris was about to learn all about Lothbrok’s blitzkrieg tactics.

]]> 26. He Pillaged Paris—Probably The Siege of Paris in 845 is one of the best documented Viking raids in history—and it was almost certainly all Lothbrok’s idea. Frankish accounts of the siege and sacking specifically name “Reginherus” (AKA Ragnar) as the leader of the attack. Even so, historians are reluctant to concretely say that “Reginherus” was, in fact, Ragnar Lothbrok.

But only Lothbrok could do something as awesome—and terrible—as what happened next.

]]> 27. He Hanged 100 Captives Just To Send A Message Before he arrived in Paris, while still making his way up the Seine, Lothbrok is said to have raided Rouen. That prompted Charles the Bald to split his army in two, allowing Lothbrok to destroy both halves easily. But he didn’t stop there. Lothbrok reportedly took over 100 captives and hanged them on an island in the Seine to demoralize the Frankish forces.

Suffice to say, it worked.

]]> 28. He Got Paid—A Lot With his forces defeated (and terrified) and Paris sacked and burning, Charles the Bald had no choice: he had to surrender to Lothbrok. And the legendary Viking’s terms were insane. Just to get him to go away and (hopefully) never come back, Charles the Bald paid Lothbrok a staggering 7,000 livres of silver—one of the largest ransoms ever paid to Vikings.

Not that Lothbrok would be able to enjoy spending it all.

]]> 29. He Faced “Divine Retribution” Frankish chroniclers were, understandably, a little sore at the ransom they had paid Lothbrok and his Vikings. But, if their accounts are accurate, justice came swiftly. Frankish accounts claim that, shortly after he left Paris, Lothbrok fell terribly ill and ultimately passed on in Denmark. The Christian writers called it “divine retribution”.

]]> 30. He Kept Raiding Looking away from the Frankish accounts back to Saxo Grammaticus and his Gesta Danorum, Lothbrok continued raiding after leaving Paris. Grammaticus claims that Lothbrok went on to raid the Irish coast in 851 and even created a settlement near the modern city of Dublin. From there, Grammaticus writes, Lothbrok sailed up and down the Irish and English coasts doing what he did best.

]]> 31. He Was Finally Captured Grammaticus wasn’t the only one to contradict the Frankish accounts. Icelandic sagas confirmed Grammaticus’ claim that Lothbrok went raiding in England where, they say, he met a grisly end. According to these sagas and chronicles, the Anglo-Saxon King Aella of Northumbria captured Lothbrok and had him thrown into a pit of snakes in 865.

Even then, he just refused to go quietly.

]]> 32. He Scared The Snakes The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok might provide the most detailed account of the legendary Viking’s final moments. Allegedly, after King Aella’s men threw him into the snake pit, even the snakes were afraid of him and refused to bite him. “This is a great man,” one observer said, “no weapons would bite him today, and now the serpents will not bite him”.

]]> 33. He Predicted His Revenge The snakes in the pit did, eventually, bite Lothbrok—and he would never climb out of there alive. However, the Viking legend had the last laugh. As he lay in the pit, taking his final labored breaths, Lothbrok reportedly said, “How the little piglets would grunt if they knew how the old boar suffers”. Many view that as a prophecy of what his sons did next.

]]> 34. He Perished In A Tempest Other accounts of Lothbrok’s demise are less apocryphal. One account, for example, states that Lothbrok likely perished doing what he loved: raiding. According to these alternate stories, Lothbrok met his end between 852 and 856 in a storm on the Irish Sea. Many scholars agree that this version of Lothbrok’s final days is more accurate.

It was certainly the most reflective of his character.

]]> 35. He Has His Own Saga The 13th-century Icelandic saga, the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok, has provided historians with most of the material that is known about the Viking king. Billed as a sequel to the Völsunga saga about other epic Vikings, it is from the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok that we know about his marriages, exploits, and blitzkrieg to fame.

It’s also how we know that he may actually have ended up in a snake pit.

]]> 36. He Set Sail With Just Two Ships By the time Ragnar Lothbrok had sacked Paris, his sons Björn Ironside and Ivar the Boneless had already established reputations of their own as fearsome Vikings. But Lothbrok didn’t want his sons to overshadow him. So, he set sail to conquer England with a small force of men and just two ships. That, according to legend, is how King Aella was able to defeat him.

The sons, King Aella was about to learn, were indeed more fearsome than the father.

]]> 37. His Sons Went Berserk When they learned of their father’s demise, Lothbrok’s sons did what any good Viking would do: they went berserk. Björn Ironside, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Ubbe, Ivar the Boneless, Hvitserk, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye rallied a force numbering 4,000 strong and set sail for England and Aella. The Great Heathen Army was unlike any the world had seen.

]]> 38. His Sons Fulfilled His Prophecy When the Great Heathen Army made landfall in Thetford, they immediately put their enemies to the sword, famously ending Edmund the Martyr. Next, they marched on the city of York where they fulfilled their father’s final prophecy. At the battle, Lothbrok’s sons defeated King Aella and sent him off to Valhalla where Lothbrok waited for him.

England would never be the same again.

]]> 39. He Laid The Groundwork For Danelaw When the Great Heathen Army defeated King Aella and his forces, it set the groundwork for Viking occupation and eventually led to the creation of Danelaw. Even so, Ivar led the Great Heathen Army for another five years, eventually passing in Dublin in 873. After that, Halfdan took command of the Norse forces and invaded Wessex.

Lothbrok’s revenge had only just begun.

]]> 40. His Son Made Peace At the helm of the Great Heathen Army and carrying his father’s legacy with him, Halfdan fought multiple battles in Wessex. However, when the Danish King Bagsecg fell during the Battle of Ashdown, Halfdan took the opportunity to make peace with the increasingly powerful new King of Wessex, Alfred the Great. Meanwhile, the rest of Lothbrok’s sons were causing havoc elsewhere.

]]> 41. His Son Raided Paris Again Between the years 857 and 859, the historical record talks about a fearsome Viking and “skilled naval commander” who raided in and around Paris. The record only names this berserker as “Björn”, suggesting that it was none other than Björn Ironside. He would do more than any other of Lothbrok’s sons to carry on his legacy.

]]> 42. He Fathered A Dynasty Later sagas might have embellished exactly how deep into history Lothbrok’s legacy went. According to some of these sagas, Björn Ironside went on to become King of Sweden and Uppsala, eventually passing the crown to his son, Erik, and his grandson, also Erik. However, historians note that if these accounts are taken literally, they present “chronological inconsistencies”.

]]> 43. His Legacy Spanned Multiple Realms Björn wasn’t the only one of Lothbrok’s sons to wear a crown (if the sagas are to be believed, that is). Many believe that Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye and King Sigfred of Denmark were the same person, especially because Sigfred ruled alongside Halfdan. If true, his realms included Zealand, Skåne, and the lesser Danish Isles.

]]> 44. His Son Lost An Important Battle The Lothbrok family winning streak couldn’t last forever. Two separate sources both record that, in 878, “the brother of Hingwar and Healfden” (believed to be another one of Lothbrok’s sons) landed in Devon with a small fleet. There, he fought the Battle of Cynwit, and lost badly, even losing control of the fabled Raven banner.

That banner might have been the secret to Lothbrok’s success.

]]> 45. He Always Had A Raven On His Side Legend has it that Lothbrok’s daughters—the “three sisters of Hingwar and Hubba”—had woven the Raven flag themselves in just one day. The Vikings believed that in battle, if the flag was blowing before them and it looked like a real, living crow, then Odin would give them victory. But if the flag was still, they would be defeated.

The line between fact and fiction was getting thin.

]]> 46. His Name Alone Was Terrifying Ragnar Lothbrok’s legend—tales of dragon-slayings and prophecies—may all have been a careful construction to pave the way for Viking raids. Some historians believe that most of what we know about Lothbrok was just political propaganda. And if it was, it was effective. Many of his sagas state that “the mere mention” of his name was enough to “spread fear among his enemies”.

Fear—and contempt.

]]> 47. He Faced “God’s Rightful Vengeance” Saxo Grammaticus, one of the best sources for information on Lothbrok, had mostly positive things to say about the legendary Viking. And some decidedly not nice things to say. Grammaticus’ biggest criticism of Lothbrok was to say that his demise in a snake pit was “God’s rightful vengeance for the contempt he had shown the Christian religion”.

Even so, everyone wanted to cash in on Lothbrok’s fame.

]]> 48. He Was Everyone’s Daddy For centuries after his demise and all across the Nordic lands, everyone wanted some of Lothbrok’s shine to rub off on them. Kings, leaders, and bone-crushing Vikings all claimed to be descendants of the fabled Ragnar Lothbrok. All of his children, however, have been accounted for—at least, that’s what historians think.

]]> 49. He Could Have Been Anyone History abhors a vacuum. That’s why, over the years, historians have tried to find a real Ragnar Lothbrok. And they aren’t short of candidates. “Reginherus”, the chieftain who laid waste to Paris in 845 is a strong contender. As is the Danish King Horik I who passed in 854. But then, there’s also King Reginfrid, and Ragnall from the Irish Annals.

In other words, they have no idea. But there is one thing that most scholars can agree on when it comes to Lothbrok's true identity. 

]]> 50. He Still Inspires Berserk Facts Hilda Ellis Davidson, a scholar on the era of Viking raids, made an important observation. Commenting on Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum, Davidson said that elements of Lothbrok’s legend may have been the result of an attempt to reconcile the contradictory and confusing accounts known to the chronicler by placing them within the reign of a single king: Ragnar.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=33131 <![CDATA[Princess Augusta Paid A Brutal Price For Her Family’s Sins]]> 2026-08-05T10:30:00+00:00 2026-08-04T20:26:35+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-princess-augusta Dancy Mason People The Scandal-Ridden Sister Princess Augusta could have been Queen of England in her own right, but instead, she had to give up her seat for her younger brother King George III—a man who went down in infamy for his madness. Still, Augusta’s own royal closet somehow had more disturbing skeletons. From a family curse to blood feuds, this princess’s life was no Bridgerton ball.

]]> 1. Her Family Was In An Enormous Feud Augusta’s life would eventually turn into a historical disaster, but it even started as a nightmare. Her father, Frederick the Prince of Wales, was in a bitter feud with Augusta’s royal grandparents, King George II and Queen Caroline of Ansbach—so much so that papa Frederick used Augusta’s very existence as a brutal revenge plot. And it all started the night she was born.

]]> 2. She Had A Bizarre Birth When Augusta’s mother went into labor in the summer of 1737, Frederick put his plan into motion. He quite literally forced the poor pregnant woman to run away from their royal lodgings, sit in a juddering carriage for over an hour, and finally give birth at the more remote St James’s Palace. Why?

Because then his loathsome parents couldn’t possibly be present for the birth of their grandchild. The results were chilling. With St James ill-prepared to welcome a royal heir, Princess Augusta came into the world on a humble tablecloth. And this petty beginning proved to be a dark omen.

]]> 3. Her Grandparents Shunned Her There are two things you need to know about Augusta and her family: They belonged to the House of Hanover, and the House of Hanover held grudges. So when the King and Queen got word of how their granddaughter made her debut, they were horrified, yes—but they also made sure they got their own revenge.

First, Augusta’s grandmother smirked that the babe was a “poor, ugly little she-mouse”. Then, the monarchs went further and banished Augusta’s parents from court. Augusta was a few days old and already an outcast princess. It did not get better from there.

]]> 4. Her Brother Booted Her Out Augusta couldn’t catch a win. Although she started out life as second in line for the British throne, even this mildly favorable situation didn’t last long. Within a year of her ignominious birth, Augusta’s younger brother George came along and supplanted her, then quickly became the Prince of Wales when their father passed unexpectedly in 1751.

Instead of a coronation, then, Augusta had to settle for being eye candy. Except even that didn’t work out quite perfectly.

]]> 5. She Wasn’t Beautiful Augusta was no great beauty; she reportedly had a “loose mouth and a long face” and someone once remarked she looked like “a vicar’s wife”. That said, there were consolations. She was George’s favorite sister, and after he officially became King George III in 1760, her impeccable pedigree and close relationship to the monarch made her a hot commodity on the marriage market.

In other words, she should have had her pick of suitors. But as usual, her family had to go and mess things up.

]]> 6. Her Mother Made Enemies Around 1761, some members of Augusta’s family got it in their heads that she should marry her second cousin, Charles, the future Duke of Brunswick. Only, this was no fairy tale. It was a purely political match, not a personal choice—and not everyone was even in agreement about it.

In fact, Augusta’s mother despised the House of Brunswick, and continually delayed wedding negotiations as much as she could. Somehow, though, the situation was about to get even more complicated.

]]> 7. She Got A New Sister-In-Law Shortly after he became king, Augusta’s brother George did his royal duty and married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a princess from a tiny German principality who wasn’t likely to make many waves at court. In other words, the Hanoverians thought she’d make the perfect consort—but this put extra pressure on Augusta to put a ring on it, and she didn’t react well.

]]> 8. She Could Be A Mean Girl According to courtier Horace Walpole, Augusta had always been a very “lively” girl, but the arrival of her new sister-in-law gave her a particularly naughty idea. Whether because she was annoyed at her mother or simply bored, Augusta began visiting Charlotte as often as she could and trying to turn the new queen against the matriarch.

It got so bad, Augusta’s mother—wise to her daughter’s gossip—started chaperoning her visits to prevent yet another family feud. Unfortunately, Augusta paid a high price for her little games.

]]> 9. Her Actions Had Consequences Augusta clearly had no problem using her own relatives as playthings, but it backfired on her big time. In the face of her daughter’s major meddling, Augusta’s mother suddenly realized that carting the girl off to marry her second cousin Charles wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all, hated House of Brunswick or not.

So, in 1764, the royal family invited the future Duke over to London for a visit and a wedding to Augusta. I’d love to say it went smoothly, but when did this family ever do “smooth”?

]]> 10. Her Family Snubbed Her Suitor When Charles came over for his matrimonial visit, it took no time at all for Augusta’s awful family dynamics to rear up again. Apparently, this time it was her brother King George III’s turn to stir the pot, and he quickly decided he hated Charles, too—though perhaps he was annoyed that someone was taking his favorite sister away.

Whatever the reason, George was good at this game. To prove his displeasure, he spent the visit snubbing the dukeling in various ways, forcing him to stay at run-down accommodations and refusing him a military guard. Yet he saved his best insult for Augusta’s wedding day.

]]> 11. Her Wedding Had One Problem On January 16, 1764, Charles and Augusta married in the Chapel Royal of St James’s Palace. But there was a fly in the ointment. Still hanging onto his grudge, King George III ordered all the servants on the couple’s wedding day to wear old clothes, just to passive-aggressively rub in his displeasure one last time.

All in all, Charles had gotten a very crude introduction to his in-laws. There would be many more unpleasant surprises.

]]> 12. Her New Realm Bored Her Thanks to this disturbing welcome, Augusta’s new husband insisted they set themselves up in Brunswick, Germany just 10 days after the wedding. It was an enormous and immediate change—and the princess didn’t adapt well. Decades later, people still described Augusta as “wholly English in her tastes,” and she took an instant dislike to her new realm, which she found dull. But there was one silver lining.

]]> 13. She Caught Feelings Surprisingly, Augusta found comfort in her arranged marriage. Before long, she was deeply in love with Charles, once writing, “No two people live better together than we do, and I would go through fire and water for him". The next events seemed to prove it.

Less than a year after her nuptials, she gave birth to a daughter, with the couple eventually having six children who made it to adulthood, two girls and four boys. On the outside at least, it looked like Princess Augusta was calmly settling into her role as wife and mother. But drama wasn’t done with her yet.

]]> 14. She Was Too Popular In 1766, Augusta gave birth to her eldest son Karl, traveling back to England for the labor so that everyone could see how triumphant she was. The crowds obliged, and every time Augusta and her husband went out in public, the roars of the British people followed them. This was far from a good thing. In fact, it turned one of Augusta’s old friends into an enemy.

]]> 15. She Had A Royal Rivalry According to the gossip at the time, Augusta’s sister-in-law Queen Charlotte was incensed at the attention Augusta was getting from her people—and the queen couldn’t help but get a familiar revenge.

Taking a page from King George’s actions during Augusta’s wedding, Charlotte refused to give the newlyweds certain military honors as well as other court comforts throughout their trip. But the British consort was just warming up.

]]> 16. Her Enemy Held Grudges Augusta was very aware of Charlotte’s dislike for her by the end of this visit, but nothing quite prepared her for how long Charlotte would play her petty games. When Augusta visited years later in 1771, Charlotte continued to pull tricks like forcing her to stay in more run-down palaces, even when nicer residences were available. And still, Charlotte had more insults in store.

]]> 17. She Fought Over Silverware For the remainder of this 1771 visit, Charlotte quibbled with Augusta over anything and everything, even zeroing in on Augusta’s ideas of etiquette. But there was a cruel twist. As it happened, Augusta was actually in town to say goodbye to her dying mother, not that Charlotte seemed to care. And when the matriarch passed in 1772, it all took a bigger nosedive.

]]> 18. Her Sister-In-Law Tried To Control Her By 1772, things were so bad between the sisters-in-law, Queen Charlotte lay down a spiteful order. She refused to let Augusta visit with her own brother, King George III, in private. Even according to other courtiers, competitiveness and jealousy alone drove Charlotte’s actions—but if she knew the truth, she would hardly have been envious.

]]> 19. Her Eldest Was Disabled By now, Augusta had given birth to her full brood of children—but all was not right in the house of Brunswick. Augusta’s eldest, Karl, had been born blind, but as he grew up his other issues and disabilities became clear. After visiting with the family, one royal noted that Karl was “strange and odd—if not to say an imbecile”.

Reportedly, the supposed heir to the duchy of Brunswick couldn’t stop chattering on, imitating his father, and being “in all aspects unbearable”. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning.

]]> 20. Something Was Off In Her Family Tree Genetics being what they are, one son like Karl wasn’t too much to worry about. Yet as it turned out, a full three of Augusta’s male children had disabilities. Her second son, Georg, had an even more severe disability than his older brother, while the third, August, was also born blind and exhibited learning issues.

In a world where you were only as good as your heirs, this put stress on Augusta and her husband. It also moved them to cruel acts.

]]> 21. She Banned Her Sons From Succession The 18th century wasn’t famous for its tolerance of difference, and Charles often complained about his sons’ issues, once saying to a friend that they were “mostly cripples in mind and body”. Indeed, he and Augusta declared Georg and August invalid, then barred them from succession.

When her fourth son, Frederick, was born without any disabilities, Augusta likely breathed a sigh of relief. But her family tree was still hiding a twisted truth.

]]> 22. She Was Inbred To this day, historians wonder about what was going on with Augusta’s male line, and their answers are disturbing. One of the most likely possibilities was inbreeding. The royal family liked to keep it very tight-knit when it came to marriages—again, Augusta and Charles themselves were second cousins—and there’s a good chance that Augusta was merely paying the genetic piper.

As we’ll see, though, it wasn’t Augusta’s sons that had the worst of it; it was her daughters. And in fact, another woman in the family was about to drop a drama bomb.

]]> 23. Her Sister Caused A Scandal 1772 wasn’t just the year that Augusta spatted with her sister-in-law Queen Charlotte, or the one where she grappled with her male heirs’ mental issues. It was also when her family’s reputation went to wrack and ruin. That very same year, her baby sister Caroline Matilda, who’d become Queen over in Denmark, got exiled and forcibly divorced after having an affair with a court physician.

I mean seriously, you could not beat the Hanoverians in the scandal department. And Augusta’s reaction to her sister’s fall from grace sent tongues wagging.

]]> 24. She Rebelled Against Her In-Laws In the wake of the Danish scandal, everyone expected Augusta to completely wash her hands of her kid sister. Except, well, Augusta didn’t want to play those games. Caroline Matilda ended up quite near to Brunswick, and the princess made sure to visit her sibling frequently—much to the horror of her husband and her in-laws.

Sadly, however, Caroline Matilda would perish from scarlet fever just a handful of years later—and before Augusta could get over her death, she was dealing with a tragedy in her own house.

]]> 25. She Was A Fool For Love For a long time, Augusta thought she had the perfect husband. Only, the truth about her relationship was downright chilling. Augusta may have pledged to walk through “fire and water” for Charles…but that feeling wasn’t mutual. In reality, Charles found her boring and had happily carried on numerous flirtations since the very beginning of their marriage.

In fact, just two years into their union, he was already hiding an enormous secret.

]]> 26. Her Husband Had A Side Piece In 1766, Charles was in London scanning about for pretty women who weren’t his wife, and landed on Maria Antonia Branconi, a German-Italian beauty who was also married herself. Even so, this didn’t stop the two of them from carrying on an affair so torrid, Maria actually followed Charles back to Brunswick.

She soon become his favorite, and the couple even had an illegitimate child together. It’s unclear just how much Augusta was privy to here, but she had to have known something. And if it had just stopped there, perhaps she would have kept looking the other way. But...it didn’t.

]]> 27. She Had Competition Whatever Maria Antonia was, she obviously wasn’t a fool, because she managed to keep the Brunswick court even-keeled during her time there. Then everything changed. In 1777, Charles got a new, presumably even younger mistress in Luise von Hertefeld, who he not only installed as his official mistress, but also appointed to a high position in his court. This was the final straw for Augusta.

]]> 28. She Made A Passive-Aggressive Announcement Augusta had learned to sport a stiff upper lip—with a family like hers, she’d needed to—but this new rival pushed her over the edge. She was the sister to the King of England, after all, and yet here her husband was, happily disrespecting her again. So, she got her revenge.

At the still-spry age of 40, Augusta suddenly announced that she was retiring from court life to better look after her children. It was as clear a “you’re sleeping on the couch, buddy” moment as Augusta could manage while still maintaining her dignity. It was also a full-blown disaster.

]]> 29. She Took It Out On Her Children Augusta may have been trying to take the high road, but it didn’t last. Her resentment for the husband she once loved only grew, and Charles in turn was the opposite of empathetic to her woes. Before long, they were at each other’s throats constantly.

In fact, as their youngest daughter Caroline grew up, they increasingly treated her like a “shuttlecock,” with one of them getting angry if the girl was ever nice to the other parent. But when Augusta tried to get a hobby that wasn’t “pit mommy against daddy,” it got even worse.

]]> 30. She Played Matchmaker Part of Augusta’s job as a mother was to see her two daughters married off—and she wasted no time at all doing just that. By 1780, just three years after her “retirement” from court life, Augusta had rushed her 15-year-old eldest daughter and namesake, Augusta, into a union with Frederick of Württemberg.

In just six short years, she would watch as her daughter’s marriage first turned sour, then bloody.

]]> 31. She Picked An Awful Groom No one in the 18th century cared much about finding a perfect love match, but Augusta had still made an enormous mistake. Her new son-in-law was an absolute brute who reportedly got physical with her daughter almost immediately. Indeed, the marriage was in such shambles that within a year, the younger Augusta was begging her parents to give her permission to divorce. Their reply was heartless.

]]> 32. She Valued Her Name Above All Else By this point, Charles had officially become the Duke of Brunswick, and our Augusta was now the Duchess. With this new name to uphold, they insisted that their daughter not sully it. The Duke, seemingly with Augusta’s compliance, threatened to ostracize his daughter in every royal court unless she stayed in her miserable marriage.

When the truth all came out, it was a decision Augusta couldn’t help but regret.

]]> 33. She Made A Horrible Choice By 1786, Augusta’s foray into royal matchmaking had turned into an international incident. Her son-in-law Frederick continued to physically attack her daughter, and at one point even planned to pay men to “sully” his wife’s reputation. It got so bad, no less than Catherine the Great of Russia intervened on the girl’s behalf, writing to Brunswick and begging the Duke and Duchess to do something.

They refused once more, and they wouldn’t get another chance to make things right.

]]> 34. She Got Tragic News In the end, Augusta’s daughter did manage to escape her horrific marriage, though with no real thanks to her parents. Still, it was too little, too late. In September of 1788, Augusta and her husband received a letter containing blood-curdling news. Their 23-year-old daughter was gone, and the reason why was utterly senseless.

]]> 35. She Suffered A Mother’s Worst Nightmare Under the circumstances, many close to the girl wanted to blame her savage husband for her premature demise. However, that wasn’t the case at all. Augusta’s daughter actually died from complications of persistent amenorrhea, though none of that excuses Augusta’s lack of action when her little girl needed her most.

And lest you think this was all just bad luck for Augusta, you might want to hear what happened with her other daughter, Caroline. Because that story is an utter train wreck.

]]> 36. She Neglected Her Youngest Daughter With one daughter dead, Augusta turned her attention to her remaining girl, Caroline. By this time, Caroline desperately needed it. Augusta and Charles had been too busy sniping at each other to give Caroline a proper education when she was a child, and now as a young adult, she was woefully ignorant about the world.

Unfortunately, Augusta’s version of “attention,” when it finally did come, was utterly deranged.

]]> 37. She Was A Helicopter Parent As it turned out, Caroline was a devastatingly attractive girl, and men had started asking for her hand in marriage very early on. Augusta, who had designs on marrying Caroline off to a British prince, turned away most of them—but she didn’t stop there.

She was brutally strict about keeping Caroline’s “virtue” intact and didn’t allow her to see any men unsupervised. For God’s sake, Caroline wasn’t even allowed to dine alone with her own brother. It gets weirder.

]]> 38. She Had Deranged Rules To say Augusta kept her last surviving daughter on a tight leash is the understatement of the century. Whenever Augusta entertained guests, she made sure Caroline stayed in an entire other room away from the festivities—and even then, the poor girl had to keep away from the windows, lest someone from outside snatch a glance at her.

You think that’s strict? Well, we’re still on the warm-up.

]]> 39. She Was A Nightmare Mother Perhaps she was simply nursing deep guilt over her eldest daughter’s demise, but Augusta obviously went right off the deep end while raising Caroline. When the girl came of age, it just got worse. She wasn’t even allowed to attend balls, and on the rare occasion that she did, Augusta commanded her never to dance.

The icing on this cake, though? That’s up next.

]]> 40. Her Daughter Played A Scandalous Trick On Her With all of this helicopter parenting, Augusta couldn’t possibly have a close, intimate relationship with her daughter. But one day, their tensions reached ridiculous proportions. After Augusta banned her from yet another ball, a rebellious Caroline came up with a deranged plot. The young princess actually faked going into labor and started screaming for a midwife.

Then, once the woman arrived, Caroline abruptly stopped and asked her mother, “Now, Madam, will you keep me another time from a ball?” Yet when Augusta did finally let go of Caroline, it was just as disastrous.

]]> 41. She Turned Her Daughter Into A Princess In 1794, Augusta got what she had been angling for all along: She brokered a union between Caroline and Prince George of Wales, her brother’s son and the future King of England. To be fair, George only agreed to it because he was heavily in debt and needed a dowry, but a win was a win in Augusta’s books.

Unfortunately, when George’s emissary came to pick Caroline up to move to England, all of Augusta’s secrets spilled out.

]]> 42. She Forgot One Basic Lesson The day that George’s man came for Caroline was a calamity. First, Caroline’s total lack of tact and social understanding shocked the emissary. But more disgustingly, he also explicitly remarked on Caroline’s incredibly bad hygiene—she reportedly never washed or changed her clothes—and blamed Augusta for being “inattentive” to this aspect of her daughter’s education.

That’s right, Augusta’s practical parenting was so awful, even some 18th-century dude who didn’t know what germs were was calling her daughter dirty. It was a bad beginning for Caroline, and it would have a bad end.

]]> 43. She Made A Disastrous Union Caroline and Prince George’s marriage was one of the worst in British royal history, which is saying something if you know about Henry VIII. Augusta had to watch on as the couple fought, despised each other, had one child together, and then pretty much never spoke again. It was another match in the “L” column for our princess. But by then she had a much more terrifying prospect on her hands.

]]> 44. Her Brother Turned Insane Augusta had always been close with her brother King George III, which made the next piece of news devastating. In the late 1780s, George began noticeably suffering from mental health illness, displaying either porphyria or possibly even bipolar disorder. Augusta’s twisted family genetics was rearing its ugly head again, and the consequences were alarming.

For days at a time, Augusta’s brother would become manic, talk so much he foamed at the mouth, and turn incomprehensible. Though he recovered, it would only be temporary. And the bad news kept coming.

]]> 45. Her Husband Was Under Attack The Autumn of 1806 was one of the most tragic periods of Augusta’s life. To start, that September her eldest son Karl passed at the age of 40. Then, that October, her 71-year-old husband Charles was out fighting in the Napoleonic Wars when he came under a brutal attack, taking musket fire to his face. His men managed to carry him back to safety, but when they surveyed the damage, they must have known all was lost.

]]> 46. Her Duke Had Brutal Injuries For a long time, Augusta’s marriage to the Duke of Brunswick hadn’t been what anyone would call happy, but even her most bitter self wouldn’t have wished for his gruesome injuries. The musket ball had destroyed both his eyes, and the Duke spent weeks in agony with Augusta by his side, praying for his recovery. The fates were not kind.

]]> 47. She Couldn’t Be There At The End In the end, the Duke perished from his severe wounds—but Augusta couldn’t even be there for the final goodbye. As Charles lay dying, Napoleon’s forces were advancing steadily through the territory toward him. They eventually got so close that the British Ambassador convinced Augusta she had to flee, and Charles passed soon after.

Augusta’s brood was falling like flies, and she herself lived just long enough to witness one final family catastrophe.

]]> 48. Her Brother Denied Her One Wish Following the passing of her husband, Augusta wanted nothing more than return home to Britain at last and spend her remaining years with her brother the king. Instead, she got an insult. Whether because of her old rivalry with his wife Queen Charlotte or for some other reason, George delayed giving his permission for her journey over until a year later, in 1807.

Once there, Augusta had precious little time to enjoy her brother as she knew him.

]]> 49. She Watched Her Sibling’s Mind Break In 1810, the 73-year-old Augusta got the news that King George III had fallen into what would be his final fit of mental illness. His favorite daughter, Princess Amelia, had just passed, and it sent him into a spiral of melancholy neither Augusta nor Queen Charlotte could pull him out of. He became so inept, the British parliament had to trigger a regency.

It was a sad state of affairs, and there was one more debacle to come.

]]> 50. She Feuded With Her Daughter Augusta managed to squeeze in one more feud into her last days. When she first arrived in England, she started living with her daughter Caroline, who was by now completely on the outs with her royal husband. It was a chance for them to grow close at last…but they failed miserably. Mother and daughter butted heads so much that Augusta quickly moved out to live on her own in the house next door.

You know, just far away enough so Caroline understood her displeasure, but near enough that she could always keep a watchful eye on her. Once a helicopter mom, always a helicopter mom.

]]> 51. She Had A Family Curse In the end, Augusta’s legacy is one of constant family tragedy, and this didn’t change even after her dying breath. In 1813, the 75-year-old princess passed on her home soil. Her brother King George III, still insane, would follow her seven years later in 1820, while her daughter Caroline, still estranged from her husband, passed a year after that.

Hers was an unforgettable dynasty that history can’t help but remember…just not always for the right reasons.

You May Also Like:

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=37404 <![CDATA[Joe DiMaggio was an American legend—but behind his debonair image lay a lifetime of cruel secrets.]]> 2026-08-05T10:30:00+00:00 2026-08-04T20:16:46+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-joe-dimaggio Dancy Mason People The Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio was an American legend—but no one hid as many cruel secrets underneath his debonair image.

]]> 1. He’s A Dark Legend Despite his electric baseball career, Joe DiMaggio presented one painstakingly curated image to the world: That of a graceful, utterly polite gentleman. But if you scratch the surface of his life, that veneer reveals a rotten inside.

His marriage to was infamously dysfunctional, and most don’t even know the half of it. Then there were his vicious acts of revenge, his cruel crimes, and his ultimate deathbed betrayals. Joe DiMaggio is not who you think he is.

]]> 2. His Family Didn’t Want Him Explaining where DiMaggio got his jealousy and control issues from starts at his own beginnings. The eighth of nine children, DiMaggio’s mother desperately hoped he was the last child in their bursting-at-the-seams family, only to have Joe disappoint her when another came along.

Now, I’m not saying this is the only reason DiMaggio had a chip on his shoulder, but it certainly didn’t help. By the time he hit the big leagues, that chip was a boulder.

]]> 3. He Was Controlling DiMaggio is inextricably connected to the New York Yankees, and became a superstar almost immediately. On the field, he was devilishly good, in the locker room he was humble and quiet—but after games, his demanding side came out. 

Slim and compact, DiMaggio was always dressed impeccably, and insisted everyone in his company do the same. If they didn’t comply, he’d ice them out. He was beginning to prune his image to exactly how he wanted it. All he needed next was the girl.

]]> 4. He Had A Type By 1937, DiMaggio was famous enough to get a minor part in the upcoming film Manhattan Merry-Go-Round. That one film put his life on a new course. While there, he met fellow bit-part actor Dorothy Arnold, a blonde beauty—and DiMaggio liked his blonde beauties. Although she was 19 and he was 23, they fell into a serious relationship, marrying two years later.

Unfortunately, domestic bliss was not in DiMaggio’s future.

]]> 5. He Was A Horrible Husband To his adoring Yankee fans, there was nothing as American apple pie as Joe DiMaggio. So when Arnold walked down the aisle, she likely imagined a charmed life full of white picket fences, shaggy dogs, and bouncing babies ahead of her. But Arnold—and the public at large—was sorely mistaken.

DiMaggio let all pretense drop early into his marriage, and began smoking, drinking, and relentlessly cheating on his wife. That was far from all.

]]> 6. He Kept Up Appearances If Joe DiMaggio was a bad husband (and he was) he was even a worse father. When Arnold gave birth to their son, Joe Jr, DiMaggio was apathetic at best, and mostly thought of the boy as an “irritant”. His son would later confess, “He was concerned with image, with how things looked. He wasn’t concerned with me as a person”. But DiMaggio got crueler.

]]> 7. He Constantly Abandoned His Child DiMaggio also had no qualms about abandoning his son as an infant. Whenever Joe Jr got sick, as babies often do, DiMaggio’s response was heartless. He always made sure to decamp to a hotel to get as far from the ruckus and germs as he could. Still, not even the great DiMaggio was immune from karma, and it was coming for him.

]]> 8. He Was Cruel And Indifferent In 1943, Dorothy Arnold had enough of what was surely one of Old Hollywood’s worst marriages, and she filed from divorce from DiMaggio. In the paperwork, she cited “cruel indifference,” which just about sums it up. If DiMaggio cared, he certainly didn’t let on to the press…but his luck wasn’t going to get any better.

]]> 9. He Retired In Shame DiMaggio had a few more incredible years left in him at the New York Yankees—he still holds MLB records today—but it 1951, it all took a sharp downturn. His season went nowhere, and reports behind the scenes indicated he was finished. That December, DiMaggio announced his retirement, saying “I can no longer produce for my club”.

DiMaggio was now a free man in every sense. He was also about to start his most infamous years.

]]> 10. He Met The Woman Who Would Ruin Him In 1952, Joe DiMaggio met his downfall. The recently retired 37-year-old agreed to go on a double date with the up-and-coming, 25-year-old actress Marilyn Monroe. Like his ex-wife, Monroe was blonde and beautiful, and DiMaggio was so dumbstruck that he barely talked at all during the date. As one of Monroe’s friends put it, “You could almost hear Mr DiMaggio going to pieces”.

Yet all this had a strange effect on Monroe.

]]> 11. He Was A Bad Date Monroe, who had grown up with a schizophrenic mother and an absent father, was in constant search of affection, even if she didn’t always get it from the right places. That said, she did get it. So when DiMaggio clammed up around her, she assumed he wasn’t interested and went from reluctant—before the date, she thought he’d be egotistical—to intrigued.

They collided in a way neither of them could ever turn back from.

]]> 12. He Had A Gross Dynamic Whole books have been written about DiMaggio and Monroe’s dynamic, but all of them agree on one thing: It was incredibly toxic. DiMaggio was obsessed with Monroe’s beauty, and also obsessed with the way she made him look while hanging off his arm. Monroe, meanwhile, liked DiMaggio’s “paternalistic guidance,” not to mention their fiery chemistry together.

But DiMaggio’s “guidance” soon turned sour, and their chemistry erupted.

]]> 13. He Tried To Oppress Her DiMaggio had always been a conservative, if snappy, dresser, and he began to make harsh demands of his starlet. He quite liked her curves, but considered them for his eyes only, and tried to insist she wear blouses that covered up her chest, while lowering her hemlines for good measure. But DiMaggio’s control issues spiraled further.

]]> 14. He Was Incredibly Jealous It wasn’t just that DiMaggio wanted Monroe to ditch the Hollywood uniform; he also wanted her to ditch Hollywood all together. After all, why should the public get such easy access to his lover on screen? Monroe, to her credit, refused. As one family friend related, she wasn’t about to give up her burgeoning stardom “to make lasagna for Joe and spend her days changing diapers”.

So there were huge warning signs, but the pair went ahead and made a horrible decision anyway.

]]> 15. He Had A Hasty Wedding In January of 1954, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe eloped, probably making everyone who knew them palm at their faces. According to close confidants, it was what DiMaggio had been angling at from the beginning, if only because it would allow him to better control Monroe and help mould her into the wife he wanted. He started his “project” right away.

]]> 16. He Insisted On Terrifying Rules When they married, DiMaggio set up “ground rules” for their union, most of which only served him. For one, he demanded to have final approval on any of Monroe’s upcoming films. He also wanted her to break out of her previous “dumb blonde” type-casting—which was, to be fair, a sentiment Monroe was fully behind herself.

Only, the most punishing stipulation was yet to come.

]]> 17. He Treated His Wife Like Competition DiMaggio now believed he had a good amount of creative control over Monroe, but there was one thing he feared most of all. As one of his last rules, he told her she could never eclipse him in public. If he ever did feel slighted, he would make sure she felt it, storming off to a separate bedroom and giving her the silent treatment for days on end.

Unsurprisingly, it began unraveling almost instantly. But no one could have predicted how bad it would get.

]]> 18. He Had Bad Habits For all that he wanted a vivacious, arm-candy wife, DiMaggio wasn’t doing a lot to hold up his end of the relationship. While Monroe was interested in psychotherapy, reading, and art, DiMaggio was interested in daytime TV, pouring himself drinks, and waiting for Monroe to come home so he could barrage her with questions about where she’d been.

And in those moments, DiMaggio was like a tiger lying in wait.

]]> 19. He Crossed A Horrific Line Under all these strict, ridiculous rules, DiMaggio was obviously roiling with insecurity about his relative worth next to his va-va-voom wife. But this insecurity turned him into a monster. More than once, he took out his anger physically on Monroe, with his son Joe Jr witnessing some of the terrifying events. It was heading to a horrible end.

]]> 20. He Drove Her To The Brink Under all this strain, Monroe’s reaction was heartbreaking. She was so anxious that she began self-medicating more and more with drinking. When that didn’t work, she would take copious sedatives to help calm her mind. Finally, pushed to the brink, she also struck up an affair with her voice coach, Hal Schaefer, just to get away from DiMaggio’s oppressive influence.

When DiMaggio found out, chaos reigned.

]]> 21. He Found Out Her Secret DiMaggio was a fastidious enough man to catch onto what was happening with his wife and Schaefer, and his vengeance was cold as ice. He calmly called Schaefer up and asked him to come over—only stopping his wheedling when Monroe shouted in the background, “Don’t come here! He’ll kill you. He’ll beat you up”. Schaefer never did visit.

At first, the image-conscious DiMaggio made sure the dire reality of his marriage stayed behind closed doors. But in the end, the only person DiMaggio couldn’t truly control was himself.

]]> 22. He Couldn’t Stand Seeing Her At Work In September of 1954, just months after their marriage and during what should have been their honeymoon phase, DiMaggio and Monroe had an infamous altercation. Monroe was shooting the now-iconic scene in The Seven-Year Itch where her dress gets blown up by the wind from subway grate. 

DiMaggio, as it happened, was present and watching intently from the sidelines. And he lost his mind.

]]> 23. He Had An On-Set Freak Out This was a provocative scene, and one DiMaggio perhaps could tell was destined for legend—both strikes against Monroe. He quickly pulled his wife into the nearby theater and reamed her out in front of her cast and crew, one of whom was the respected director Billy Wilder. For Monroe, it was the last straw, and she played the only card she could.

]]> 24. Monroe Dropped A Bombshell On Him A month after this scene, DiMaggio got the news that broke him. Monroe had filed for divorce after only nine months of marriage, citing—very similarly to his first wife—“mental cruelty”. For perhaps the first time in his life, Joe DiMaggio had lost something he cared for, and it was all his fault. His reaction was more than a little disturbing.

]]> 25. He Got Creepy For the next weeks, months, and years of his life, DiMaggio found increasingly creepy ways of replacing Monroe. He dated women who looked exactly like her, and soon his little black book became chock-full of blonde bombshells. At one point, there were rumors he was going to marry the Miss America winner Marilyn McKnight…who had performed a Monroe act to nab the crown.

Yet he and the real Marilyn hadn’t come to the end of their sick story.

]]> 26. He Found Ways To Keep Hold Of Her DiMaggio and Monroe had clearly developed a toxic co-dependence, and they simply couldn’t quit. Just weeks after their divorce, he took her to the hospital for a scheduled surgery. Slipping into his paternalistic role, he then cared for her during her stay, as well as during her convalescence at home. 

She, in turn, celebrated his 40th birthday alongside him with an intimate dinner. But as always, these happy times papered over dark truths.

]]> 27. She Wouldn’t Take Him Back DiMaggio was still auditioning to be Monroe’s husband for the second time, but the starlet was well and truly done with him—at least for now. While they still slept together from time to time, she’d stopped considering him a partner, had struck up a relationship with Marlon Brando, and continued her affair with Hal Schaefer.

It drove DiMaggio to a breaking point—one unlike he’d ever reached before.

]]> 28. He Turned To A Friend For Help Once he realized Marilyn was slipping through his fingers, DiMaggio reached disturbing new lows. One night, he was talking to crooner Frank Sinatra about his woes. Sinatra, in turn, suggested that DiMaggio hire a PI to investigate his ex-wife’s comings and goings. Yeah, great idea.

Thus began one of the most ridiculous stake outs in Hollywood history.

]]> 29. He Went To Disturbing Lengths First, the baseball icon had Monroe’s phone bugged. Then, when Monroe moved into the Waldorf Astoria, DiMaggio took matters into his own hands and would hide out in the lobby in full cheesy disguise, a fake beard on his chin and a newspaper in front of his face. You really can’t make this up. But DiMaggio was about to go from ridiculous to unhinged.

]]> 30. He Came Up With A Dangerous Idea One night, Sinatra and DiMaggio were out drinking again, with DiMaggio in an especially bad mood because he knew Marilyn was currently with her voice coach side piece, Hal Schaefer. That’s when the two of them came up with another “brilliant” plan. Gathering five accomplices, they headed to Schaefer’s apartment complex, intending to catch the lovers together and give them a piece of their minds—and fists.

It got very dark, very fast.

]]> 31. He Masterminded An Infamous Raid In the end, DiMaggio’s scheme backfired brutally. When they got to the complex, Sinatra and DiMaggio busted down the wrong door, and instead stood face to face with a confused 50-year-old woman, Doris Katz, who promptly called the authorities. Despite executives trying to hush the matter up, the papers got wind and lambasted the two scorned lovers. 

DiMaggio, true to his impeccable image management, always denied it. Instead, from then on, Joe tried a different tack.

]]> 32. He Changed Himself You can’t begin a relationship expecting to change a man, but apparently you can end one. After realizing he was acting like a buffoon to get Marilyn back, DiMaggio did a complete 180. He went to anger management therapy, quit drinking, and even tried to learn more about the world outside the baseball diamond, all for Monroe’s sake.

Not that you need to feel too bad about him, but what he got back instead was gut-wrenching.

]]> 33. Monroe Sent Him An Unforgettable Message Despite DiMaggio’s belated attempts at self-improvement, Monroe threw it back in his face. Marilyn was (rightly) reluctant to go back to him, and just two years after the split she married the playwright Arthur Miller instead. DiMaggio must have been shattered, and for years he watched the pair as man and wife. But when he saw his chance, he didn’t hesitate.

]]> 34. He Got A Tearful Phone Call By 1961, Monroe’s marriage to Miller was in shambles—and tragically, so was Monroe’s mental health. That February, doctors diagnosed her with paranoid schizophrenia, just like her mother, and forcibly institutionalized her in New York. Lost and scared, Monroe put out a call for help…and only DiMaggio answered it. That “answer” was typical DiMaggio.

]]> 35. He Saved A Damsel In Distress Still holding a blazing torch for Monroe, DiMaggio stormed into the hospital and demanded they release her. When the attendants initially refused, he retorted, “I’ll give you five minutes to get her out here, or I’ll tear this…place apart brick by brick”. They quickly complied, and he brought her in for medical help at a more suitable institution.

DiMaggio had nailed a situation to the wall yet again, but he couldn’t stop Marilyn unspooling.

]]> 36. He Watched Her Spiral The next months of Marilyn’s life (and there were only months left) were agony to DiMaggio. He watched as she slipped further into drinking, substances, and mental illness. But there was a twist. DiMaggio, in tender loyalty, never blamed Monroe for this—though perhaps he blamed himself for the misery he’d caused her during their relationship.

The people he definitely did blame, however, were very powerful.

]]> 37. He Hated A Powerful Family In 1962, Marilyn began a fling with John F Kennedy, and then with his brother Bobby. DiMaggio, jealous but also cognizant of the fast crowd the Kennedys ran in, made no secret of how much he despised them and how he felt they were dragging Marilyn down. 

He even took issue with his old pal Frank Sinatra at this point, since he believed Sinatra set Marilyn up with the Kennedys for his own political gain. Tragically, all DiMaggio’s worst fears came true within weeks.

]]> 38. His Nightmare Came True In the summer of 1962, DiMaggio received the most devastating blow of his life. Marilyn’s cold body was found in her bedroom after an overdose. Tellingly, although many sought out conspiracy theories to explain her passing, for DiMaggio there was only ever one answer: Monroe’s mental illness had finally felled her, and she’d taken her own life.

Some believe that Monroe and DiMaggio had reconciled for good or were about to reconcile just before her passing, making her end even more heartbreaking. Either way, DiMaggio acted next in a haze of grief and love.

]]> 39. He Performed One Last Act Of Devotion In the wake of Monroe’s passing, DiMaggio intervened on her behalf one last time. He flew directly and immediately to LA to identify her body, and he organized her funeral and headstone. These were, after all, some of the last acts of devotion he could perform for her.

If there was a before and after in DiMaggio’s life, this was it. He was never the same again—or rather, all his worst qualities now swelled, tumor-like, to suffocate his soul.

]]> 40. He Betrayed His Son Joe DiMaggio had always been an exacting man, but a new vicious streak coincided with Monroe’s spiral and downfall. Around this time, he left his son Joe Jr—who was now enrolled at Yale and having academic difficulties—out to dry, even encouraging a university official to expel him. Later, when Joe Jr experienced addiction and homelessness, DiMaggio would sneer that his son was a “bum”.

But his disregard of his family spread to more than just his son.

]]> 41. He Cut His Elderly Sister Out Of His Will After a legendary career in baseball, DiMaggio had significant assets—but he frequently held it over the heads of even his siblings. His older sister Marie had helped out in his household, but after DiMaggio suspected she was taking gifts he had been given, he tried to cut her out of his will when she was in her 80s.

At one point, he saw his brother Dom at a hotel, and didn’t even say hello. When someone asked if he was his brother, DiMaggio replied, “So what”. As for any “friends”? Well…

]]> 42. He Dropped Friends Like Flies DiMaggio cut old pals out of his life at the drop of a hat. In one instance, he iced devotee Barry Halper out of his inner circle just because Halper didn’t go through some largely inconsequential procedures for signing DiMaggio’s memorabilia. The friends who remained called this getting thrown “out of the phone book”—such was DiMaggio’s total commitment to pretending you never existed, even after the smallest slight.

Not that DiMaggio himself was innocent.

]]> 43. He Crowed Over A Sick Man Vain and self-serving to a fault, Joe DiMaggio had his own horrible manners later in life. For example, he once went to the wedding of a friend’s daughter without a gift. But his most bitter act happened in front of an adoring crowd. 

In 1995, on Old Timers’ Day in Yankee stadium, DiMaggio was clearly delighted when he got more applause than fellow icon Mickey Mantle—who was currently dying of cancer and could only send in a videotaped message to the fans. Yes, DiMaggio was now a hollow man. He was also a miserly one.

]]> 44. He Was Bizarrely Stingy After growing up poor, Joe DiMaggio was a notorious penny-pincher. Later in life, he took this to shocking levels. He hated paying for anything—his car (which he only “washed” by driving out in the rain) was a Yankees’ gift, and he generally lived in apartments other people had given him. Even then, his clothes often had mildew on them…because he wouldn’t turn on the complimentary air conditioning.

In short, as the years with Monroe’s last breaths grew ever distant, DiMaggio’s grudges grew larger. His pain also grew deeper.

]]> 45. He Held Life-Long Grudges Even in his elderly years, you knew there were three subjects you never mentioned in DiMaggio’s presence: Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and the Kennedys. Indeed, the aging DiMaggio still held such hatred for the presidential family, he wouldn’t even go to charity events at the Kennedy Center unless he knew none of them would be there.

His worst pain, however, was hidden even deeper.

]]> 46. He Had A Sinister Tell Whenever Joe DiMaggio was about to have a black mood, he’d display what those close to him called the “bad head,” where the sportsman would tilt his chin down. If that happened, you knew a storm was coming. And each time, you knew it had the same origin: DiMaggio was thinking of Marilyn Monroe.

Her ghost had never left him, and had turned him into a living phantom himself. Except, that is, for one thing.

]]> 47. He Kept Her Spirit Alive What humanity Joe DiMaggio did have left was still reserved for Monroe. Although he never again visited her grave after her funeral, he did fulfill a tear-jerking promise to her. She’d always idolized how Old Hollywood star William Powell left roses on starlet grave every week, so DiMaggio made sure to do her one better, sending fresh roses there like clockwork twice a week.

But when DiMaggio’s own end came, it was nothing short of a tragedy.

]]> 48. He Tried To Hush Up Devastating News In the last decade of his life, DiMaggio relied heavily on his lawyer Morris Engelberg, both personally and professionally. He also forced him to keep a ruinous secret. In the late 90s, DiMaggio found out he had cancer, which he called “funny cells” to avoid the seriousness of the situation, but insisted Engelberg tell no one.

DiMaggio was trying to control the Grim Reaper just like he controlled his entourage, his bank accounts, and his public image. But this demon—like all DiMaggio’s demons—couldn’t be wrangled.

]]> 49. The Truth Came Out Eventually, the press clued into DiMaggio’s illness, though few knew just how serious it was until it was too late. But Engelberg also eventually caved—so on March 7, 1999, the last day of DiMaggio’s life, he was surrounded by the family he hadn’t yet completely discarded or alienated. Then, before he passed, he uttered the six words that will live in infamy.

]]> 50. His Last Words Were Famous In many ways, Joe DiMaggio’s life started when he met Marilyn Monroe, and entered purgatory when she’d died. So, almost four decades later, his thoughts were still heartbreakingly with her. As his final words, the 84-year-old man turned to Engelberg and rasped just before dying, “I’ll finally get to see Marilyn”.

Only…there’s still one thing you should know about their great “love” story.

]]> 51. He Got A Deranged Revenge On Marilyn Joe DiMaggio was clearly obsessed with Marilyn Monroe, but few know just how dark his obsession got. In his book about their relationship, author David Heymann claims that after their divorce, DiMaggio had a $10,000 doll replica of Monroe made, which he used for the exact nefarious purposes you’re thinking of.

Going further, DiMaggio even once reportedly showed the life-sized doll off to a new lover, calling her “Marilyn the Magnificent” and boasting, “She can do anything Marilyn can do, except talk”. Ew.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=62104 <![CDATA[The Woman Who Brought Down A President]]> 2026-08-05T10:55:00+00:00 2026-08-04T13:33:10+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-nan-britton Dancy Mason People Nan Britton, Scandal-Maker They don’t make scandals like they used to, and Nan Britton is proof. She not only managed to seduce President Warren G Harding, she also helped turn his reputation from one of the most well-liked men in American history to one of the most reviled. All it took was one shocking allegation…that also happened to be true.  

]]> 1. She Was A Country Girl Fate caught up with Nan Britton early. Born in the rural town of Marion, Ohio in 1896, she just so happened to live in the same place as the future president Warren G Harding. At the time, Harding was a successful businessman and politician who owned the local newspaper The Marion Star—and Britton knew she had to have him.

]]> 2. She Had An Intense Crush  Although Harding was over 30 years Britton’s senior, as a teenager she developed an all-consuming crush on the handsome, affable man about town. This was hardly an innocent infatuation either: the schoolgirl began stalking the politician, somehow always managing to run into him and flirt. 

It was so obvious, and Britton was so determined, that something eventually had to be done. 

]]> 3. He Let Her Down Easy Eventually, Nan’s father intervened on his daughter’s behalf, even going so far as to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Harding and his daughter so the older man could let her down gently. In the meeting, Harding reportedly informed Nan that he was sure she would one day meet the man of her dreams, insinuating that it wasn’t him. 

This was apparently enough for Nan’s father. But then again, he didn’t have the slightest clue.

]]> 4. She Liked Older Men On the surface, it might have looked to everyone like Nan was barking up the wrong tree. After all, Harding was one of the most respected men in Marion. More than that, he had served in the Ohio State Senate, worked as lieutenant governor, and around this time was elected to the US Senate, with his eye on the White House. Except he was already hiding some dirty secrets. 

]]> 5. She Knew What She Was After Harding was nearly 50 years old at the time that Britton developed her crush, and no stranger to torrid love affairs. Although he was married to the iron-willed Florence Kling, who helped run his political campaigns and fiercely guarded his image, Harding nonetheless had an affair with Florence’s close friend Carrie Phillips. 

So perhaps it was no surprise when Britton’s attentions began working.

]]> 6. She Campaigned For Him While Britton’s infatuation grew, Harding was busy on his US Senate campaign. One day, she deliberately “passed” by his house and told him that she had adorned her room with his campaign posters. Far from dismissing her, Harding replied archly—with his wife Florence looking on—that maybe she’d like to have a real photograph in her collection. These kinds of interactions escalated.

]]> 7. He Treated Her Like A Doll As Harding got deeper into his eventually successful Senate campaign, he took Britton right along with him. When she was still a teenager, he reportedly began sitting her on his lap in his private office, all while Britton remained starry-eyed for the much older man. 

Then, when he finally became a US Senator, he let loose.  

]]> 8. She Became His “Bride” Up until now, Britton’s flirtation with Harding was just that—a flirtation. But when she was 20 years old, and he was now over 50, the new Senator Harding took her to a New York Hotel where she, as she later euphemistically put it, became his “bride”. 

Nan Britton was now officially a political mistress, but she was barely a woman, and it showed. 

]]> 9. He Liked That She Was A Little Girl Recalling this first consummation, Britton said “I remember so well I wore a pink linen dress which was rather short and enhanced the little-girl look”. Indeed, she knew Harding enjoyed this “little-girl look”. As she put it, “The fact that I was so ignorant seemed to add to his cherishment of me”. 

But it all went wrong almost immediately. 

]]> 10. The Vice Squad Caught Them  Although Harding had registered at the hotel under a fake name, New York’s Vice Squad, who had been tipped off that an extramarital affair was afoot, burst into the room just after Harding and Britton had finished. The officers even began to arrest the couple, with Harding pleading to “Let this poor little girl go!” 

Then they realized who they were dealing with, and everything changed.

]]> 11. He Protected Her This was 1910s America, and morality was taken as a legal imperative…just not for Senators. As soon as the officers recognized Harding, and his attendant high position in government, they stopped and actually apologized to him. As Britton remembered, they were “strangely respectful, withdrawing very soon”. 

It would not be the last tight spot the two were in. 

]]> 12. Their Secret Grew If Harding ever had any hesitance about Britton, all his qualms now seemed to disappear, and they indulged in a years-long affair under his wife’s nose. Reportedly, Harding especially liked to take romantic getaways with Britton, where she would drive him around; he nicknamed her “my little chaffeuse”. But all this made his next move very inadvisable. 

]]> 13. He Ran For President In the end, a wife at home was hardly Harding’s biggest concern. Despite the fact that he had only just recently escaped the Vice Squad and was still carrying on with his much-younger mistress, he sought the Republican nomination for president in 1920.

To be fair, he was a long shot. But he didn’t stay that way. 

]]> 14. He Got Lucky The 1920 Republican Convention brought a twist no one saw coming: Thanks to underground tensions and various factions, the widely popular Warren G Harding won the nomination, with Calvin Coolidge nominated as Harding’s prospective Vice President. 

Britton was now the mistress of a presidential hopeful…and then much more than that. 

]]> 15. She Romanced A President In the end, Harding and the Republicans won in a landslide, and the new President Harding was inaugurated on March 4, 1921. As we’ll see, Nan Britton was rather busy herself at this time, but none of this stopped or even altered their affair. It only moved it into more scandalous surroundings. 

]]> 16. They Made Scandalous Choices Partly because of the illicit nature of their relationship, Harding and Britton often found interesting places to conduct it. Britton later divulged some of these sites, including Harding’s Senate office couch. But once he was President Harding, Britton began gaining access to some of the most scandalous corners of the White House. 

]]> 17. They Had A Favorite Closet Britton and Harding, who hadn’t slowed things down when he became president, didn’t draw the boundary for their clandestine meetings at the White House door, either. Most scandalously of all, Britton later admitted that one of their favorite “spots” was a coat closet right near the Oval Office. They weren’t even very secretive about it.

]]> 18. His Wife Was Onto Them Harding’s wife Florence was no fool, and though she wasn’t aware of his affair with Nan Britton at the beginning, she did eventually catch wind that something was going on. Determined to nip her husband’s philandering in the bud, she hired a spy to trail Britton and destroy any romantic letters he came across. She also took more drastic measures.

]]> 19. They Had To Get Sneaky To curb her husband’s White House trysts—and decrease his chances of utterly ruining his image—Florence began clocking whoever entered and exited the building. Nonetheless, all this did was force the president to use different estates to meet with Britton. 

As for his reputation, Harding had professional help to keep that intact.

]]> 20. The Secret Service Was In On It President Harding may have been misusing the powers of his office to dally with Britton, but he very much had those powers. In fact, Britton's memoir alleges he had secret service members keep an eye out for him whenever he was in a compromising position; they would apparently even knock on that closet door if Florence was nearby. 

But Harding and Britton’s affair got much more complicated than all that. 

]]> 21. She Had A Secret Baby  In early 1919, about a year before the Republic Convention that changed everything, Nan Britton made a jaw-dropping discovery: She was pregnant. The little girl, Elizabeth Ann, was born that October in the utmost secrecy in New Jersey, and Britton gave her to an aunt and uncle in Athens, Ohio to be raised.

But Elizabeth Ann’s true parentage would soon be an explosive matter. 

]]> 22. He Suddenly Fell Ill In 1923, Britton and Harding were still carrying on their affair, with Britton’s daughter tucked safely away in Ohio. Then everything changed again, and it was nothing so lucky as a presidential nomination: That July, Harding fell ill with an abdominal complaint serious enough to cancel his upcoming weekend in Portland. 

Before the summer was out, disaster hit. 

]]> 23. He Met A Brutal End Thanks in part to Florence’s efforts, the early 1920s public loved President Harding, and they waited nervously along with Nan Britton to hear of his recovery. They never got the chance. In early August, Harding convulsed and perished from a heart attack in his sick bed at only 57. 

It threw America into a panic, but perhaps no one suffered as much as Nan Britton.

]]> 24. She Got Hush Money While Harding was alive, Britton received regular, monthly payments from him. This money helped her provide for her daughter—and, quite likely, bought her silence about her dalliance with the president. So when Harding suddenly collapsed, Nan didn’t just lose her lover, she lost funds she depended on. Her attempts to scrape them back were doomed.

]]> 25. She Lost Everything In the wake of the president’s death, Harding’s widow Florence went into overdrive trying to protect his legacy. She refused to grant an autopsy and destroyed all his papers with near-religious fervor. She also, despite appeals from Britton, refused to give Harding’s mistress a single cent, perhaps thinking that would cut off the sordid story once and for all. 

But where there’s no hush money, well, people talk.

]]> 26. Whispers Rose Up The first dent in Harding’s legacy didn’t come from Britton at all, but from within his own government. Over the next few years, infamous cases like the Teapot Dome Scandal revealed immense corruption, payoffs, and rot at the heart of the Harding administration, all of which still cast a shadow over his legacy today. 

As Harding’s golden reputation lost its luster, more lips loosened. 

]]> 27. She Struggled Without Him Over the next years, Britton reeled from her grief over Harding while struggling to support herself as well as her daughter, working mostly as a secretary. Florence’s passing just a year after her husband (she had never been healthy herself) all but foreclosed any future payments from the estate, and Britton had to have realized she was on her own.

In response, she began writing the most controversial book of her day. 

]]> 28. She Wrote A Tell-All Britton began writing a memoir about her time with Harding, hoping its sales would help support her. She pulled no punches: In The President’s Daughter, she revealed many of the infamous details of their affair that we know today, including the tidbit about the closet, and insisted that Elizabeth Ann was Warren Harding’s daughter. 

It was the first presidential kiss-and-tell book, and American society nearly imploded. 

]]> 29. No One Wanted Her Even getting the book off the ground was scandalous for Britton. Even given Harding’s waning reputation, no one wanted to touch the book with a ten foot pole. Britton eventually had to create her own moral universe around it, setting up the “Elizabeth Ann Guild” in honor of her daughter in order to publish the book, and then dedicating it primly to “all unwedded mothers”. It didn’t help at all. 

]]> 30. The Government Despised Her When Britton’s book finally came out, it caused a frenzy. The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice had officers seize every copy they could of it, both printed copies and zinc plates, and one congressman even introduced a bill aiming to ban the book, which he called “a blast from Hell”. Not that this stopped Britton. 

]]> 31. Her Book Was Naughty Eventually, to get the book out to anyone at all, Britton had to resort to distributing it like it was suggestive contraband. People sold it door-to-door, wrapped in brown paper, exactly as most people got, ahem, “other” kinds of reading material. For all that, the book did sell, giving Britton the money she’d hoped for…but not the respect. 

]]> 32. She Landed In Court  After The President’s Daughter became a sensation, publisher Charles Klunk put out The Answer, which aimed to both leapfrog off the book’s popularity and systematically debunk most of Britton’s claims. Incensed at the work, Britton took Klunk to court for libel. 

It was here the punishments began to rain down…on her. 

]]> 33. She Was “Deranged” Although it was Britton who brought the lawsuit, she reaped the bitter consequences of a public trial. During cross-examination, congress member Grant Mouser lambasted her, calling her everything from a “degenerate and pervert” to someone who was “distorted,” “deranged,” and “demented”. Worse was to come. 

]]> 34. She Lost Her Case After enduring this brutal, intensely personal cross-examination, Britton got absolutely nothing out of her suit. In particular, since she couldn’t prove via primary sources that Harding had fathered her child, the judge couldn’t call The Answer libel and dismissed the case. 

Britton had to exit with her tail between her legs, and her reputation never recovered.

]]> 35. She Went Into Hiding Fed up with the constant scrutiny and once more out of money, Britton took her daughter Elizabeth Ann and moved to Illinois, setting up the girl at school there and watching her grow. Although she sometimes gave interviews early in this period, she became something of a recluse, and often shied away from attention. That attention, after all, was often vicious. 

]]> 36. History Was Cruel To Her Ironically, although many people did seem to think Britton was telling the truth, no one high up in the government seemed to think so, and even more recent historians have seen her as a mere gold digger. As John Dean put it in his 2004 book on Warren G Harding, Britton was only trying to “cash in,” and “[all] her papers show is a lifetime fixation with Harding”. 

]]> 37. She Never Changed Her Story Despite the erosion of her credibility, Britton remained steadfast that Elizabeth Ann was Harding’s daughter; according to Elizabeth Ann herself, her mother informed her from a young age that Warren was her father. Moreover, in interviews, although she refused to say Warren’s name, Britton referred to her daughter as “Ann Harding”.

But the Harding family told a much different story.

]]> 38. They Thought He Was Infertile Over the years, the Harding family staunchly denied Warren’s paternity of Elizabeth Ann—and they apparently had good reason. Reportedly, an early bout of mumps had left Warren sterile, and his childless marriage to Florence only seemed like proof of this. Only, they may have been overlooking something.

]]> 39. He Had A Loveless Marriage While Warren’s marriage to Florence was regimented and organized, it was anything but romantic. He even once coldly admitted about it: “there isn’t one iota of affection in my home relationship. … It is merely existence, necessary for appearance’s sake,” indicating that he and Florence were very rarely intimate, if at all. 

In fact, sometimes it seemed like Harding was seducing everyone but his wife. 

]]> 40. She Wasn’t The Only One Britton was desperately young when she and Harding started a relationship, and perhaps too young to fully comprehend his enormous bedroom appetite. For one, Harding’s affair with his wife’s friend Carrie Phillips also went on for many years; it only stopped in 1920, just before his presidency and only after Phillips exchanged her silence about the dalliance for, again, money. 

Thus, for a time, Harding juggled Britton, Phillips, and his wife. This soon came out in the worst way. 

]]> 41. His Letters Came Out By the 1960s, many had forgotten about Nan Britton, and those who did believed her story less and less. Until, that is, another of Harding’s secrets came out decades after: a biographer found love letters between him and Carrie Phillips that left no doubt about his enthusiastic philandering. One letter, dated early 1912, opens “I love your poise / Of perfect thighs / When they hold me / in paradise”. It wasn’t the only uncomfortable discovery.

]]> 42. He Used Nicknames It’s also partly through these letters that the wider world learned about Harding’s nickname for “himself”. While he called Carrie Phillips’ parts “Mrs Pouterson,” he named his own equipment “Jerry” and referred to “him” often in their letters. In no time at all, these nicknames were stuck in the public consciousness.

People were finally waking up to Harding, and—much to her dismay—remembering Nan Britton. 

]]> 43. She Shut Down Harding’s letters to Phillips brought a new credibility to Britton’s decades-old claims, plus a renewed interest in her story, and reporters began trying to track Britton down to get her side of  it. The trouble was, Britton was tired of talking; when journalist RW Apple Jr located her, she refused to give an interview. Besides, she still had her enemies.

]]> 44. They Still Hated Her For every person who now seemed willing to give Nan Britton a chance, there was another who wanted to shame her for eternity. During this time, Britton, her daughter, and later on even Britton’s grandchildren, would sometimes “be hounded by hateful skeptics,” particularly whenever it was an election year. It all got to be too much.

]]> 45. She Lived Much Longer Than Her Lover In the 1980s, a now-eldery Britton moved again, this time to the even more remote Oregon, setting up herself and her family in the town of Sandy. She would live out the rest of her days there, passing in March of 1991 at the age of 94. She had continued to remark very little on the scandal that made her name—except, that is, to keep claiming that Elizabeth Ann was Harding’s daughter. 

But Britton also had another, more heartbreaking reason for keeping her silence. 

]]> 46. She Loved Him Until The End For all his faults, Nan Britton kept Warren G Harding in her heart for decades, and through every bit of turmoil and vitriol she experienced as a result of their affair. In 1991, just after her passing, her grandson told the New York Times that Britton had been utterly in love with Harding “until the day she died”. 

Yet for all that she was long-lived, Nan Britton never got to see justice. That would come more than 20 years later, and only after another death.

]]> 47. Her Daughter Followed Her Footsteps Nan Britton’s daughter Elizabeth Ann might have put to rest all the rumors by simply taking a DNA test to prove or disprove that she was Harding’s daughter…except that she had no interest in doing so. Though some argued it was in the public interest to know, Elizabeth Ann, steadfast like her mother, refused a paternity test until the day she died, at the age of 86, in 2005. 

It would be ten more years until the truth came out.

]]> 48. She Was Proven Right In 2015, with all parties in the age-old scandal buried, Ancestry.com took up the charge and, with permission, tested the descendants’ of Warren G Harding’s brother and Nan Britton’s grandchildren. The results showed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Elizabeth Ann was Warren G Harding’s daughter. 

It set off another flurry of interest around Britton, though she was no longer around to speak for herself. More discoveries came with it. 

]]> 49. There Might Have Been Others Like Her Carrie Phillips and Britton were likely not the only mistresses Harding entertained, and Elizabeth Ann may not have been his only child. One affidavit indicates that Harding had an affair with his Senate secretary, and after taking up with yet another of his wife Florence’s friends, he may have had another illegitimate daughter in Marion Louise Hodder, though there is no current DNA test to confirm. 

Then again, this was a man who told reporters when he was president, “It’s a good thing I’m not a woman. I would always be pregnant. I can’t say no”.

]]> 50. She Was Vindicated Nan Britton spent her early life getting what she thought she wanted, her middle years desperate to be believed and validated, and her bittersweet end trying to shut that door behind her. History, though, kept pulling it open, until the day—24 years after she died—it finally gave her what she deserved. 

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The Devastating Illness That Shaped FDR

Sources: 1, 2, , , 5, 6, 7, 8, , 

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=62181 <![CDATA[Alessandro Cagliostro lived a double life. He built a reputation as Europe’s Greatest Mystic—but behind the magic was a master con artist.]]> 2026-08-04T13:24:07+00:00 2026-08-04T13:24:07+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-alessandro-cagliostro Brendan Da Costa People He Was The Quack Of The Town Alessandro Cagliostro was the 18th-century occultist charlatan who conned royalty from England to Russia. Eventually his lies caught up with him—and the fallout was scandalous.

]]> 1. He Came From Honest Stock Giuseppe “Beppo” Balsamo (aka Count Alessandro di Cagliostro) would become Europe’s most prolific liar. But he didn’t start out that way. Born to Pietro and Felicità Balsamo—known in their native Palermo as “honest tradespeople”—in June of 1743, Cagliostro looked poised to lead a virtuous life. Honesty, however, was not something he inherited.

]]> 2. His World Fell Apart In An Instant Alessandro Cagliostro had an early lesson in how quickly fortunes can change. For reasons that are lost to history, Pietro’s business crumbled into bankruptcy and shortly after that, the shopkeeper passed on at just 45. That left his widow, Felicità, to raise Cagliostro and his two siblings with no money and no husband to lean on.

Despite the tragedy, Cagliostro, at first, seemed headed in the right direction.

]]> 3. He Went To Church After his father passed, Alessandro Cagliostro—still going by his nickname “Beppo”—fell into the care of his godfather and uncle, Giuseppe Cagliostro. Obviously, the first thing the budding con artist borrowed without permission was his new caretaker’s name. Even so, his uncle spotted a sharp mind worth saving and packed him off to the Hospitallers at Palermo’s Seminary of St Roch.

The name stuck—the piety wouldn’t.

]]> 4. He Kept Running Away At the seminary, Alessandro Cagliostro didn’t exactly spend a lot of time in prayer. Instead, he spent most of his time trying to escape. Over and over again, Cagliostro scaled the seminary walls and ran away only to be found “in vagabond company” and dragged back. Exasperated, his keepers shipped him off to the extra high-walled Benedictine convent of Santissimo Salvatore near Caltagirone.

No walls, however tall, could stop him from running.

]]> 5. He Learned A Real Trade Alessandro Cagliostro wasn’t just a talented escape artist. Inside the walls of his new convent, the boy revealed a real gift for plants and natural history, so the monks handed him to an apothecary for training. From that old pharmacist, Cagliostro picked up the rudiments of medicine and chemistry: the very science he would later twist into elixirs, potions, and miracle cures.

Real knowledge in the hands of a liar is a dangerous thing.

]]> 6. He Had A Gift For Deception Despite his gifts and obvious intelligence, Cagliostro’s teachers were under no illusions: he was a bad apple from the beginning. Even as a pupil, observers noted that Cagliostro was hungry to “discover secrets which would further the interests of charlatanry”. One account even credited him with a “natural perversity” and an “innate viciousness”.

His true colors were about to come out.

]]> 7. He Embraced A Life Of Vice Walls or no walls, Alessandro Cagliostro was determined to find trouble. Just as he had at the seminary, Cagliostro made a habit of slipping out of the convent in search of a good (read: bad) time. He often made his way back to Palermo where he threw himself headlong into carousing, gambling, brawling, and a steady stream of run-ins with the law.

He developed quite the reputation.

]]> 8. His Name Was A Curse By the time he was in mid teens, Cagliostro had developed quite the rap sheet—and a nickname to match. His worst offenses included peddling forged theater tickets, pilfering from his own uncle, squeezing a friend for money, faking a will to swing an inheritance the wrong way, and trading blows in duels. Before long, Palermo was calling him “Beppo Maldetto”—Beppo the Cursed.

The name fit better than anyone knew.

]]> 9. He Became A Convincing Mystic At 17, Alessandro Cagliostro learned the secret to a good con: look good, and say as little as possible. In his youth, Cagliostro’s contemporaries described him as being “handsome and haughty” with the ability to leave people “spell-bound” despite barely speaking. With this new persona, he presented himself as a young master of the occult who could call up spirits.

The only thing he was conjuring, however, was lies.

]]> 10. He Conjured His First Fortune Cagliostro’s first big con job was as elaborate as it was unbelievable. The young trickster set his sights on a superstitious goldsmith named Marano. The con? Cagliostro promised Marano that he could find buried treasure in an olive field using an occult ritual. Of course, the ritual required Marano to hand over 60 ounces of gold first.

It takes gold to make gold—and to lose it.

]]> 11. He Beat A Hasty Retreat Cagliostro’s ritualistic treasure hunt didn’t exactly work—at least, not for Marano. Out in the olive field, he carried on with his bogus ritual until Marano crumpled to the ground in a fit of emotion. And that was Cagliostro’s cue. He set upon the poor man with sticks, scooped up the 60 ounces of gold, and bolted, catching a boat to Messina before Marano could so much as dust himself off.

Beppo the Cursed had pulled his first real vanishing act.

]]> 12. He Crowned Himself A Count Cagliostro’s stunt in Palermo made him a wanted man—and all wanted men need new names. So, with the authorities in Palermo looking for “Beppo”, he gave himself the name that would make him infamous: Count Alessandro Cagliostro. But he still relied on “Beppo’s” connections, hoping to ride the coattails of a rich aunt in Messina.

But the joke was on him. That aunt had passed and left every last coin to charity. He needed a new mark.

]]> 13. He Found A Master Without a mark, Alessandro Cagliostro needed a mentor and he found one in the shadowy figure known to history only as Althotas. Their paths crossed in Messina and Althotas taught Cagliostro everything he knew—medicine, chemistry…alchemy. In fact, Althotas claimed to know “the entire circle of human sciences”. True or not, he was a cultured man.

Cagliostro would learn from the best.

]]> 14. He Toured The Ancient World With Althotas at his side, Alessandro Cagliostro took his grifts and went global. Over the next three years or so, the pair roamed through Egypt and, by Cagliostro’s own telling, “all the principal kingdoms of Africa and Asia”. After studying with priests and alchemists, Althotas boasted that he’d cracked the scientific secret to manufacturing gold and precious stones.

True or not, Cagliostro and his mentor accumulated a fortune during their travels. A fortune that would soon be Cagliostro’s alone.

]]> 15. He Charmed A Grand Master Alessandro Cagliostro managed to secure letters of introduction that brought Althotas and himself into the orbit of Manuel Pinto da Fonseca, Grand Master of the Order of Saint John. Pinto was a mighty Portuguese nobleman with a weakness for alchemy and a private laboratory to indulge it. Curiously, it was on the island of Malta that Cagliostro claimed Althotas breathed his last.

He got into even more trouble on his own.

]]> 16. He Became A Knight By 21, Beppo the Cursed was no more—and Sir Cagliostro was born. Around 1754, Cagliostro had so thoroughly charmed Grand Master Pinto with his alchemy that he didn’t even need to swindle him. Pinto gave Cagliostro a place among the Knights of Malta and showered him with money. When Cagliostro was ready to move to Naples, Pinto even gave him an escort.

Knight or not, he was as cunning as ever.

]]> 17. He Played The Pious Pilgrim When Alessandro Cagliostro arrived in Naples, he immediately found trouble. Teaming up with an old priest friend, he tried to open a gambling house. But, when the authorities shut it down, he cut his losses and shoved off to France. Disguising himself as a pilgrim—and sometimes even as a priest—Cagliostro managed to secure more letters of introduction.

These letters would lead him all the way to Rome.

]]> 18. He Posed As A Nobleman In Rome, Cagliostro assumed the identity of a nobleman and checked himself into a swanky hotel. But he could no longer rely on his handsomeness to pull off con jobs. The historian Thomas Carlyle noted that Cagliostro had become a “dusky, bull-necked, mastiff-faced, sinister-looking individual”. To pay his bills, he had to sell cheap sketches “dressed up” to look like expensive artwork.

But whatever he’d lost in beauty, he made up for in boldness.

]]> 19. He Fell For A Beauty Alessandro Cagliostro might have lost his good looks, but he still had game. While in Rome, he met the 14-year-old Lorenza Seraphinia “Serafina” Feliciani and immediately fell in love. Even at her tender age, Serafina was already considered a “Roman beauty”. By 1768, the two had gotten married and moved in with Serafina’s parents.

From then on, they would be husband and wife…through sickness and swindles.

]]> 20. He Turned Love Into A Con Not surprisingly, the honeymoon (if you could call it that) didn’t last long. No sooner had they married than Cagliostro began schooling his teenage bride to seduce and ensnare well-off men on his behalf. When Serafina thought to question it, Cagliostro reassured her that “adultery was no [sin] if it was used to advance a woman’s interests”.

And if it advanced his interests, well, all the better. Or worse.

]]> 21. He Forged A Fortune Serafina wasn’t Cagliostro’s only money-making scheme—but she was, perhaps, his safest. While still in Rome, Cagliostro and two of his associates raked in serious cash…by forging it. But the good times didn’t last. Authorities caught on to their scheme and Cagliostro had to flee to Bergamo. But even there, someone recognized him and he landed behind bars before getting kicked out of town.

He wouldn’t stay in one place for long.

]]> 22. He Drifted Across Europe Life on the road seemed to suit Cagliostro just fine. With his wife Serafina in tow, he drifted from Galicia to Genoa, Antibes, Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon, getting by however he could. Mostly, that meant peddling bogus “amulets” and “cures” and even renting out Serafina by the hour. One of those johns seemed to stick.

By 1772, the couple had made their way to Paris in the company of one “M Duplaisir”.

]]> 23. He Turned On His Wife It didn’t take Cagliostro long to relieve Duplaisir of every last coin he had. Outraged, Duplaisir turned to Serafina and begged her to abandon Cagliostro and run home to her parents. But Cagliostro, ever the puppet master, pulled some strings and had his own wife locked away instead. With his primary source of cash behind bars, Cagliostro turned to selling fake potions.

And business was booming—or blowing up.

]]> 24. He Knew The Secrets To…Everything Apparently As his obsession with the occult grew, Cagliostro claimed to hold the secrets of the Hermetic Mystery, the Elixir of Life, the Philosopher’s Stone. But the bigger his lies became, the quicker his marks caught on. Before long, angry customers had chased him out of Paris and he wound his way through Brussels, Germany, and then, bafflingly, right back to Palermo.

The moment he arrived in the city, the authorities nabbed him. But he had an unlikely savior.

]]> 25. His Wife Sprang Him Loose Cagliostro’s unlikely savior turned out to be his own wife—and clearly, Serafina had learned from the best. She found a random stranger willing to pose as the “Marchese Pellegrini,” a wholly invented prince of Naples. Under Serafina’s direction, the “prince” claimed to be the couple’s protector and demanded Cagliostro’s release. Astonishingly, it worked.

Free again, the pair swindled their way through Naples, Marseilles, and Barcelona before landing in London where things took a dramatic turn.

]]> 26. He Lived Large In London Cagliostro arrived in London in July of 1776 as a rich man. A very rich one. Historical records note that, in addition to “his wife and a secretary,” Cagliostro arrived with “three thousand pounds in gold, besides money and jewels”. He set himself up in swanky rooms and pretended to be a “professor of the occult sciences and an infallible guide to lucky numbers in lotteries”.

His biggest London moneymaker, though, was still to come.

]]> 27. He Sold A Fresh Start In London, Cagliostro continued overpromising on the effects of his potions and rituals. His latest ruse? A full-spectrum detox that promised “physical regeneration”: a forty-day ordeal of “baths, sweating, starvation, medicines, purgatives and a diet of roots”. Even if that sounded more like a punishment than a panacea, Londoners lined up and “declared they were cured”.

One Londoner, however, wasn’t fooled for a second.

]]> 28. He Made A Dangerous Enemy While most Londoners drank up Cagliostro’s lies, one didn’t: Charles Théveneau de Morande. A blackmailer by trade, de Morande knew all of Cagliostro’s dirty little secrets and tried to extort him. But Cagliostro refused. That turned out to be a big mistake. De Morande might have been a blackmailer by trade, but he was the editor of the widely circulated Franco-British paper Le Courier de l’Europe by profession.

]]> 29. His Secrets Hit The Papers Suffice to say, de Morande was not happy when Cagliostro refused to pay him to keep his secrets. So, he got his revenge in ink. De Morande turned his newspaper loose on Cagliostro, “making sure that everyone in Europe knew who and what he was”. Cagliostro’s black magic was, it turns out, more powerful than de Morande’s black ink.

]]> 30. He Joined A Secret Society Even if the papers called him names, Cagliostro maintained his status in Europe’s high society. In fact, in the spring of 1777, “Joseph Cagliostro” became a Freemason, joining the Espérance Lodge No 289. Historians note that it was a “low rank” lodge but it gave Cagliostro what he needed: a book all about the arcane world of Egyptian Masonry.

It was the con that would define the rest of his life.

]]> 31. He Became The Grand Cophta Cagliostro was already a count, a grand master, and a knight. But he needed one more title: the “Grand Cophta”. Under that name, he lured followers into lodge meetings for stranger and stranger rituals, all promising “perfection” through “physical and moral regeneration”. For unknown reasons, Cagliostro ended up behind bars at King’s Bench for a time during that period.

But no cell could contain the great “Grand Cophta” for long.

]]> 32. He Went Looking For Converts By December of 1777, Cagliostro was ready to move on. With Serafina in tow once again, he hit the road, scheming his way through Switzerland, Germany, and Prussia. Everywhere he stopped, he worked the local Masonic lodges, hoping to find marks to induct into his homemade “Egyptian Freemasonry”. By the spring of 1778, he found what he was looking for in Saint Petersburg.

]]> 33. He Crossed Catherine The Great In Saint Petersburg, Cagliostro took aim at his biggest mark yet: Empress Catherine the Great. He gave the Empress his miracle potions, but not everyone in her court was so eager to drink the Kool-Aid, as it were. Her personal physician tested his concoctions and discovered that they were totally useless. An all-out court conspiracy against Cagliostro formed quickly.

Disgraced, he fled Russia.

]]> 34. He Couldn’t Fool A Countess Cagliostro had failed to impress an empress, but he hoped to pilfer a poet. Arriving in Courland, he set his sights on the poet Countess Elisa von der Recke, who hoped to contact the dearly departed. But she wasn’t fooled for long. Recke exposed Cagliostro, but not before he could swindle another aristocrat out of their fortune.

Trips to Vienna, Frankfurt, and, by 1783, Strasbourg followed. He couldn’t outrun unhappiness, though.

]]> 35. He Was Rich But Wretched By 1783, Cagliostro looked like a man who had it all. He and Serafina wore the finest clothes, kept a house full of servants, and entertained in grand style. But, just like Cagliostro himself, it was all a show. In actuality, Cagliostro and Serafina looked “haggard and jaded,” could barely stand each other, and—by one account—fought constantly.

All that glittered, it turned out, truly wasn’t gold.

]]> 36. He Reeled In A Cardinal Cagliostro concealed his greed with charity. Playing the saint, he gave money to the poor and dosed the sick with a tonic he called “Extract of Saturn”. But it was all bait for one very big fish: the fabulously wealthy Prince Cardinal de Rohan. “Your soul is worthy of mine,” Cagliostro purred in de Rohan’s ear. “You deserve to be made participator of all my secrets”.

All, that is, except for one.

]]> 37. He Built A Masonic Empire With de Rohan’s fortune behind him, Cagliostro went into business. In 1784, Cagliostro used de Rohan’s money to set up Egyptian Masonic lodges in Naples, Bordeaux, and Lyon. Oddly enough, Cagliostro’s lodges were quite progressive, opening their doors to both men and women alike. But the promise of “perfection through the physical and moral rebirth of all who believed in it” was a step too far.

]]> 38. He Promised Immortality To attract even more adherents (aka dupes) into his lodges, Cagliostro’s lies became truly spectacular. He swore that his Egyptian Freemasonry could deliver “the primary matter, or the philosopher’s stone,” restored “the powers of the most vigorous youth,” and rendered a man “immortal”. He even gave his ruse Biblical authority, tracing its origins back to Enoch and Elias.

The irony of Cagliostro selling immortality was about to become apparent.

]]> 39. He Was All The Rage In Paris When Cagliostro returned to Paris in 1785, he was no longer a pariah. In fact, his séances had become the hottest tickets in town—“the rage of fashionable society,” as one source put it. But, when his friend (read: piggy bank) de Rohan became embroiled in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, the only rage that Cagliostro inspired was that of a queen.

]]> 40. He Was A Victim Of A Swindle The Affair of the Diamond Necklace barely involved Cagliostro at all—but it would be his undoing all the same. At the center of the scandal was a different trickster, the Comtesse de La Motte, who fooled de Rohan into believing he was buying a wildly expensive diamond necklace on behalf of Queen Marie Antoinette herself. Of course, he wasn’t.

The whole arrangement was a swindle—a royal-sized one—and when it went south, it took Cagliostro down too.

]]> 41. He Got Off, Then Got Out For the first time in his life, Cagliostro went down for a con job that he had almost nothing to do with. When French authorities rounded up the conspirators in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, both Cagliostro and de Rohan landed in the Bastille. Fortunately, he wasn’t there for long. Authorities acquitted him of the charges but banished him from France all the same.

Yet again, Cagliostro was headed for London.

]]> 42. His Past Caught Up With Him Just because Cagliostro was done with France didn’t mean France was done with him. While Cagliostro settled back into life in London, the French government quietly hired a lawyer from old Beppo the Cursed’s hometown of Palermo. The lawyer’s job? Build a genealogy of the curious Cagliostro. When the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe encountered this lawyer, all of Cagliostro’s secrets came out.

]]> 43. He Abandoned His Own Family Goethe picked up where the Palermo lawyer left off. The German traveled to Palermo where he found Cagliostro’s relatives, including his mother, Felicità Balsamo, still alive—but only barely. Unlike Cagliostro (who was living large in London at the time), Cagliostro’s family was living in abject poverty. All while he owed his sister a small fortune that he simply never repaid.

Karma was coming for Cagliostro.

]]> 44. He Cleared His Name Unaware of the unraveling of his lies, Cagliostro set about rewriting his story in London. He forced his old foe de Morande into printing a public apology for every word he’d ever published about him. Then he tried his own hand at spin, using his 1787 Letter to the English People to pin all his troubles on other people’s lies and false charges.

On paper, it was a triumph. In reality, his potions had stopped selling and authorities from England to France were tightening his noose.

]]> 45. He Ran Out Of Road By May of 1787, the walls had closed in on Cagliostro completely. The “Count” and his wife Serafina slipped out of London, but for the first time, he had run out of places to hide and reinvent himself. Country after country, city after city shut their doors in their faces—Switzerland, Savoy, Turin—until the couple was reduced to pawning their belongings just to eat.

Turns out, Cagliostro couldn’t turn everything into gold.

]]> 46. He Walked Into A Trap Two years later, Cagliostro was on the road back to Rome. When he arrived, he thought it would be business as usual and tried to get another Masonic lodge up and running. But, before he could hold a séance, the Roman Inquisition swept in and scooped him up. Shortly after Christmas Day in 1789, both Cagliostro and Serafina were locked away inside the Castel Sant’Angelo.

No amount of alchemy could save him from what came next.

]]> 47. His Wife Turned On Him If Cagliostro counted on Serafina to spring him loose a second time, he was in for a shock. Unbeknownst to Cagliostro, Serafina had been quietly letting the truth about him slip for months. But, locked away with no hope of escape, she stopped being quiet and told the Inquisition everything. She called her husband a “heretic, magician, conjuror, and Freemason”.

It was the last thing she would ever do.

]]> 48. He Gave False Confessions Cagliostro didn’t take Serafina’s betrayal lying down. He tried to counter her confessions with lies and fabrications, but Serafina’s true words had more weight than his false confessions. The Roman authorities didn’t believe his lies and let Serafina walk free to live out the last of her days in a convent where she passed in 1794.

Cagliostro’s sentence had just begun.

]]> 49. He Was Condemned At Last Between Serafina’s confession and the genealogical report, the Roman Inquisition had everything it needed. In April 1791, it formally condemned Cagliostro’s Egyptian Masonry and planned to execute him before deciding that life in the clink would be a far more just punishment. They did, however, execute his legacy by burning his “papers, effects, and Masonic paraphernalia”—in a ritualistic manner, no less.

]]> 50. He Couldn’t Escape His Fate For Cagliostro—the man who had schemed his way through every major European city—“life behind bars” was the worst kind of punishment. He spent his final years in the mountain fortress of San Leo in a cell that even Houdini couldn’t escape. There, Europe’s greatest charlatan repeated his lies to the walls. Mercy finally came on August 26, 1795, at the age of 52, when he breathed his last.

]]> 51. Alessandro Cagliostro Was The “Quack Of Quacks” Historians give Alessandro Cagliostro credit for spreading Freemasonry across Europe. Well, Freemasonry, and lies. It was Thomas Carlyle who best summed up Cagliostro’s legacy, calling him a “liar of the first magnitude” and giving him the ignominious title of “Quack of Quacks”.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=45591 <![CDATA[50 Disturbing Facts About Viking Legend Ragnar Lothbrok]]> 2024-11-20T22:01:31+00:00 2026-07-31T07:02:09+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/interesting/ragnar-lothbrok-more-disturbing-than-people-think-1732140091 Mehroo S. Interesting Ragnar Lothbrok, The Legendary Viking Warrior Ragnar Lothbrok was the hero of the hit TV show Vikings, but who was this man really? A real person, or a myth created to inspire young men? 

Legend has it that he was a great Norse warrior who lived in the ninth century. While there is evidence to prove that his sons might have been real historical figures, the fantastic stories about Lothbrok himself are harder to confirm. But one thing's for certain, his story is more disturbing than people think. 

]]> 1.  He Was The Son Of A Swedish King According to legend, Lothbrok was the son of a Swedish King, Sigurd Hring, and a Norwegian princess, Asa. Sigurd was a mythical figure in his own right, a brutal warrior king who overthrew his cruel uncle Harold.

]]> 2. He Forced His Wife To Marry Him When Lothbrok became the king of Denmark, his very first act was to get his brutal revenge on the man who killed his grandfather: the Swedish King Fro. Lothbrok enlisted the help of a deadly shieldmaiden named Lagertha, and together, they viciously defeated Fro. 

So, how did Lothbrok thank Lagertha for her help? He forced her to marry him! And if that's not bad enough, what he did next was even worse...

]]> 3. He Abandoned His Children The sagas claim that Lothbrok and Lagertha had a son, Fridleif, and two daughters, but this was no happy family. Once the three children were born, Lothbrok decided he was done with Lagertha, and abandoned all four of them. Sounds like a real nice guy, this one.

]]> 4. He Married Again Oddly enough, Icelandic sagas celebrate Lothbrok’s marriages more than his conquests. Soon after he left Lagertha, he went on to marry a woman named Thora—but before he could claim her hand, he had to survive a brutal test. As the legend went, a powerful earl gave his daughter, Thora, a deadly snake as a gift. What he didn't realize was that the cute little viper would grow to become a monstrous beast.

The serpent began terrorizing the land, and the earl promised his daughter's hand in marriage to whatever warrior could kill it. Ragnar took up the challenge, and he managed to get both a nickname and a wife out of the deal.

]]> 5. He Had A Nickname Lothbrok is actually a nickname, and it means, of all things, "hairy breeches". According to the old sagas, Ragnar came up with a bizarre plan in order to defeat Thora's serpent. To ensure the monstrous beast couldn't bite him, he coated his woolen pants with tar to make them impenetrable. Lothbrok: 1, Serpent: 0.

]]> 6. He Had More Children In Icelandic tradition, after defeating the snake, Lothbrok had two boys, Erik and Agnar, with Thora. Evidently, the Danish sagas thought that wasn't quite exciting enough. In Danish stories, Lothbrok defeats not one, but two snakes to wed Thora, and has six sons with her: Radbar, Dunvat, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Bjorn Ironside, Agnar and Ivar the Boneless.

]]> 7. The TV Story Travis Fimmel, who played Lothbrok on the History Channel's TV series Vikings, wasn't supposed to be the show's lead. In fact, Fimmel originally auditioned for the part of a much smaller character: Floki, a shipbuilder and Ragnar’s friend. That must’ve been one impressive audition!

]]> 8. He Took After His Mother According to one account, Ragnar was tall, blonde…and a bit of a mamma’s boy. A saga called the Sogubrot said that “he was the biggest and fairest of men that human eyes have seen, and he was like his mother in appearance and took after her kin".

]]> 9. He Gave His Sons Cushy Jobs Ragnar had a lot of sons, and he used them to rule the many nations that he conquered. He’d show up with his Vikings, conquer a region, then leave a son to govern. For instance, after killing an English king named Hama, he left his son Sigurd Snake-In-The-Eye in charge. When he brutally slaughtered the earls of Scotland, he left his son Radbard to clean up the mess. And let’s not forget his campaign in Norway, after which his son Fridleif got to rule.

]]> 10. He Took Back What Was His Though he took lots of places by force, Ragnar actually had a claim to the throne of Sweden. So, when an outlaw king named Sörle showed up out of nowhere and took over, Ragnar’s revenge was particularly brutal. He met Sörle’s armies in battle…and utterly massacred them.

Then, as usual, he put one of his sons, this time Björn Ironside, on the throne, to make sure no one else tried to take what was his.

]]> 11. He Was Betrayed By His Own Son Not all of Ragnar’s sons were by his wives. Apparently, three women wasn’t enough for this warrior. He had an affair with the daughter of a Viking named Esbjørn, and she gave birth to a child named Ubbe. According to legend, when Ubbe was a grown man, he and Esbjørn rose up and rebelled against Ragnar. It took yet another painful campaign to bring his illegitimate son to heel.

Like so much about Ragnar, this story is likely mythical, but Ubbe was indeed a real person, one of the Vikings who led the Great Heathen Army against England.

]]> 12. Blood and Gore Everyone knows that the Vikings were ruthless warriors—but their methods were even more horrifying than we ever imagined. Case-in-point, the horrifying ritual known as the blood eagle. A form of execution, the blood eagle involved cutting into a person's back, tearing apart their ribcage, then pulling out their lungs from behind. It was said that the lungs looked like an eagle's wings. Allegedly, Ragnar and his family knew about the blood eagle all too well...

]]> 13. He Wasn’t The Most Loving Parent One of the oldest surviving texts that mentions Lothbrok was written by William of Jumieges, from Normandy. William wrote about how Danish kings would exile their sons so they couldn’t rise up against them. In his account, he speaks of Lothbrok doing just this, sending his son Bjorn Ironside out of his realm.

Bjorn complied, and did what Vikings do best—raided and pillaged all across Europe, even leading his men into the Mediterranean.

]]> 14. Dying a Thousand Times Some modern historians believe that Lothbrok was actually a combination of multiple men—and there's one very good piece of evidence for that fact. In the stories, Lothbrok suffers a brutal fate...and another...and another. Seeing as Lothbrok wasn't a cath, we're starting to think something doesn't add up...

]]> 15. Not Exactly a Warrior's Ending In one retelling, a certain Ragnar or “Ragnall,” led a 120-ship-strong fleet to Paris in 845AD. However, an outbreak of dysentery onboard ended his life. Talk about a short career. He came, he conquered, and he…died.

]]> 16. Et Tu Brutus Most people don't realize that Dublin was once a Viking stronghold—and it was also the site of one of Rangar's many painful ends. Another group of Vikings saw to his demise this time, but there's some debate as to how it happened. Some stories claimed they simply killed Ragnar in battle, while some claim that they captured him and made his final moments far, far slower and more painful.

]]> 17. Another Retelling, Another Killing Other stories claim that Ragnar's life was taken by his rivals in a fjord in Northern Ireland or during a daring raid on an island in Wales. Still, his most famous, and by far the grisliest, ending occurred in England after being captured by a king...but more on that later.

]]> 18. Young Marriage One awkward part about the show Vikings is that Alexander Ludwig, who plays Ragnar's son, is only 13 years younger than him. He's also only 15 years younger than Katheryn Winnick, who plays his mother. However, based on a disturbing Viking custom, this isn't necessarily inaccurate. In Norse culture, it was normal for children to be wed as soon as they hit puberty, so the idea of the 13-year-old Ragnar marrying the 15-year-old Lagertha isn't even that far-fetched.

]]> 19. Mysterious Beauty Our man Lothbrok met his next wife (second in Icelandic tradition and third as per Danish accounts) in an unusual way. While sailing on the coasts of Norway, he sent his men to a farm to get some food. They came back with news of the peasants’ lovely daughter. Naturally, Lothbrok was intrigued, so he came up with a bizarre plan to meet her...

]]> 20. The Riddler? Lothbrok sent a message to the girl, Kráka, to meet him on the ship—but for some reason, he couldn't just have a simple meet-cute. He told her to come neither undressed nor clothed, neither fed nor hungry, and neither alone nor with someone else. The word you’re looking for is…weird!

]]> 21. No Sweat, Sherlock Kráka rose to the challenge. She draped a fishing net and her own long hair over her body, took a bite of some food without really eating it, and went to see Lothbrok with a dog by her side. He was so awed by her smarts that he married her. And why not? Beauty and brains do make for a killer combo!

]]> 22. A Match Made in Heaven It wasn't until after Ragnar Lothbrok married Kráka that he realized she was not who she appeared to be. She wasn't Kráka, the demure peasant's daughter. Rather, she was named Aslaug, and she was the daughter of a legendary dragon-slayer—Sigurd the Volsung.

]]> 23. Battle of the Wives In Vikings, Aslaug wasn’t living with peasants, and Lothbrok tries to remain loyal to Lagertha after being attracted to her, but we all know how that story goes. Lagertha refuses to put up with her husband’s second wife and divorces him, leading to an endless debate among fans over the love triangle, and just who was right for Ragnar after all.

]]> 24. Do You See What I See? One thing TV Aslaug had in common with her mythical counterpart was that she possessed the gift of sight. She prophesied one of their sons would be born with the mark of a dragon’s eyes, foresaw her son Ivar’s “bonelessness,” and foretold that Lothbrok’s mission to England would result in his defeat.

]]> 25. From Farmer to King In Vikings, Lothbrok is a farmer in the village of Kattegat who becomes king after several successful battles and conquests. It's a rags to riches story that anyone can get behind—but it was a fabrication of the show. In the Icelandic and Danish sagas, Lothbrok was a prince.

]]> 26. Conquests The show Vikings sees Lothbrok sail to famed cities such as Paris and London to raid and pillage. This part, at least, was taken from the legends, as the mythological Lothbrok did indeed attack these cities.

]]> 27. The Viking Age Vikings covers some of the most legendary moments in Norse history. One of these was the attack on Lindisfarne, an island off the coast of England, in 793. Many historians claim this to be the beginning of the Viking Age, so it makes sense the series would show Ragnar and co. attacking the island. Later in the series, we see another real event: The Siege of Paris. All of these made for exciting episodes...but there are two big problems here...

The Siege of Paris happened 50 years after the attack on Lindisfarne, so either Ragnar is a time-traveler, or the show fudged the dates a little bit. There's also the fact that there's absolutely no record that Lothbrok was at Lindisfarne, but why let that get in the way of a good story?

]]> 28. An Element of Surprise Lothbrok’s conquests, like all Viking raids, were successful for one simple reason—they took the opposition by surprise. Lothbrok and his men took advantage of their enemies' piety and tried to attack when they knew that their opposition would be a church. For instance, the famous Siege of Paris in 845 CE took place on Easter Sunday, when the Frankish citizens were attending mass.

]]> 29. Vengeful Viking Sure, the Vikings loved to raid and pillage, but Lothbrok had a darker for invading Paris in 845 CE: revenge. The king, Charles the Bald, had awarded him some land a few years ago, but he lost it, and with that he also lost the king’s support. Naturally, that didn’t really fly with our Viking warrior and he set off to win back land and riches.

]]> 30. Dealing with Resistance Battle is brutal and terrifying, and Lothbrok made sure the king understood that clearly. Charles the Bald had made a fatal mistake and split his forces in two—one on either side of the Seine. Lothbrok saw this as an opportunity, and swiftly attacked one of the groups. The Franks were quickly routed...but Ragnar wasn't done with them yet...

]]> 31. A Message Ragnar's Vikings decimated the Frankish soldiers, but they made sure to take some of them alive—111 of them, to be exact. They dragged these men out onto an island on the Seine, and had them all hanged as a sacrifice to Odin. Ragnar left their bodies hanging in the wind, a chilling warning to Charles and his men.

]]> 32. A Compromise After viciously sacking Paris, the Vikings finally agreed to leave...for a price. Charles the Bald offered them 7,000 livres, roughly 5,760 lbs, of gold and silver. Although he was criticized for bowing to Viking pressure, the king had other issues to deal with, such as family quarrels, regional conflicts, and unhappy noblemen. He considered this a fair price to pay if it could prevent Viking raids in the future.

]]> 33. Fast to Assuage Fury The Vikings used their knowledge of Christianity to take Paris—but this came with dark conquences. Upon leaving France, they were beset by a plague and became convinced it was because they had been exposed to Christianity. To appease their Nordic Gods, they fasted in penance and prayed for forgiveness. Apparently, that worked!

]]> 34. The Second Siege Apparently, Ragnar's deeds inspired his ancestors. The Vikings besieged Paris again in 885 CE, under the leadership of Sigfred, Sinric, and Rollo. This time, the siege continued for months, as Odo, the Count of Paris did not agree to pay them tribute. The siege went on for months, until finally the Frankish king, Charles the Fat, arrived with an army. But nobody expected what happened next...

]]> 35. Charles the Fat...And Cowardly Rather than meet the fearsome Vikings in battle, Charles the Fat simply paid them a ransom and allowed them to sail on to Burgundy, where they continued their plundering. This embarrassing show of weakness infuriated Odo, and many citizens. Charles ended up dying just a couple years later, and the people ensured the bold Odo, who had defied the Vikings, took his place as king.

]]> 36. The Siege on TV The two historic sieges of Paris were combined on the Vikings TV show, but on screen they played out a little differently. Lothbrok fakes his passing, claiming his last wish was to be baptized. The Franks drag his coffin into the city for burial, but as soon as he's inside, he bursts forth, alive and armed to the teeth, signaling his warriors to take over the city.

It was a dramatic and exciting episode—and one that actually had some basis in history. According to some accounts, another Viking by the name of Hastein pulled the same trick to sack the city of Luna in Spain.

]]> 37. Oh Brother Vikings shows Lothbrok to have a brother, Rollo, who is often jealous of him and has betrayed him several times. Historically, there is no evidence that Lothbrok had a sibling. Rollo’s character is based on Norwegian Viking, Gange-Rolf, who became the king of Normandy and who was born in 846 CE, which would make him a toddler while Lothbrok was fighting his wars.

]]> 38. Odin Lothbrok’s character has been likened to the God he worshipped: Odin. A one-eyed wise traveler and the leader of the Norse Gods, Odin was also the one who was called upon before war. He would take the slain with him to Valhalla, the hall for slain warriors. Michael Hirst (creator of Vikings) likens Lothbrok’s need to explore and conquer new territories to Odin’s desire to see the world.

]]> 39. Birds of Omen? Ravens plan an important role in Vikings as they were said to be Odin’s own agents and messengers. Lothbrok and his men carry banners with pictures of ravens on them.

]]> 40. Divine Retribution One of the historians who wrote about Lothbrok was a man named Saxo Grammaticus. Saxo was clearly a massive Lothbrok fanboy and detailed his exploits in extreme detail—but when it came to the warrior's fate, Saxo had to admit Lothbrok had it coming. So why did Saxo have a change of heart? The answer is simple: Saxo was a Christian writing in a Christian time, while Lothbrok was a pagan. He could think Lothbrok's adventures were cool and all, but in the end, he couldn't fully support any pagan.

]]> 41. The End was the Beginning Travis Fimmel hit the jackpot when it came to landing the role of Lothbrok. Not only was the character a ton of fun to play, but he was originally supposed to die in the first season. The showrunners clearly realized they had something with this guy, though, and ended up keeping him around until season 4.

]]> 42. Immortalized in Song An old Norse poem titled Krákumál became hugely popular after it was translated by a Danish scholar, in 1636. In English it was known as The Death Song of Ragnar Lothbrok. The tale beloved by readers who enjoyed reading about a heroic Viking warrior, passionate in love and fearless in battle, who was delighted to get to Valhalla and party with the gods. It is this poem that recounts Lothbrok’s last encounter with Ælla in detail.

]]> 43. He…Was a She? While it’s almost impossible to tell what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to Lothbrok, there are some firm sources about him…or her? One of the only runic inscriptions referring to Ragnar was carved into a rock on Orkney in the 12th century. It says: “This howe was built a long time before Lodbrok's. Her sons, they were bold; scarcely ever were there such tall men of their hands".

This has led some historians to believe that Lothbrok was real, and did indeed have many famous sons, but she was their mother.

]]> 44. Invading England Legend has it that Lothbrok got insecure about his own prowess as his sons were growing older and getting stronger. This motivated him to lead a campaign to capture England. Since he obviously did not suffer from low self-esteem, he decided it would bring more glory to him if he sailed to England, and successfully invaded it, with just two ships. As you can imagine, that didn't go well...

]]> 45. The King’s Revenge King Ælla of Northumbria wasn't about to let Ragnar run over this country with two measly ships. He captured Lothbrok and tried to kill him in several ways, but when none were successful. Don't worry though, Ælla had a specific execution method reserved for particularly hard-to-kill enemies...you guess it: a pit filled with deadly snakes. It was Ælla who was to blame for Ragnar's legendary demise.

]]> 46. Last Words I would scream like a baby if someone threw me into a pit of snakes...but I'm not Ragnar Lothbrok. So the story goes, the irrepressible Viking didn't even break a sweat at being hurled into a pit of poisonous serpents. In fact, he merrily predicted that Odin would take him to the courts of Valhalla, where all the great Norse heroes feasted after passing.

He also allegedly warned Ælla that his sons would avenge him—but he never mentioned just how horrifying their revenge would be.

]]> 47. The Struggle is Real Vikings had plenty of options to choose from when it came to showing Ragnar's demise, but I bet we can all guess which one they went with: the snake pit. Anyone who's seen the show knows how realistic that scene was—and that's largely because they used real snakes. In fact, Fimmell had to endure several painful snake bites, but I'd say the final product was worth it.

]]> 48. The End of Aella According to the sagas, Rangar's son Ivar the Boneless and his brothers assembled a massive force, called the Great Heathen Army, to attack England and avenge his father's fate. After a devastating campaign, they finally managed to capture Ælle. According to some historical sources, the king dies in battle. However, other sources maintain that Ivar saved a far more disturbing fate just for Ælle.

You guessed it: the Blood Eagle.

]]> 49. Heathen Army While the story of Ivar's revenge is likely just a legend, the Great Heathen Army is actually historically verified. Several sources cite Vikings, including Ivar the Boneless, leading a massive army to invade and conquer England, defeating the kings Osberht, Edmund, and Ælle in battle. Ivar then began to rule over a kingdom that stretched across Dublin and York.

]]> 50. Edmund’s Story Another version of Lothbrok’s fate saw him was staying with King Edmund, who was a kind and friendly ally, when the King’s huntsman kills him out of jealousy. Lothbrok’s sons are told it was Edmund who killed their father, which is why they seek revenge from him. A particularly grisly twist is that they tie him to a tree, shoot arrows at him and then behead him and play football with his head.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=62060 <![CDATA[Crown Prince Sado Was So Deranged His Own Father Had To Take Him Out]]> 2026-07-31T10:45:00+00:00 2026-07-30T12:49:59+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-crown-prince-sado Byron Fast People No One Was Safe With This Prince Around Of all the strange stories to come out of royal families, perhaps the most bizarre is the story of Crown Prince Sado of Korea. Sure, this prince had a mean father, but what he turned into was something much, much worse. No one was safe with this prince around, and all his different phobias and strange beliefs just made him more dangerous. 

When dad had had enough, he thought up a punishment for his son right out of a horror movie.

]]> 1. He Was Born To Fill A Vacancy Crown Prince Sado of Korea was born on February 13, 1735. His father was King Yeongjo. Before Sado’s birth, his older brother Hyojang had already been chosen as the next king. But tragedy struck when Crown Prince Hyojang passed at the age of nine. Making matters worse was that the king’s concubine was only producing daughters. This meant there was no one to fill the shoes of the king.

As such, people were starting to get nervous about the future of the monarchy.

]]> 2. He Was A Godsend When the King’s concubine gave birth to Prince Sado, it caused "the entire nation to rejoice with delight." They waited 100 days and then heaped their affection on the new crown prince. They gave him a governess, eunuchs, and maids. The queen—not his concubine mother—and a team of servants would raise him far away from his parents.

But even with the distance between them, Sado’s father was no fan of his son.

]]> 3. His Dad Wasn’t Happy Sado’s father, King Yeongjo, had a terrible temper, and he soon found that his son did nothing but disappoint him. Sado worshipped his father, but it seemed that he couldn’t do anything to make him happy. This caused Sado to act timidly, and his behavior only angered his father even more.

He didn't even have a mother he could turn to.

]]> 4. He Lived By Her Rules The thing was, Sado’s new mother was also living under the rule of a tyrannical monarch. She believed toughening up her son offered his best chance at survival. This meant that she created a long list of stringent rules for her son. Within these rules, there was no room for a warm relationship with Sado.

She also prepared him for a life as a married man.

]]> 5. He Was A Child Groom Every monarch is very interested in who their children will marry. After all, when a prince marries, everyone expects his wife to represent the family to the citizens. Sado’s parents were not exactly going to leave anything to chance. On April 27, 1744, eight-year-old Sado married another eight-year-old, Lady Hyegyeong.

So what kind of husband would an eight-year-old make?

]]> 6. He Wasn't Really A Husband Of course, no one expected eight-year-old Prince Sado to act in any way as a husband. They actually introduced him to his wife as another child to play with. And obviously, they did not live together. But still, having your wife chosen for you at such a young age would certainly have an effect on a growing young boy.

It may have even affected his health.

]]> 7. His Health Suffered To make matters worse, Sado had troubles with his health. He had such severe problems that he would sometimes completely lose consciousness. Instead of being comforted by his father, Sado’s illness made Dad even more angry.

]]> 8. He Learned Some Skills Due to his illness, Sado’s mother moved him close to her mansion. Here, Sado had a chance to learn how to shoot arrows, use a sword, and he also studied mythology. But Sado and his child wife lived under strict rules. They had to give morning greetings to the Sado’s parents—the king and queen—and to the varous other members of the royal court.

Sado never felt comfortable and came across as very stiff. This made his father dislike him even more.

]]> 9. He Couldn’t Make Him Happy However, Sado’s father did give him some opportunities. When Prince Sado was 15, Dad put him in a position to make some administrative decisions. King Yeongjo thought that this would prepare his son for being king. But Sado still could not please his father. Every decision he made was a disappointment, and their relationship deteriorated even further.

With a father like this, you had to wonder what kind of a dad Sado himself would be.

]]> 10. He Had Children At A Young Age Crown Prince Sado had married at the age of eight, and by 14, the court thought he was old enough to be a father. His first child was a son named Uiso. Sadly, he didn't live long enough to see his second birthday. Their second child was Jeongjo, and things were looking good for him.

And then measles struck the palace.

]]> 11. There Was An Epidemic When measles hit the palace, Sado’s son was only a few weeks old. There was a panic, and Sado and his son moved into a different part of the palace. They thought they would be safe there. By that very evening, Sado and the court maids had come down with the measles. Sado’s mother, came to take care of little Jeongjo.

It wasn’t looking good.

]]> 12. He Lost His Favorite Surprisingly, everyone recovered from the measles except for one family member. This was Sado’s sister. Because Sado couldn’t connect emotionally with either his mother or his father, Sado had bonded with his sister. The prince continued to send servants to check on her. To Sado’s horror, she eventually died. As a result, he was left mourning for the only family member who seemed to care about him.

From there, Sado’s sadness was only going to continue.

]]> 13. The Apple Didn’t Fall Far From The Tree Sado’s father, King Yeongjo, had a few eccentricities of his own. If he heard any ominous words, he would take soap and wash his ears out. When he spoke to Sado, he’d immediately rinse his mouth out and put on a clean robe. And then there were the doors. The king had doors he used for pleasant tasks, and other doors for unpleasant ones.

Dad sometimes saw his Sado as the source of his irrational fears.

]]> 14. He Blamed Him For the Weather When the king invited Sado to visit a royal tomb, it looked like the father and son might have a pleasant outing together. When the weather turned for the worse, the king had a strange reaction. It was suddenly raining hard, and the king thought that “heaven was showing its displeasure”. He sent a humiliated Prince Sado home.

Sometimes the King’s phobias even did serious damage to poor Sado.

]]> 15. He Sent His Son To Do His Dirty Work One of the unpleasant tasks that the king liked to avoid was witnessing the extreme punishments given to lawbreakers. Someone from the royal family had to preside over these horrific rituals, and the king heartlessly sent Sado in his place. Watching as the accused suffered intolerable pain must have had a devastating effect on young Sado.

Life was hard on Sado, and he turned to familiar vice.

]]> 16. He Hit The Bottle At this time, Crown Prince Sado started drinking. While this doesn’t sound so unusual, at this time in Korea, it was a very big no-no for the royal family. His drinking then led to womanizing. He started throwing wild parties late at night, where there were no rules about intimacy. It was a debauched lifestyle Sado was living.

Then it just got worse.

]]> 17. He Went Even Further Having crazy parties wasn’t enough for Sado. His drinking led him to worse acts. He regularly took his ladies-in-waiting by force. Then he turned to his younger sister, looking for intimacy within his own family. Somehow, she managed to avoid his ungodly advances to her.

But dad was not always a great example to his son.

]]> 18. There Was A Double Standard In 1753, Crown Prince Sado had a secret affair with a courtier and got her pregnant. Sado feared his father’s anger and tried to find a way to end the pregnancy. He failed, and Dad did indeed get angry. Strangely, that same year, the king also got a lady courtier pregnant, and there were no repercussions.

Sado’s father even tried to keep Sado away from his mother.

]]> 19. He Jumped Out The Window In 1755, Crown Prince Sado’s mother fell ill, and of course, Sado wanted to pay her a visit. When this happened, the king lost it and told Sado to “go back immediately”. Sado was so terrified of his father’s rage that he found the closest window and jumped. After this incident, Sado’s speech suffered. He began to stammer.

]]> 20. He Lost Two More While it seemed that Sado’s life had no purpose or meaning, there were two women who always supported him. These were his adoptive mother and another wife of his father. But nothing seemed to ever go Sado’s way. In 1757, both women passed within a month of each other.

Sado had lost anyone who cared about him. His mental health was in very serious jeopardy.

]]> 21. He Started Hallucinating With his sister and mother figures gone, Sado’s mental health began to deteriorate. One day, he was reading Okchugyeong, a Taoist text. While he was reading, he began to see things that weren’t there. He said he saw the Leigong, a mythical Thunder God. But then things got really weird.

]]> 22. He Had Strange Phobias After that experience, Crown Prince Sado developed a phobia. The sound of thunder horrified him. If there was a thunderstorm, particularly in winter, Sado would believe that his father would put the blame on his shoulders. But then it got worse. He began to be afraid even of the sky and then just the characters that spelled "thunder" and “thunderclap” terrified him.

And a surprise visit from dear old dad did more than hurt Sado. It actually damaged the palace.

]]> 23. He Made A Surprise Visit When King Yeongjo paid a surprise visit to Prince Sado, he found him in one of his strange mental states. Instead of seeing that his son was not well, the king assumed he’d had too much to drink. This was a taboo, and the king went ballistic on his son. When the king left a terrified Sado alone, the real trouble began.

]]> 24. He Started A Fire After his angry dad left, Sado had a meltdown. He was chasing his servants around in a fit of violent rage. Somehow, he ended up igniting a fire in the palace. Suddenly, the whole place was suddenly engulfed in flames. Everyone was in danger, including Sado’s pregnant wife and his child. They all just barely escaped with their lives.

This should have been a wake-up call for Sado. Sadly, things just got worse.

]]> 25. He Went From Bad To Worse There are stories that Prince Sado took out his anger on the eunuchs in the palace. This tragically took the form of beatings. But then it got worse, much worse. When the second of the two women who served as his mother figures passed, he did something extremely macabre. He savagely removed the head of a eunuch and carried it around with him.

And this was just the beginning.

]]> 26. He Went Over The Top Sado’s horrible behavior continued. Even small things would upset him enough to get violent. It wasn’t just the eunuchs; he also gruesomely ended the lives of servants as well. One story says that multiple bodies were piled up inside his palace every day. As the cadavers piled up, his wife became deeply concerned.

Then Sado did something even more taboo.

]]> 27. He Broke A Taboo Near the end of 1757, Crown Prince Sado was in the market for a secondary consort. He came across Park Bing-ae. Now there was an immediate problem. You see, Park Bing-ae had been his grandmother’s lady-in-waiting. The court at the time considered this to be a terrible taboo. When Sado’s father found out, there was a huge scene.

Sado’s reaction was horrifying.

]]> 28. He Tried To End It Many children have stories of being scared of punishments from their parents. Of course, Sado’s stories were more extreme. After his father gave him a good old-fashioned tongue lashing, Prince Sado ran to a well and jumped in. His plan was to end his life by drowning. Luckily, a guard was on hand to save Sado’s life.

Sado survived the well, but his mental state kept spiraling ever further down.

]]> 29. He Had A Fear Of Clothes When Prince Sado was in his 20s, he began to suffer from vestiphobia—a fear of clothing. Because of this, his wife followed a ritual to help him get dressed. She said that she had to lay out multiple sets of clothes, sometimes 10, sometimes as many as 30. Sado would then burn some of them, as he thought he had to at the demand of a ghost.

Once he chose his clothes, the situation became even stranger and more dangerous.

]]> 30. He Couldn’t Tolerate Any Mistakes Choosing what he would wear was only half the battle for Sado. Of course, he had attendants to dress him. If these attendants made even the smallest mistake while helping him dress, Sado would refuse to put on the garments. Sometimes the mistakes would lead to extreme aggression and even the loss of life.

But all his strange behavior came to a head on Sado's birthday.

]]> 31. He Had A Birthday Party Tantrum In 1760, Crown Prince Sado was turning 25, and his birthday was not a happy affair. For some reason, Sado lost it on many of his family members. He told off his parents, his own son and daughters. Later, he had a demand for his younger sister Princess Hwawan. He knew his father liked her, so he wanted her to help him influence their father, the king.

Sado was not about to take no for an answer.

]]> 32. He Wielded A Sword Prince Sado wanted his sister, Hwanwan, to help him convince their dad to move palaces. If she didn't comply, Sado had a way to make sure she did. He took out his sword and said he would cut her if she didn’t do what he wanted. But this wasn’t the only woman he was aggressive toward.

]]> 33. He Threw Things When he wasn’t wielding a sword at his sister, Sado was giving his wife a hard time. He once

threw a game board made of stone at her. It hit her in the face, and she had to cover her bruises so the court would not see what his aggressive behavior had done to her. But it was Sado’s consort who truly suffered at the hands of this maniac.

]]> 34. He Beat His Consort Remember, Prince Sado had a consort who was one of his grandmother’s ladies-in-waiting. Her name was Bing-ae, and she was the mother of some of his children. One day, Sado’s anger suddenly flared toward her. Sado did not like the way his consort was dressing him, so he flew into a rage. In his anger, he beat Bing-ae, and she lay on the floor severely injured. Instead of helping her, Sado heartlessly left her on the floor.

But these were not normal injuries.

]]> 35. He Had No Feelings Sadly, because Sado left her on the floor, Bing-ae passed due to the beating she received from the prince. While Sado’s wife was dealing with Bing-ae’s body, Sado walked into the room. Apparently, he acted as if nothing was strange at all. As it turned out, no one was safe in the palace. Not with Sado around.

]]> 36. He Wanted Revenge In 1762, Crown Prince Sado had a disagreement with one of the officials at court. Of course, getting into a disagreement with Sado could prove to be lethal. So, when Sado said he would end the life of the official’s son, people took it seriously. But Sado had no way to get to the son’s living quarters.

Then he came up with a plan.

]]> 37. He Went To Extreme Measures Prince Sado was so intent on finding this official's son that he actually traveled through a “water passage” to get to the right building. I don’t know about you, but to me, a “water passage” sounds a lot like a sewer pipe. Anyway, Sado made it to the boy’s room and was ready to take his life in revenge.

But there was a flaw to his plan.

]]> 38. He Took His Stuff The problem was that the boy that Sado was looking for was not there. After searching for him, Sado had to satisfy his hunger for revenge by taking personal items like clothing. At least he would have some feeling of vengeance. But this silly need for revenge was going to get Sado into some serious trouble.

]]> 39. They Misunderstood His Actions The thing was, when Prince Sado went looking for the son of the official, some people thought he was looking for someone else. They believed that he was looking for King Yeongjo, and his macabre plan was to end the life of the king, who, don’t forget, was also his own father. This was much more serious than beating servants and eunuchs.

They had to do something about Sado.

]]> 40. He Had Protection No one really felt safe with Sado around, so his biological mother, Concubine Yeong, went to the king and pleaded for him to do something about the raging prince. The thing was, because he was a member of the royal family, he had certain protections. They couldn’t defile his body in any way. This meant that any form of capital punishment was out of the question.

But Sado wasn’t totally safe. His father had an evil plan.

]]> 41. He Got Into A Barrel The king thought that yes, it would be a mistake to execute his son…but what if his son passed in a more natural way? To cover his bases, he first declared that Prince Sado be deposed. It was a hot day in July when King Yeongjo then asked Sado to get into a small rice chest made of wood. Sado, who had spent his entire life terrified of his father’s punishments, saw that this would not end well, and began to plead with his father to let him live.

But Dad was ruthless.

]]> 42. He Wanted Out King Yeongjo was not about to let Sado get away with all his aggressive behavior and insisted that his son get in the barrel. Sado obeyed his father and got in. Just as quickly, he tried to get out again. The king insisted, and Sado reluctantly entered the small space. With any luck, it would be just a short punishment.

But there was nothing brief about this gruesome punishment.

]]> 43. He Hid Him Away After Sado had spent two days in the barrel, the king wanted to be sure that this was his final resting place. To make sure Sado couldn't get out, he heartlessly tied a rope around the barrel. He then disguised the barrel with grass and placed it in the upper palace. No one would know that it contained Sado, and that he was slowly dying.

It looked like Sado would reach an untimely end.

]]> 44. He Left Him Locked Up During the next seven days, the king could hear his son making noises inside the barrel. He heartlessly did nothing to save him. On the eighth day, the barrel was silent. They opened the chest and found Sado’s lifeless body inside. Sado was no more.

But this story wasn't over yet.

]]> 45. He Rid The Palace Of All Things Sado With the tragic and gruesome passing of Prince Sado, the king had to rid the palace of any memory of his son. To do this, he had anyone connected to Sado—including eunuchs, workmen, and court guards—executed. The king then turned to Sado’s wife. Her future was in his cruel hands.

]]> 46. He Dealt With His Wife Of course, the king had to do something with Sado’s wife. First, he also gave her a demotion. She was now a commoner again, and then the king sent her back to her simple home. Of course, from there she had no contact with her own son. Because of this she became depressed and often suffered from illness.

But this tragic story of Prince Sado isn’t over yet.

]]> 47. He Was Prince Beyond The Grave Yes, the king had ended the life of his own son, but he still felt something. You see, before he put Sado into the barrel, he’d removed Sado’s princely title. Even though he was no longer alive, the king made the gruesome decision to make Sado prince once again.

It seemed that the king had a new respect for Sado, but that wasn't the truth at all.

]]> 48. They Couldn’t Say His Name Sure, the king had made Sado prince again—perhaps to soften his involvement in his son’s execution, or cover it up. However, Yeongjo also declared that he did not want to hear his son’s name as long as he was king. As such, no one could even mention that he had a son who perished locked in a rice barrel.

But there was someone who would remember him.

]]> 49. His Son Became King Despite Sado’s rather shaky reputation, his son Jeongjo was still in line to become king. He had been just 11 years old when his father passed in that rice barrel. Then, on March 10, 1776, Jeongjo finally had his coronation. He was king. He immediately reminded the officials that their new king was the son of Crown Prince Sado.

By then, it was a name that no one had heard in a long time.

]]> 50. He Wanted To Honor His Parents One of his first actions as king was to move his father’s body. He wanted Sado close by. He also built the Hwaseong Fortress near his father’s burial place. This was to honor his father and to guard his tomb. The fortress is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Despite his horrifying history, Sado had gone from a feared prince to a revered member of the royal family.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61998 <![CDATA[Bess Raleigh Risked Everything For Love—And Paid A Terrible Price]]> 2026-07-29T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-28T21:56:35+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-bess-raleigh Nikolas C. People Bess Raleigh Had A Rough Start—And An Even Darker Downfall Hoping to elevate their status among the English nobility, the family of Bess Raleigh couldn’t have been happier when she married a man of great influence and grew closer to the Queen. However, the rebellious streak that had followed her family for ages eventually caught up with her. 

Still, she clearly had no regrets about anything that led to this ultimate fall from grace—especially since she did it all for love.

]]> 1. She Was Royalty There was likely no shortage of people who wanted to get close to the King or Queen of England, but at least in Bess's case, her family already had a bit of a leg up. Born in 1565 to Anne Carew and Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, Bess already had the privilege of a noble family, but her father also had his own connection to the royals, as his cousin was Queen Catherine—the last wife of Henry VIII.

Unfortunately, the family was about to hit a major setback—and it was all because of her father.

]]> 2. Her Father Got Into Deep Trouble It wasn’t long before Elizabeth—or as her family called her, Bess—would hit the first snag in her plan to gain status and influence, even though it was before she even had that ambition. When she was only four years old, she watched her father being taken away under suspicion of conspiracy with the Duke of Norfolk, who was hoping to oust Queen Elizabeth I from the throne.

Luckily, the charges didn’t stick—but that didn’t mean he was off the hook completely.

]]> 3. She Never Trusted Him Again Whether or not Nicholas was actually involved in the plot to overthrow the Queen, she believed it enough to sentence him to a brief imprisonment at Windsor, but she didn’t take it much further than that. In a strange foreshadowing of Bess’s own fate, while he did regain his freedom after the Crown decided not to try him, he never returned to the Queen’s good graces.

To make matters worse, his daughter now had a whole new problem to worry about—money.

]]> 4. She Had A Measly Inheritance Fallen from grace, Sir Nicholas wasn’t in any position to properly provide for his family, which posed an even bigger issue when he sadly passed in 1571. Bess’s inheritance was measly at best, amounting to just about £500, though it was about to shrink even more. Before Bess even had a chance to grow up and put her inheritance to good use, her mother loaned it to a friend—and likely never got it back.

Now that her family had fallen into disrepute, Elizabeth would need all the help she could get.

]]> 5. She Had An Education In an age when only women of a certain social class could learn to read and write, Bess was determined to set herself apart. She began studying at an early age, and her mother watched her grow into a clever, diligent, and literate young woman. Luckily, someone else in her family was still looking out for her—and finally had the funds to help.

]]> 6. He Paid For Her Spot In Court While Bess’s family had fallen out of the Queen’s favor and her mother had lost her inheritance, she hadn’t completely run out of options to improve her station—all she needed was some cash. Fortunately, her older brother, Arthur, had made enough money to pay Bess’s way into becoming a courtier, and she took a position as a lady-in-waiting for Queen Elizabeth.

As the cherry on top, she was about to receive her first proposal—but that didn’t mean she was happy about it.

]]> 7. She Received An Offer Aside from paying to become a courtier, another path to greater power and influence would have been through marriage—if Bess’s mother hadn’t given away her dowry. Nonetheless, Bess had made enough connections among the other courtiers by 1582 that she received her first marriage proposal that year, from a nobleman named Bassingbourne Gawdy.

However, she had other things to worry about—and she wasn’t the only one who thought so.

]]> 8. She Turned Down A Proposal Although marriage would have been a smart move, and likely something that Bess’s father had intended for her, she was already doing more than okay on her own. Without a husband, she had managed to gain access to the Queen’s court, and her mother agreed that getting married would only be a setback for her—so Bess refused.

Of course, things would soon become even more difficult for her, especially as history repeated itself in a devastating way.

]]> 9. Her Family Was On The Queen's Bad Side Sir Nicholas had already sullied the Throckmorton name once before, but Bess had thankfully left that all in the past—or so she thought. Adding one more blemish on her family’s record, it came to light that Bess’s cousin, Francis Throckmorton, was plotting against the Queen as well, earning him his execution.

Luckily, this didn’t seem to matter in the long run—and Bess got exactly what she wanted.

]]> 10. She Got A Promotion Rather than marry or try to achieve her goals through coup attempts like others in her family, Bess stayed her course and waited patiently for her time to arrive—but she wouldn’t have to for long. By 1584, all her hard work had paid off as the Queen appointed Bess a Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber, meaning she became one of the personal attendants that Elizabeth I trusted most.

With this new position, though, came a whole new set of standards—and now all eyes were on her.

]]> 11. She Had To Be Perfect Bess was already used to the demands of the court and presenting herself in a specific way, but now she was in the big leagues, and the Queen would be watching even more closely. As a Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber, the Crown required her to be both obedient and modest at all times, but the attribute that the Queen valued most was loyalty.

Sadly, while her life had greatly improved, tragedy would visit her once again.

]]> 12. She Lost Someone Although Bess’s new position certainly demanded more from her, it wasn’t without its perks, as Queen Elizabeth’s court was lively with performances and other amusements—but things at home weren’t as cheery. She had already lost one parent when she was still quite young, but in 1587, she had to endure the passing of her mother as well.

Still, not everything was doom and gloom, especially once he came along.

]]> 13. She Fell For The Queen's Favorite Bess became acquainted with many of the most affluent people in the Queen’s court, and while most of them were stuffy nobles whom she had no interest in romantically, Sir Walter Raleigh was different. As one of the Queen’s favorites, Sir Raleigh spent a lot of time around Bess, and the two grew closer until, before long, they fell head over heels in love—and were expecting a child.

By doing so, they risked more than just a dismissal from court, but that didn’t stop them.

]]> 14. They Kept It A Secret Bess had little interest in marriage when she was first climbing her way up the social ladder, but she was now in a much better position—and had found a much better suitor. Unfortunately, it would have been the ultimate scandal if the Queen learned that one of her most trusted attendants was sneaking around with her favorite. So, when Bess and Sir Raleigh married in 1591, they did so behind closed doors and without the Queen's permission.

Keeping this a secret would only become more challenging, especially since it wouldn’t be just the two of them for long.

]]> 15. They Made A Family It was hard enough for Bess and her new husband to keep the Queen in the dark, especially since they both spent so much time with her, but this was nothing compared to what was next—parenthood. Although it posed an even greater risk to them, the couple was still over the moon at the birth of their first child in 1592, whom they named Damerei.

Of course, they couldn’t keep everyone out, but they chose their confidantes wisely.

]]> 16. She Trusted Him To Keep Quiet Although both Bess and Sir Raleigh had each other to rely on as they covered up their relationship, they couldn’t do it alone, and fortunately, they had at least one person they could trust. While he would later face execution for treason himself, the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereaux, was another favorite of the Queen at the time, and a good friend of the couple’s. Not only did they confide in him, but they also named him their son’s godfather.

Meanwhile, something horrible was on the horizon, and Bess would face a grief worse than any she had before.

]]> 17. Her Child Was Doomed Bess had to make sure she gave the Queen no reason to be suspicious of either her or Sir Raleigh, so even though she should have taken more time to recover after the birth of her son, she didn’t have that luxury. Returning to court shortly after, she entrusted her child to a wet nurse at Enfield, painfully unaware of the misery to follow. While she was still away, the plague came to England, and it tragically claimed the life of the newborn Damerei in October 1952.

But even before this tragedy came to pass, Bess and Raleigh were playing a very dangerous game at court.

]]> 18. They Played With Fire Bess and Sir Raleigh continued their illicit relationship—even though their own lives were at risk. Bess would have needed royal permission to marry in general, but the Queen would likely see her marriage to one of her own favorites as the ultimate act of disloyalty. As expected, it was only a matter of time before all their luck ran out.

]]> 19. She Caught On Bess and Sir Raleigh did everything they could to keep their relationship on the down low, but while they thought they covered all their tracks, it was impossible to do so forever. Queen Elizabeth was no fool, and while she may have even suspected something between them at one point, it wasn’t until early 1592 that she found concrete proof of their union.

However, she didn’t confront them right away—and instead watched them dig their own graves deeper and deeper.

]]> 20. They Put On An Act For the Queen, it wasn’t enough that Bess and Sir Raleigh had gone behind her back to marry, finding it all the more insulting that they were still keeping up with the charade. It would have been one thing if they came clean and begged for her forgiveness, but as the two of them continued their duties in court, the Queen only grew more and more infuriated.

Their goodwill had run out, and the Queen could only stand by and watch for so long.

]]> 21. She Locked Them Up Outraged and humiliated, the Queen couldn’t allow Bess and Sir Raleigh to continue unpunished any longer, so she confronted the couple and issued her judgment. While she initially placed the two of them under house arrest, their ultimate sentence was imprisonment within the Tower of London.

Luckily, this wouldn’t be permanent—especially since the Queen still needed the skills of Sir Raleigh.

]]> 22. She Let Him Out By this point, Sir Raleigh had already taken charge of several seafaring expeditions, one of which would come as a godsend to him as he and Bess waited out their imprisonment. Returning from an expedition in September 1592, the fleet under his command had captured and brought back a Spanish merchant ship and all its valuables. As it was his right to divide the spoils himself, Sir Raleigh regained his freedom after only a matter of months.

With a heavy heart, he had to leave his beloved behind—but not for too much longer.

]]> 23. She Served Her Time In truth, Sir Raleigh returned to the Tower of London for a couple more months before the Queen actually let him out, at which point he awaited Bess’s release from their home in Dorset, Sherborne Castle. Luckily, she wouldn’t fare too much worse than her husband, and by December, the Queen released her from the Tower, and she reunited with her love.

Even after everything, though, the Queen couldn’t stay mad at him forever.

]]> 24. Her Husband Crawled Back Into Her Good Graces The Queen was likely still furious about the unauthorized marriage, but now that Bess and Sir Raleigh had served their time, she couldn’t do much to keep them apart. Fortunately, she eventually got over this fact and seemingly remembered why Sir Raleigh was her favorite, forgiving him and accepting him back at court.

While this was an unexpected relief for him, the same couldn’t be said for Bess.

]]> 25. She Never Won Back The Queen's Heart As much as Sir Raleigh had been a favorite of the Queen, Bess had also been a trustworthy companion to her, but Elizabeth refused to show the same kind of clemency—for one major difference. Sir Raleigh had owned up to his choices and asked for forgiveness, whereas Bess’s pride kept her from following suit, resulting in her permanent ban from court.

Even so, Bess had little to complain about since she had found a new purpose.

]]> 26. She Loved Her New Life Bess had spent the better part of her life trying to gain the Queen’s favor, but even though she had since lost all of that, she seemed all the happier for it. Now that she didn’t have to hide her marriage, she could focus on her far more fulfilling role as Lady Raleigh, and every day she spent away from London made her more grateful to live somewhere else.

With the second chance that the Queen had given them, the couple also wanted another shot at happiness.

]]> 27. Their Family Grew While some historians assert that Bess was an overbearing wife to Sir Raleigh, it’s hard to argue that they had any sort of unhappy marriage, as they still seemed very much in love. They had stayed true to each other throughout secrecy and imprisonment, and now that they could love each other freely, they wanted to create a life together. Thankfully, in 1593, they were ecstatic to welcome their second son, Walter.

Of course, they were still full of uncertainty—especially considering their past.

]]> 28. She Was Terrified Of The Plague Bess and Sir Raleigh were thriving at Sherborne Castle and celebrating the birth of their second child, but their happiness soon turned to anxiety as history threatened to repeat itself. When their son was only a year old, the plague arrived in Dorset, and they found themselves reliving the trauma of losing Damerei. Fortunately, they all rode out the storm together, and the plague passed by them without taking their baby.

They pushed forward and began planning for the future—even if these plans didn’t always work out.

]]> 29. They Found A New Home Although the two of them had made a new and comfortable home within Sherborne Castle, the structure was practically ancient, and Sir Raleigh began preparations to restore it. However, these renovations proved more work than they were worth, so he and Bess moved with their baby into a brand new home, which they called Sherborne Lodge.

Within a few years, Bess had another chance to join the royal court—but she had other priorities now.

]]> 30. She Paid Her A Visit Bess may have left all hopes of a position in court behind, but the door opened back up for her in 1603—with the passing of Queen Elizabeth I. After King James I took the throne, his wife, Anne of Denmark, became Queen, and courtiers traveled from all over England to meet her and try to win her favor. While Bess was content with her new life, she thought it would be a good idea to try, at least.

There was finally a chance she could join her husband as a courtier—even though it was a long shot.

]]> 31. She Didn’t See A Point Bess traveled to where Anne of Denmark was staying in Northamptonshire to greet her, and while the two exchanged the typical pleasantries, Bess knew it was all for naught. By the time she got home, she realized she hadn’t made enough of an impression on the new Queen and that she should have just stayed home.

However, she would soon learn just how pointless it had been—when their idyllic life was suddenly torn apart.

]]> 32. Her Future Was Uncertain The couple may have thought they could have a fresh start with the new royals, but since Sir Raleigh had supported another claim to the throne, King James wasn’t a fan of him already. Once again, Bess had to say goodbye to her love as the King placed Sir Raleigh in custody on charges of treason, believing him to have played a part in the Main Plot against him.

After accepting he had finally come to the end of the line—he could only think of one thing.

]]> 33. He Wrote To Her Although Sir Raleigh denied any involvement in the Main Plot against King James, the Crown wasn't having it, and he came to believe he was on course for execution. With his time running out, Sir Raleigh quickly wrote a letter containing his final words to Bess, expressing his undying love for her, but also urging her to find another husband after he was gone.

He had just one more task for her—but this one was a doozy.

]]> 34. He Asked Her To Help Sir Raleigh’s letter was largely full of all the sorrow and longing he felt nearing the end of his life, and his goodbye to Bess and young Walter—but he also had a favor to ask. According to him, he had another child, as he also had an illegitimate daughter somewhere, and he requested that Bess take the girl in.

In a shocking twist, though, King James was more reasonable than expected.

]]> 35. He Changed His Mind Although Sir Raleigh was eventually convicted of treason, King James took some time to think about his punishment and later decided against execution. However, he wasn’t about to just let him go, so Sir Raleigh received his new sentence of life imprisonment. As he was still a nobleman, this punishment wasn’t as bad as it could have been, since the King gave him two rooms to himself where his family could join him at any point.

With all these accommodations, even his imprisonment couldn’t stop them from making the most of their life together.

]]> 36. They Welcomed Another Child While Bess had to make some adjustments, she was able to enjoy a fair amount of freedom with her husband, considering Sir Raleigh was still serving out his life sentence. As such, they were not only able to stay together as a family, but also welcomed a new addition as she gave birth to their third son, Carew, in 1605.

King James wanted Sir Raleigh to live out a long life in the Tower of London—at least, until he needed something from him.

]]> 37. He Gave Him A Quest King James may have been adamant about Sir Raleigh’s sentence, but he soon came across a dilemma that Queen Elizabeth had faced as well—the nobleman’s services were once again needed. Europe had become electrified with legends of the lost city of gold, El Dorado, and as Sir Raleigh was one of the leading explorers of his time, King James freed him in 1617 under orders to find the city for England.

This newfound freedom promised adventure and prosperity—but all Bess found was more grief.

]]> 38. He Had Horrible News Bess happily accepted the terms of her husband’s freedom, and even as Sir Raleigh left for the expedition—bringing their now 24-year-old son, Walter, with him—she cheered them on. Tragically, though, she received one of the worst letters she would ever read a year later, in which Sir Raleigh told her that their son had perished in an unauthorized attack on the Spanish.

While they surely had more hardships to come, they were lucky enough to have a few more moments together.

]]> 39. They Took Him In Bess had not only lost another son, but her husband was also en route to his execution, all for a grievous mistake. England and Spain had recently signed a peace treaty, so when Sir Raleigh’s men ambushed the Spanish, he was held responsible—despite never giving the order. Unwilling to run, he returned and gave himself up to the Crown, but not before spending one last fortnight with his beloved wife.

This time, however, it wasn’t just him they locked up.

]]> 40. She Went With Him Just as before, Bess accompanied her husband to the Tower of London, but this time it wasn’t completely of her own volition. Treating her as an accomplice to Sir Raleigh, King James had her imprisoned right alongside him. However, this was more of a symbolic sentence, as she received her freedom a few months later—though he wasn’t so lucky. 

While there was no question that his fate was sealed, Bess wasn’t about to just stand by and do nothing.

]]> 41. She Tried To Help Him Beyond taking Sir Raleigh back into custody, the Crown had also seized all his estates, meaning that Bess had even more to worry about than simply losing the love of her life. Still, she devoted her every waking moment to changing the King’s mind again, hoping to save her husband from execution.

She used every resource and pulled every string—but it wasn’t enough.

]]> 42. He Lost His Life None of Bess’s efforts were enough to sway the King’s decision, and while Sir Raleigh had already survived a few brushes with death, he would have no such luck this time. Fortunately, the two of them had at least one moment to say goodbye before the authorities took Sir Raleigh to the Old Palace Yard and finally beheaded him.

She stayed with him until the end, and since the Crown had taken so much from her, she kept one thing for herself.

]]> 43. She Took His Head With Her Bess’s love for her husband was truly unending, so even as he went to his demise, she stood by him and watched—and she wasn’t leaving empty-handed. While the truth of this is a bit more vague, at least one account mentions that Bess and her attendants retrieved his decapitated head and left the premises with it.

As a thin silver lining, she and her son weren’t in as dire straits as she thought.

]]> 44. He Provided For Her Bess was at risk of losing another inheritance, and although she pleaded with the King that her and her son’s livelihoods depended on the estates Sir Raleigh left behind, she couldn’t sway him on that either. Ultimately, though, the King took pity on her and instead granted her £8,000 for her trouble, along with an annual pension of £400 for the rest of her life.

However, even with all of that, she had one prized possession above everything—her one remaining connection to her beloved.

]]> 45. She Kept It With Her After losing two of her children and her husband, Bess wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her days with her remaining son, Carew—and the last heirloom from her husband. Having embalmed Sir Raleigh’s head, Bess reportedly placed it inside a red velvet bag and kept it in a cupboard next to her bed, refusing to part with it.

Still, she wasn’t simply wallowing away in her sorrow—she had work to do.

]]> 46. She Fought For Him While Sir Raleigh had given both Queen Elizabeth and King James plenty of reasons to dislike him, the act that finally sealed his fate had been out of his control—and Bess wasn’t going to let it be his legacy. Almost immediately after his execution, she began fighting to clear his name and restore the reputation he once had.

After years of fruitless efforts and disappointment, she could finally rest in relief.

]]> 47. He Was Vindicated Bess had unfortunately been at the mercy of the royals her entire life and had found out many times that even if she fought tooth and nail for something, it could slip away from her all the same. However, in an unexpected twist, all her struggles were worth it as the 1628 Bill of Restitution finally recognized Sir Raleigh’s legacy, ultimately allowing Carew to inherit his father’s assets.

Of course, she would have to give up his head at some point—but only once they were truly reunited.

]]> 48. She Met Her End Bess lived for another several decades after Sir Raleigh perished, and even though it had been his wish at one point, she never found another suitor to remarry. She ultimately passed in 1647, and it was only then that her family saw fit to return Sir Raleigh’s head to the rest of his body, now entombed in St Margaret's, Westminster.

Although she devoted much of her energy and time to the man she loved, he hadn’t been her only priority.

]]> 49. She Had A Lot On Her Plate As Lady Raleigh, Bess had certainly enjoyed many of the benefits that came with being the wife of a nobleman, but she also got a bit more than she signed up for. Considering Sir Raleigh was usually either off on one of his expeditions or locked up in a cell, she frequently had to pick up the slack as the regular duties of his position fell to her.

All the while, she never lost one of her greatest attributes—her kindness.

]]> 50. She Helped Where She Could Although Elizabeth Raleigh eventually gained a position of power and influence, as her family had hoped, she never forgot her roots—specifically what it was like to lose everything. Such compassion for the less fortunate was especially useful in her position as Lady Raleigh. Through any hardships Sherborne faced, whether it was the plague or natural disasters, she never shied away from acting charitably.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=30832 <![CDATA[After his infamous divorce, Mohammad Reza went back to life as a notorious playboy—but few people know his even darker history.]]> 2026-07-31T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-28T15:27:52+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-mohammad-reza Dancy Mason People The Doomed Shah Shah Mohammad Reza was born into scandal and uprising—and his life somehow only got more dramatic from there. Though he was “The King of Kings,” in Iran, his inner life was anything but exquisite. From the bitter tragedies of his marriages to the utter disaster of his reign, Mohammad Reza has a dark history.

]]> 1. He Was Born Under A Good Sign Mohammad Reza came into the world on October 26, 1919. Though he actually had a twin sister, Ashraf, his father Reza Khan was far more delighted in the prospect of a boy to carry on the manly family line. He quickly anointed him his favorite son, and dubbed him a “bird of good omen". Guess what? This prediction would not come true.

]]> 2. He Wasn’t Born To Rule Although his birth was supposedly auspicious, it was missing one thing: The future Shah wasn’t even a prince. Papa Khan only became the ruler of Iran in 1925, and even then, only after a coup d’état. As a result, the newly minted Iranian royal family were very insecure about their power…and this had big consequences for little Mohammad.

]]> 3. His Father Was Terrifying The old Shah was not winning Father of the Year any time soon; Mohammad Reza once called him “one of the most frightening men” he knew, and he demanded nothing less than perfection from his subjects. A military man through and through, the Shah liked to “discipline” disobedient subordinates by giving them kicks to the groin.

It was only a matter of time before his notorious habits turned toward his son.

]]> 4. His Family Punished Him Bizarrely, Reza Khan thought that if fathers showed affection of any kind toward their sons, this would lead the heirs to have—wait for it—romantic desires for men later in life. And well, he couldn’t have that. To “help” Mohammad, then, the Shah often refused to even touch him. Thanks, Dad. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

]]> 5. His Childhood Was Miserable Reza Khan not only refused to show any love toward his eldest boy, he also insisted on addressing him in the Persian formal “sir” rather than the informal “you”. Like, all the time. Obviously, poor Mohammad had to do the same back, and act like this was super helpful in turning him into a great man. Heck yes this backfired—big time.

]]> 6. He Didn’t Look The Part Instead of becoming the macho commando his father wanted him to be, Mohammad Reza came out much more tragic. Surprise surprise, his mega dysfunctional upbringing turned him into a hugely nervous adolescent, and people noted how twitchy the Crown Prince looked in his uniform next to his father. And that was just the outside.

]]> 7. He Had A Strange Obsession Mohammad Reza also had bizarre obsessions as he grew older, including a strange fixation on height. His larger-than-life father had been a healthy 6’4” tall, and the shorter prince was desperate to gain inches any way he could. He wore elevator shoes, boasted constantly about the height of mountains in Iran, and even had a thing for tall women.

Then again, as we’ll see, he had a thing for all women…

]]> 8. He Was A Momma’s Boy To be honest, Mohammad’s female trouble started very early. With his unloving father breathing down his neck, the Crown Prince turned more and more to his mother, Tadj ol-Molouk. But where Reza Khan was withholding, Tadj was possessive, jealous, and also superstitiously certain her son was destined for great things. Let me tell you, this became a worst-case scenario.

]]> 9. He Was A Spoiled Brat You’d think a mother’s love would help Mohammad Reza become well adjusted …but, uh, no. Since Iranian culture revered boys, his mother and his sisters just spoiled him rotten, with his twin sister Ashraf even claiming that “the center of my existence was, and is, Mohammad Reza”. The prince started getting a big ego to go with his bottomless insecurities—until the day it all came crashing down.

]]> 10. He Made A Fool Of Himself When he was 11, Mohammad Reza went to a fancy Swiss boarding school, and he wasted no time embarrassing himself. One day, he approached a group of students sitting on a bench and demanded they all stand at attention when he walked past. Instead of obeying him, the boys beat him up, which is almost understandable. It was a hard lesson, but that didn’t mean the prince stayed out of trouble, oh no.

]]> 11. He Lost His Virginity In A Scandalous Way Mohammad Reza’s first exposure to Europe also became his first exposure to womanizing. In 1935, when he was still just 15 or 16 years old, the Crown Prince lost his virginity—and his romance was scandalous. Rather than taking up with a girl his own age, the teenager took one of the boarding school’s maids to the bedroom.

]]> 12. His Parents Forced Him To Marry By the time Mohammad Reza returned to Iran in 1936, he was an eligible bachelor, and his parents had big plans for him and their dynasty. Soon after, they picked his bride: Princess Fawzia of Egypt, the daughter of an established, powerful royal line who could help legitimize their own monarchy. Everyone had high hopes...and it all ended in heartbreak.

]]> 13. His Bride Was Legendary Honestly, Mohammad Reza should have been overjoyed with his future bride, at least physically: Princess Fawzia was one of the great beauties of the world. Photographer Cecil Beaton described her as an “Asian Venus,” and other admirers compared her to Western Hollywood stars like Vivien Leigh and Hedy Lamarr. But Mohammad Reza soon found out that beauty isn’t everything.

]]> 14. His “Proposal” Was Depressing In many ways, the teenage royals were doomed from the start. As a purely political match, most of their “courtship” was just their respective relatives drawing out the marriage contract with each other. In fact, the Crown Prince was so uninvolved in his own love story, he read about his engagement in the paper like everybody else. Yep, that’s a very bad omen.

]]> 15. He Had A Fairy-Tale Ceremony On March 15, 1939, Fawzia and Mohammad Reza married in a lavish ceremony at Abdeen Palace in Cairo, and then had a second full-blown ceremony once Fawzia arrived in Iran to settle into her new life. Things had happened so fast, they had only seen each other once before their marriage. Even worse, Mohammad Reza made a very bad second impression…

]]> 16. He Two-Timed His Wife Not long after the wedding, the prince dealt Fawzia a heartbreaking betrayal. Mohammad Reza had recently been on a tear with the ladies, and he didn’t stop just because he was a newly married man. Instead, many people saw him driving around town in fancy cars with his tacky mistresses, barely hiding his indiscretions. But if Fawzia thought that was all she’d have to deal with, she’d be very wrong.

]]> 17. His Mother Had A Jealousy Problem Mohammad Reza’s possessive mother Tadj ol-Molouk did not react well to the new woman in her son’s life, and his sisters weren’t much better, either. In fact, his entire family basically saw poor Princess Fawzia as a rival for his affections, and alternated between humiliating her and freezing her out. One day, it even came to a violent climax.

]]> 18. He Was A Bad Husband Fawzia grew more and more unhappy in her gilded cage, and one day, she even got into a physical altercation with one of Mohammad’s sisters. Indecorously enough, the fight ended with the Iranian princess smashing a vase over the newcomer’s head. To add insult to injury, Mohammad always sided with his family during these spats.

]]> 19. He Did His “Duty” Although his marriage was crumbling before his eyes, the Crown Prince still knew he had a duty to perform. In 1940, Fawzia became pregnant with their child, giving birth to a little girl named Princess Shahnaz in October. It wasn’t the boy Mohammad Reza had likely been hoping for, but he wasn’t going to get much else; Shahnaz would be their only child together.

]]> 20. He Was A Deeply Unhappy Man As it turned out, even with his gallivants around town, Mohammad Reza was just as miserable in his marriage as his wife. One day, he made a chilling revelation. In his memoirs, Reza confessed that the "only happy light” during his entire union was the birth of his daughter. Ouch. Soon enough, though, he had much bigger problems.

]]> 21. He Kicked His Father Off The Throne In 1941, Reza Khan got ousted from power, and Mohammad Reza took over as the Shah of Iran. If the young man didn’t have daddy issues before, he certainly did now. Timid, unprepared, and probably guilt-ridden, the new Shah spent the early days of his reign writing romantic poetry instead of, you know, actually ruling. And then the heat really turned up.

]]> 22. His Wife Left Him In the midst of all this chaos, Mohammad Reza’s personal life started truly falling apart. His wife, the new Queen Fawzia of Iran, fled back to her home in Egypt in 1945, abandoning her husband and quickly obtaining an Egyptian divorce before officially ending things in 1948. The Shah’s response to this betrayal was…not great.

]]> 23. He Had A Brutal Split Even though Mohammad Reza hadn’t treated his royal wife with much respect, his sister later claimed that the divorce was all Fawzia’s doing. She said that the Shah frequently begged her to come back and wanted to work it out with her, at least to put a brave face on for the people. Yet CIA documents reveal a more scandalous story.

]]> 24. He Had A Bedroom Secret The American government was keeping a very close eye on the Middle East at this time, including, apparently, Mohammad Reza’s bedroom life. According to declassified documents, the real reason Fawzia left Iran was a lot uglier than the official story. These files claim that the marriage dissolved after Fawzia wouldn’t stop degrading the Shah for his impotence.

Yikes. No wonder the Shah got a brutal revenge.

]]> 25. He Made A Cruel Demand When he finally accepted that Fawzia was gone for good, Mohammad Reza really took the gloves off. He didn’t ask for much after the breakup, but one of his biggest conditions was also his cruelest: Fawzia had to give up custody of their five-year-old daughter Shahnaz, and his ex-wife could expect rigid visitation times with her only child. Harsh, and not fair. But karma came for him.

]]> 26. He Almost Lost His Life In 1949, just a handful of months after his divorce went through, Mohammad Reza had a terrifying brush with death. On February 4, the Shah attended a routine ceremony honoring the founding of Tehran University—and then chaos erupted. An assassin let loose five bullets at close range, and one of the shots hit Reza in the face. For a moment, the Earth stood still.

]]> 27. He Hid His Injury In Plain Sight The Shah’s men rushed him to the hospital, where doctors frantically treated an injury to his cheek. Although he came out alright, the ruler spent a hefty amount of time recovering and got a nasty scar across his face. Always a little vain, Mohammad Reza insisted on growing out a mustache for a year just to hide all traces of his attack.

]]> 28. He Slept With Famous Women During this time, the Shah developed a new lust for life—and women. He adored European nightclubs, and he began to specialize in starlets, carrying on rumored affairs with the likes of Hollywood actresses Gene Tierney and Yvonne De Carlo. But the Shah was about to be tied down again, and this time would be even more heartbreaking than the first.

]]> 29. He Had A Wife Search In the 1950s, Mohammad Reza was very ready to get himself another Queen of Iran who could give him a “proper” male heir. The woman he picked would soon become infamous. Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary was a half Iranian, half German beauty and socialite, and the Shah was intent on making her his bride. Their origin story, though, wasn’t so romantic.

]]> 30. He Online Dated Before Its Time According to lore, Mohammad Reza was first introduced to Soraya in a pretty creepy way. One of her ambitious relatives showed the Shah her portrait as a kind of “hot or not” calling card. The ruler obviously liked what he saw—indeed, many found Soraya more beautiful even than Princess Fawzia—because he quickly arranged a meeting. It was the beginning of a legend.

]]> 31. He Fell In Love At First Sight As soon as they met in person, the Shah and Soraya fell into passionate love at first sight. When Soraya first laid eyes on the ruler in his sharp uniform, she described him as “magnificent". Of course, it probably helped that she was still a naïve teenager and the Shah was a full-grown 32 years old. It all snowballed from there—and very fast.

]]> 32. He Made A Rash Decision The couple was so in love, Mohammad Reza didn’t even wait a week to declare it to the world. He proposed and made their engagement official the very next day after their first meeting, gifting his bride-to-be with a massive diamond wedding ring to prove his affection. Yet just as soon as it began, his love story started unraveling.

]]> 33. His Wedding Had A Bad Omen The wedding was set for the fast-approaching date of December 27, 1950—until a horrific event occurred. As if the entire universe were saying, “This is a bad idea, guys,” the Shah’s fiancée fell violently ill with typhoid on the very eve of the wedding. And when he heard, Mohammad Reza presented his love with a huge flex.

]]> 34. He Gave His Bride A Bizarre Gift The Shah might have been impatient and disappointed about his delayed nuptials, but he also knew how to keep his fiancée happy—at least for now, anyway. While Soraya recovered in her bed, delirious, Mohammad Reza came to visit her every day, and left a jewel on her pillow each time he left. Too bad this behavior didn’t keep up.

]]> 35. He Rushed To The Altar Our boy wasn’t willing to wait forever, though, and he re-set the wedding date to a “generous” six weeks later. This was a horrible plan: Soraya was still terrifyingly ill when the day came around, and she barely had the strength to walk down the aisle. Minutes before the ceremony, the Shah had to cut the train of her expensive dress just to get her to the altar.

Once more, I’m sure this is gonna turn out great.

]]> 36. His Wife Had A Notorious Temper As it happened, the court didn’t have to wait long for the Shah’s fairy tale marriage to start coming apart at the seams. Soraya was still just a moody 18-year-old, after all, and she liked to throw tantrums when she didn’t get her way. At a public dinner one night, she even picked up a priceless vase and smashed it against the wall. But behind bedroom doors, it was even worse.

]]> 37. He Had Big Problems In The Bedroom The Shah was a passionate man whose desires drove his every move, and his new Queen took advantage of that whenever she could. After yet another fight, she banned the Shah from their marriage bed for weeks on end, forcing him to sleep outside her door on a cot. And when someone politely objected to this state of affairs? Well…

]]> 38. He Received A Brutal Insult After seeing the royal couple’s obvious bedroom rift, one courtier worked up the courage and delicately suggested to Soraya that His Majesty come back to her bed. Soraya’s response was incredibly cruel. The vengeful queen pointed at a corner of her bedchamber and snapped, “He can put his bed over there!” Granted, there might have been a reason for all this stormy weather…

]]> 39. He Was A Cold Fish Stiff and shy even with his closest friends, Mohammad Reza was often formal and aloof, even to the wife he was madly in love with. When they were in private and alone together, he reportedly often insisted on still addressing her with the formal Persian “you,” just like daddy taught him. And things were going to get a lot icier.

]]> 40. His Sister Embarrassed Him Unfortunately, the Shah couldn’t even present a manly image to his citizens or his own family at this time, let alone his new wife. When Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh rose to power and started majorly cramping his rule, the green Shah froze with indecision and even fled into exile briefly, leading his twin sister Princess Ashraf to denounce his manhood publicly. Ouch.

]]> 41. He Got Heartbreaking News Desperate to prove his macho identity, the Shah started to obsess once more about getting a male heir—but this is exactly where more trouble set in. After three years of marriage, the royal couple had still never announced a pregnancy. The reason was utterly heartbreaking. Soon enough, doctors informed them that Queen Soraya was utterly infertile. So if you thought things were bad before, well, strap in.

]]> 42. His Wife Resented Him During the worst parts of their relationship, the Shah and Soraya went back and forth at being horrible to each other. But at one dinner party, their dysfunction turned completely chilling. When the Shah said lightly to his guests that the queen was exactly his type of woman, Soraya cruelly drawled, “Well, I cannot say the same for His Majesty".

]]> 43. He Suffered A Violent Tragedy By 1954, Soraya and the Shah were careening toward a breakdown, but still trying to hold on to the scraps of their love. That October, they met certain ruin. On the 26th of the month, the Shah’s only full brother perished in a plane crash. It was never more important for the Shah to have an heir…and it was never more scandalous.

]]> 44. He Made An Indecent Proposal One day, the now-frenzied Shah sat down and told Soraya his “brilliant” solution: He could simply take a second wife. This…did not go how he wanted it. Soraya was furious, and rejected his plan point-blank. More than that, she instead demanded that he change the constitution and abdicate for one of his half-brothers so they could live in peace. This? Also crashed and burned.

]]> 45. He Lied To His Wife Mohammad Reza didn’t want to give up his crown, but he didn’t want to give up the love of his life, either. Instead, he told a cruel lie. He told Soraya he’d consider the constitutional change, but that “the Council of the Wise Men” would have to approve it first. Thing is, there was no such council, and all he did was delay his misery.

All in all, it was a total circus show. And just as the Shah’s personal life took a nosedive, so did his reign.

]]> 46. His Ego Went Out Of Control Throughout his horrific second marriage, the Shah was also turning into a horrific man. In a matter of years, the once-cowardly ruler transformed into an egomaniac. He started to compare himself to Cyrus the Great, demanding the title “King of Kings,” and became bent on creating Iran as a “Great Civilization” in his image. And that wasn’t all…

]]> 47. His Courtiers Gave Him Bizarre Compliments Mohammad Reza stocked his court chock-full of sycophants, and then forced them to flatter him whenever he needed a pick-me-up. His favorites had to regularly assure him that he was one of the greatest leaders in the world, with some even bizarrely claiming that all of America wanted him as their leader.

In other words, the train wreck was in full swing, and it wasn’t stopping.

]]> 48. He Had An Infamous Divorce In 1958, the Shah’s marriage broke down completely. On March 14, he and Queen Soraya announced to the world that they were divorcing. The Shah’s reaction was gut-wrenching. When he spoke to the Iranian people during the announcement, the ruler wept openly. A British Ambassador even admitted that Soraya was the Shah’s “only true love".

Still, as we’ll get to later, it wasn’t over for those crazy kids…it was just on pause.

]]> 49. The Vatican Shut Him Down They say the best way to get over a woman is to get under another one, and darned if the Shah didn’t try his best—and fail miserably. Immediately after his divorce from Soraya, he started trying to marry the Italian Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy. No less an authority than the Vatican itself said, “That’s a no from me” and vetoed his proposal. Don’t worry, though, Mohammad Reza rebounded quickly.

]]> 50. He Finally Got His Heir In 1959, just a year after his infamous split, Mohammad Reza married for the third and final time, this time to Farah Diba, the daughter of a high-ranking Iranian official. Barely in her 20s, Farah was young…and apparently very fertile. She got pregnant right away—and in 1960, she gave birth to a son at last, Crown Prince Reza.

But just because the Shah finally had an heir doesn’t mean this marriage wasn’t also a nightmare.

]]> 51. He Had A Type Instead of slowing down his philandering this time around, Mohammad Reza just turned it up to the next level. He had his own personal “ambassador” who would procure him women, usually tall European girls, though the Shah would settle for “local product” in a pinch. And if you think that’s gross, well, just wait for what’s coming.

]]> 52. He Had A Disturbing Addiction These indiscretions devastated Queen Farah, though she tried her best to turn a blind eye. Besides, the Shah had a disturbing explanation for his actions. He claimed he needed bed women several times a day, or else he was in danger of falling into a deep depression. Since he was Shah, everyone had to follow his rules.

]]> 53. He Wasn’t What He Seemed Mohammad Reza was a huge Francophile, and he tried to capture the modern French sense of elegance in his country as a whole as well as in his private court. This sophistication, however, was a big front: Though Queen Farah tried to get him to engage in more serious art, the Shah was really a sucker for Hollywood action films and light comedies.

]]> 54. He Had A Brush With Death In April 1965, the Shah’s biggest crisis hit. On the 10th of the month, a deranged soldier set about to destroy the ruler, and even shot up the Marble Palace, slaying two guards as he made a rampage toward Mohammad Reza’s private quarters. The Shah’s men stopped the intruder just in time, but it was the second attempt on his life, and it was a harbinger of things to come.

]]> 55. He Threw A Tantrum At Queen Elizabeth II At one point, Mohammad Reza traveled to England, where Queen Elizabeth II invited him for dinner. It couldn’t have gone worse. When he arrived, he took huge offense because the dinner wasn’t in his honor. The Shah pitched a fit, refused to go, and eventually got his own personal big boy banquet with the Queen.

]]> 56. He Became King Of The World In the 1970s, the already immensely arrogant Mohammad Reza got a new boost to his ego when Iran became a world leader in oil production. Suddenly, the Shah’s beloved Western world was licking his boot-heels. As the ruler once smirkingly put it, “Everyday they a beat a track to our door begging for favors…We have only to answer, and they will fulfill our wishes".

Does this sound like pride before the fall to you? Yeah, it is.

]]> 57. He Got A Terrifying Diagnosis Mohammad Reza now had the world in his hands, just like he always wanted—but it would soon get ripped away with a vengeance. In 1974, doctors diagnosed the Shah with leukemia, and his whole reality crumbled. The King of Kings was facing his greatest enemy, and it was inside himself. His reaction proved just how out of touch he was.

]]> 58. He Told His People An Enormous Lie Instead of being open about his diagnosis, Mohammad Reza made it the best-kept secret in Iran and simply told people he had a cold. This was a stupid idea. By the late 1970s, the Shah’s health had worsened so much that he could no longer appear in public without arousing suspicion, so he retreated to a resort by the Caspian Sea for intensive, clandestine treatment. It couldn’t have come at a worse time.

]]> 59. His Country Betrayed Him See, while the Shah of Iran was desperately fighting for life, his country was desperately fighting him. Mohammad Reza had made a slew of political enemies during his time, particularly the powerful religious figure Ayatollah Khomeini, and protests were now sweeping Iran, demanding that the Shah step down. And then there was another complication…

]]> 60. He Had A Bitter Downfall While the Shah was receiving his cancer treatment, he was on the medication prednisone, which can impair thinking and decision-making. So while the revolution raged around him, Mohammad Reza was often unreachable, staring listlessly into the middle distance on his sickbed, and hardly anyone even knew. But not for long.

]]> 61. He Denied His Wife Her Biggest Wish During this time, Queen Farah often begged her husband to let her take over ruling Iran while he got some much-needed rest. Ever the macho man, the Shah violently refused the (super reasonable) idea. He said that he thought it was emasculating and he didn’t want Farah to become a “Joan of Arc”. Instead, he just made things worse for himself.

]]> 62. He Staged A Publicity Stunt In his infamous decline, the Shah was so far gone, he tried to hoodwink his own people in a desperate way. In order to get Iranian citizens off the scent of the Shah’s ill health, the royal family released photos of the ruler and Queen Farah “frolicking” on the beach as proof that all was well. Except when people looked closer, their blood ran cold.

]]> 63. He Falsified Evidence Anyone with a sharp eye could see that the royal palace had doctored these vacation photos. In fact, someone had fully airbrushed out the two aides who had to hold the Shah up as he walked along the sand, because he didn’t have the strength to stand himself. It was a PR disaster, and it only raised the alarm bells even more. The end was coming, and in more ways than one.

]]> 64. He Fled Iran By 1979, the cries for revolution had grown so loud in Iran, Mohammad Reza was forced to flee the country, and boarded a plane alongside Queen Farah that January. If the Shah had any hope of returning to his native land, those were soon dashed: On February 11th, Iran officially dissolved the monarchy, and he was the Shah no more.

But this was just the first chapter in his ignominious end.

]]> 65. He Lost His Home For the next desperate months—he had precious few left—the ailing Shah globe-trotted around the world, seeking both asylum and treatment for his rapidly deteriorating body. At this point, he could no longer walk, and he was so fearful of another assassination attempt that he forced his bodyguards to transport him in a wheelchair under cover of night whenever he had to travel. But the worst was yet to come.

]]> 66. He Overheard A Bitter Insult Some of the very last moments of the Shah’s life were more befitting of a pauper than a king. While he was staying in an American hospital after his exile from Iran, a group of protestors gathered outside the building and started chanting “Death to the Shah!” Sadly, it was a chorus that the ailing Mohammad Reza very much heard.

]]> 67. He Was Unbelievably Vain At the height of his authoritarian rule, Mohammad Reza’s vanity knew no bounds. One day, one of his yes-men courtiers even suggested in a memo that he apply for a Nobel Peace Prize to commemorate all his good work. In the margins of the document, the Shah wrote, “If they beg us, we might accept". Now that is a healthy sense of self-confidence.

]]> 68. He Had A Strange Fixation The Shah was a bizarre, idiosyncratic man, but one of his weirdest obsessions was with the French leader Charles de Gaulle. Mohammad Reza considered de Gaulle his “ego ideal,” especially since the Frenchman was a lanky 6’5” tall, and we know the Shah loved a tall drink of water. And it didn’t end there. He especially liked when his lackeys referred to him as “Iran’s de Gaulle".

]]> 69. He Had An Unsettling Delusion In his later years, Mohammad Reza’s garden-variety royal ego problem turned into full-blown eccentricity. Eventually, he started claiming that many of his successes were due to his “mystical power". He also claimed that he received messages from God himself, and that he had been a conduit for these missives since he was five years old. Ok then…

]]> 70. He Had A Disturbing Belief For all his womanizing ways, the Shah didn’t actually have a whole lot of faith in women. Even his own contemporaries got uncomfortable over the ways the ruler constantly objectified and degraded the “fairer” gender. During one infamous interview, he even announced, “women count only if they’re beautiful and graceful and know how to stay feminine".

]]> 71. He Lived In Luxury To say that the Shah lived decadently would be the understatement of the century. At the height of his powers, the high-rolling ruler had an extensive collection of mind-bogglingly expensive cars, with one lucky guest estimating he had 25 custom-made automobiles, including a Rolls Royce and a Mercedes. It’s a good life if you can get it.

]]> 72. He Was A Flyboy The Shah was a boy obsessed with his toys. Besides his massive car collection, he also adored airplanes. The ruler also put his money where his mouth was, literally: His Iranian Air Force got way more funding than any of the other armed forces in Iran.

]]> 73. He Made A Scandalous Friend Although the Shah’s mistresses got him into the most trouble, he did have an even more scandalous relationship. While at school, he met Ernest Perron, an openly gay man who introduced him to the racy world of French literature. When the young prince returned to Iran, he shocked everyone by taking Perron with him—and it got the rumor mill working overtime.

]]> 74. He Had A Forbidden Relationship The young royal quickly installed Perron as one of his closest advisors, a position Perron held for decades to come. The prince’s brutal father was not happy at this turn of events, and even threatened to beat Perron bloody with a riding whip, though Mohammad Reza convinced him not to. Still, for years afterward, unsubstantiated rumors persisted that the prince and Perron were actually illicit lovers.

]]> 75. He Made A Powerful Enemy In late December of 1979, Mohammad Reza was in Panama under the “hospitality” of dictator General Omar Torrijos, who hated him and was only hosting him under duress. The General made him feel this in the most brutal ways, even assigning him a bodyguard who had been ordered to constantly insult the former Shah.

There was just one shining light left now—and it came from a surprising source.

]]> 76. He Received A Tragic Letter During his stay in Panama, Mohammad Reza received a letter one day from his long lost love, Soraya. Its contents were tragic. Soraya had heard about his cancer, and had written him a letter confessing that she still loved him. She also swore that if he would have her, she wanted to see him one last time before he passed. All that Reza had to do was reply.

]]> 77. He Made A Vulnerable Confession Soraya and her Shah truly were fairy tale lovers, because his response back had Cinderella beat. Mohammad Reza confessed that he, too, had never stopped loving her, and that he was desperate to say goodbye to her in person. Sadly, this never happened, and the reason why is even more lovelorn than you think.

]]> 78. He Was A Star-Crossed Lover Though the Shah wanted to see Soraya, he could never do it in the presence of his ex-Queen Farah, who was still very much his current wife. Instead, he begged Soraya to wait until they could meet, secretly and alone, in Cairo. He even enlisted the help of Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat to get him to the city. But then fate intervened.

]]> 79. He Missed His Chance The Shah was so set on his reunion with Soraya, he actually flew to Cairo when he was at the very threshold of death’s door. By this time, he was weaker than he had ever been—or ever would be. On July 27, 1980, before ever seeing Soraya again, he slipped into a coma and passed. Reportedly, his last words were heartbreaking.

]]> 80. He Never Forgot His Country When Mohammad Reza lay dying, his final thoughts landed on his lost country. As he lost control of his faculties, he repeated “Iran is Iran” over and over until the words lost all meaning. Yet he performed his most touching tribute in secret. A nationalist to the end, he kept a bag of Iranian soil underneath his hospital bed.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=40342 <![CDATA[Marie Jeanne Baptiste Was History’s Power-Hungry Duchess—And She Held Onto Her Crown With An Iron Grip]]> 2026-07-30T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-28T15:17:10+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-marie-jeanne-baptiste Brendan Da Costa People The Lucky Duchess Of Savoy Marie Jeanne Baptiste was the wildly ambitious Duchess of Savoy who managed to turn everyone else’s bad luck into her good fortune...that is, until her son put a stop to it.

]]> 1. She Wanted Her Birthright Marie Jeanne Baptiste wanted just one thing in life: to assume her natural birthright and rule with total control. So, every time someone in her path suffered a tragedy, she couldn’t help but take advantage of it. Whether it was her father’s demise or her husband’s curious downfall, Marie Jeanne always came out on top.

Then her son put an end to her winning streak.

]]> 2. She Had Blue Blood Marie Jeanne Baptiste had the bluest of blue blood. Born in the Hôtel de Nemours in Paris in April 1644, she could trace her lineage back to Henry IV of France. With such a distinguished lineage, she may have felt that she belonged on the throne herself. Or, at least, that her offspring did. However, she had a chip on her shoulder.

]]> 3. Her Bloodline Was Illegitimate There was no question that Marie Jeanne was royalty—but, much to her chagrin, her royal blue blood had more common red in it than she cared to admit. Marie Jeanne's mother, Princess Élisabeth de Bourbon-Vendôme, came from an illegitimate branch of the Bourbon line. She was, herself, the daughter of a misbegotten son of King Henry IV of France.

That never stopped Marie Jeanne from tirelessly seeking her birthright.

]]> 4. She Was Related To Everyone Who Was Anyone Thanks to her mother's (somewhat questionable) lineage, Marie Jeanne was a cousin of the current king, Louis XIV. In fact, she was technically a princess by birth and, thanks to her family’s history of intermarrying, she was a relation to most royal houses in Europe. As such, no one could question her family’s pedigree.

Just their sanity.

]]> 5. Her Family Feuded When she was just eight years old, Marie Jeanne learned a valuable lesson—one that she would not soon forget. The people who can hurt you most are the people closest to you. In her case, no one was closer to the House of Savoy than the House of Savoy. Her family’s feuds, however, had some truly dire and bloody consequences.

]]> 6. Her Father Lost A Duel In 1652, Marie Jeanne’s father, Charles Amadeus, Duke of Nemours, lost a duel and, tragically, his life. The real kicker, however, wasn't that her father perished in the test of will and righteousness without a suitable male heir. The real scandal was that her father's opponent had been her maternal uncle, François, Duke of Beaufort.

]]> 7. She Was The Real Winner It's not entirely clear why Marie Jeanne’s father and uncle, the Duke of Beaufort, engaged in their dangerous duel. It likely had something to do with honor and justice but we may never know the full reasons. What is clear, however, is that even though her uncle walked away totally unscathed, Marie Jeanne was the real winner.

]]> 8. She Lost The Duchy of Nemours Marie Jeanne, her siblings, and her mother didn't spend too much time mourning the loss of their family’s patriarch. They fell under the guardianship of Marie Jeanne’'s paternal uncle, Henri II, the new Duke of Nemours. But, from the sounds of it, Marie Jeanne inherited the only thing from her father that actually mattered.

]]> 9. She Got To Keep All The Cash After her father's untimely demise, Marie Jeanne became a fabulously wealthy little girl. Even though her uncle inherited the Duchy of Nemours and all of its titles, Marie Jeanne bagged the majority of her father's sources of income. Still, ambition ran in Marie Jeanne's veins—and it would rule over her future decisions.

]]> 10. She Learned To Scheme If Marie Jeanne ever wanted to gain power, she would have to learn to wield it. And she learned from the best. From a young age, she held an audience with the astute Madame de La Fayette from whom she learned the surreptitious ways of the French court. She applied her skills to devastating effect.

]]> 11. She Lost Her Birthright For Good Just as it had in 1652 with her father's demise, in 1659, someone else's bad luck was good news for Marie Jeanne. This time, her uncle passed, reverting the Duchy of Nemours to the French crown. But what looked like the permanent loss of her birthright turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime. One she would not pass up.

]]> 12. She Was Fabulously Rich With her uncle’s passing, Marie Jeanne lost her claim to the Duchy of Nemours for good. But she kept the only thing that really mattered: the money. She retained the income from the properties in Nemours, making her a wealthy maiden without a match. Thankfully, her mother had plenty of very powerful connections to call on.

]]> 13. She Was The Most Eligible Bachelorette Marie Jeanne’s mother, Élisabeth, wanted to ensure that her daughter married up in life. So, she reached out to her own mother, Princess Françoise of Lorraine, to arrange an appropriate match. Given her status (and considerable income) it shouldn’t have been too difficult to find Marie Jeanne the man of her dreams...unless someone intervened.

]]> 14. She Found Her Path To Power With her mother’s and grandmother’s help, Marie Jeanne fixed her sights on the highly eligible Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy. Much like Marie Jeanne herself, Charles Emmanuel II was descended from royalty. He was the grandson of Henry IV of France—AKA Good King Henry. To everyone, this seemed like the perfect match—everyone except for the would-be mother-in-law.

]]> 15. Her Would-Be Mother-In-Law Blocked Her Marriage Pairing Marie Jeanne with Charles Emmanuel II was a natural fit. But the match pitted Marie Jeanne against another power-hungry woman: Charles Emmanuel II’s mother, Chrstine Marie of France. As the daughter of one king and sister of another, she had served as Charles Emmanuel II’s regent after her husband’s early demise.

She was not about to let her son go without a fight.

]]> 16. She Had The Duke Right Where She Wanted Him Wanting to get a sense of her son’s potential new bride, Christine Marie invited Marie Jeanne along with her sister and mother to Turin in 1659. Just as she had expected, Marie Jeanne had Charles Emmanuel II eating out of the palm of her hand in no time. Clearly, he wanted to make her his wife and the Duchess of Savoy.

His domineering mother, however, had another idea.

]]> 17. Her Ambitious Reputation Preceded Her The influential courtier and diplomat, Cardinal Mazarin, warned Christine Marie that Marie Jeanne was a highly ambitious young woman. Additionally, Christine Marie must not have been a fan of how easily Marie Jeanne had overpowered her lovelorn son. She definitely didn’t need to have Marie Jeanne stepping on her toes.

]]> 18. Her Marriage Plans Fell Through Despite making Charles Emmanuel II fall madly in love with her, Marie Jeanne left Turin without a husband (and the lands and title that would come with him). Charles Emmanuel II’s mother, Christine Marie, opposed the match once she realized that Marie Jeanne had her eye on the prize. As long as his domineering mother was alive, Marie Jeanne couldn’t get the Duchy of Savoy.

But no one lives forever—particularly not people blocking Marie Jeanne’s path to power.

]]> 19. She Had To Keep Her Suitors At Bay It seemed like Marie Jeanne had lost her opportunity. Christine Marie arranged for her son to marry the much younger, far more controllable bride, Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans. In the meantime, Marie Jeanne had to keep swatting away proposals from lesser royalty from the Portuguese court—until she fixed her sights on another man with land and title.

]]> 20. She Was Attractive And Intelligent Marie Jeanne had returned to France from Turin with the unofficial title, Mademoiselle de Nemours. It didn’t take her long to move on from her disappointment with Charles Emmanuel II. Her reputation as an “attractive and intelligent” bachelorette quickly caught the eye of Prince Charles of Lorraine, the heir of the Duke of Lorraine.

He was just as smitten as the Duke of Savoy had been.

]]> 21. She Almost Had What She Wanted The match between Marie Jeanne and Prince Charles of Lorraine seemed to be an even better one than her flirtation with Charles Emmanuel II. Even Queen Anne of France approved of the match. Prince Charles might not have been the Duke of Lorraine yet, but he almost certainly would be in time. Almost certainly. Emphasis on almost.

]]> 22. Her Fiancé Lost It All In early 1662, Marie Jeanne managed to secure a marriage engagement with Prince Charles. But, just as the Duchy of Savoy had, the land and title of the Duchy of Lorraine slipped through her fingertips at the last minute. Under the terms of the Treaty of Montmartre, Prince Charles signed away the Duchy of Lorraine to King Louis XIV.

Just like that, Marie Jeanne found her new fiancé a lot less attractive.

]]> 23. She Annulled Her Engagement Without his land or title, Prince Charles had no choice but to join the imperial court and do the honorable thing: back out of his marriage engagement to Marie Jeanne. Thankfully, the couple had not yet actually consummated their marriage and, therefore, managed to annul whatever arrangement they had. 

Then Marie Jeanne got some good news—but it was bad news for someone else.

]]> 24. Her Old Rival Croaked In late 1663, Marie Jeanne’s would-have-been mother-in-law, Christine Marie croaked. Just like that, the woman who had blocked her happy nuptials to Charles Emmanuel II was no longer in the picture. Unfortunately, one of her final acts had been to finalize the marriage between her easily manipulable son and the equally docile Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans.

]]> 25. Her Beloved Was Betrothed To Someone Else Marie Jeanne had a way of profiting off of other people’s suffering. In the span of just two weeks, Charles Emmanuel II suffered two terrible losses. First, his Oedipal mother kicked the bucket only two days after Christmas. Then, his new bride, Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans, croaked at the tender age of fifteen a mere two weeks into the New Year.

While he mourned his losses, Marie Jeanne marveled at her good fortune.

]]> 26. She Rekindled An Old Flame At first, it looked like Charles Emmanuel II was going to marry one of his recently departed wife’s sisters. However, he must have never truly gotten over his feelings for Marie Jeanne. Before his mother’s or wife’s corpses were even cold and rigid, he had already entered negotiations to rekindle his romance Marie Jeanne.

She couldn’t have been any happier.

]]> 27. She Married A Monster Marie Jeanne finally married Charles Emmanuel II on May 20, 1665 at the age of 21. The elaborate celebrations took place at Castello del Valentino in Turin amidst a flurry of fanfare. But Marie Jeanne quickly learned that she brought more to the marriage than Charles Emmanuel II did. She had no idea what kind of monster she had married.

]]> 28. Her Husband Sucked At His Job The people of Turin welcomed Marie Jeanne with open arms. They affectionately gave her the unofficial title Madame Reale or Madame Royale, the same name Christine Marie had used. It was a clear sign that they saw her as the de facto successor to their effective ruler because their actual ruler left much to be desired.

]]> 29. Her Husband Cheated On Her—A Lot Marie Jeanne quickly learned that Charles Emmanuel II had left most of the governing up to his now-deceased domineering mother, Christine Marie. While she had been busy with the contentious affairs of state, Charles Emmanuel II had been busy, well, getting busy. Despite the fact that he was now married (for a second time) he clearly had no intention of changing his ways.

]]> 30. She Bit Her Lip…Until She Bled Throughout their marriage, Charles Emmanuel II cheated on Marie Jeanne and fathered more illegitimate children than actual heirs. For the most part, Marie Jeanne bit her lip and bottled up her disappointment. After all, she finally had some power. But then, in 1672 he crossed the line with an affair that she simply couldn’t forgive.

]]> 31. Her Husband Crossed The Line Much to Marie Jeanne’s chagrin, her husband had been carrying on an affair with the nubile Hortense Mancini. She just so happened to be the daughter of Cardinal Mazarin, the same courtier who had whispered in Christine Marie’s ear to block Marie Jeanne’s first engagement to Charles Emmanuel II. The affair was bad enough. The favors were worse.

]]> 32. Her Marriage Was An Unhappy One Marie Jeanne wasn’t the only one in an unhappy marriage. Mancini had originally sparked up her affair with Marie Jeanne’s husband after she fled her own horrific marriage. However, the affair quickly blossomed with Marie Jeanne sitting on the sidelines as Charles Emmanuel II gifted his mistress the Chteau de Chambéry.

]]> 33. She Produced An Heir—And Enemy In between all of her husband’s philandering, Marie Jeanne had managed to produce an heir. A little over a year into their marriage, she had given birth to a healthy and happy baby boy named Victor Amadeus. Ironically, she would spend the rest of her life trying to deny her son his birthright, just as others had tried to deny hers.

]]> 34. Her Husband Had A Mysterious Demise Marie Jeanne would never have become the savvy Duchess of Savoy if it hadn’t been for everyone else’s bad luck. Principally, her husband’s. Inexplicably, Charles Emmanuel II suffered a “series of convulsive fevers” in June 1675 and joined his Oedipal mother and first wife in the hereafter. His final act had been to give Marie Jeanne everything she ever wanted.

]]> 35. She Finally Had Power Charles Emmanuel II had named Marie Jeanne as the Regent of Savoy over their son and heir, Victor Amadeus. Her first act as regent was to exact revenge: She promptly expelled Mancini from the Chteau de Chambéry. Apart from that, however, Marie Jeanne assumed her new responsibility with “interest and ambition”. Perhaps too much. 

]]> 36. She Had A Younger Lover Clearly, there was no love lost between Marie Jeanne and her recently departed husband. Shortly after his unexpectedly (suspiciously) sudden demise, she began a relationship with a man who was 10 years her junior, the Count of Saint Maurice. The open affair made her vulnerable at court and strained her relationship with her son.

But she had plans for him anyway.

]]> 37. She Wanted To Remove Her Son Just as Christine Marie had used marriage as a way to control Charles Emmanuel II, Marie Jeanne planned to do the same with her own son. She knew that Victor Amadeus would come of age in 1680 and thus end her regency. But, if she was clever about it, she could arrange a marriage for him that would take him far away from Turin.

]]> 38. She Came Up With A Brilliant Scheme At first, Marie Jeanne considered any number of potential matches, from her cousin, the Archduchess Maria Antonia to Anne Marie d'Orléans. But then she had an epiphany—a truly Machiavellian plan to deprive her son of his natural birthright and seize power for good. To put her plan in motion, she reached out to her sister, Marie Françoise, the Queen of Portugal.

]]> 39. She Wanted To Ship Her Son Off To Portugal At the time, Marie Jeanne’s sister had only managed to produce one child—a daughter, the Infanta Isabel Luísa Josefa of Portugal. However, her sister’s poor womb turned out to be, yet again, a golden opportunity. According to Portuguese law at the time, a female heir to the throne had to remain in the country and marry one of her kin.

Marie Jeanne knew just the right bachelor for her niece.

]]> 40. She Had A Win-Win Situation Marie Jeanne’s plan was quite simple. If she managed to marry off Victor Amaedus to Isabel Luísa, then he would have to live in Portugal. As such, she could stay behind in Turin and rule the Duchy of Savoy all on her own, without threat of her regency coming to an end. Then, upon her passing, Victor Amadeus would inherit the Duchy of Savoy as the King of Portugal.

She just had to convince him to give up his birthright.

]]> 41. Her Son Was Wise To Her Plot Marie Jeanne tactfully negotiated the marriage between her only child, Victor Amadeus, and her sister’s only child, Isabel Luísa. Reluctantly (and with great protest), Victor Amadeus tacitly agreed to the match and made plans to travel to Portugal. But he was every bit as shrewd as his mother. Marie Jeanne had finally met her match.

]]> 42. Her Son Outsmarted Her Unbeknownst to Marie Jeanne, Victor Amadeus had a following of loyal supporters. Before long, a party formed in Turin that refused to allow Victor Amadeus to leave court for Portugal. Also against his impending nuptials, Victor Amadeus postponed the marriage for two years. Marie Jeanne could do nothing but fume and consider her options.

]]> 43. She Planned A Secret Marriage Sensing that her grip on power was already slipping away, it seems like Marie Jeanne tried to make nice with her son. She began secret negotiations with the Grand Duchy of Tuscany for the hand of Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici in marriage. Even Victor Amadeus favored the match but, for reasons that we may never know, the negotiations fell through.

Then Marie Jeanne really lost control of the situation.

]]> 44. She Lost Power Marie Jeanne’s regency had officially ended in 1680 but she managed to retain power so long as her son remained unmarried and childless. That all changed in 1684. Eager to put an end to the in-fighting in the Savoyard court, King Louis XIV offered Victor Amadeus his niece’s hand in marriage. When Victor Amadeus agreed, Marie Jeanne had to accept her fate.

]]> 45. Her Son Banished Her With the full support of the Savoyard court and the French king, Victor Amadeus finally put an end to his mother’s schemes. He banished Marie Jeanne from the Savoyard court at the Ducal Palace, forcing her into an early retirement. But that didn’t mean that she couldn’t still exert some influence—even if she had to do it covertly.

]]> 46. She Moved Across The Street Marie Jeanne moved into the Palazzo Madama, directly opposite the Ducal Palace. From her new vantage point, she couldn’t wield power like she used to use but she could still influence affairs at court. In fact, it almost seemed like she was even more powerful governing from her drawing room than she had ever been as regent.

]]> 47. She Still Exerted Power Marie Jeanne maintained close relationships with her daughter-in-law, Anne Marie d'Orléans, and her eldest grandchild, Princess Maria Adelaide. With these powerful connections, she watched as both women made strategic marriages to elevate the House of Savoy. It seems like she lost all interest in gaining real power.

]]> 48. She Elevated The House Of Savoy Thanks to the Treaty of Utrecht and Marie Jeanne’s careful machinations, she finally got what she always wanted: a crown. The Holy Roman Emperor named her son, Victor Amadeus, King of Sicily. In a turning of the tables, he asked his mother to step in and rule Savoy in his absence. Her response was shocking.

Marie Jeanne turned down the offer.

]]> 49. She Lost More Than She Gained Throughout her life, Marie Jeanne had always profited off the misfortunes of others. Sadly, that changed in her later years. Between 1712 and 1714, she lost three of her favorite grandchildren in quick succession. Princess Marie Adelaide, Maria Luisa, and the precious Prince of Piedmont. These tragedies only pushed Marie Jeanne closer to her own grave.

]]> 50. She Drew Her Final Breaths The devastating loss of three of her grandchildren humbled Marie Jeanne tremendously. It also helped her fix her broken relationship with her son, Victor Amadeus. However, her heartache likely followed her to her grave. In March 1724, a month before her 80th birthday, Marie Jeanne drew her final breaths. She did manage to secure her birthright.

]]> 51. She Was Madame Royale Even though Marie Jeanne never wore a crown of her own as she always wanted, her descendants claimed her birthright for her. At the time of her passing, Marie Jeanne was the mother of the King of Sardinia, the grandmother of the Queen of Spain and the great grandmother of the kings of Spain and France. She truly was Madame Royale.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=37913 <![CDATA[More People Need To Know About Roberta Cowell]]> 2026-07-29T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-28T15:06:56+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-roberta-cowell Clarice Withers People The Trailblazing Female Fighter Pilot Tough-as-nails Roberta Cowell seemed invincible as a pro race car driver and fighter pilot—but nothing lasts forever, and Cowell learned that the hard way.

]]> 1. She Had A Few Too Many Close Calls Roberta Cowell was a successful motorcar racer and member of the Royal Air Force, who survived—with many close calls—WWII as a fighter pilot. But while her scars from her time behind enemy lines were still healing, she became famous for something else entirely: being the first openly transgender woman in the UK.  She was only 33 when she transitioned. But by that time, life in the fast lane was catching up with her.

]]> 2. She Grew Up As A Boy Although she eventually lived publicly as a woman, Roberta Cowell spent the first 33 years of her life as a man. In fact, she described her younger self as “an aggressive male”. And it’s true. She liked to go fast and take risks—especially when her parents weren’t around. One day, this risk-taking got her into trouble. 

]]> 3. She Always Went Fast Cowell was a daredevil kid with a need for speed. Even when all she had to drive was a scooter. One day as a little kid, she found herself on her scooter at the top of a huge hill. No parents in sight—only her nanny. So, she put on her imaginary helmet, revved the imaginary engine, and proceeded to launch herself down the giant hill. Of course, her scooter had no brakes. 

]]> 4. She Had A Scary Accident As A Kid The next thing little Cowell knew, she was in her stroller, being pushed home by a very angry (and not nearly concerned enough) nanny. She remembered only that there had been a curve in the road. After that she remembered nothing at all: she had been knocked unconscious by the fall. 

Fortunately she recovered, but she would soon face an even more distressing event: going to an all-boys school.

 

]]> 5. She Dreamt Of Fame Cowell had big dreams for her future as a motorcar racer. She dreamt of becoming an idol for young boys everywhere, “heroically doing fantastically courageous things and then nonchalantly signing autographs,” as she put it. There was just one problem. She was still a kid and she and her classmates were way too young to get their drivers’ licenses.

]]> 6. She Was In Her School’s Motor Club Even though Cowell and her classmates had no drivers’ licenses, they did have cars. Because this school had a Motor Club. Cowell, of course, was an enthusiastic member of the club. She and the other boys drove old, decrepit cars and motorcycles around school grounds.

I mean, I guess this school had teachers. Who knows where they were. Because they definitely weren’t there when Cowell started getting called horrible names.  

]]> 7. She Got Made Fun Of In School Cowell’s success in Motor Club couldn’t protect her from her classmates’ vitriol. I’m not sure where you went to school, but where I went, middle schoolers were mean. It doesn’t matter if you are the most beautiful person on earth; middle schoolers will find something to make fun of. So with Cowell, who had a fairly large middle section, the kids had a field day. 

]]> 8. She Had A Cruel Nickname In School Teens can be unusually horrible to each other, and a bunch of British boys in the 1930s were no exception. Cowell was “rather fat,” as she put it in her autobiography. Her classmates came up with two nicknames. The first one was “Circumference”. At least it’s creative. The second one, which the boys borrowed from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was the less creative “Bottom”. 

Amazingly, Cowell was unbothered—even when others found even darker ways to try and torment her.

 

]]> 9. She Rejected Religion Nothing is scarier than a religion obsessed with eternal suffering. Cowell was raised strictly Christian and went to church every Sunday. But from a young age, she thought pretty much everything she heard was (a) bogus and (b) supremely boring—including the bit about burning in the underworld forever. 

But her family and fellow-church goers were worried about her.

]]> 10. Her Family Was Worried She’d Rot In Hades The people in Cowell’s life were certain that she was doomed to “everlasting torment”. Some of her family held out hope that she’d eventually come around. One person assured her that she’d change her mind just before she, uh, entered eternity. Comforting, thanks. 

Little did they know, it’s a prediction Cowell actually got to test out—because she would soon enjoy many brushes with death.  

]]> 11. Her Filmmaking Hobby Was Also Dangerous Cowell found a way to turn even seemingly safe hobbies into a dangerous game. After racing, her major hobby was photography and film. One day, she and her schoolmates were filming a movie about bandits. But they didn’t have a props department. They were kids. So a couple kids borrowed real revolvers from family members. What could go wrong? 

]]> 12. One Of Her Films Almost Ended In Tragedy While most of the revolvers Cowell and her friends used for their homemade film contained only blank cartridges, one of them did not. It was actually fully loaded—unbeknownst to the kid who decided to pull the trigger while aiming at his friend. And his aim was pretty good. He came this close to hitting him in the head.

]]> 13. She Would Do Anything For The Right Shot Cowell’s classmate who fired right at his classmate’s head actually did make contact—with the boys’ hat, mere inches from his head. Luckily, only the hat was hurt. Cowell’s biggest concern in all this? That no one had been filming. So when she had the chance to get a shot of a lifetime, she took it—even though it put her in serious hot water. 

]]> 14. She Was Put Behind Bars As A Teen Cowell’s filmmaking hobby traveled with her. One summer holiday, she and a friend were traveling around Germany. In Frankfurt, she happened to stumble upon a bunch of Waffen-SS doing their routine drills. She filmed the whole thing—even though this was definitely not allowed. Unfortunately, someone saw. And that someone may have been an officer of the law. 

]]> 15. She Lied To The German Authorities  The 16-year-old Cowell was detained for filming the Waffen-SS. She spent a few hours in detention, but then she proposed a bargain. She agreed to destroy the film she had taken if they would let her go. The officers agreed; she did; and she was set free. 

But the officers didn’t know one thing: She was a liar. She had shown them a blank roll of film and had kept the original footage intact. This wasn’t the only time she’d lie to get what she wanted.

]]> 16. She Lied Her Way Into Learning About Race Cars Cowell’s lying her way from out behind bars was not the only bit of deception she practiced. Back home, she learned how to do actual motor-racing, a lifelong dream of hers, by sneaking into the mechanic’s area at the Brooklands racing circuit, dressed as a mechanic. Which she was definitely not. 

But she got the experience she needed and would soon be tearing up the racetrack.

]]> 17. She Won A Race In Her First Year Of College While studying engineering at University College London, Cowell spent a lot of her time racing. She owned three of her own race cars and in her first year at college, she won the Land’s End Speed Trial. But it wasn’t just the racing itself she loved. She had a very strange racing-related quirk. 

]]> 18. She Kept A Bottle Of Unusual Liquid On Her Cowell loved racing and she wanted to be reminded of it even when she was off the track. So  she carried around a little bottle with a tincture of perfume. Only it wasn’t perfume. It was a mixture of fuel and oil. She would often sniff whenever she needed comfort. But this obsession with the smell of gas would cause problems in her romantic life. 

]]> 19. She Took Girls On Dates To The Race Car Track Cowell never had much luck with women when she was living as a man. One breakup in particular, though, happened for an absurd reason. While out on a date with her girlfriend at the Brooklands racing circuit, they walked by a car that was warming its engine. What the girl said next caused Cowell to end the date immediately.

 

]]> 20. She Broke Up With Someone For A Crazy Reason When her girlfriend called the smell of gas “horrible,” Cowell was revolted. “Had she suddenly grown another head I could not have regarded her with more horror and dislike,” she later wrote. Cowell didn’t even accompany her home—she just left her at the racetrack and never saw her again. 

Which was maybe just as well. Because Cowell was about to go off to fight in the biggest conflict the world has ever known. 

]]> 21. She Wanted To Be A Fighter Pilot With the start of WWII, Cowell wanted more than anything to enlist as a fighter pilot. She had already completed some training with the Royal Air Force years earlier. So she “bombarded the Air Ministry with applications, requests for interviews, and telephone calls” for three months. But in the end, she failed—because she had a fatal flaw that made flying a questionable career choice. 

]]> 22. She Had A Bad Reaction To Flying The Royal Air Force rejected every single one of her applications. But they had very good reason to. You see, there was one glaring problem with Cowell becoming a fighter pilot. Flying made her feel extremely sick. Cowell took the hint and took a break from trying to join the RAF for a few years. But she would soon try again. And this time she was prepared.

]]> 23. Her Fighter Pilot Test Was Extreme Cowell was not one to give up easily. For her final application to the RAF, she was prepared. Or so she thought. Unfortunately, so were they. Knowing about her extreme airsickness, the instructor did so many sharp turns and barrel rolls that even a stone would have thrown up. 

If she didn’t make it through this test, she might never become the fighter pilot she had dreamed of being since she was little. 

]]> 24. Nevertheless, She Persisted  Through sheer force of will (and by closing her eyes for the entire flight), Cowell kept her lunch down through all the loop-de-loops in the sky. But when she opened her eyes, she saw that the instructor had made himself sick with his crazy flying. Needless to say, she passed. She never fully got over her airsickness. 

But that didn’t stop her from carrying out important missions for the Allies, including one that almost ended in disaster. 

]]> 25. She Did Dangerous Reconnaissance Missions In 1944, Cowell was assigned to a reconnaissance mission. All was well until she got to France. Because France is where the oxygen system of the Spitfire PR.XI she was flying completely failed. While she was 31,000 feet up. Pilots today are supposed to start using supplemental oxygen at 10,000 feet. She barely escaped alive.

]]> 26. She Was Shot At While Unconscious After the oxygen stopped working, Cowell completely lost consciousness. Fortunately, her plane did not. It continued to fly itself, carrying a fully unconscious Cowell along for the ride. It flew right over the part of France occupied by enemy Germans. And these Germans had anti-aircraft machines that were powerful enough to take down a plane. 

]]> 27. She Was Extremely Lucky Fortunately, the Germans’ aim was off. They didn’t hit Cowell’s plane and she continued on blissfully unaware. Until she woke up…only 100 feet off the ground, with no idea where she was. The last thing she had remembered seeing was the Isle of Wight. But she was nowhere near England now. 

]]> 28. She Woke Up Completely Lost With no idea where she was, in an airplane that had no functioning oxygen, ill with altitude sickness, Cowell regained consciousness—sort of. She later wrote, “It was exactly like a dream, I had no sensation of danger or even of reality”. Soon she realized someone was calling her on the plane’s radio, trying to help her fly home. 

But her problems were only beginning: All of a sudden, she couldn’t read any of the plane’s navigation tools.

]]> 29. She Flew While Only Semi-Conscious By this time, Cowell was flying semi-conscious. She couldn’t read her compass or any other tools that would have helped her fly home, so the air traffic controller told her to keep the sun on her left and just fly straight. And that’s what she did. 

It was a miracle she survived. But the fight wasn’t over yet—and she soon returned to the battlefield.

]]> 30. She Was Fired At Again After the near-fatal reconnaissance mission, Cowell went back to being a fighter pilot, making actual attacks on targets on the ground in Germany. During one of these attacks, on November 18, 1944, her airplane was hit. German anti-aircraft fire punctured a hole in the wing and knocked out the plane’s engine. She had to act fast if she was going to survive.

]]> 31. She Thought Her Life Was Finished You know that classic image of a pilot escaping a doomed airplane by parachuting out? Cowell couldn’t do that. She was too low to the ground. She thought she was facing the end. The plane was out of control and making a steep dive straight for the ground. She knew she was about to face either capture by Germans or perpetual oblivion.

]]> 32. She Made A Miraculous Crash Landing The plane was in a free fall over enemy territory, but all was not completely lost. Cowell managed to regain control of the plane at the last minute. Just before she hit the ground, she pulled the plane out of a dive and maneuvered a deadstick landing. 

By the time the dust settled, she miraculously had only minor injuries. But her nightmare was just beginning: The Germans were waiting to greet her at the crash site.

]]> 33. She Was A POW There were no prisoner–of–war camps near the frontlines where Cowell went down. So for the first while, the Germans kept her in a farmhouse with “some very affectionate lice”. You’d think after almost meeting her maker, she’d need to decompress a bit. But there was no time. 

She knew they’d move her further into Germany soon. She wanted to escape—and she needed to do it now.  

]]> 34. She Tried To Escape  The last night in the farmhouse, Cowell was roused at dawn and marched up the road. She knew her chance to escape was now or never. When she thought no one was looking, she jumped over a wall, dove into a tunnel, and started crawling. Unfortunately, it was a one-way tunnel. There was no way out the other side. 

She was quickly caught and piled into a car for the next stage of the journey—where she’d have another life-threatening experience.

]]> 35. She Was Almost Fired On By Her Own Side The car ride after her escape attempt was not smooth. One person continuously scanned the skies for Allied aircraft. Suddenly, a line of Allied planes flew overhead. All the Germans immediately abandoned ship. They jumped out of the car and hid in the ditch.

Cowell was left in the car. She looked up, and her stomach dropped: There was one of her fellow pilots, directly overhead. She was sure they’d fire. 

]]> 36. She Tried To Escape Again Fortunately, the target of the Ally planes was not the car she was in, though they had no way of knowing she was in there. Cowell’s life was again spared. Her string of good luck continued when another opportunity for escape presented itself: a transfer from car to train. 

After putting her in the train, she was, foolishly on the part of the Germans (hadn’t they learned by now?), left completely alone. She immediately jumped out. 

]]> 37. She Was Captured Again  But she didn’t get far. The Germans saw her and recaptured her right away. By the time they got her back they had learned their lesson. They handcuffed her and took away her boots. She made the rest of the journey in her stocking feet. 

She had failed in all of her escape attempts—now, the next five months would be some of the hardest of her life.

]]> 38. She Was Very Hungry  Eventually, Cowell was transferred to a proper POW camp, called Stalag Luft I. The main theme of this time of her life was food—a lack of it. She and her fellow POWs were so poorly fed that she lost 50 pounds. Her and her fellow POWs dreamed of food, talked of food, and argued about food. So it was more than concerning when one day someone discovered that their daily bread ration had come to them full of tiny bits of sharp glass.

]]> 39. A German Baker Had A Vendetta Against Her After the first person found the broken glass in their bread, everyone checked their own bread. It wasn’t a one-off. All the bread had glass in it. The German baker had put it there. He had recently lost his family in an attack in Hamburg and, as an act of revenge, had been baking broken bits of glass into the bread for Cowell and the other Allies. 

Nobody seemed to have any problems from it—but they were still hungry. And they soon turned to extreme means of finding food

]]> 40. She Ate Anything That Moved From time to time, the Red Cross delivered parcels of food to the prisoners in the camps. But there was a time when the parcels stopped coming. And Cowell had to eat something. As she put it, “there is very little that you cannot eat if you are hungry enough”. 

Luckily for her, there were a bunch of cats running around the camp.

]]> 41. She Ate Unspeakable Things To Keep From Starving There was no question that the cats would be eaten. Cowell and the other detainees were starving. The only problem? They had nothing to build a fire with. But they didn’t let that stop them. They still ate the cats—raw. They ate every single one they could find. And things might have gotten even worse, but help was almost on the way.

]]> 42. She Refused To Leave  In April 1954, the Red Army approached the camp. The Germans wanted to evacuate, but the people in the camp refused. They knew this was their chance. They stood their ground and convinced the Germans to save themselves and leave their captives behind, unguarded. 

Two weeks later Cowell was flown back to the UK—finally free—and, soon, back in the arms of her first love.

]]> 43. She Went Back To Racing Her first love was, of course, motorcar racing. Her time as a POW in Germany had not been completely idle. While there, she had dreamed up the design of a new race car. Back in England, she competed across Europe, including at the Brighton Speed Trials and the Grand Prix in France. But her fast-paced life belied a growing malaise.

]]> 44. She Regretted Going To The Movies In the three years immediately after WWII, Cowell had tried to distract herself with exciting new business ventures, designing fast new cars, and, of course, racing them. But that all changed when she went to see a movie one day. She had no idea that the hero of the movie was a fighter pilot who flew a Spitfire—the same aircraft she had flown when she was shot down. Her reaction was devastating.

]]> 45. She Had A Breakdown In A Movie Theatre  Something broke in Cowell when she saw the hero of the movie get shot down. She had major flashbacks to her own plane getting shot down and emotionally relived the whole thing. It took her an hour to pull herself together and be able to leave the theater. This was Cowell’s sign that she had to get help. But the outcome of Cowell’s therapy sessions was anything but typical.

]]> 46. She Finally Realized She Was Predominantly Female Cowell had pretty bad depression when she went to see a psychoanalyst. Much to her surprise, she realized that, in her words, “the feminine side of my nature, which all my life I had known of and severely repressed, was very much more fundamental and deep-rooted than I had supposed”. She began taking estrogen. But she wanted to go even further. 

]]> 47. The Surgery She Had Was Against The Law  Cowell wanted to be a woman in body and soul. She sought out a surgeon who would agree to help transform her body into the one she desired—even though such surgery was against the law in England at the time. 

It was a completely new type of procedure, and not without risks. And she had to do it in complete secrecy.

]]> 48. She Had To Give Up Her Hobbies Luckily, her surgery was successful with no complications, and Cowell went about her life as a woman. But she had to give up her first love: no more Grand Prix motor racing. No matter, because she would soon be playing a new role, as a sort of transgender celebrity. You see, a local magazine had caught wind of her transformation.

]]> 49. She Wasn’t Alone Cowell wasn’t the only transgender woman causing a sensation at the time: in the United States, the press published lots of stories of trans women, including Christine Jorgensen, one of the first widely known American trans women. So when the UK magazine Picture Post approached her with a request to publish her story, she knew she had bargaining power.

]]> 50. She Sold Her Story For Hundreds Of Thousands The Picture Post magazine paid Cowell a large fee for the juicy details of her life story: the modern equivalent of about $275,000. She went on to publish her biography, which earned her a further $53,000 in today’s dollars. Unfortunately, she kept up some expensive hobbies, and it all came to a head the year she turned 40. 

]]> 51. She Lost All Her Money Cowell was only 40 years old when she she had to declare bankruptcy. Her debts totalled $375,000 (adjusted for inflation). The cause? Planes, of course. She had continued to chase her glory days as an RAF fighter pilot and even purchased a decommissioned RAF plane that she planned to fly over the South Atlantic Ocean. But it soon became clear that this plane was not fit for flight. 

]]> 52. She Had To Sell Her Plane For Scrap In fact, her ex-RAF plane, constructed mostly of wood, was fit for only one thing: the scrap yard. Two years after she bought it, it had to be completely scrapped. This marked a period of financial difficulty which endured for the rest of her life. By the 1990s, Cowell was no longer in the public eye and lived in a retirement home. She lived to be 93 years old, passing away in 2011. Not that anyone knew until years later.

]]> 53. She Requested A Small Funeral  Roberta Cowell requested that her funeral not be publicized. There were only six attendees, and no flowers. But just before the funeral, while her friends were cleaning out her apartment, they found a big enamel sign. It had the words “Roberta Cowell Racing” printed in bright red letters. They put it above her coffin.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=32234 <![CDATA[King Philip II viewed himself as the pious hero of Roman Catholicism—but behind closed doors, his actions were nothing short of depraved.]]> 2026-07-29T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-28T14:52:40+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-king-philip Dancy Mason People The Tarnished King The so-called Golden Age of Spain had many tarnished secrets, and King Philip II was behind the darkest of them. Cold, cruel, and inflexible in his ways, Philip viewed himself as the pious hero of Roman Catholicism—but behind closed doors, his actions were nothing short of depraved.

]]> 1. He Was Heir To A Golden Kingdom Most kings are born with privilege, but few had the power that Philip held in his baby fists. His father was the imperious and intimidating Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor—and at the time of his birth in 1527, the royal family wasn’t messing around with their heir. Spain had only just started exploiting the colonial resources of the New World a couple generations before, and they intended to keep it going.

As Philip grew up, his parents molded him into a terrifying and tiny absolute monarch, giving him lessons in conflict, statecraft, and being a strict Catholic…but the other lessons they taught him were bone-chilling.

]]> 2. He Learned To Be Paranoid At A Young Age Philip’s father had enormous expectations for his son, and none of them included “emotional maturity” or “a well-adjusted childhood.” In fact, thinking he was helping his son become a better future monarch, Charles V even made a creepy motto for the boy to live by as he went through his studies: "piety, patience, modesty, and distrust."

Soon enough, the weight of his responsibilities began to contort Philip in alarming ways.

]]> 3. He Had Psychopathic Tendencies The young prince soaked in these early lessons like a sponge and emerged from his pre-teen years as a serious, studious young man. But he also had a dark side. Even those who knew Philip best were alarmed by how cold and calculating the young man could be. One minister described him by saying, "he had a smile that was cut by a sword.”

In other words, the psychopath vibes were strong in Philip. And he already had some dirty little secrets.

]]> 4. He Had Racy Bedroom Appetites Philip might have been a cold fish in the throne room, but he was still steamy in the bedroom. When he was still a teenager, he seduced his mother’s own lady-in-waiting, Isabel Osorio. Given that Philip was five years older than Osorio, he was probably romancing a prepubescent girl—at best. But neither of them seemed to mind; they would likely go on to have two illegitimate children together.

Philip’s life was becoming very adult in other ways, too.

]]> 5. He Was A Boy Ruler When Philip was 16 years old, his father dropped a weighty gift in his lap. Seeing just how intensely his son was taking his monarch studies, Charles gave his son regency over all the kingdoms of Spain as a kind of starter pack for absolute rule, then left him to his own devices as he continued looking after the rest of the Holy Roman Empire.

Only, he didn’t leave Philip completely alone, because another development was coming through the pipes.

]]> 6. He Married His Cousin Philip and his family belonged to the House of Habsburg, an Austro-Spanish dynasty infamous for its commitment to inbreeding its members to keep the, er, “sanctity” of their royal blood. So when it came time for Philip to marry a nice, respectable girl, his parents looked no further than his own cousin, Maria Manuela, Princess of Portugal.

Sure, for the 16th century marrying a cousin is pretty common, but the Habsburgs did this all. the. time. Yes, you can say “ew” now. And by the end of their marriage, it would get a whole lot darker.

]]> 7. He May Have Been A Bigamist According to rumor, Philip’s marriage to Maria Manuela was doomed from the start. One persistent whisper claims that when he gave his hand in marriage to the Portuguese princess on November 12, 1543, Philip was already married, in secret, to his mistress Isabel Osorio. He had even possibly given Isabel a clandestine document proclaiming her as his wife.

If that was the case, he was starting off marriage number two as a bigamist. Not that it stopped him from jumping right in.

]]> 8. He Knew What He Was Doing In The Boudoir Philip and Maria set about doing their duty to make an heir as quickly as possible—something Philip obviously already had extensive experience doing. By 1545, Maria was heavily pregnant, and the entire kingdom waited with bated breath for the announcement of the child’s birth. Unfortunately for Maria, it was about to turn into an utter nightmare. 

]]> 9. His Wife's End Was Brutal On July 8, 1545, Maria gave birth to a baby boy—the only kind of baby anyone wanted in those days—whom she named Carlos, fulfilling her (quite limited) duty as Philip’s wife. And then, quite promptly, tragedy came for her. Just four days after the birth, as she was recovering, Maria suffered a brutal hemorrhage. She did not survive.

Less than two years into his marriage, Philip was a widower. On the bright side, he now had a son…except, that wasn’t quite the bright side you’d think.

]]> 10. His Son Had A Terrifying Heritage As Philip’s only son and heir Carlos grew into a little boy and then a young man, it became clear that something was very, very wrong. The boy was constantly sick, and there didn’t seem to be many lights on upstairs, if you know what I mean. After all, Carlos was the product of extreme, generational inbreeding—for God’s sake, the boy had only four great grandparents out of a possible eight, and only six great-great grandparents out of a possible 16.

In other words: Carlos’s family tree was a dang wreath. And if Philip hoped it would get better, well, it most certainly didn’t.

]]> 11. He Was A Bad Father Given that Philip was just exiting his teenage years when he had Carlos and had a bunch of kingdoms to run on top of all that, perhaps he can be forgiven for some parenting failures concerning his son. But, um, he really did a bad job. By all accounts, Carlos grew up as an arrogant and spoiled brat, leading one dignitary to call him “ugly and repulsive,” though probably not to his face.

Somehow, though, that was just the start when it came to Carlos.

]]> 12. His Heir Had A Chilling Mean Streak If Philip had an icy streak in him, his son was a whole glacier. The heir’s antics reached truly bloodcurdling proportions. According to lore, he took pleasure in tormenting animals and serving girls alike, once ordering that a housemaid be whipped for his enjoyment at the tender age of 11. Then when a man gave him shoes he didn’t like, Carlos tried to force the man to eat them.

As another ambassador put it, “He wished neither to study nor to take physical exercise, but only to harm others.” But by this time, Philip wasn’t keeping even half an eye on his son—he had his own cruel plans to put into motion.

]]> 13. He Courted A Famous British Queen Philip waited nearly a decade before choosing another bride, but—perhaps fearing his son’s ability to follow in his footsteps—he finally began looking in the 1550s. Once more, his daddy Charles V pulled through: Charles’s cousin was none other Queen Mary I of England, the eldest daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon, and she was looking for a husband.

Charles immediately suggested his son Philip, sending over an attractive portrait of him painted by the master Titian. But right from the beginning, there were serious issues.

]]> 14. His Fiancée Was Obsessed With Him At the time, Mary was 37 years old, somewhat sickly, and had never been what anyone would have called comely. Meanwhile, Philip was reasonably attractive, a full decade younger than her, and in the pink of health. It was an instant power imbalance, but that wasn’t all. 

Mary quickly grew obsessed at the thought of tying the knot with her Spanish prince, even going against the prevailing opinion of her ministers that she should marry an Englishman and causing insurrections when she insisted on the union. This would be creepy on its own—but Philip’s reaction was ice cold.

]]> 15. He Was A Cold Suitor For Philip, there was absolutely nothing in his marriage proposal resembling emotion. Although the English government made sure he would only co-rule England alongside Mary, and only as long as their marriage lasted, it was still a position of immense political power—and that’s all it was for him. As one of his aides put it, “the marriage was concluded for no fleshly consideration.”

Well, someone should have given Mary that memo, because it didn’t take long for it all to unravel.

]]> 16. He Couldn’t Speak English In mid-July of 1554, Mary and Philip finally met for the first time. But again, don’t go picturing anything close to romantic: Philip couldn’t speak English—in fact, he never truly learned—and the so-called lovebirds had to work around the barrier with a hodgepodge of other languages. Then two efficient days later, they made it official in a wedding ceremony at Winchester Cathedral.

Aw, true love, right? In any case, Philip didn't waste any time when it came to wooing his new wife.

]]> 17. He Was Chillingly Pragmatic In September of that same year, England got word of momentous news. Their Queen Mary had stopped menstruating and was experiencing morning sickness and weight gain to boot. To everyone at court, it seemed like the country was about to get a new heir. Ever the pragmatist, Philip even made sure parliament passed a law making him regent in the event of Mary dying in childbirth. Aw.

But Philip’s next response to the situation was truly surprising.

]]> 18. He Thought His Wife Was Lying While all the court doctors fussed over Mary, Philip himself had strange feelings about the pregnancy. Whether his close proximity to Mary helped him see there was something off about her symptoms, or he just had a sixth sense about it, Philip wrote to his brother-in-law during this time expressing doubts about whether Mary’s pregnancy was real.

And as the months passed, the disturbing truth became clear.

]]> 19. His Wife Had Bizarre Symptoms In the spring of 1555, Mary was so certain that she was about to give birth, she called her sister Elizabeth to court so she could witness the coming of a new heir. Yet the summer brought devastating developments. Though rumors swirled that she had given birth in secret, the truth was Mary hadn’t given birth at all yet, frustrating Philip and the rest of the court to no end. And then came the final nail in the coffin.

]]> 20. His Queen Suffered A Phantom Pregnancy In July of 1555, after 10 months of experiencing certain symptoms of a pregnancy, Mary’s abdomen finally receded, revealing that Philip’s doubts had been justified all along. In fact, the Queen of England had likely just suffered from a phantom pregnancy over her deep desire to have a child with her beloved husband. And darker days were ahead.

]]> 21. The Court Ridiculed His Wife Mary had lost all her hopes to give Philip an heir in an instant, so it’s safe to say she was beside herself with heartbreak and grief. More than that, her entire court had been ridiculing her for months, with one courtier sniping that the pregnancy had been as likely to “end in wind rather than anything else." Philip only dealt his wife more betrayal. 

]]> 22. He Abandoned His Queen As soon as he was sure Queen Mary wasn’t pregnant, Philip up and left England to tend to matters of state in Flanders. Yes, he left his still-recovering wife—who was by one account now “extraordinarily in love” with him—to the vipers in her court. It was a colossal jerk move, even for Philip, and the fallout from it was unimaginable.

]]> 23. He Helped Turn His Wife Into “Bloody Mary” One of the reasons Mary’s ministers were hesitant about allowing her to marry Philip was their fear that, as an even more pious Catholic than herself, Philip would push her toward intolerance of other religions, particularly Protestantism. They were right to worry: If his presence didn’t make her so before, his absence did now.

Dejected at Philip leaving, Mary began to believe her phantom pregnancy was a punishment from God because she “tolerated heretics.” Soon enough, she began persecuting Protestants, eventually earning her the infamous nickname “Bloody Mary.” But even though Philip was very much a part of Mary’s villain origin story, he didn’t stop there.

]]> 24. He Used His Queen Shamelessly In 1556, Philip finally achieved his destiny. That year, his elderly father Charles V abdicated his throne, and he officially became King Philip II of Spain at last. But even with this good news, he didn’t return to Mary—in fact, he stayed away from his wife for nearly two years, only returning in 1557 when he wanted her to help him raise an army for warmongering.

And just like with any bad boyfriend, Mary should have run away when he showed up on her doorstep.

]]> 25. He Led His Country Into Folly Things went wrong from the start of Philip’s little jaunt to England. For one, he convinced Mary to enter into a conflict with France…one that went disastrously for her nation. By the end of it, England had lost Calais, its last remaining territory on mainland Europe. Mary was so distraught at this that she was supposed to have said, "When I am dead and opened, you shall find 'Calais' lying in my heart."

Yep, gonna blame Philip for that one too. But his professional ambitions turned out to be the least of Mary’s worries.

]]> 26. He Held Immense Power Philip’s return to England—which included at least one conjugal visit—raised Queen Mary’s hopes that she was pregnant again. Only, something was different this time. Mary realized her health was failing, and if she did have a child, she likely wouldn’t be around to see them grow up. Knowing this, she drew up documents once more making Philip regent over the child when she passed.

Tragically, Mary’s luck was about to take an even worse turn.

]]> 27. His Wife's End Was Slow And Painful Although Mary had expected to give birth in March of 1558, this again didn’t happen—something much worse did. While Mary had no child to speak of and possibly had gone through another phantom pregnancy, she was experiencing intense pain in her uterus. She lived in agony from May of that year onward, getting progressively weaker.

After the hard realization that she would not have any heirs, she arranged for her sister Elizabeth to succeed her. And when the end came, her husband dealt her two insults, each more biting than the other.

]]> 28. He Was Deeply Insensitive In November of 1558, Queen Mary I passed, probably from uterine cancer or perhaps ovarian cysts. Philip then outdid himself in cruelty. As if to underscore just how indifferent he was to the wife that adored him, he wrote to his sister during the mourning period, coolly saying, “I felt a reasonable regret at her death.” Oh, but he had more barbarous plans.

]]> 29. He Proposed To His Sister Philip had spent so long playing political games that everyone knew there was barely a beating heart underneath his doublet anymore. Even so, probably a few courtiers still managed to raise their eyebrows when they found that in the wake of Mary’s passing, Philip had sent a marriage proposal to her sister, now Queen Elizabeth I.

After all, with Mary gone, Philip no longer had access to the throne or the title King of England, and he would have very much liked to keep both those things. But for perhaps the first time in his life, his sliminess caught up to him.

]]> 30. Queen Elizabeth I Rejected Him Elizabeth I didn’t go down in history as a fool, and for good reason. Whether she didn’t think Philip would help her in the long run or she was just seriously turned off by his baldly mercenary offer, she took her time answering Philip’s proposal and eventually turned him down. But in the meantime, Philip already had his eye on another powerful bride.

]]> 31. He Took A Child Bride In 1559, Philip found his next wife: Elisabeth of Valois, one of the daughters of King Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici. Although not the beauty of her extremely good-looking family—that title belonged to her sister Margaret of Valois—the icy Philip still seemed to warm to Elisabeth’s plain prettiness, not to mention her powerful lineage. But, of course, it all came with a side of creepiness.

While Philip was 32 years old when they married, Elisabeth was just 14. Just wait, it gets worse.

]]> 32. He Had A Replacement Mistress Philip was nothing if not pragmatic, and he knew that as much as he loved the look of his new wife, a 14-year-old girl was too young even by 16th-century standards to bed and get with child. His solution for his manly urges? He merely took up with another mistress, Eufrasia de Guzman—he had already cast off Isabel Osolio around this time—and bedded her until Elisabeth was old enough.

Still, even Philip’s formidable resolve wasn’t enough, and he eventually slipped into Elisabeth’s chamber just a year later. As he’d find out, it was far too soon.

]]> 33. His Quest For Another Heir Turned Bloody Over the next four years, Philip and his wife tried to have more heirs together besides his lone son Carlos. It was full of bloody tragedy. First, a 15-year-old Elisabeth gave birth to a stillborn son, and in 1564 she miscarried twins. By this last pregnancy she was a full adult, and Philip was likely getting worried he would never secure his legacy.

He should have worried—because that legacy was a ticking timebomb.

]]> 34. His Eldest Child Had A Horrific Accident In 1562, Philip’s troublesome son Carlos got a cruel kind of karma. While chasing a servant girl down some stairs (because of course that’s what he was doing) the spoiled prince took a spill and hit his head. For days, he lay on the brink, experiencing severe pain and delusions. Only trepanning his skull—drilling a hole into it—took Philip’s son back from the edge.

Yet when the prince recovered enough to move around, everyone quickly realized they had a huge problem on their hands.

]]> 35. He Barred His Only Son From Power Carlos had never been a model prince, to say the least, but after his head injury, he went from menacing to downright terrifying. All his youthful proclivities for causing harm became completely unchecked, and they forced Philip into a painful decision. The man for whom political legacy was everything had to remove his heir from any positions of power.

Little did he know then, this would come back to bite him in a horrific way.

]]> 36. He Finally Had Healthy Children In 1566 and 1567, Philip finally got some good luck, and his wife Elisabeth gave birth to two daughters in succession, his favorite girl Isabella Clara Eugenia and then Catherine Michaela. Sure, they were “just” daughters, but they were also healthy and showed no signs of Carlos’s complete mental instability.

In fact, the same year little Catherine was born, that mental instability grew to ruinous proportions.

]]> 37. His Son Turned Violent While Philip was rejoicing—as much as Philip could ever rejoice—in the births of his two daughters, Carlos went off the deep end. The prince was so mentally disturbed that one day when someone threw water from a window and it accidentally splashed him on his walk, he demanded the man’s house be set on fire. Though actually, turns out this was Carlos being nice.

Carlos also attempted to throw a servant who displeased him out of a window—oh, and then he tried to kill two of his father’s men. It was the last boundary of sanity for Carlos. Soon, his murderous streak deepened.

]]> 38. His Son Tried To Murder His Brother In the fall of 1567, Philip faced his most gruesome and harrowing ordeal yet. In a fit of insanity and paranoia, Carlos barged into the rooms of Philip’s half-brother John of Austria and tried to shoot him. When that didn’t work—a wary servant of Carlos’s had already removed the bullets from the gun—he proceeded to try to throttle John with his bare hands.

John survived the attack, but Philip could ignore it no more: He had a full-blown crisis on his hands, and he needed to deal with his son. He proved just how ruthless he could be.

]]> 39. He Cut His Son Off From The World Philip couldn’t have his own son trying to kill other members of his family, and he immediately had the boy locked up and all but isolated from the world. For weeks, Philip kept Carlos from receiving any correspondence, and refused to let anyone but his most loyal men visit the prince. But still, Philip didn’t think it was enough, and early next year, he took it up a whole lot of notches.

]]> 40. He Staged An Intervention In the midnight hours of January 17, 1568, Philip accomplished a brutal coup. He entered his son’s room in full armor and with a full complement of men at his back, then turned Carlos from a virtual prisoner into a complete one. He took away any papers and arms in the room, then boarded up the prince’s windows for good measure.

From Philip’s perspective, he had no other choice. But it didn’t go the way he wanted—not in the slightest.

]]> 41. His Heir Grew More Unstable Instead of these measures mollifying Carlos—wouldn’t you know it?—the prince only grew more agitated. He threatened constantly to take his own life, leading Philip to take away even cutlery from his son’s rooms during meal times. It didn’t stop Carlos; now he merely went on a hunger strike and very nearly succeeded in offing himself.

Philip, meanwhile, had to perform damage control. True to form, he did it incredibly sneakily.

]]> 42. He Lied Through His Teeth To The Court With his only son locked up in his rooms and going loopy, Philip went to desperate measures to protect his good name. He told almost no one about the true state of affairs, lying through his teeth and making excuses for his son’s absences that had nothing to do with his heir going through a violent psychotic break. Maybe he would have pulled it off…if catastrophe hadn’t struck first.

]]> 43. People Thought He Killed His Own Son In the summer of 1568, Carlos suddenly passed, likely from complications of his already poor health and his attempts to starve himself. Or that’s what history thinks probably happened—many rumors at the time indicated that Philip had his troublesome son “taken care of,” a narrative many associate with Philip to this day.

Whether there’s any truth to it or not, Philip’s next phase of life was certainly not angelic, either.

]]> 44. He Lost His Wife And Daughter In One Fell Swoop Just after his son Carlos's suspicious and brutal end, a bitter twist of fate came once more for the King of Spain. In October of 1568, his wife Elisabeth of Valois, who had been pregnant again, miscarried a baby girl. But the tragedy wasn’t over yet: Elisabeth quickly succumbed to complications of her bloody labor along with the newborn.

Philip was in his 40s now, a widower again after his third marriage, and he had no male heir to speak of. In search of a new bride and a replacement son, Philip really dialed up the creep-o-meter.

]]> 45. He Wanted To Marry His Niece Almost as soon as Elisabeth of Valois croaked, Philip knew who he wanted as his fourth wife: Anna of Austria, the daughter of the new Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and Maria of Spain. She was more than two decades younger than Philip—but that’s not actually the creepy part. The creepy part is she was his dang niece.

Actually, no, I lied. It’s the next part that’s truly disturbing.

]]> 46. He Took His Son’s Future Wife As a matter of fact, Anna of Austria was on Philip’s mind long before their marriage. That’s because he’d already lined the girl up to marry his violent, horrific son Carlos. With Carlos (mercifully) gone and his wife now gone, Philip thought, “Yeah, might as well marry that niece myself,” as one does. In May 1570, they did—and then came the surprise.

]]> 47. He Finally Got A Lucky Break Despite their unenviable meet-cute, Philip and Anna of Austria seemed to have a very happy marriage, with some describing her as his favorite wife, and with Philip very likely keeping no mistresses at this time, apparently the highest compliment any Medieval man could pay his bride. But that wasn’t all. 

After a lifetime of struggling to sire healthy, mentally-balanced boys, Anna gave him four sons in a row, plus one girl for good measure, over only a decade. Still, all this good fortune was something of a monkey’s paw.

]]> 48. He Watched His New Family Die Around Him Although Philip got a series of heirs in his marriage to Anna of Austria, he also got a series of tragedies. All but one of the children, the future King Philip III of Spain, made it to adulthood, and Anna of Austria herself caught a vicious bout of influenza—or else suffered from heart failure—and perished in 1580 at just 30 years old.

Philip was staring down the barrel of his mid-50s and alone again. Perhaps that’s why some of his last decisions quickly lit his legacy aflame.

]]> 49. He Made A Formidable Enemy For decades, Philip had maintained cordial, if chilly relations with his ex-sister-in-law Elizabeth I over in England. Well, that didn’t last. See, Philip had spent his reign putting down Protestant insurrections, particularly in the Spanish-held Netherlands, and still viewed himself as the protector of the One and Only True Religion, Catholicism.

So when the Protestant Elizabeth started helping the Dutch rebels in 1585, Philip drastically—and infamously—turned on her.

]]> 50. He Went After England One of Philip’s biggest, and last, legacies as King of Spain was also his biggest failure. In 1588, desperate to keep Catholic supremacy in Europe, Philip turned his Spanish Armada toward English shores, attacking no less than the iconic English Channel with the express intent of invading England and strong-arming them into putting a Catholic on the throne.

That is not what happened. What happened was one of history’s most embarrassing disasters.

]]> 51. His Luck Ran Out Although much is made of Elizabeth’s army trouncing the Armada and sending the Spanish back with their tails between their legs, the truth is something much worse happened. Right at the place where the Armada was going to strike, an enormous storm hit the channel, destroying many of Philip’s ships without the English lifting a finger.

Philip had to retreat without ever taking a bite of England—and then the whispers started.

]]> 52. A Storm Nearly Ruined His Reputation In this hefty war of religion, it was extremely bad PR for a natural disaster to stymie Philip’s ambitions so brutally. Indeed, Protestants around Europe cheered at the storm’s destruction of the Armada, believing that it was God showing his will to the people. Philip, for his part, reportedly complained, “I sent my fleet against men, not against the wind and the waves!”

Flabbergasted at his loss, Philip couldn’t let the thought of England go. It would almost be the end of him.

]]> 53. He Couldn’t Get Over His Loss Another little-known fact about the famed Spanish Armada is that there was more than one. Philip kept desperately trying to hammer at England’s shores, and sent further fleets in 1596—when he was approaching his 70s—and then again in 1597. Each of them failed in their missions, and likewise failed to fulfill Philip’s desire of one last golden victory for his golden age.

Unfortunately, these were far from his final disappointments.

]]> 54. His Last Days Were Pitiful By the end of his life, bouts of malarial fever and gout had crippled Philip and turned him into a shadow of what he once was. In order to bear the pain and still govern his nation, Philip took to strapping himself to a chair for the last three years of his life—the years he sent out those two desperate Armadas again. And more upset was to come.

]]> 55. His Heir Wasn’t Good Enough Philip lived long enough to watch his son and heir, Prince Philip, grow into a young man. He was deeply disappointed in what he saw. After the Carlos debacle, he tried to give his son the best, most progressive education the crown could buy. But it was nonetheless clear to everyone—probably Philip most of all—that the boy, while studious, had no political mindset. Once more, the consequences of this were far-reaching.

]]> 56. His Legacy Ended With Him Philip ruled over what many historians call the “Golden Age” of Spain, thanks mostly to the masses of gold and silver coming in from the “New World” Philip had inherited. Yet when he finally succumbed to cancer in 1598, he might as well have been ruling over a kingdom of ash. In his son, Philip likely saw no glimmer of hope to take Spain to greater heights—and he was right.

The nation declined during Philip III’s reign onward, and Spain lost the Netherlands and their fight with Protestantism within 50 years of the old king’s end. King Philip II of Spain had been a warmonger, an honorary Tudor, a serial husband in desperate search of an heir, and a hero of Catholicism. None of it mattered in the end.

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Sources: 1, 2, , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, , 12, 13

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=35487 <![CDATA[Lavinia Warren may have been one of the most famous little people in history—but her backstory is far more tragic than most people realize.]]> 2026-07-28T14:36:20+00:00 2026-07-28T14:36:20+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-lavinia-warren Brendan Da Costa People The World’s Smallest Superstar Lavinia Warren was the 19th-century proportional little person who lived largely—and very lavishly. Despite being small in stature, she was huge in stardom. From her humble beginnings as a school teacher to her worldwide fame as one-half of a petite power couple, Warren did it all.

]]> 1. She Was A Big Baby Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump would go on to become one of the most famous (if not the most famous) little people on earth. But she wasn’t always so tiny. As a baby, she tipped the scales at . Her parents didn’t suspect that anything was amiss until she suddenly and rather dramatically stopped growing.

]]> 2. She Was Proportionate Various sources say that Warren stopped growing either as a toddler or when she was ten years old. We’ll likely never know those early details but we certainly know more about her condition today than people did back then. Warren suffered from proportional dwarfism, a pituitary gland issue. Fortunately, she did not have to suffer alone.

]]> 3. She Had A “Minnie” Me Warren had numerous siblings growing up, but only one who could really empathize with her condition. Her younger sister Minnie also had proportional dwarfism. As Warren later wrote in her autobiography, “All my other sisters and brothers were of normal size”. As such, she always felt “isolated from them” but nearer to Minnie.

Tragically, however, Minnie would one day suffer a terrible fate.

]]> 4. She Faced Big Expectations Even after doctors diagnosed Warren with dwarfism, her parents still had big expectations of her. They didn’t treat her any differently than they had before and still expected her to do all of her chores. The only help they gave her was a step stool, which aided her in reaching the kitchen table. Frankly, she never really needed the “leg up” anyway.

]]> 5. She Was Just 32 Inches Tall Warren never allowed her dwarfism to hold her back. At just 16 years of age, she became a school teacher. Standing at just 32 inches in height, however, it would have been easy to mistake her for one of her students. As much as she enjoyed teaching, she knew that there was a big world out there for her to explore and she intended to explore all of it.

Then she found a rare opportunity.

]]> 6. She Was A Living Wonder For proportional dwarves in 19th century America, work was hard to come by. So, when one of Warren’s cousins who owned a showboat in Mississippi offered her an opportunity, she knew she couldn’t pass it up. The cousin convinced her to spend one summer on his boat. But there was a catch.

Warren would be part of his “Museum of Living Wonders”.

]]> 7. She Was A Queen Warren’s cousin saw the potential in turning her medical condition and tiny stature into big stacks of cold, hard cash. He marketed Warren as “The Lilliputian Queen” to paying guests on his showboat. Warren danced, sang show tunes, and chatted with the guests who looked on in wonder. And that’s when she knew: She was a big star trapped in a little body.

]]> 8. She Stood Out From The Other “Wonders” Warren found her tribe in her cousin’s “Museum of Living Wonders” and stood out as the star performer. Even if her fellow “wonders” towered over her. She quickly became good friends with Silvia Hardy, a “giantess from Maine”. The two often performed together and even bunked together as the showboat made its way up and down the river.

You might say, she was just following the current.

]]> 9. She Was Charismatic All of the guests simply adored Warren. They gushed about her charisma and found her particular condition truly fascinating, making her something of a star overnight. With the money rolling in, she didn’t want to go back to her normal life and asked her cousin to stay on. Pretty soon, her reputation spread far and wide—and that's when she met one of the most powerful men in the business.

]]> 10. She Was The Perfect Attraction In 1862, when she was 21 years old, little Warren entered the big leagues. After just a few years on her cousin’s showboat, she attracted the attention of the famous impresario PT Barnum. Barnum believed that Warren, with her talent for singing, dancing and eloquence, would be a perfect addition to his own museum.

Most importantly, however, she was single.

]]> 11. She The Perfect “Woman In Miniature” Barnum was very eager to get Warren to join his American Museum. He invited Warren and her family to his home in Connecticut in order to convince her to work for him. The little performer left a big impression as Barnum found Warren to be "refined," "intelligent," and "beautiful". 

He thought that she was the perfect “woman in miniature.” He just had to find her perfect man in miniature.

]]> 12. She Joined The Commodore And The General Barnum already had other proportional dwarves in his employ. Namely, two very eligible bachelors, George Washington Morrison Nutt (AKA Commodore Nutt) and General Tom Thumb (real name, Charles Sherwood Stratton). When Warren agreed to join Barnum’s American Museum, she became part of a tiny but tumultuous love triangle.

]]> 13. She Made The Big Bucks Barnum’s New York-based American Museum turned out to be the perfect place for Warren to showcase her uniqueness. The famous impresario decked Warren out in a “splendid wardrobe” with “costly jewelry”. She became an immediate sensation with the crowds that visited from all over the country, earning as much as $3,000 every day for the museum.

She just needed someone to share that success with.

]]> 14. Her Admirer Was Just A Child Partly because of her youthful looks, Barnum paired Warren up with the teenage Commodore Nutt. Even though he was seven years younger than Warren, he became completely entranced the first time he laid eyes on her. Even though Warren was happy to be around more people like her, she couldn’t help but feel indifferent to Commodore Nutt. She preferred generals.

]]> 15. She Thought The Commodore Was “Nice” Warren loved her new job, working with Barnum’s American Museum—but she was less enthusiastic about her show partner. Despite his obvious affection for her, Warren never considered Commodore Nutt to be anything more than “a nice little boy”. However, for the sake of appearances, Barnum wanted Warren and Nutt to spark up a real romance.

]]> 16. She Refused The Ring If Barnum played the matchmaker, he made one seriously smooth move. He gave Warren a ring. The ring, however, did not fit her fingers properly so the impresario-turned-Cupid instructed Warren to give the ring to Commodore Nutt. In the meantime, he promised to find her another ring that would fit her properly. This seemed innocent enough—but it created a huge problem for Warren.

]]> 17. She Didn’t Want To Break Hearts Warren gave the ill-fitting ring to Commodore Nutt, not thinking anything of it. The lovestruck teenager, however, thought that the ring was a token of her love. When Nutt tried to show his affections in return, Warren became distressed. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings but couldn’t deny her indifference to him.

Thankfully, a general came to her rescue.

]]> 18. She Left A “General” Impression It became clear to Barnum that, despite his efforts at playing matchmaker, Warren had no interest in Commodore Nutt. But he also had no shortage of little people to throw her way. That’s when Barnum introduced Warren to his most famous little performer, General Tom Thumb. Unsurprisingly, the Lilliputian Queen and the General hit it off.

]]> 19. Her Lover Planned Her Wedding Immediately after meeting Warren, General Thumb spoke to Barnum in private. The little performer, standing at just 25 inches in height, made a big pronouncement. He implored Barnum to help turn this potential love match into a reality—even promising that, if everything worked, Barnum could use their wedding for publicity. 

There was no doubt; it would be the match of the century.

]]> 20. Her Admirer Wouldn’t Let Her Go Barnum appealed to Warren with “fatherly advice” about her marital prospects. He explained to the big little star that General Thumb was rich, famous, and most importantly, of upstanding character. Warren, however, didn’t take much convincing as she was already quite fond of General Thumb. But her teenage crush, Nutt, wouldn’t let her go without a fight.

]]> 21. Her Admirer Fought For Her Lavinia Warren and General Thumb were madly in love and it was plain for everyone to see. But, while the whole country celebrated the relationship between the two famous little people, one person fumed. Commodore Nutt refused to accept that he had lost out on Warren’s affections and started a fist fight with Thumb backstage during one of their shows.

Warren, however, had clearly made up her mind.

]]> 22. She Said, “Yes!” In a last ditch effort to win over Warren’s affections, Commodore Nutt attempted to crash one of her dates with General Thumb. Sadly, he was too late. General Thumb had just proposed to Warren and she had said, “Yes!” Warren’s marriage to General Thumb would turn out to be one of the biggest social events of the 19th century.

]]> 23. Her Wedding Dress Was On Display With civil conflict ravaging most of the country, the news of Warren’s and Thumb’s pending nuptials gave the entire country something to celebrate. For weeks before the big day, Warren’s miniature wedding dress hung in the designer’s, Madame Demorest’s, display for passersby to gawk over. 

No one could have guessed the big fuss the “little” wedding would have caused. No one that is, except for PT Barnum.

]]> 24. Her Wedding Was Huge The big day came on February 10, 1863. In order to appease the eager public, Warren agreed to have an open wedding ceremony so that anyone could attend. And everyone who was anyone did. Warren walked down the aisle at Grace Episcopal Church in front of more than 2,000 guests, including many of America’s 19th-century A-list celebrities.

The reception, on the other hand, was a much more private affair.

]]> 25. She Cashed In On Her Wedding Warren held her wedding reception at the fashionable Metropolitan Hotel in New York. Whereas she left the ceremony open to the public, Warren allowed Barnum to charge guests a staggering $75 to attend the reception. That would be the equivalent of more than $2,000 today. Despite the hefty admittance fee, they still expected their guests to shower them with gifts.

]]> 26. She Got The Best Gifts Warren and her new husband greeted their high-paying reception attendees, perched upon a grand piano. From their vantage point, they had a spectualar view of all their devoted fans. The New York Times recorded the extravagant gifts, including “jewelry from Tiffany’s, a miniature billiards table,” and most impressively, “a carriage from Queen Victoria”.

But one person was sick to his stomach.

]]> 27. Her Admirer Was Sick With Jealousy While Warren celebrated her marriage in style, her spurned lover looked sick to his stomach. The Times reported the next day that, during the service, Commodore Nutt appeared “ill” with jealousy. In all likelihood, however, the Times' story was likely idle gossip as Nutt served in the wedding as Thumb’s groomsman. 

Warren’s own later diary entries gave deeper insight into the little-person love-triangle.

]]> 28. She Was Part Of A Love Square Throughout her travels, Warren frequently had to dispense with rumors that she considered to be troublesome. For promotional purposes, Barnum had taken photographs of Commodore Nutt proposing to Warren’s sister, Minnie, around the time of Warren’s big marriage. The photographs led to speculation that the love triangle had expanded to a love square.

]]> 29. She Dispensed With Rumors It wasn’t until decades later that Warren finally managed to “refute a general impression”. In her autobiography published in the New York Tribune Sunday Magazine, she dispelled the notion that Commodore Nutt had gone from being her admirer to her brother-in-law. 

She chalked the whole misunderstanding up to the fact that the four little people had a close, friendly relationship but that there was nothing romantic between Minnie and Nutt.

]]> 30. She Didn’t Like Lincoln Following their lavish wedding, Warren and Thumb embarked on a whirlwind, worldwide honeymoon. One of their first stops, however, was right at home. Wanting to further distract the nation from the conflict tearing the country apart, then president, Abraham Lincoln, invited the little celebrity couple to the White House.

Warren, however, had a small opinion of the tall president.

]]> 31. She Was The “Short Of It” When Warren arrived at the White House, she received a warmer welcome than she was comfortable with. Without warning, President Lincoln leaned in and kissed Warren on the cheek. He further quipped, “sometimes God likes to do funny things; and here you have the long and the short of it,” indicating to Warren as the “short of it”.

Warren had no qualms telling her friends after the encounter that she considered Lincoln to be “quite rude”.

]]> 32. She Was Never Empty-Handed One year after their wedding and tour, Warren returned to New York and Barnum’s American Museum. Much to everyone’s surprise, however, she and General Thumb did not return from their travels empty-handed. Warren and Thumb posed for pictures and public appearances carrying a mysteriously large baby.

]]> 33. Her Baby Was A Shapeshifter The public interest in this latest little addition to Warren’s family sent the public into an absolute state of frenzy. In fact, the public was so excited that no one stopped to ask whether or not the baby actually belonged to Warren. Frankly, no one even seemed to notice that the baby, curiously, did not appear to have dwarfism.

]]> 34. She Had A Bright Idea As it turns out, the baby was not, in fact, Warren’s. In a stroke of marketing genius, Barnum had borrowed the baby from an orphanage. For the first few months, Warren and Barnum pulled off their little charade perfectly. However, as the months passed, Warren pointed out that the baby was growing too much for audiences to believe that it was hers.

So, she came up with a brilliant idea of her own.

]]> 35. She Took Babies Before embarking on a cross-country tour, Warren hatched a bold, if a little Machiavellian, plan. She proposed dispatching a representative to each town, ahead of time. They'd be tasked with discreetly choosing an infant from the local orphanage to use as a prop during their show. 

After a day of basking in the limelight alongside Warren, they would return the selected baby, safe and sound.

]]> 36. Her Plan Worked—Too Well Warren’s plan worked better than even she could have expected. It ensured that their traveling troupe had a steady supply of small babies. They were able to maintain appearances while also alleviating the hassle of having a child in tow throughout their travels. But there is another, darker, theory as to where these mystery babies came from.

]]> 37. She Had Some Secrets Various sources offer different theories as to where the baby (or babies) in Warren’s photos originated. Some sources stick to the theory that she and Barnum sourced the babies from local orphanages and that is, perhaps, the likeliest version of events. But other sources tell a far more tragic tale and offer compelling evidence.

]]> 38. Her Baby Wasn’t Cute One theory purports that Warren and Thumb did have a child of their own. Unlike Warren and Thumb, however, the alleged baby lacked the natural charm and photogenicity to become a star. As such, this theory suggests that they simply replaced their own baby in the photos with cuter little cherubs. Still, there’s an even darker theory.

]]> 39. She Lost Her Baby One source claimed that the baby in Warren’s early photographs was, in fact, her own. However, they replaced the baby after a few years—not because she wasn’t cute enough but because she wasn’t, well, alive enough. Allegedly, Warren’s and Thumb’s only child, named Minnie after Warren’s sister, passed away at the tender age of two.

There is some credit to this theory.

]]> 40. She Couldn’t Get The Dates Right In General Tom Thumb’s obituary in The New York Times, it clearly states that Warren and Thumb had a child. The alleged baby, once again, passed away at just two years of age. However, various sources give various dates for the birth and untimely demise of Warren’s mystery baby. The theory further falls apart given a personal tragedy that Warren suffered.

]]> 41. She Couldn’t Have Children Despite her love for children, Warren lived in constant fear of having any of her own. Because of her condition, she feared that childbirth would be too much for her tiny physique to bear. Especially if she gave birth to a normal-sized baby. In a devastating blow, her sister Minnie proved her theory about the dangers of childbirth right.

]]> 42. She Held Her Sister As She Passed Warren’s younger sister, Minnie, had also married another little person in Barnum’s employ. No, not the forever lovelorn Commodore Nutt, but a Major Edward Newell. Minnie became pregnant with Newell’s baby and managed to carry to term. Giving birth to a full-sized baby, however, proved to be too much and she and the baby passed away shortly after the ordeal.

Devastated, Warren held her sister in her arms as she drew her final breaths.

]]> 43. She Never Grew Up Another reason that Warren likely never had a child of her own was that everyone always mistook her for one. Barnum marketed Warren and his little people performers as children, even as they grew well into their 30s and 40s. That constant infantilization kept the money rolling in, but it also kept Warren rolling her eyes in utter exasperation.

]]> 44. Her Fans Treated Her Like A Baby Throughout her career, Warren complained about the way her “fans” treated her. Because of her size, they found it hard to believe that she was a grown woman and they often wanted to “pet her and hold her” as if she were still a child. In her diaries, she wrote about her “womanly instinct of shrinking from a form of familiarity” that she deemed inappropriate.

But the job had its perks.

]]> 45. She Had An Elephant Despite some of her misgivings, Warren and Thumb continued touring and performing all over the world and raked in a massive fortune. They went as far as Japan, China, Australia, Egypt and India where the King of Benares tried to gift them with an elephant. In a sense, they were on fire. And pretty soon, they would almost literally catch flames.

]]> 46. She Was In A “Tinderbox” In 1883, Warren and Thumb found themselves at the Newhall House hotel in Milwaukee. The local fire department described the hotel as a “tinderbox” where tragedy was just waiting to catch a spark. It was almost a fateful morning for the little performers when, at approximately four in the morning, the building became engulfed in flames.

]]> 47. She Almost Leapt To Her Doom The Newhall House hotel quickly became, as one eye witness described it, “a flaming strawstack”. As the flames consumed the famous luxury hotel, Warren and Thumb found themselves trapped on the sixth floor. Dozens of other guests made the painful decision of jumping to their deaths. However, Warren’s small stature saved her life.

]]> 48. Her Dwarfism Saved Her Life Being little people once again paid off for Warren and Thumb. A single firefighter, named O'Brien, managed to reach the couple from their sixth storey window. With the tiny couple tucked beneath one arm and a firm grasp on his ladder with the other, he carried both Warren and Thumb down to safety. It was a feat that he would not have been able to accomplish with two full-grown adults.

Still, the fire had scorched the couple more deeply than they knew.

]]> 49. Her Husband Couldn’t Handle The Heat Warren and Thumb survived the inferno at the Newhall House hotel. As many as 90 other guests, including an associate of theirs, hadn’t been so lucky. But the event took its toll on their health all the same. Writing in her memoirs, Warren stated, “The General never recovered from the shock of that terrible ordeal”. Only months later, Thumb passed away from a sudden stroke.

]]> 50. She Needed More Money Thumb’s sudden passing left Warren crestfallen—and broke. In her autogiobraphy, she claimed that she had wanted to retire following Thumb’s stroke and that Barnum had coaxed her back into work. It’s likelier, however, that Warren returned to performing in order to maintain her lavish lifestyle. But she would need another sidekick.

]]> 51. She Was A Countess A few years after Thumb’s passing, Warren married Count Primo Magri, an Italian little person with a similar history of performing. Even though he was a few inches shorter than Warren’s late-husband, he had a higher rank. Allegedly, Pope Pius IX had given Magri the title “count," making him more or less, actual royalty and making her, technically, a real countess.

]]> 52. She Was The “Cream” Of The Crop Warren continued performing with Count Primo Magri into the early 1900s. She even starred in a silent film alongside him, The Lilliputians’ Courtship. Eventually, however, as the public learned more about the science of dwarfism, they lost interest in Warren and performers like her. 

Eventually, she retired to her hometown of Middleboro, Massachusetts and opened up an ice cream shop.

]]> 53. She Was Just “His Wife” Warren passed away in November 25, 1919, at the age of 78. As she requested, she was buried next to Thumb, her first husband and true love. However, Thumb’s tombstone was a massive obelisk, topped with a lifesize (albeit still small) statue of him. Despite her massive stardom (and miniature stature), Warren only has a simple gravestone that reads “His Wife”.

]]> 54. She Belonged To The Public Lavinia Warren’s dwarfism made her rich and famous, but it also caused everyone to regard her as either a child or an attraction. But she never regretted her decision to join Barnum and cash in on her small stature. “When asked if I don't get tired of this public life, I am wont to answer that in a sense I belong to the public".

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61912 <![CDATA[Alexander III didn’t want to rule Russia—but it was exactly that reluctance which ultimately doomed his entire family.]]> 2026-07-28T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-27T15:40:31+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/alexander-iii David O'Shea People A Reactionary Ruler Alexander III was never supposed to be Emperor. But after the untimely passing of his older brother, he became the reluctant Tsesarevich of Russia and dutifully turned his attention to matters of politics. A difficult relationship with his father and the seismic societal shifts occurring on his doorstep in revolutionary Europe were enough to make Alexander dig in on his autocratic tendencies, and the people of Russia paid the price.

]]> 1. He Was Born Comfortable Alexander III was born Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov on March 10, 1845, in Saint Petersburg’s lavish Winter Palace. The second son and third child of the future Tsar Alexander II, the younger Alexander never knew a time where his family was not the most powerful in the land—his birth took place during the reign of Nicholas I, his grandfather. He had no reason to suspect that he would one day occupy the same throne.

]]> 2. His Brother Was Strong Alexander was the second son of his father, meaning that his older brother Nicholas was in line for the throne. The younger Duke never expected he would be a prospect for succession, and not just because of his place in line: Nicholas was a strong young man of robust constitution, and everyone expected he would make a great tsar. Alex was happy to fade into the background while they groomed his brother for rule, even when the foundations of that potential rule began to shake.

]]> 3. His Brother Grew Weak When Alexander and his brother were teenagers, Nicholas began to show symptoms of delicate health. None in the Imperial family, however, questioned the likelihood of his ascension, least of all his unassuming brother. The Imperial family arranged a political marriage for the expected-future-tsar, and Nicholas got betrothed to Princess Dagmar of Denmark. Meanwhile, Alexander dutifully met the expectations of a Grand Duke.

]]> 4. He Committed To His Role While the Romanovs devoted great concern and resources to Nicholas’ education as Tsesarevich, Alexander’s schooling received far less attention. He got the same training that any Grand Duke of the period would get, and he went along with this happily. It wasn’t a bad education, by any stretch.

]]> 5. He Learned A Lot The education of a Grand Duke was nothing to sniff at, and Alexander became proficient in many subjects, languages, and skills. His lessons included at least a passing acquaintance with English, French, and German. He also received tutoring in military drill, perhaps with the expectation that he would assume command of Russia’s armed forces. Alexander also had time to be a teenager, of course.

]]> 6. He Fell In Love When he was a teenager in the early 1860s, Alexander fell deeply in love with Princess Maria Elimovna Meshcherskaya, his mother’s lady-in-waiting whom he referred to affectionately as “Dusenka”. Devastatingly for Alex, however, Dusenka had gotten engaged to a German Prince. Alexander confronted his parents and insisted he was ready to give up his rights of succession to marry his beloved Dusenka. But fate had other plans for the young Duke.

]]> 7. He Became Heir In 1865, after a brief and intense bout of illness, Alexander’s brother, the tsar-to-be Nicholas, perished unexpectedly. By now, the boys’ father, Alexander II, was reigning tsar, and the loss of Nicholas threw the Imperial family into a succession crisis. With Alexander being the next-eldest son, he went from Grand Duke to Tsesarevich overnight. But the young man's devastation prevented any excitement.

]]> 8. He Loved His Brother Alexander and Nicholas were incredibly close, and Alex had the utmost respect for his older brother, whom he affectionately called Nixa. He would later reflect, after his ascension, that “no one had such an impact on my life as my dear brother and friend Nixa”. His mourning was compounded by the fact that he never wanted the responsibility now thrusted upon him.

]]> 9. He Was Reluctant Having never expected to be tsar, Alexander was uncomfortable with the very prospect of his position as future ruler. Later reminiscing once again on the loss of his brother, he lamented that the untimely demise of Nicholas meant that “a terrible responsibility fell on my shoulders”. To his credit, however, Alexander took on that responsibility dutifully.

]]> 10. He Hit The Books Now that he was Tsesarevich, Alexander suddenly had to up his education game, and he set to work diligently studying the principles of law and administration required of a future ruler. To aide in this, the family appointed him a tutor in the form of Professor Konstantin Pobedonostsev, an expert in civil law and future chief procurator of the Most Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. This zealous presence would have a profound effect on Alexander’s worldview.

]]> 11. He Got Influenced Under the tutelage of Pobedonostsev and his fundamentalist outlook, Alexander had instilled in him the zealous belief that Russian Orthodox thought was a crucial aspect of Russian patriotism. The professor convinced the young Tsesarevich that any right-minded emperor would cultivate such a worldview in his subjects through his actions and policy. This had deeply consequential implications for Alexander’s political philosophy, which he kept to himself for now…mostly.

]]> 12. He Criticized From The Sidelines Alexander’s tenure as heir apparent lasted 16 long years, during which time his father, Tsar Alexander II, implemented many liberal reforms. And while the younger Alexander kept his head down, opting not to play a part in public affairs, he made it known that his political principles did not align with that of the ruling government. He had other Tsesarevich duties to attend as well, of course.

]]> 13. He Got Set Up As mentioned, Alexander’s late older brother, Nicholas, had been engaged to marry Princess Dagmar of Denmark. Upon accepting his grim fate, however, Nicholas, from his sickbed, encouraged his younger brother to marry his fiancée instead, a match that the boys’ parents also encouraged. Unwaveringly loyal to his brother, Alexander paid Nicky’s would-be widow a visit.

]]> 14. He Made A House Call Alexander set off for Copenhagen on June 2, 1866, to visit his late brother’s fiancée, Princess Dagmar. The Princess, like the Tsesarevich, had been greatly fond of Nicholas, and she and Alexander quickly bonded over their reminiscences of the tsar that never was. The comfort the two grieving young royals found in each other proved enough.

]]> 15. He Popped The Question In a touching moment, Alexander and Dagmar shared photographs of the deceased Nicholas together, and in that shared expression of grief, the Tsesarevich knew she would make a worthy bride. He proposed to the Princess of Denmark right there on the spot, to which she warmly agreed. It wasn’t long before wedding bells rang out in Saint Petersburg.

]]> 16. He Tied The Knot On November 9, 1866, Alexander and Dagmar got married in the Grand Church of the Winter Palace in a lavish ceremony. As was custom for women marrying into the Romanov Imperial family, Dagmar converted to Orthodox Christianity and changed her name to Maria Feodorovna. And though the two newlyweds hardly knew one another, it turned out to be the perfect match.

]]> 17. He Was Happy Alexander and Maria’s union proved to be a touchingly happy one to the very end, and unlike most of his predecessors, the Tsesarevich never engaged in adultery, remaining entirely faithful to his bride. Alexander was a wife guy through and through; mere weeks after his wedding, he gushed in his diary: “God grant that... I may love my darling wife more and more... I often feel that I am not worthy of her, but even if this was true, I will do my best to be”.

Whenever Maria left his side, he would bitterly complain about how much he missed her. With such an adorably loving marriage, children were inevitable.

]]> 18. He Had Some Kids Together, Alexander and Maria had six children, though only five survived until adulthood. Those five were Nicholas, George, Xenia, Michael, and Olga. And in contrast to his hard political policy, Alex was a softie with his kids, telling his wife “Only with [our children] can I relax mentally, enjoy them and rejoice, looking at them”. He would express this love in touching ways.

]]> 19. He Loved His Children Alexander, unlike most European monarchs, was incredibly lenient with his kids, and was never shy about expressing his love. He assured their tutors that “I do not need porcelain, I want normal healthy Russian children”; he wrote that he “was crying like a baby” when his first child was born; he doted on his youngest daughter, Olga, and enjoyed a playful relationship with his son Michael. His relationship with the previous generation of Romanovs was not nearly as idyllic, however.

]]> 20. He Had A Falling Out As previously mentioned, Alexander’s father presided over a period of significant liberal reform in Russia, and the Tsesarevich was none too happy with these developments. Their political views diverged so much, in fact, that Alexander and his father became estranged as the latter’s reign continued. A few policy decisions, in particular, really irked the heir apparent.

]]> 21. He Disagreed With Dad 1870 saw Europe marred in the Franco-Prussian conflict, and both sides had their share of foreign support. Russia was in a relatively unique position to pick a side, and Tsar Alexander II chose to support Prussia, a move which greatly angered his son and heir. The younger Alexander had strong opinions on the conflict.

]]> 22. He Had An Opinion Tsesarevich Alexander favored the French side in the conflict with Prussia, and he took his influence from various sources—none more so than his wife. Maria’s Danish roots meant her loyalties lay with her French allies, and her husband agreed: he called the Russian government’s support for the “Prussian pigs” (a turn of phrase which was revealing of a certain bias) a “shortsighted” move. But Alexander’s clash with his father stretched well beyond the political.

]]> 23. He Felt Betrayed A major source of resentment for Alexander was his father’s long-standing affair with Princess Catherine Dolgorukova, a Russian aristocrat. The Tsesarevich’s traditional values made him balk at his father’s infidelity. His sense of betrayal was only exacerbated by the fact that the tsar had several illegitimate children with his mistress while the Empress, Alexander’s mother, was bedbound with chronic illness.

When tragedy struck, the tsar struck the final nail in the coffin of his son’s respect.

]]> 24. He Lost His Mother In 1880, Alexander’s mother tragically lost her battle with illness. The loss devastated her son, but his grief was only just beginning: a mere two days after his mother’s passing, Alexander’s father declared he would marry his mistress, Princess Dolgorukova. His son was, understandably, furious, and he believed his father’s decision “forever ruined all the dear good memories of family life”.

He didn’t hesitate to give the tsar a piece of his mind.

]]> 25. He Got Threatened Alexander made his objection to his father’s marriage well known. He denounced his new stepmother as an “outsider”, who he condemned as “designing and immature”. In fact, the aggrieved Tsesarevich threatened to leave court over the union; his father countered by threatening to disinherit him.

But in the end, the tsar, in Alexander’s view, got what was coming to him.

]]> 26. His Father Was Gone In An Instant On March 1, 1881, Tsar Alexander II was assassinated by a socialist political organization called Narodnaya Volya. At the time of his passing, he and his son had never reconciled, and the younger Alexander was quick to blame his father’s moral failings—particularly his marriage to Catherine—for his old man’s misfortune. He dramatically summed up the events as he saw them: “All the scum burst out and swallowed all that was holy. The guardian angel flew away, and everything turned to ashes, finally culminating in the dreadful incomprehensible 1 March”.

And now that his weak father was out of the way, it was Alexander’s time to shine.

]]> 27. He Ascended Following his father’s untimely ending, the Tsesarevich officially became Tsar Alexander III, Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland. He and his wife got officially crowned and anointed on May 27, 1883, at the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. The new tsar immediately began implementing sweeping political changes.

]]> 28. He Tightened The Purse Strings Alexander III’s first act as tsar was to turn his political sights on his own family: he disliked the Romanovs’ characteristic extravagance, and the wide web of grand dukes and duchesses with their annual salaries of 250,000 rubles. The new tsar implemented a fiscally conservative policy to limit the appointments of the titles of grand duke and duchess only to children and male-line grandchildren of emperors, stripping many dukes duchesses of their salaried titles and decreasing the crown’s costs overnight.

He also took measures to “purify” the bloodline.

]]> 29. He Kept The Family Closed Perhaps inspired by his father’s late marriage, Alexander III opted to outlaw morganatic marriages in Russia, that is, marriages between couples of unequal social ranks. He also began to implement his theocratic policies by forbidding marriages outside the Orthodox Church for members of the Imperial family. It was a sign of things to come for his subjects, too.

]]> 30. He Was A Tyrant In domestic policy, the new tsar proved highly reactionary. His father, on the day of his passing, had set up consultative commissions to advise the ruling tsar. Alexander III immediately canceled this policy, however, before it even got published; it was clear that he was determined not to limit his autocracy. Indeed, he would undo much of his father’s work.

]]> 31. He Took It Back As mentioned, Alexander’s father had presided over sweeping liberal reforms in Russian domestic affairs. The new tsar’s politics were grossly reactionary, however, and he set about dismantling any reform of his father’s that he could get his hands on, a policy known as “counter-reforms”. The moves reflected Alexander’s broader philosophy on the nature of tsarist rule.

]]> 32. He Imposed His Beliefs Alexander’s grandfather, Tsar Nicholas I, had also been a reactionary ruler, who introduced the ruling principles that his grandson now abided by: Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality. Nicholas and Alexander both believed that adherence to these principles in all levels of government would quell revolutionary agitation and save Russia. The implications of this, of course, meant less power for the people.

]]> 33. He Disenfranchised Them The new tsar’s reactionary reforms were devastating for the Russian masses as Alexander III systematically dismantled the power of the elective local administrative bodies (known as the zemstvo). He further disempowered peasant communities by placing their administration under the supervision of “land captains”, land-owning proprietors appointed by his government. These policies, which consolidated the emperor’s personal control over the country, weakened even the nobility.

The tsar was not acting alone, however.

]]> 34. He Had Advisors Such backwards policies did not fall out of thin air; Alexander III largely operated under the advice of his former tutor, the Procurator of the Holy Synod, Konstantin Pobedonostsev, a highly reactionary theocrat. The tsar also relied on other conservative advisors like minister of education (and later internal affairs) Count Dmitry Tolstoy and Ivan Durnovo, another internal minister.

Inevitably, of course, the limits of Alexander’s conservative policies got grimly showcased when disaster struck.

]]> 35. He Oversaw Disaster The years 1891 and 1892 saw Russia rocked by a massive famine, followed by an ensuing cholera epidemic. The government found themselves completely overwhelmed by these disasters, which forced them to tolerate some liberal activity to deal with the fallout. They recruited the help of the zemstvos to assist with relief. In all, between 375,000 and 500,000 Russians lost their lives on Tsar Alexander’s watch. That did not prevent him from staying the course, however.

]]> 36. He Homogenized Alexander’s overarching political and cultural goal was the complete Russification of his people, meaning that he wanted all his subjects to speak one language and adhere to one religion. To this end, he implemented domestic policies like only teaching Russian in schools, even those in Germany, Poland, and Finland.

He also patronized Eastern Orthodoxy and dissolved non-Russian cultural and religious institutions. Despite his opposition to people’s power, however, Alexander III resembled his subjects in some interesting ways.

]]> 37. He Was Gruff Alexander’s disposition was far from that of his soft-hearted, liberal father. But despite his political similarities to his namesake and great-uncle, Alexander I, the two men were little alike as well. Alexander I had been chivalrous yet cunning, philosophic, refined, and sentimental; Alexander III, on the other hand, was sorely lacking in elegance and refinement, and was much more abrupt and gruff.

Indeed, the reactionary tsar quite relished the idea of being rough-hewn like his subjects. He clearly favored brawn over brains.

]]> 38. He Was A Tank Alexander III was a large and imposing figure with great physical strength, and he wasn’t afraid to use it for entertainment and intimidation. He would tear decks of cards in half with his bare hands for his children’s amusement. But he also used this strength to threaten enemies. On one occasion, he twisted a silver fork into a knot to intimidate a would-be Austrian aggressor, remaking “That is what I am going to do to your two or three army corps” that the ambassador had suggested he would mobilize against Russia.

And Alexander would often deploy this intimidation against Russian society’s most vulnerable.

]]> 39. He Was Oppressive Alexander III showed grave hostility to Russian Jews, and his tenure as tsar oversaw a sharp decline in the economic, political, and social position of Jews in the country. His detestable policies encouraged open anti-Jewish sentiment and even pogroms, causing many Jewish folks to emigrate to Western Europe and the United States. Naturally, his autocratic conservatism inspired pushback and unrest.

]]> 40. He Was Almost A Victim Encouraged by their success in taking out his father, the Narodnaya Volya began planning the assassination of the new Tsar Alexander III. Devastatingly, however, the tsarist secret police uncovered the plot, arresting five of the conspirators and executing them by hanging in May 1887. One of these plotters was Aleksandr Ulyanov, the older brother of Vladimir Lenin, planting the seeds for the Romanov family’s overthrowing in 1917.

Despite all the horror imposed on his people, however, Alexander did not pursue any foreign misadventures.

]]> 41. He Kept It Local Despite his autocratic domestic policies and tyrannical rule at home, Alexander III came to be known as The Peacemaker among Russian historians. This is because, unlike any of his predecessors or successor (for there was only one more tsar after him), Russia fought in no major conflicts during Alexander’s reign. In fact, in a way, he made Russia more friends.

]]> 42. He Formed Alliances Alexander’s major foreign policy achievement was the establishment of the Franco-Russian Alliance. Reflecting his previous support for the French during the Franco-Prussian conflict, this new alliance brought France out of diplomatic isolation and moved Russia away from German influence. This would have rippling long-term consequences.

]]> 43. He Sewed Seeds Alexander III may have kept Russia out of major conflict during his reign, but his foreign policy would have major ramifications for the world and, indeed, for the Romanov family and their rule. The Franco-Russian Alliance ushered in a major shift in international relations that would eventually lead to Russia’s embroilment in WWI, a conflict that marked the beginning of the end for tsarist rule in Russia. Alexander was none the wiser, however, instead focusing on his own country’s development.

]]> 44. He Built Railroads Alexander III was enthusiastic about developing Russian industry and trade and took measures to stimulate economic growth for the still largely feudal nation. To that end, he approved the commencement of the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. He started Russia’s railroad, and ironically, the railroad would almost take him out.

]]> 45. He Survived A Wreck On October 29, 1888, Alexander III and his entire family were enjoying a meal in the dining car of the Imperial train when it suddenly derailed at Borki. The accident resulted in 21 casualties but, amazingly, none of the Imperial family perished: as the roof of the dining car began to collapse, the burly Alexander held its remains on his shoulders while his children escaped the train. It was a heroic rescue, a close call that the tsar perhaps thought might toughen up his son.

]]> 46. He Doubted His Son Alexander’s heir apparent was his son Nicholas, and he was worried that Nicky did not have the makings of an effective Emperor. The tsar was of the opinion that the young Nicholas was too gentle and naïve, and that his opinions were “utterly childish”. He even tried to get him to “man up” on a few occasions.

]]> 47. He Pimped His Kid Alexander was also worried about his heir’s lack of experience with women and took extreme measures to “correct” this. At one point, he arranged for Mathilde Kschessinska, a Polish ballerina, to become Nicky’s mistress. Unfortunately, Nicholas’s father considered his heir to be a child right up until the end of Alexander’s life and reign—which, as it turns out, came somewhat prematurely.

]]> 48. He Got Sick Alexander III had not escaped from the Borki train derailment completely unscathed, and the blunt trauma he suffered in the incident led to the development of a kidney disease in 1894. The illness only got worse, and it was not looking good for the tsar. He decided to travel to visit his cousin on the Greek island of Corfu to recover. But by the time he and his wife reached Crimea, the once-unstoppable Alexander was too weak to continue. He would draw his final breath there.

]]> 49. He Had His Wife On the afternoon of November 1, 1884, Tsar Alexander III succumbed to his illness. He was only 49 years old. Touchingly, however, he was not alone at the end: he perished in the arms of his beloved wife, and despite his intimidating presence and iron-fist rule, the wife guy tsar probably would not have wanted it any other way. Despite Alexander’s short life, however, he made a big impact.

]]> 50. He Changed The World The political legacy left behind by Tsar Alexander III represented a direct challenge to the European cultural order. Russia’s pivot away from the German orbit and the intermingling of Russian influences with the shifting balance of power led indirectly to WWI, and Alexander’s successor, Tsar Nicholas II, would be Russia’s last Emperor: he was overthrown by political enemies in the Revolution of 1917, ending the Romanov’s reign forever.

You May Also Like:

Ruthless Facts About The Terrible, Great, And Mad Tsars Of Russia

Tragic Facts About Alexei Romanov, The Last Heir Of The Russian Empire

Decadent Facts About The Romanovs, The Doomed Dynasty

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61780 <![CDATA[The Battle Of The Bulge Was WWII’s Most Brutal Campaign]]> 2026-07-24T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-22T21:40:19+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/things/facts-battle-of-the-bulge Jillian Kent Things The Battle That Made All The Difference In the six years that WWII raged on, there were hundreds of moments that made history. Many of them, such as D-Day or the heroic rescue at Dunkirk, are still spoken about today. However, others deserve more attention. The Battle of the Bulge—or the Ardennes Offensive as it’s more officially known—is one battle that truly highlighted how far the Germans had fallen…and it also made clear the dark and horrifying lengths they’d go to keep hold of their power.

]]> 1. They Were In Retreat In the winter of 1944, the tides had drastically turned for the German forces. The success of D-Day and the subsequent offensives that followed had pushed the Germans onto their heels, forcing them into retreat, shoving their lines further and further back to where they started. Compounding the issue, the Germans had divided their forces, fighting both the Allies in the west and the Russians in the east. They became desperate for something to go in their favor.

]]> 2. They’d Divided Their Forces Fighting on two fronts divided the German forces, weakening them in the process. Instead of pushing against one enemy at full strength, they were struggling to hold off two problems, each pushing at them from either side. It became clear that they needed to force one of their foes into submission to give them time to deal with the other one—which one could they more easily handle?

]]> 3. They Thought They Could Handle The Allies Looking at the wreckage that both the Allies and the Soviet Red Army were making on his men forced Hitler to make a decision. Out of the two of them, he viewed the Allies' mish-mash of groups as the weaker of the two, therefore making them the more manageable. He began plotting an offensive attack designed to force the Allies into submission. If he could broker “peace” with the Allies, then he’d be free to turn his full attention to the Soviets. It was a way out—but would it work?

]]> 4. They’d Gotten Ahead Of Themselves Following D-Day and the subsequent offensives along the French coast, the Allied forces experienced greater success than they had anticipated. Once they got a stronghold in Europe, they began pushing forward through German-occupied territory with a speed that surprised even them. This became a double-edged sword. On one hand, it succeeded in pushing the Germans back, taking enough power to make them nervous, but it also put them in a weakened position.

]]> 5. Their Supply Chains Were Thin Moving through Europe at a rate faster than anticipated came with its own issues, the biggest being their supply chain. Initially, the Allies anticipated transporting supplies via ships landing at the recently attained beaches of Normandy. However, that failed to meet the demands of their rapidly advancing men. The Germans had destroyed the majority of deep-water ports while they retreated or they remained in German control, making it difficult to deliver the large volumes of supplies needed.

Dissent and animosity began to spread within the Allies' fractured divisions.

]]> 6. Their Divisions Were Fighting In the north, the Anglo-Canadian 21st Division, headed by British commander Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, held the ground closer to the much-needed port of Antwerp (Belgium), while Lieutenant General Omar Bradley marched his men of the US 12th Division from a more southern position. Both men desperately needed supplies that the allies didn’t have, which led to animosity between the two leaders, each demanding that they deserved priority over the other. This was only the first problem.

]]> 7. Their Men Were Tired The Allies also faced an issue with their manpower thanks to the unexpected speed of their success. Having not anticipated moving across Europe so quickly, the Allies suddenly found themselves spread thin. Their veteran forces were exhausted and battle-weary, having faced so much opposition already, and the replacements that were sent were fresh-faced and untested.

Newly arrived at the conflict, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. This is exactly what the Germans wanted.

]]> 8. They Needed A Place To Rest Thanks to these issues, it became clear that there needed to be a pause in their eastward movement. Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D Eisenhower made the executive decision to hold the forces in the Ardennes region of Eastern Belgium and Northern Luxembourg. An area covered in dense, thick forests and cut through with deep river valleys, Eisenhower and the Allies identified the Ardennes as favorable terrain for defensive strategy.

Their intelligence also suggested the Germans had their attentions elsewhere—their intelligence was wrong.

]]> 9. They Hadn’t Realized They’d Lost Something The Allies had one other weakness, thanks to their success that they’d yet to realize. Earlier in the conflict, gaining intelligence on Germany’s intentions came with some ease. France had a deep resistance unit that reliably relayed German movements as the Allies liberated them. However, as they left France and pushed further east, that intelligence dried up. The Allies, however, didn’t worry. They still had a secret weapon.

But they didn’t realize their secret weapon had stopped working too.

]]> 10. Their Greatest Weapon Was Weakened One of the most famous stories of WWII is the Bletchley Park code breakers. Kept secret for decades after the end of the conflict, when the truth finally came to light, the depth of what they were able to do at Bletchley Park caught the pride and imaginations of people across the globe. Bletchley and its code breakers truly made a difference during the conflict; however, as the Allies pushed closer to Germany, they unwittingly diminished Bletchley’s effectiveness.

]]> 11. They Didn’t Need Their Radios You see, Bletchley and their powerful machines depended upon coded messages sent through radio communication that the Allies could intercept and decode. For the Germans, the radio communications were a necessary evil when they were stretched so far from home. However, as the Allies pushed them closer to Germany, they no longer needed them. They could rely on more secure telecommunications and messaging, making it easier for them to tell the Allies exactly what they wanted them to hear.

]]> 12. They Picked Their Target Given all of these factors, the Germans (and particularly their leader) viewed the Allies as the more manageable foe. They were weaker, and the Germans believed they were in a region that they’d already conquered once. In 1940, the Germans had cleared through the Ardennes in a matter of days before successfully capturing the land that existed on the other side of it.

They believed they had the advantage. However, they’d forgotten one key thing.

]]> 13. They’d Already Gone Through There Undefeated In 1940, no one had been in the Ardennes. They hadn’t fought in the Ardennes against an equally supplied opposition. They had simply marched right through. This would prove to be a costly mistake, one that certain members of high command could see coming. Some among the German leadership doubted the success of the mission, fearing that the goal of leveling the Allies and recapturing Antwerp was too grand, but their leader wouldn’t listen.

]]> 14. They Had Their Concerns At least two experienced members of the German high command had their doubts about the offensive. They felt, given their current position, planning to march the whole way through the Ardennes (now littered with Allied forces) and capture a major port was too big of a goal. They even came up with two alternative plans with smaller objectives that they pitched to their great leader, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He wanted Antwerp and wouldn’t accept anything less.

]]> 15. Their Leader Wouldn’t Listen In theory, the plan was simple. The Germans would send three of their best armies, many of which had been hand-picked by their leader himself, into the thinly defended Ardennes region, taking advantage of the Allies' mistaken belief that this area was “quiet” and the well-known disagreements between Montgomery and Bradley. These divisions would march quickly through the Ardennes, taking back the region, particularly the port of Antwerp, and in doing so, effectively trap four major Allied divisions behind enemy lines.

However, in reality, their plan hinged on four very important things.

]]> 16. They Relied Upon Surprise The Germans needed the element of surprise in order to take back the region. If the Allies had even a hint that the Germans had a pointed attack heading for the Ardennes, they would have time to send reinforcements to the region. Another priority went hand-in-hand with this: speed. The Germans needed to make it through the Ardennes and reach the Meuse River by Day 4 just as they had in 1940.

Then, of course, there were the planes.

]]> 17. They Needed The Weather To Behave Weather played a huge role in the Germans’ plan. The Allies' greatest strength had always been their air force. The Germans needed the poor weather of late November and early December in order to ensure that low visibility on the ground would make the Allies' planes useless for supplies and air support.

As if all of this wasn’t enough pressure, depending on many factors they couldn’t control, the Germans had one more huge problem.

]]> 18. They Had A Fuel Problem The Allies had successfully limited the Germans’ access to oil and gasoline through various attacks on supplies, particularly the Romanian oil fields. The Germans did not have enough fuel to complete this offensive on their own. Their entire plan hinged on the ability to successfully capture Allied fuel supplies without damage as they took back territory. Any one of these conditions would be enough to cause doubt in a plan, but all four together? Insanity.

However, the Germans were desperate.

]]> 19. They Started With A Bang On December 16th, 1944, at 5:30 AM, a massive barrage of artillery fire spread through the Ardennes region, covering a 120KM or 80-mile length of the front line. This offensive lasted for 90 minutes, leveling areas where their rockets landed. In Antwerp, a rocket destroyed a cinema, ending the lives of 567 people, the most affected by a single rocket during the entire course of the conflict. They completed step one: surprise. But what about the rest?

]]> 20. They Didn’t Know What Hit Them Initially, the Americans did not realize the barrage for what it was: a pointed offensive attack, designed to cover the Germans’ steady movement through the Ardennes. Instead, they mistook it for an expected counterattack in response to one of their offensives attempting to push the Germans back even further. Unfortunately, this would be one of the last things to go right for the Germans.

]]> 21. The Weather Didn’t Help They got the surprise that they needed, and, initially, they got the weather as well. Heavy snowstorms spread through the region. This kept the Allies’ planes grounded, removing air support from the equation, but it also slowed the Germans. As any winter driver can tell you, you can’t drive fast in snow. The low visibility and rapidly accumulating snow slowed the Germans’ advance as well, leading to major traffic jams which cost the Germans precious time and even more precious fuel.

]]> 22. They Split Up The common name for the conflict, the Battle of the Bulge, comes from the shape the offensive took. By the end of the operation, the front line had developed a sizable western bulge in the middle where the Germans had pushed forward. This came, in part, due to the style that the Germans approached with. They split into three groups, one approaching from the south, one from the middle, and finally one from the north—all groups achieving various successes.

]]> 23. They Put Up Unexpected Opposition In the south, the Seventh Army crossed the River Our and moved towards the cities of St Vith and Bastogne. While the surprise initially worked in the Germans’ favor, they quickly realized that they’d miscalculated how quickly they’d push forward. Instead of moving quickly through the region, the American men held their ground, forcing the Germans to fight for every inch of land, taking days instead of hours to clear the road to Bastogne, giving the Allies time to make plans for their part in the Battle of the Bulge.

]]> 24. Their Commanders Pieced It Together The element of surprise only lasted for so long. Within a day, the Allied and American forces realized that they were not facing a single counterattack but rather a pointed offensive designed to take back the entire front. This allowed them to quickly send reinforcements, with the 101st Airborne Division reaching Bastogne by December 19, while at the same time, Allied command pulled together to start planning for what they’d do in the Battle of the Bulge.

]]> 25. They Planned Their Strategy On the same day as the 101st arrived in Bastogne, the Senior Allied commanders gathered in Verdun, France, to strategize their defense. At this point, they could clearly see that the Germans had Bastogne under real danger of being cut off from resources if not taken. The men, however, refused to admit defeat, with Eisenhower regarding the situation as “one of opportunity for us and not disaster”.

The truth was, that was more true than even Eisenhower himself realized—as General Patton had something already up his sleeve.

]]> 26. They Had A Surprise In Store After, supposedly, trading some impassioned speeches about how they would not allow the Germans to push them onto the defensive, Eisenhower turned to Patton to ask how long it’d take Patton to redirect his Third Army from northeastern France to the north for a counterattack. Eisenhower, along with everyone else, couldn’t believe his ears when Patton gave his answer.

]]> 27. They Planned For Every Possibility The Germans hadn’t surprised the Americans as thoroughly as they had thought in this part of the Battle of the Bulge. Thinking ahead, Patton had already anticipated a need for his men to turn northward to protect the line from that direction. Therefore, when Eisenhower asked how long it’d take for them to arrive, he could answer confidently: only 48 hours. His men were already on the move, and the Germans were losing more ground even as they spoke.

]]> 28. They Cut The City Off By December 21st, the Germans had the city of Bastogne surrounded, officially beginning the “siege of Bastogne”. However, the city still had defense. The 101st Airborne Division, as well as the 969th Artillery Battalion (an All-African American group), and Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division, all held the city. Supplies were low, putting the group in a dire position.

However, when German commander Luttwitz demanded surrender, he got an unexpected reaction.

]]> 29. They Gave An Unusual Response Brig Gen Anthony McAuliffe was acting commander of the 101st when the surrender demand arrived, to which he responded with one word: “Nuts!”. The demand of surrender ranked so low on his priority list that McAuliffe forgot to reply until a member of his unit reminded him they likely should. When a member of staff noted “Nuts!” was pretty hard to beat, that’s what McAuliffe had typed out and sent back to a confused German command.

]]> 30. They Needed Time To Be On Their Side Again, history proved that the Germans were right in one thing—speed was essential to their plan, and the Americans put up enough of a fight that they didn’t have it. They held Bastogne long enough for the weather to clear and air supplies to be delivered to them. By December 26th, General Patton’s 4th Armored Division broke through, opening the road to Bastogne and ending the siege barely a week after it had started. That was just in the south.

]]> 31. They Had The Stronger Army History often cites the Siege of Bastogne as the key point at which the Allies stopped the German forces during the Battle of the Bulge. However, without the unexpected victory of the untested Allied 99th Infantry Division in the north against the Germans’ handpicked powerhouse army, this particular offensive could’ve looked very different.

]]> 32. They Were Hand Picked For Power The 6th Panzer Army, led in part by Joachim Peiper head of Kampfgruppe Peiper, was the Germans’ ace in the hole. The leader himself had handpicked this division, giving them priority on all supplies and ensuring that they marched forward with the latest technology. In contrast, the northern region was held by the US 2nd and 99th Infantry, primarily made up of recruits who’d not yet truly faced battle.

This part of the Battle of the Bulge should have been the site of the Germans’ greatest victory, yet in some ways, it became the Germans’ greatest defeat.

]]> 33. They Were Vastly Outnumbered Peiper and his Panzers met opposition almost immediately when they encountered two overpasses that the Allies had destroyed during their retreat, forcing them to redirect and pass through the city of Lanzerath instead. Aware that their supplies were precious, they opted to send a smaller battalion forward to clear the city, where they found more trouble than expected.

]]> 34. They Held Their Ground The German battalion sent to clear Lanzerath consisted of around 500 German paratroopers. In contrast, the allies had exactly 22 men in Lanzerath. They were an Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon supported by four Forward Air Controllers, never intended to hold off a horde of Germans. The Germans should’ve squashed them in a matter of moments, changing the course of the Battle of the Bulge. Yet, something astounding happened instead.

]]> 35. They Were Off Schedule That group of 22 men managed to hold off the German platoon until sunset, taking out 92 Germans in the process. This set Peiper behind by nearly 16 hours, desperately disrupting schedule when time was of the essence, and surely costing them more precious fuel. This small victory during the Battle of the Bulge was just the start of problems for the Germans.

However, in the process, it made them increasingly more desperate.

]]> 36. They Couldn’t Keep Up The Pace The American forces continued to cause Peiper and his men more and more delays. However, their increasing desperation turned them more and more violent. Numerous times on their journey, they reportedly ended the lives of dozens of POW rather than waste manpower on containing them. However, few of these acts during the Battle of the Bulge left such an impact on the memory of Allied forces as the Malmedy massacres.

]]> 37. They Found A New Path Rough terrain and steady American opposition forced Peiper to redirect to the hamlet of Baugnez, near the larger city of Malmedy. There, they encountered a battalion of Americans, who quickly realized the Germans outpowered them. After a short skirmish, they surrendered. However, if they expected the Germans to show them mercy because of this, they’d greatly miscalculated.

]]> 38. They Committed An Atrocity Once the Germans disarmed them, they sent these men, along with some other Americans they had captured, into a nearby field. There they stood waiting roughly 15 minutes until another commander arrived. As soon as he did, the Germans opened fire on the POWs. In a panic, the men began to flee; many fell where they stood, though some escaped to tell the tale. In the end, at least 84 men lost their lives in that field. Several officers were later tried for the incident.

However, this wasn’t even the most gruesome event of this offensive.

]]> 39. They Doubled Down On Their Suffering Another smaller incident happened on December 17, committed by men belonging to Schnellgruppe Knittel. These men came across a group of 11 African American troops in Wereth, Belgium. Two weeks later, Allied forces came across the aftermath. Not only had Knittel’s group ended the lives of these men, but they had persecuted them before doing so, leaving horrifying wounds.

Unlike the event in Malmedy, no one faced the consequences for these actions, though a group began working on a tribute to these men in 2001, so no one would forget them.

]]> 40. They Arrived Hours Behind Schedule Kampfgruppe Peiper arrived in Stavelot on December 18, drastically behind schedule. It took Peiper 36 hours to reach the city. In 1940, the Germans had covered the same distance in only nine hours. Although he eventually took the city, it cost him dearly to do so. The Americans took out at least one vehicle on their fight, and ensured to empty Stavelot’s fuel depot before retreating.

However, Peiper still decided to try to capitalize on this success.

]]> 41. They Rushed To Beat The Allies Aware of how much time they’d already lost, Peiper rushed ahead, wishing to take the bridge at Trois-Ponts before the Americans could get to it, leaving significant manpower behind in his haste to keep moving. He arrived at 11:30 on December 18 only to watch retreating Americans destroy the bridge on their way across; they proceeded to take out significant machinery as well. Peiper now only had one choice left.

]]> 42. They Were Out Of Options After Trois-Ponts, the Americans also destroyed another bridge, leaving Peiper with only one option left to get to his destination. He had to head north to Le Gleize and Stoumont, where the Americans had shored up their stronghold with reinforcements from nearby Spa. In the south, Kampfrupppe Hansen also faced difficulties, sending Schnellegruppe Knittel to aid Peiper again, but they came with grim news.

]]> 43. Their Enemies Were Closing In Knittel passed over Stavelot, but just barely. The Americans were fighting bitterly to take the city back, and by the time Knittel arrived at Peiper, they’d taken the city. Peiper, who sat outside of Stoumont, deciding on the best course of action, now stood at risk of being cut off, and Knittel, along with them. In order to win the Battle of the Bulge, he needed to take the city.

]]> 44. They Couldn’t Hold On Peiper made their move at dawn on December 19, surprising the Americans and eventually taking the city of Stoumont by 10:30. However, the battle had cost them dearly. Now in the city, he realized that they did not have enough fuel to carry on across the bridge to their true destination. By the evening of the same day, his division had been pushed to the edge of the city with no clear pathway to advance, and no hint of support coming to help.

]]> 45. They Fought Until It Was Futile Despite rapidly running out of fuel and food, with no signs of support coming their way, Peiper and his men continued to fight until it became obvious that it was futile. By December 23, they had made the decision to retreat from the Battle of the Bulge through Allied lines to return to German lines, leaving behind their vehicles and heavy equipment to do so. In the end, this proved to be the biggest failure of the Germans’ advances.

]]> 46. They Were Vastly Outnumbered Yet Won Despite being outnumbered five to one, the 99th Infantry Division didn’t just meet the powerhouse German division blow for blow, but they outnumbered them, handing out a casualty ratio of 18 to one—one of the most impressive feats of the Battle of the Bulge. They held off the Germans from reaching the much-needed supplies in Liege and Spa. One historian wrote, “the action of the 2nd and 99th Divisions on the northern shoulder could be considered the most decisive of the Ardennes campaign”.

The success in the north and south helped control the failures of the center.

]]> 47. They Pushed Forward In One Spot As noted already, the Battle of the Bulge gets its name from the way the front line “bulged” forward in the center by the end of the campaign. While the north and south managed to stall the movements of the German armies, the center saw more success for Germany, pushing the lines the furthest west. This created the memorable “bulge”, though even that didn’t help the Germans.

]]> 48. They Couldn’t Hold On To Even That In the end, the forces in the “center” of the Battle of the Bulge managed to stop the Germans’ forward movements by December 24. Shortly after this time, the weather cleared, and the Allied forces were able to send their powerful air force over the area to deliver supplies and provide support, which helped control the German advance. With the Germans now under control, the Allies could plan to push them back to where they came from.

]]> 49. Their Enemies Pushed Them Back Starting in January, the Allied forces began their own offensive campaign, pushing the Germans back and slowly removing the bulge that they’d created in the lines. It took over a month, but by February, the Germans had returned to where they started, and they never advanced again. From this point on in the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans could do nothing but retreat.

]]> 50. They Made History At one point during the planning for the offensive, a German commander remarked that the plan needed to work, for it was their last chance to “end the [conflict] favorably”. This proved to be true. Following the failure of this movement, the Germans never held control in the Battle of the Bulge again. However, the Americans who participated in the Allied cause didn’t walk away unscathed.

]]> 51. It Was A Hard Won Victory The Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive campaign of WWII, was one of the deadliest conflicts for American soldiers during the war. An estimated 19,000 American soldiers lost their lives. However, their sacrifices weren’t for nothing—and both those who survived and those who didn’t were lauded for their efforts.

The success of the Americans during the Battle of the Bulge prompted Winston Churchill to say, “This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory”.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=28934 <![CDATA[Tragedy followed Mary Todd Lincoln like a storm cloud—and after losing her husband and three of her children, she went down a dark path.]]> 2026-07-23T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-22T21:38:03+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/mary-todd-lincoln Byron Fast People She’s Considered One Of The Worst Many see Mary Todd Lincoln as one of the worst first ladies in American history. Sure, she may have spent like Imelda Marcos, and yes, she dabbled in seances and brought spiritualists to the White House. But could there be another reason why she gets such a horrible rating? 

Todd faced unimaginable loss before, during, and after her stay at the White House. She also may have suffered an undiagnosed and mood-altering illness for her entire life.

]]> 1. She Was Born Into Privilege Mary Todd was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on December 13, 1818. She entered the family as the fourth child, but her parents eventually had seven children in total. Her father, Robert Todd, was a wealthy banker who was also a slave-owner. It was a privileged life for Mary Todd, but there was also an early tragedy.

]]> 2. She Faced A Devastating Loss When Todd was just six years old, her mother went into childbirth. Sadly, Elizabeth Todd did not survive the ordeal, and Mary was left without a mother. Dad found a replacement the next year in another Elizabeth, who went by Betsy. These two would eventually have nine children together. Luckily, the mansion where she lived had 14 rooms.

Todd’s education was also just for the elite.

]]> 3. She Went To Finishing School Of course, Todd did not attend public school. Her education came from Madame Mentelle’s finishing school. Besides training in dance, drama, music, and manners, Todd also walked away with fluent French. Of those who knew her, most saw Todd as gregarious and witty.

When she turned 21, she made a big move.

]]> 4. She Was Popular With The Gentlemen In 1839, Todd made the trek to Springfield, Illinois. She moved in with her sister Elizabeth, who was the wife of a congressman. The husband, Ninian W Edwards, was officially her guardian. As it turned out, she really needed a guardian to watch her, as Todd became quite popular with the local young men.

Choosing just one was going to be difficult.

]]> 5. She Gave Up On For Another Of the men who were after Todd, there was a standout. The man in question, Stephen A. Douglas, worked as a lawyer and politician for the Democratic Party. It seemed like a good match, but then one day she met a man named Abraham Lincoln who had come for a visit to her house.

Todd soon forgot about Douglas and focused on Lincoln.

]]> 6. They Shared Politics One of the things that drew Mary Todd to Lincoln was politics. They were both Whigs, which would later morph into the Republican Party. The two began dating, and this led to an engagement. But there was one major marriage-destroying obstacle.

]]> 7. The Engagement Did Not Last The thing was, Lincoln wasn’t from an upper-class family like Todd was. He was definitely lower class and, at that time anyway, his future was still up in the air. Todd didn’t care about this, but her sister and Edwards, who was her guardian, did. They made them break off their engagement. It ended on January 1, 1841—a day that Lincoln would later call "that fatal first of January".

But this wasn’t over yet.

]]> 8. She Kept It A Secret Todd was apart from Lincoln for 18 months, but her heart had not changed. The two found each other again and continued their relationship. This time, she kept it a secret from her guardian. She and Lincoln also planned a secret wedding ceremony behind the backs of Todd’s sister and brother-in-law. The date was November 4, 1842.

But a chance meeting had the potential to derail their plans.

]]> 9. They Met On The Street On the day he planned to elope with Mary Todd in secret, Lincoln ran into Todd's guardian on the street. Lincoln was an honest man and could not lie to Edwards. He confessed that he and Todd planned to marry that very day. Edwards was not happy, but he had a surprising suggestion.

]]> 10. She Married Below Her Class Instead of making Todd and Lincoln cancel their secret wedding, Edwards offered his own home as a venue. This doesn't mean he supported it, but he just wanted them to have a nice place to tie the knot. Todd’s sister also had to eat her words and let the marriage happen.

All they could do was watch as Todd entered a marriage with a lower class man with slim future possibilities.

]]> 11. She Had To Settle Mary Todd, now Mary Todd Lincoln, had enjoyed a life of luxury in a 14-room mansion. After marrying in Abraham Lincoln, she settled into—and settled for—a one-room apartment that sat above a tavern. It must have been true love, because Todd stayed with Lincoln and together they had a son, Robert. A year after living with a baby in a tiny apartment, the three of them moved into a small cottage.

But this family was just going to get bigger.

]]> 12. She Supported Her Husband Lincoln was busy becoming a successful lawyer, and Todd was equally busy raising their ever-expanding collection of children. In 1948, another son, Edward Baker Lincoln, entered their lives. In 1850, baby William was born. Sadly, the same year, Edward passed due to tuberculosis. He was just four years old.

This loss devastated both Todd and Lincoln. But there would be more loss in their future.

]]> 13. She Was All Alone In 1853, Todd and Lincoln rounded out the family with yet another son: Thomas Lincoln, who went by Tad. The problem was that Lincoln's work often took him out of town, and this left Todd alone with her three boys. Sometimes this went on for months at a time.

And then her husband got much, much busier.

]]> 14. Her Husband Became President In 1860, Mary Todd Lincoln and her husband moved up in the world. He went from being an Illinois lawyer to the President of the United States. During his election, Lincoln received no votes from the Southern states at all. This was primarily because they knew that Lincoln was against slavery, and the Southern states were still in favor of it.

This would prove to be awkward for Todd.

]]> 15. She Went Against Her Family Remember, Todd came from a family that owned slaves. So her husband’s anti-slavery stance created an awkward situation. Todd decided she would stand by her husband, even though it meant perhaps making her own relatives cross.

But there were other issues at the White House that made Todd’s life difficult.

]]> 16. She Had Difficulties As the first lady, Mary Todd Lincoln was now the social coordinator of the White House and she was not so good at navigating her way through some of her responsibilities—likely, because she had to deal with journalists, solicitors, and political rivals. Tensions were running high with Lincoln in the White House, and Todd was struggling to do her job well.

Well, tensions at the White House soon rose even higher.

]]> 17. She Was Involved In Her Husband’s Work Just one month after becoming president, a battle that pitted the Southern states against the Northern ones began. This was again about slavery, and Todd had to remain standing beside her husband. Todd spent her time maintaining high morale during this time. She visited the hospital and gave fruit and flowers to the wounded.

After doing all this good, there were still some haters out there.

]]> 18. She Was Seen As Pretentious Mary Todd Lincoln was the first First Lady to be from the west and most of the people she encountered at the White House were easterners. Because of this, Todd got a reputation for having coarse manners. They also called her pretentious. Well, she sort of brought this on herself.

]]> 19. She Shopped Til She Dropped Todd was not one to be shy about spending. One of her indulgences was jewelry. She made shopping trips to the very exclusive Galt & Bros, where she shopped on credit. She also decided that the White House needed work. She redecorated all the private rooms and then did the same on the public ones. When it came to the dining room, she decided that a complete set of expensive new china was necessary.

Of course, she still had to explain her spending to her husband.

]]> 20. Her Husband Wasn’t Happy Remember, Mary Todd Lincoln was from an upper-class family, and Abraham Lincoln was certainly not. So, when he saw her lavish spending, he got quite angry. Worse still, he had to ask Congress to pass a pair of appropriations in order to pay for her over the top spending.

While spending money like this seems like a lot of fun, Todd was suffering as well.

]]> 21. She Lost Another Todd had terrible headaches for most of her adult life. But when she banged her head in a carriage accident, they got worse. She was also dealing with depression. In 1862, both Willie and Tad got typhoid fever from drinking the White House’s contaminated water. Now Todd certainly had a reason to be depressed.

When Willie passed on, Todd’s battles with mental illness increased to a frightening level.

]]> 22. She Locked Herself Away After losing her son Willie, Mary Todd Lincoln went into her bedroom and stayed there for three weeks. Her grief prevented her from even attending the funeral of her son. She did eventually leave her bedroom, but would never reenter the Green Room, where they had embalmed Willie, or the Prince of Wales room, where he had passed.

But Todd’s depression was only going to get worse.

]]> 23. She Needed Help Todd was too heartbroken to even look after the son who had survived. Lincoln himself cared for Tad. Todd went so far as to forbid Willie’s friends from ever coming to the White House again. So little Tad lost those friends as well. Todd’s grief was so serious that Lincoln had to hire a nurse just to take care of her.

But Todd thought she needed more than a nurse.

]]> 24. She Turned To The Spirit World It was around the time of Willie’s passing that Mary Todd Lincoln turned to spiritualists and mediums to help her with her grief. But it went further than just seances to communicate with lost loved ones. One spiritualist told her that the president’s entire cabinet was against him, and that Lincoln should fire them all.

In time, Todd would come around. But there was an even bigger heartache in her future.

]]> 25. Things Were Looking Up On April 14, 1865, it became clear that the North had won against the South in the Civil War in the United States. Also in the news that day was an announcement that Lincoln and the First Lady were going to attend a play at the Ford Theater. Todd had one of her headaches and said she wouldn’t attend. Lincoln insisted, and the two went to the theater.

These would be their last moments together.

]]> 26. She Held His Hand Todd and Lincoln sat together closely in their box at the theater, holding hands. During the play, Todd asked Lincoln if their hand holding would bother their guest. Lincoln thought it was fine. During the third act, there was a scene that always provoked loud laughter from the audience.

But that night, there was another very loud sound.

]]> 27. She Held Him Up As the audience laughed, John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential booth and opened fire. Lincoln was also laughing as the slug struck him in the head. Lincoln was unconscious, and Todd became frantic. She had to hold him up in his chair to stop him from crumbling to the ground.

Lincoln needed medical attention, and he needed it immediately.

]]> 28. She Was At His Side Lincoln was rushed to a house across the street so doctors could attend to him. He was in a coma. It wasn’t until the next morning that they allowed Todd to go to her husband’s side. Once there, she kissed him and called him “every endearing name". The coma lasted nine excruciating hours. Eventually, Lincoln’s breathing became quiet, and his face appeared to be calm. Todd was at his side, as he peacefully passed.

Todd had to get ready to mourn her husband. And unfortunately for her, it would be a very public mourning.

]]> 29. The Country Mourned To commemorate the passing of the President, a funeral train carried his body around the country. Back at the White House, Todd's spiritualists were swarming around and putting ideas into her head about messages from Lincoln. These messages were playing with Todd’s sanity, so her son had them all thrown out of the White House.

Todd needed a stable place to live.

]]> 30. She Needed Family Mary Todd Lincoln was now a widow, and she realized she needed to be with family. She only had two living sons, so she moved to Chicago to be near them. Her other concern was money. Lincoln had left her quite a sizable estate, which totaled out at $80,000. This would be more than $1.5 million today. But Todd had one problem. She still hadn’t learned about handling money.

She had to stoop to desperate measures to keep her lifestyle where she wanted it.

]]> 31. She Acted Irrationally Todd’s first odd decision was to return most of the jewelry she’d bought on credit. She then advertised in the newspaper that she would be selling off some of her personal effects. Members of the public felt a great sense of shock to see the former First Lady reduced to these actions.

As it turned out, Americans would not have to watch Todd’s actions for long.

]]> 32. She Left America Mary Todd Lincoln decided that she and Tad would do better in Europe than in America. Even though she had money from Lincoln, she arranged for a wealthy American family living in Germany to pay for the passage and help her and her son settle there.

But Todd’s thirst for money continued.

]]> 33. She Asked For A Pension While still in Germany, Mary Todd Lincoln decided to lobby Congress for some more money. She held a letter writing campaign, and her reasoning was that since the wounded’s wives got a pension, she should too. Todd didn't have many supporters in Congress, but the motion passed anyway. Todd was now collecting $3,000 a year, which would be over $75,000 today.

When Todd had had enough of Europe, she and Tad returned to America. Sadly, there was more heartache in store.

]]> 34. She Faced Yet Another Loss Once back in the US, Tad fell ill—just like his older brothers before him. On July 15, 1871, he tragically passed. Reports of the cause vary and include pneumonia, heart failure, and tuberculosis. Whatever the reason, Todd was once again facing a terrible familial loss.

You couldn’t blame her for starting to come apart at the seams.

]]> 35. She Was Paranoid Todd’s family life had taken one beating after another. She’d lost a husband and three sons in her relatively short lifetime. All that remained was her oldest son, Robert. Todd became so sure that she’d lose him, too, that she started imagining him suffering from terrible illnesses. Her paranoia also affected her. She once believed that someone was trying to poison her while traveling on the train.

She had other strange behaviors.

]]> 36. She Hid Money In A Strange Place Todd’s relationship with money spiraled out of control. She went wild spending money on things she didn’t need. Ironically, she couldn’t stop worrying about becoming poor. She still wore only black clothes, but there was something strange there, too. Under her mourning clothes, she wore petticoats stuffed with government bonds.

And then there was an infamous photograph that made some people really question her sanity.

]]> 37. She Saw A Ghost In 1872, Mary Todd Lincoln went to visit spiritualist photographer William H Mumler. She disguised her identity and asked him to take her photo. When Mumler showed Todd the picture that he had taken, there appeared to be a ghostly image of a man beside her. Mumler’s wife stepped in and managed to get Todd to admit who she was and that the man in the picture was Abraham Lincoln.

Todd’s bizarre behaviors were mounting. It was only a matter of time before someone stepped in.

]]> 38. He Arranged An Intervention Believing in ghostly images, her growing paranoia, and her bizarre attitude toward money led Todd’s surviving son Robert to do something desperate. He wanted to put her in an asylum for her own safety. He knew he needed a judge’s approval because she wouldn’t go willingly. So, Robert secretly organized a trial.

This was going to be a horrible surprise for Todd.

]]> 39. It Was An Ambush On May 19, 1875, Leonard Swift, a lawyer who knew both Mary Todd Lincoln and her husband, forced Todd to go to the courthouse. She had no idea why. When she got there, it became clear that there was an insanity trial going on, and she was at the center of it. 17 different witnesses spoke about her behavior. The entirely male members of the jury called Todd insane.

Her next stop would’ve been an asylum—but Todd had a different idea.

]]> 40. She Sunk To Desperate Measures Todd wasn't about to enter the asylum willingly. Before they forced her to go, she visited a few pharmacies and started putting together enough medication to end her life. Luckily, one of the pharmacists caught on to her plan and gave her a placebo.

It looked like she was going to the asylum after all.

]]> 41. She Planned Her Escape Mary Todd Lincoln did enter Bellevue Place asylum, but she was soon planning her escape. She secretly sent letters to her lawyer and his wife, who were also friends. She also wrote letters to the Chicago Times editor. Suddenly, Robert looked like the bad guy in all this, and many questioned his decision to lock his mom away. After all, Robert was now in charge of Todd’s finances.

Things were looking good for Todd.

]]> 42. They Set Her Free When the publicity came out that Todd was living in an asylum against her will, the people at the asylum did something surprising. They said that she was free to go. Todd didn’t wait a second before going to live in freedom with her Eliza sisterbeth in Springfield. She also now had the right to manage her own finances and other affairs.

You couldn’t blame Todd for feeling a little cool toward her son.

]]> 43. She Lost Contact With Her Son Needless to say, after her confinement in the asylum, things with her son Robert were awkward. The two stopped speaking, and Mary Todd Lincoln left for Europe. She ended up in Pau, France, where her health started to decline. It was her eyesight that suffered most. She had cataracts that sometimes made her fall. One fall, from a stepladder, resulted in a spinal cord injury.

But she was well enough to do what she did best: look for more money.

]]> 44. She Lobbied For Money Life in France was costing Todd money, and she was soon running short. In 1881, she went to New York City and tried to get her pension increased. You see, President Garfield had suffered a similar fate as Lincoln, and his family was receiving provisions. In spite of her terrible reputation for mishandling money, Congress gave Todd an increase and a cash advance.

Sadly, Todd would have little time to spend it.

]]> 45. She Collapsed Mary Todd Lincoln didn’t return to France but decided to live out her remaining days with her sister back in Springfield, Illinois. Exactly 11 years after Tad passed, Todd collapsed and, like her husband, went into a coma. By the next morning, she was gone due to a stroke. She was 63 years old. They laid her to rest at Oakridge Cemetery next to her sons.

Years later, many people were wondering what had really happened to Todd’s sanity.

]]> 46. She Used Medication In her book, The Emancipator's Wife, Barbara Hambly claims that Todd was using over-the-counter medications over her lifetime. But these were not your typical medications. Hambly believes that one of them was opium. Surely this could account for some of Todd’s bizarre behavior.

And then there were the forgotten and presumably lost letters.

]]> 47. Her Letters Were Hidden Away In 1927, Myra Helmer Pritchard was ready to publish a book containing letters written by Mary Todd Lincoln. When Robert Lincoln’s widow read the book, she did everything she could to stop the publication. The author received a large payment and handed over the letters. But the story didn't end there.

]]> 48. She Finally Got A Diagnosis Many years later, writer Jason Emerson came across these same letters and decided to write a book. In 2007, he published The Madness of Mary Lincoln, where he proposed that Todd suffered from bipolar disorder. He said that if this happened now, they would commit her for seven days, give her medication and she’d be on her own.

But the jury is still out. Did she suffer from mental illness, or was she just a bad first lady?

]]> 49. She Was Meddling And Disruptive As far as historians go, most see Mary Todd Lincoln as a "meddling and disruptive” First Lady. Worse still, they see her as a first lady who made her husband’s life more difficult rather than easier. Some see the loss of her children and husband as factors that made her life more difficult than it should have been.

But the way we see Todd is slowly changing.

]]> 50. She’s On The Rise Siena College Research Institute carries out surveys on First Ladies, and every time they do them, Todd’s name has sat firmly near the bottom. In 2020, something changed. Maybe it’s due to more research about Todd, cultural depictions of her, or maybe because society as a whole is more sensitive to mental illness, but Todd has started rising on the scale. She may never reach the top spot—Eleanor Roosevelt always gets that—but there’s still time.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61825 <![CDATA[How King Leopold II Became The Most Hated Man In History]]> 2026-07-24T10:20:00+00:00 2026-07-22T17:02:37+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/msn-gallery-2/king-leopold-ii Rachel Seigel Msn-gallery-2 The Worst Of The Worst Leopold II ruled Belgium from 1865 to 1909, becoming the country's longest-reigning monarch. While he oversaw Belgium's modernization at home, he also seized control of the Congo Free State, where his colonial regime became infamous for some of history's most horrific abuses. Here are 43 shocking facts about one of history's most notorious kings.

]]> 1. First King King Leopold I, (father of Leopold II) was a German prince who became the first king of the Belgians in 1831. Following Belgian Independence, Leopold was offered the position due to his numerous royal connections throughout Europe. In addition, his lack of affiliation with any countries potentially antagonistic towards Belgium, like France, also played a role in his selection.

]]> 2. The French Princess King Leopold I’s first wife, and the mother of Leopold II, was Louise-Marie of Orleans, the second-born child of King Louis-Philippe of France. She was also related to Marie Antoinette, as well as Kings of Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Poland. That’s some serious pedigree!

]]> 3. Second Son Leopold II was in fact the second-born son of King Leopold I and his second wife Louise. However, the first son did not survive long after his birth in 1834, which made Leopold the heir presumptive.

]]> 4. Loves Music, Loves Horses Marie Henriette of Austria, future wife of Leopold II, had a talent for music. She played the piano and the harp, and even composed her own opera called Wanda. She also loved horseback riding and painting, and spoke English, Italian, German and French. Sadly, none of that passion extended to her groom.

]]> 5. Strengthening the Monarchy Just before her 17th birthday, Marie Henriette was married to Leopold to help strengthen the Belgium Monarchy. Marie Henriette’s Hapsburg connections made her an ideal match politically, and it probably didn’t hurt that she was also a cousin of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, and cousin by marriage to Victoria of the United Kingdom.

]]> 6. I'd rather cease to exist. Marie Henriette was apparently quite unhappy about her arranged marriage, writing to her mother, "I am very unhappy, and I pray that my life will end as soon as possible." Ouch!

]]> 7. Unevenly Matched Austrian socialite Pauline von Metternich once described Marie Henriette and Leopold’s marriage as a union “between a stable-boy and a nun.” It was hardly a glowing prediction for their future together.

]]> 8. Queen of the Congo When Leopold was 65, he took the 16-year-old Caroline Lacroix, who was involved in adult entertainment, as his mistress. He gave her tons of money, land, jewels, and even made her a baroness. Needless to say, Caroline profited greatly from the King’s attention, earning her the nickname “Queen of the Congo".

]]> 9. Early Demise Marie Henriette bore their first and only son in 1859, but he tragically succumbed to pneumonia at the age of nine following an incident where he fell into a pond. Leopold reportedly broke down and sobbed on his knees beside his son’s coffin. He also reportedly blamed his wife for the accident, which put a serious strain on their already unhappy marriage.

]]> 10. Seeking Power When Belgium became an independent nation in 1830, the National Congress chose a constitutional monarchy similar to that of the UK as its government. This meant that their king would rule according to the laws of a constitution, rather than have absolute power. This may have been true of Belgium, but they never said anything about the Congo—which Leopold II ruled with an iron fist.

]]> 11. The Great Forgetting Amazingly, throughout most of the 20th and 21st centuries, Leopold is remembered by many Belgians for all of his buildings, and not for what he did in the Congo. In 1999, an American historian unveiled a book titled King Leopold's Ghost, presenting parallels between him and a well-known authoritarian figure from WWII. While it was widely acclaimed in America, its publication sparked significant controversy in Belgium.

]]> 12. A Controversial Figure To this day, Leopold II is a controversial figure in the Congo. You’d think that he’d be public enemy number one, but in 2005, the Congolese Culture Minister decided to reinstate Leopold’s statue, arguing that people should remember the positive aspects of the king and not just all of the bad stuff he did. The public reaction must have been pretty negative, as the statue was removed again just hours after being installed.

]]> 13. Carrying Out His Legacy Explorer Henry Morton Stanley was famous partly for finding the missing Scottish explorer David Livingstone, who had disappeared in Africa several years before. Determined to continue Livingstone's work posthumously, Stanley secured financial support from the New York Herald and the Daily Telegraph of London and embarked on his journey to Africa.

During his exploration, he eventually discovered what turned out to be the Congo River Basin rather than the Nile which he’d been hoping for. Not a bad consolation prize.

]]> 14. Are You Interested? When Henry Morton Stanley returned from Africa, King Leopold II wasted no time pursuing him. The Belgian king wanted the famous explorer to help advance his growing ambitions in Central Africa. Stanley initially turned him down, hoping Britain would back his plans instead. But after failing to gain British support, he returned to Leopold and accepted the offer that would change both of their futures.

]]> 15. Scramble for Africa In 1884-1885, King Leopold II attended the Berlin Conference, where the European powers discussed African colonization and trade in what’s referred to as the “Scramble for Africa". At the conference, the leaders basically divided up Africa, believing that Africa didn’t belong to anyone and therefore was up for grabs.

]]> 16. Also Known As In addition to being known as the Builder King, a fairly commendable title, Leopold had a second nickname that portrayed his actions in Africa more accurately. He was also called the Butcher of Congo due to his barbaric and inhumane behavior.

]]> 17. Hoping for a Prince Following the loss of their only son, Leopold and Marie Henriette soon expected another child. The couple fervently hoped for a boy who would serve as a direct heir to the throne. Sadly, the child was a girl named Clementine, not the crown prince they had hoped for. This marked the irreversible end to their marriage, and they entirely parted ways following her birth.

]]> 18. Succession With no son to name as his heir, the heir presumptive to Leopold II became his younger brother, Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders. Philippe held this position until 1905, which marked the end of his tenure.

]]> 19. Securing the Dynasty After Philippe, his eldest son Baudouin was next in line for the Belgian throne—but he tragically succumbed to influenza in 1891, well before his father and the King. Luckily for Philippe, he had a second son Albert, who eventually succeeded his uncle in 1909 as King Albert I.

]]> 20. Swindled When Congolese tribal leaders gave Leopold permission to take control over their lands, they had no idea what they were agreeing to. The documents Leopold drew up were long and in a foreign language that they obviously didn’t understand. Just another deceitful action on Leopold’s part.

]]> 21. Political Satire In 1905, Mark Twain joined the growing outcry against King Leopold II by publishing the satirical pamphlet King Leopold's Soliloquy. Written as an imaginary monologue, it mockingly portrays Leopold defending his rule over the Congo Free State while exposing the brutality of his regime. Published in English, French, German, and Italian, the pamphlet also raised money for relief efforts in the Congo through its American sales.

]]> 22. Force Publique To enforce rubber quotas in the Congo, Leopold employed his own private army called the Force Publique. The FP frequently took hostages, regularly causing the demise of rebel families, while also whipping and violating the rights of the Congolese people.  As if that weren’t horrifying enough, they also burnt villages that refused to cooperate and cut off the hands of their victims, including children, as proof of their kills.

]]> 23. Red Rubber The rubber that Leopold collected from the Congo was nicknamed "red rubber" in reference to the African blood that was spilled during its making.

]]> 24. Booed in Brussels Despite being the longest-reigning king in Belgium’s history at 44 years, Leopold wasn’t exactly mourned at his funeral. In fact, his funeral procession was booed by the crowd as it passed by, which was no less than he deserved.

]]> 25. Tipping Point George Washington Williams was an American Baptist minister who decided to travel to the Congo Free State to witness the development first-hand after meeting Leopold II. What he found there shocked him, and in 1890 he wrote an open letter to Leopold II about the suffering of the natives in the region at the hands of his agent. It was Williams’ letter that spurred the international outcry about what was happening there.

]]> 26. Little Paris One of Leopold’s visions for Belgium was to make Brussels into a Little Paris. Granted, most of the money to fund these projects came from his exploitation of the Congo, but he did commission a number of buildings, urban projects, and other private properties, which led to him being called the Builder King.

]]> 27. Honorary Knighthood For his 18th birthday, Leopold was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold, an honor named for its founder King Leopold I. The honor is based on a French tradition and is one of three national honorary orders of knighthood usually given to super important people like monarchs and heirs. They couldn’t just give him a palace?

]]> 28. Failed Plan Long before he claimed the Congo, Leopold II had set his sights on the Philippines. In 1866, he unsuccessfully tried to persuade Spain's Queen Isabella II to hand the islands over to Belgium. After she was deposed, he attempted to buy the territory but couldn't raise the money. He even explored turning the Philippines into an independent state that Belgium could quietly control. When every plan collapsed, Leopold abandoned the idea and began searching elsewhere for a colony to claim.

]]> 29. Supporting His Cause Gennaro Rubino was an Italian anarchist known for unsuccessfully attempting to assassinate King Leopold II. For whatever reason, Rubino thought that the best way to pledge allegiance to the anarchist cause was by executing a lethal action against someone, but who would be the best target? He evidently considered the idea of ending the life of King Edward VII of England, but subsequently dismissed it, acknowledging the deep affection the British people held for the monarchy.

He then chose King Leopold II of Belgium, who seemed like a more reasonable target.

]]> 30. Too Bad for Them! Rubino fired three shots at the king’s royal cortege and missed, almost hitting the king’s Grand Marshall instead. In response to his close call, Leopold told a senator: “My dear senator, if fate wants me shot, too bad!" That’s taking it in stride.

]]> 31. Listen to Leopold’s Ghost The 1914 poem The Congo (subtitled A Study of the Negro Race) by American Poet Vachel Lindsay was inspired by a sermon from October 1913. The sermon detailed the drowning of a missionary, and it also led to international outrage about Leopold’s exploitation. The poem contained a scathing critique of Leopold II, with the verses “Listen to the shrieks of Leopold’s phantom/Burning in the underworld for his hand-maimed flock/Hear the demons cackle and shriek/Amputating his hands, in the infernal depths".

The poem became one of Lindsay's most famous and popular works, and sounded pretty melodramatic when performed.

]]> 32. A Marvelous Invention When Leopold first entered the Congo, ivory was the hot commodity. It could be used for jewelry, statuettes, piano keys, and even false teeth. Not long after, the bicycle tire was invented and then the automobile, both of which led to a huge demand for rubber around the world—another resource that the Congo had in abundance.

]]> 33. A Profitable Business Rubber harvesting turned out to be a pretty profitable business, and Leopold was said to have earned a minimum of $1.1 billion in today’s dollars from the Congo. He spent most of his money on building palaces and monuments and clothes for his mistress, and he somehow managed to hang onto most of his fortune even after ceding the Congo to the Belgian government.

]]> 34. Ceding the Congo As the truth of what was really happening in the Congo started to come out, in 1904, Edmund Dean Morel and Roger Casement founded the Congo Reform Movement. Because of this movement, in 1908, the Belgian Parliament bowed to international pressure and forced Leopold to surrender it to Belgium. In the end, it didn’t help much, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

]]> 35. A Hasty Marriage When Leopold fell seriously ill with an intestinal condition, he may have realized his time was running out. He quickly married Caroline, his longtime mistress of nearly a decade, in a ceremony recognized by the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Many Belgians, however, rejected the union, arguing that without a civil ceremony before his passing, the marriage was not valid under Belgian law.

]]> 36. Illegitimate Leopold and had two sons with Caroline Lacroix while she was his mistress, but never issued any official royal decree legitimizing them. Although he did eventually marry her, neither of the boys were eligible to inherit the throne, partly because no father was named on their birth certificates, and partly because the marriage was legally invalid. Don’t go feeling too sorry for them though...

Leopold provided very well for Caroline and the children, and they definitely didn’t suffer.

]]> 37. Putting Outrage on Paper In 1909, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle met with Edmund Dean Morel, and so great was his fury about what was happening in the Congo that he wrote a book about it in just eight days. The book, named The Atrocity of the Congo, vividly detailed the severe brutalities being committed by Leopold II. Should the detailed descriptions not sufficiently appall readers, the book also included photos of mutilated bodies.

Definitely not for anyone with a weak stomach!

]]> 38. Continuing the Fight Writing a book wasn’t nearly enough for Conan Doyle to call attention to what was happening in the Congo. He alerted newspapers, contacted world leaders including Teddy Roosevelt and Kaiser Wilhelm II, and went on a three-month lecture tour about the subject. Thanks in part to his efforts, things did start to improve in the region, but it wasn’t enough to fully erase their tragic and violent past.

]]> 39.Casualty Count Since no accurate records of the deaths in the Congo were kept, it’s impossible to get an exact number, but estimates range from anywhere between 1 million and 15 million deaths. What is known is that during the Free State period, about half of the Congo's population sadly lost their lives.

]]> 40. Hiding the Evidence Leopold obviously knew that if anyone figured out the true extent of what he was doing he’d be in big trouble, so in an effort to keep the rest of the world from finding out what he’d been up to, he destroyed the evidence. In 1908, he had all of the Congo State archives burned to ash, and he instructed his agent in the Congo to do the same. Definitely a desperate move!

]]> 41. Tarzan’s Foe One of Leopold’s nastiest goons was the Belgian soldier and official Leon Rom. Rom was famous for his reported brutality while stationed in Stanley Falls. He’s said to have used the severed heads of 21 Congolese to decorate his flower beds, and also to have kept permanent gallows in place at his station. He also features in the 2016 film The Legend of Tarzan, in which he is portrayed as Tarzan’s main enemy. Sadly, in real life, there was no Tarzan to defeat him.

]]> 42. Discovering Africa The Association Internationale Africaine (African International Society) was founded in 1876 at the behest of King Leopold II and was comprised of explorers, geographers, and philanthropists with the stated goal of discovering the Congo and “civilizing” people who lived there. What Leopold was really interested in was the Congo’s natural resources, but the organization was a good front and nobody was the wiser.

]]> 43. Not So Cooperative Initially, the AIS was supposed to be a joint effort on the part of all of its European members, but each of the countries ended up setting up their own expeditions to Africa and claiming parts for themselves with very little cooperation or information sharing taking place.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, , 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=28201 <![CDATA[Responsible for numerous historical atrocities, Isabella of Castile was ruthless as both a queen and a matriarch.]]> 2026-07-24T10:31:00+00:00 2026-07-21T20:51:14+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-isabella-of-castile Alicia B. People Televisión Española, Isabel (2011–2014)1. She Was A Spare No one expected Isabella, the daughter of King John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal, to be queen when she was born in 1451. By the time she was two, her older brother Henry and newborn brother Alfonso were ahead of her. And any of Henry’s future kids would overtake her again. This wasn’t supposed to change after her dad passed when she was three. But fate—and Isabella herself—had other plans.

]]> 2. She Was A Poor Little Rich Girl John passed thinking his family would still live the good life. But John would roll over in his grave if he saw what Henry did. The new king refused to respect his father’s will. As a result, the rest of the family had money problems. Isabella never forgot the struggles of her childhood—and how unnecessary it was. Even so, Henry still had more in store for his sister.

]]> 3. She Was Uprooted Henry believed in keeping your friends close, and your competition closer. The King struggled to conceive so much that he got the nickname The Impotent. When his wife Joan of Portugal finally gave birth to their daughter and heir Joanna, Henry dragged Isabella and Alfonso from their mom. Henry wanted his siblings to stay with him, but he didn’t have good intentions.

]]> 4. She Was Trapped While Isabella’s living conditions improved, she missed her mom and old life. To make matters worse, Joan was cruel to her. Then Henry banned her from leaving town. The kingdom was already messy, so Henry wanted control of all his heirs and their matches. The 10-year-old began learning about the turmoil—and her key role in all of it. 

]]> 5. She Was A Child Bride  The games began when Isabella was 6. Henry arranged a match with 7-year-old Ferdinand, John II of Navarre’s son, for an alliance. But John backed out once he got more power. Henry still needed an ally, and began secretly talking to John’s other son, Charles of Viana. The 36-year-old agreed to marry her instead. But the engagement ended when John locked his son up for going behind his back. Henry refused to give up.

]]> 6. She Kept Getting Engaged Isabella realized she was nothing more than a product for her brother to trade for alliances. Henry proved this by matching her with Afonso V of Portugal, his 33-year-old brother-in-law. The 14-year-old refused to marry him. Henry gave it a rest until civil unrest broke out a year later. To please the rebels, he matched her with the 43-year-old Juan Pacheco. Isabella had never felt so horrified.

]]> 7. She Needed More Power Isabella prayed this match wouldn’t work out…and it worked. Her fiancé already was on his way to meet her when he fell sick and perished. Isabella celebrated, but she also learned her lesson. She needed control over her fate—and a way to get it. The opportunity came when rumors that Joanna wasn’t Henry’s real daughter and heir began to spread. 

]]> 8. She Was Stuck In The Middle A group of nobles demanded that Henry name Alfonso, who they controlled, his successor. And eventually, they went to war over it. Henry agreed as long as Alfonso agreed to marry his daughter. But a year later, Alfonso succumbed to a suspected poisoning. in his absence, the nobles encouraged Isabella to champion the rebellion and seize the throne now. Most teenagers would give into the pressure, but Isabella was different. 

Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 9. She Struck A Deal Isabella had a better idea that would end the fighting and give herself a leg up. She struck a deal: Henry would name Isabella his heir instead of Joanna. And Isabella wouldn’t marry without his permission—but he couldn’t force her to marry anyone. Isabella was playing the long game, and she intended to win. But it turns out Isabella made a deal with the devil.

]]> 10. She Was Betrayed Isabella was 17 when Afonso proposed to her. Again. Henry tried forcing her to accept. Again. You see, if they married, then Joanna could marry Afonso’s son. This would make it possible for John and his daughter to seize Castile and Portugal when Afonso’s dad passed. Isabella refused. Again. Henry continued trying to force her into disadvantageous marriages. Isabella, realizing that she couldn’t trust him, began scheming. 

]]> 11.  She Plotted Isabella began husband hunting behind Henry’s back. The choice soon became clear to her: Ferdinand. Also known as one of the many ex-fiances Henry forced on Isabella when she was a kid. But second time’s the charm: Isabella was now 18 and holding the reins. Ferdinand was age appropriate and athletic. But most importantly, they were a match made in diplomacy.

]]> 12. She Found Her Man Once married, the two could could unite their lands, Castille and Aragon, into one kingdom ( and later it could, hypothetically speaking, become a country called Spain or something). This was the match that had the potential to give Isabella the most power. But the universe didn’t seem to want them together. What should’ve been a typical political arrangement turned into a Romeo and Juliet drama.

]]> 13. She Was Sneaky Pesky problems like being broke or second cousins had nothing on Henry. Isabella still needed his permission to marry. But she knew that Henry had bad intentions: he wouldn’t approve a match that was too good for her. So Isabella and Ferdinand did everything—from negotiating to planning the wedding—in secret. And without ever meeting in person. Somehow the king still grew suspicious. 

]]> 14. She Snuck Out Henry sensed that something was up. Before the king went on a trip, he confronted her. He made Isabella swear that she wouldn’t marry without his permission. Henry even vowed to lock her up if she left the city. He meant business, and Isabella promised that she’d behave. But Isabella had a secret mission and snuck out the moment she could. 

]]> 15. She Eloped Isabella and Ferdinand insisted on a proper wedding. But this was risky and dangerous. Henry made it clear to Isabella what he’d do if she disobeyed him. Ferdinand was sneaking into Castille, which was still Henry’s kingdom, disguised as a servant. And to top it off, they’d be meeting for the first time. The teenagers weren’t sure they’d even work as a couple. This match was a leap of faith.

TheLastTrastamara, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 16. They Were Compatible Isabella and Ferdinand’s gamble paid off. They weren’t a love match, but worked in most ways. The couple agreed to be fair to each other once they came into power. They were also compatible in the bedroom. Isabella was pregnant within three months. Their marriage was more than enough for Isabella. But nothing was enough for Ferdinand. Turns out, they were actually incompatible in a big way.

]]> 17. She Married A Player Ferdinand had two illegitimate children and a love for sleeping around. This wasn’t the dream guy for a girl as religious as Isabella. But she accepted that he was naughty before marriage. Isabella probably figured he’d be different after it—or that she could handle it. They were, above all, a political match. But a leopard never changes its spots and it would break her heart.

]]> 18. She Was Loyal  Isabella was always devout, and being queen kicked it into overdrive. She saw how sleeping around, and rumours of it, destroyed her sister-in-law’s life. Isabella had to protect herself. So she created  an image of piety—and walked the talk. When Ferdinand went away, Isabella made all her ladies-in-waiting sleep in her bedroom. This ensured she had witnesses to her loyalty. The same can’t be said for the king.

Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 19. She Was Cheated On Once a player, always a player. Ferdinand continued to have more affairs and illegitimate children. And even worse, one of his baby mamas was shameless. This mistress flaunted her royal affair and child.  He even recognized some of his illegitimate offspring. Isabella’s messy childhood forged an iron self-control inside her. But even she couldn’t cope with Ferdinand betraying her again (and again).

]]> 20.  She Had A Weakness Isabella took Ferdinand’s cheating much more personally than most monarchs in political arrangements would. She kept an eagle eye on his wandering eye. If Isabella suspected that any woman in their court piqued his interest, she found ways to get rid of them. And sometimes it got so bad that she snapped and confronted him.

]]> 21. She Was Heartbroken On at least one occasion, people overhead them screaming and brawling. The fight ended with Isabella sobbing. Isabella and Ferdinand’s kids watched their otherwise unbreakable mom fall apart over his infidelity. Isabella was such a mess that her daughters vowed to avoid developing her jealousy. But some traits might be genetic. And Ferdinand’s audacity didn’t end here.

]]> 22. She Was The Better Person Before he went to battle, Ferdinand wrote an audacious will. He asked Isabella to take care of his illegitimate kids. Isabella was jealous, possessive, and paranoid. But she wasn’t completely heartless. Isabella was already eager to educate his unofficial offspring. But then Ferdinand also had the gall to ask his wife to look after his mistresses. And even with all that drama, there were still major threats brewing elsewhere.

]]> 23. She Was In Trouble Eventually, Henry discovered that Isabella broke their agreement and lied to him. He didn’t take it well. He disinherited her. He took her titles and valuables. He had his spies stalk the new couple. He even plotted to abduct them. So on top of the cracks in their own relationship, the newlyweds spent much of their marriage broke and evading capture. Everything came to a head when Henry passed.

]]> 24. She Became Queen  Isabella was 23 when her brother passed and left her a mess. After Isabella’s disinheritance, Joanna was the heir on paper. But many believed that she wasn’t their impotent king’s real kid. Both women had the desire to be queen and the supporters to back them up. Isabella even believed that God himself chose her to be queen. Both sides refused to back down.

]]> 25. She Blindsided Him All the while, Ferdinand had no idea. The couple were living in separate towns when Henry passed. Isabella took her sweet time to let him know about it and her ascension. He found out days after the ceremony—from other people. Ouch. This was unheard of. He often refused to come home when Isabella and their kids needed him now. But now Ferdinand, furious and betrayed, raced to confront Isabella.

]]> 26. She Didn’t Trust Him It wasn’t a mistake. Isabella was already fighting Joanna, so she didn’t want to risk any issues with her husband. They signed an agreement where he promised to respect her power, but we know those are breakable. And Isabella likely lost trust in him for being away and cheating so much. But she still wasn't ready for what Ferdinand did when he got there.

]]> 27. She Almost Lost Everything When Ferdinand finally showed up, they had a brutal fight where he confirmed her worst fears. Turns out, Ferdinand did think he should be the ruler. Then Ferdinand, feeling humiliated, declared he was returning to Aragon. That’d be the end of her marriage and her reign. Isabella begged him to stay, and swore she couldn’t live without him. Her attachment to him was real—but she also needed a husband to rule. She had to fix this somehow.

]]> 28. She Saved Everything Isabella worked her magic. She reminded him of their prenup. She guilted him over his plan hurting the future of their kids. She soothed his ego. In the end, they came to an agreement. They’d portray themselves as equal rulers in Castile. Ferdinand got to save face, while Isabella got the real power. And she had to use it right away.

Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 29. She Fought For It There are family feuds—and then there’s the War of the Castilian Succession. With her marriage issues settled, Isabella still had to struggle with her niece, Joanna, over the throne. Joanna even went so far as to marry their uncle Alfonso, the King of Portugal, to get his country on her side. They traded blows and suffered heavy casualties for a year. Both sides celebrated their victories at the Battle of Toro, but it was the beginning of the end for Joanna.

]]> 30. She Inherited A Mess In the end, Isabella emerged victorious. But winning is easy; leading is harder. Especially when you realize that your brother left the kingdom in shambles. Henry was a reckless spender. He didn’t enforce the laws. It got so bad that people felt like they could get away with the worst offenses. The state of Castile was appalling—and no one had high hopes for Isabella.

]]> 31. She Was Underestimated No one, even Isabella’s own supporters, knew who they were dealing with. Most assumed that she’d be a figurehead. A symbol while Ferdinand and his advisors did everything. But Isabella didn’t go through everything to stand there like a potted plant. She got to work. She reduced crime and debt. And Isabella was just getting started.

]]> 32. She Proved herself Isabella kept proving everyone wrong. For example, a rebellion broke out in another city in her first year. Her male advisors told her to stay home while others (men) handled it. The 25-year-old ignored them and rode out there herself to negotiate with the rebels. Thanks to her, the rebellion ended in a blink. But Isabella didn’t just win fights—she also won hearts.

]]> 33. She Had Great PR Every Friday, Isabella and Ferdinand made themselves available. People could come, sit, and complain. In Castile, it was unheard of for a ruler to have that kind of relationship with their subjects. Isabella continued leading her kingdom to greater power, security, and prosperity. But not everything she did was good. In fact, a lot of it was downright brutal.

]]> 34. She Was Intolerant Isabella pulled a bait-and-switch. When Spain tried to take over Granada, they promised religious toleration. But when the Muslim stronghold surrendered in 1492, they forced everyone to convert. They did the same to their Jewish subjects. You either converted to Christianity, or you had to go. And even that still wasn’t enough.

Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 35. She Was Brutal Isabella began the Spanish Inquisition in 1478, and it lasted for centuries. The ultimate goal was religious and ethnic “purity”. Its tactics were also a mess. Weak—or nonexistent—evidence convicted people. It forced countless subjects to convert, to hide their beliefs, and out of their homes. Thousands of the unluckiest met their end on a burning stake. Isabella went even further.

Roque Gameiro, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 36. She Silenced Critics Artists used to openly make fun of Henry. But everyone soon realized that if they valued their lives, they had to shut up about Isabella. People rarely directly criticized the queen in any kind of public setting. If someone was brave enough to do it, they wound up executed. Isabella was making enemies left and right. There’s no way this could go wrong… right?

Luis de Madrazo, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 37. She Changed History  Christopher Columbus had to ask Isabella to support his expedition three times before she caved in 1492. No one, not Christopher or Isabella, realized at the time this was one of the most important events in history. That they’d just started European exploration and colonialism in the Americas—and its consequences. But months later, the scariest experience of her life overshadowed it.

Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 38. She Had Enemies Isabella found herself far from Ferdinand when he needed her most. On December 7, 1492 a peasant rushed past the king’s entourage. One second Ferdinand was walking down the steps of his Barcelona palace. The next he collapsed onto the ground as red flooded around him. The peasant used enough force to slice off Ferdinand’s head in one go.

Vicente Barneto y Vazquez, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 39. She Had An Emergency Ferdinand’s gold necklace protected him from being beheaded—but not from a deep gash in his neck. A battalion of doctors raced to save the king’s life. The team did everything they could, and still had no idea if he’d make it. When Isabella found out, she’d never felt this scared in her 41 years. Her instinct was to race to him. Then Isabella remembered who she was.

]]> 40. She Was Beside Herself Isabella had countless enemies, so she assumed a coup was underway. With a kingdom at stake, she couldn’t afford to be sentimental and impulsive. She had to be a queen. If there was a coup, her 14-year-old son and heir Juan was the next target. She had him rowed out to sea. Only after making arrangements did Isabella allow herself to go to Ferdinand.

]]> 41. She Was Terrified Isabella reached her husband, but didn’t feel better. The king was in such bad shape that he prepared for the end. Ferdinand didn’t let her see him for a while because he was in the middle of confessing. Over 50 days, his condition was a rollercoaster. They couldn’t do anything but pray. People noticed that Isabella suffered more than Ferdinand.

]]> 42. She Got Her Karma Ferdinand survived and there was no coup, but Isabella still wasn’t okay. It already hurt to watch him suffer. But it hurt even more since Isabella felt like she deserved the ambush instead. For the first time in her life, the queen wasn’t sure of her righteousness. Isabella made a list of the sins she committed in her quest for power. It was a long one. Even with her reminiscing though, she still had serious work to do.

]]> 43. She Played Matchmaker Isabella had to find matches that benefitted her kingdom and were tolerable for the kids. She and Ferdinand had seven kids, but only five survived to adulthood. Then their only son passed soon after marrying in 1496. Another daughter passed during childbirth in 1498. She nailed it with the marriages of her two youngest girls. But the throne was still going to her third daughter, Joanna, when she passed—and Isabella was dreading it.

]]> 44. She Had A Sick Heir Isabella was Spain’s first great queen, and was wondering if she’d be the last. Joanna’s mental health was getting worse and worse. She couldn’t follow in her mom’s footsteps. Instead, Joanna would be a queen who did little and was controlled by men. And as Isabella herself got sicker, she worried that her kingdom wouldn’t survive after her.

Master of Affligem, Wikimedia Commons

]]> 45. She Was Prepared When months passed with her bedridden and deteriorating, Isabella had to face the truth. Her time was almost up. Ferdinand’s close call taught her the importance of dying well. She spent these final months getting her affairs in order. The hardest and most uncomfortable thing Isabella did was evaluate her life. All 53 years of it.

]]> 46. She Had No Regrets Isabella had a long list of accomplishments—and a long rap sheet. Now was the time to repent. Instead, she doubled down. Isabella didn’t think she had anything to repent. To her, if she’d made any mistakes, there weren’t many. Isabella didn’t have any regrets when she took her last breath. But she did have one final wish.

]]> 47. She Had A Final Wish Isabella had two motivations when she asked Ferdinand not to marry again. The first was jealousy. Ferdinand’s mistresses already caused enough grief—so the thought of his new wife would’ve made her sick. The second was politics. Him having legitimate kids with another wife jeopardized her kingdom and her kids’ futures.  Ferdinand promised. Spoiler alert: he broke it.

Eduardo Rosales,Wikimedia Commons

]]> 48. Her Wishes Weren’t Respected Two years after Isabella’s passing, 53-year-old Ferdinand married 14-year-old Germaine of Foix, a French noblegirl. While this was a political match and part of a treaty, it was still creepy. Outsiders even noticed Ferdinand’s “appetite” for his child bride. Not that it stopped him from sleeping around. People in Castile fumed at his betrayal of Isabella.

]]> 49. She Made Her Mark Most rulers can only dream of Isabella’s accomplishments. She was the first and greatest queen of Spain. She unified the country. She established the Spanish Empire. She set the foundation for Spain to become one of the richest and powerful empires of all time. As time passed, appreciation for her accomplishments grew—but so did criticisms of her dark side.

]]> 50. She’s Complicated We can’t have the good without the bad. And it’s only gotten harder to ignore the nasty sides of Isabella’s reign. These include her intolerance, use of force, the Spanish Inquisition, and the negative effects of the Spanish Empire. Isabella was a great queen who accomplished great things. But was she good? The jury’s still out on that.

You May Also Like:

Charles The Bold, The Scourge Of France
The Last Queen Of France
King Francis II, France’s Doomed Boy King

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=24919 <![CDATA[Ivan the Terrible has a brutal reputation—but people don't realize just how deranged he was.]]> 2026-07-23T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-21T20:37:42+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-ivan-terrible Kyle Climans People The Mad Tsar Of Russia "Terrible" doesn't even begin to describe Ivan III, the mad tyrant of Russia. From his tragic childhood to his reign of terror to his failed legacy, Ivan the Terrible was one of the most disturbing monarchs in history. Wielding completely unchecked power, Ivan brought Russia to the brink of ruin—but that doesn't even scratch the surface of just how bad things got. Read on and find out how this infamous Tsar got his dark nickname.

]]> 1. His Father Was...Adequate The apple fell far from the tree with Ivan the Terrible. His father was Grand Prince Vasili III, also known as Vasili the...Adequate. Compared to his tempestuous son, Vasili's reign was relatively uneventful—but that doesn't mean his time on the throne was completely void of scandal...

]]> 2. Before He Was Born, His Dad Had a Major Problem By all accounts, Vasili seemed to care for his first wife, but the two of them had a major problem. The couple had been married for 20 years, yet had never managed to conceive a child. By this point, Vasili was 47 and well into his middle age, and the lack of an heir started to make the boyars (Russian aristocrats) restless. According to rumors, Vasili and his wife grew desperate—and they went to dark lengths to produce an heir.

]]> 3. Vasili's First Wife Did Everything She Could... To her credit, Vasili's wife did everything in her power to try and solve their fertility woes. She went on distant pilgrimages to holy sites, and when that failed, she even consulted strange sorcerers to try and find a magical solution. Unfortunately, magic didn't work any better then than it does now, and she remained barren. Finally, her time was up.

]]> 4. Where Do You Think Ivan Got it From? At the urging of the boyars, Vasili dropped his wife of two decades like a bag of hammers and married a woman named Elena Glinskaya, Ivan the Terrible's mother. But this wasn't exactly a fairy-tale romance: Elena was a full 31 years younger than Vasili. He picked her because she was young and beautiful—but what he didn't realize was that he'd invited a viper into the Russian court.

]]> 5. Cradle Robber Ironically, because it was the boyars who forced Vasili to take a new wife, most of the aristocrats absolutely hated the new Princess due to her Catholic upbringing. But Vasili adored his young wife, and even started trying to look younger around her (though I doubt that made anyone forget the three decades between them). However, even if they were happy, early signs indicated that this relationship was just as doomed as the last one...

]]> 6. If Only They Knew... Though Vasili eagerly consummated his new marriage, Elena failed to get pregnant. In fact, Vasili and Elena remained childless for the first several years of their union. Now, it seemed like the Grand Prince was right back where he started: heading for disaster. Then, in 1530, his salvation arrived in the form of a son. He named the boy Ivan. It was only after that boy grew into a man that he earned the rest of his name.

]]> 7. His Father Died When He Was Just a Child Vasili didn't get to enjoy fatherhood for long. Just three years after Ivan's birth, Vasili was out hunting when he suddenly felt a searing pain in his side. He'd developed a painful abscess in his hip. His doctors did everything they could to save him, but 16th-century medicine was...less than ideal. Despite their efforts, the Grand Prince's infection soon spread—his end was close.

]]> 8. Deathbed Conversion Knowing that death approached, Vasili endured a long and painful trip back to Moscow so that he could be buried there. And, in a strange twist, he asked to be made a monk in his final days. He drew his last breath in 1533, and his son Ivan was set to become the next Grand Prince of Moscow. Except there was one teensy little problem...

]]> 9. The Cersei Lannister of Russia Ivan IV was just three years old when his father died. Not exactly Grand Prince material. So, while he grew up, his mother Elena effectively became the ruler of Russia. The boyars likely assumed that with the Princess on the throne, they would be free to run amok and do as they wished—but if they didn't know what kind of woman Elena Glinskaya was yet, they were about to learn the hard way.

]]> 10. She Showed Them Who was Boss As soon as her husband was in the ground, Princess Elena set about strengthening her hold on Russia until her son came of age. Unimpressed with the infant Ivan, both of Vasili's brothers made claims to the throne, but Elena stopped them in their tracks. She had both of them thrown in jail, where they had plenty of time to think about who the real ruler of Russia was. But her brothers-in-law were just the start of her problems.

]]> 11. Playing Favorites Elena quickly made enemies in the Russian court, in part because she liked to play favorites—specifically with a rather handsome young boyar. People quickly began to think that Elena and her boyar boy-toy were a little more than "allies." Ivan's mother had to be constantly on her toes to keep her hold on the country. And, to make things even worse, even her own family was up to no good.

]]> 12. Apparently, She Didn't Like Mike Ivan's uncle Michael Glinski had a...complicated relationship with the Russian throne. Long before Vasili had even married Elena, Michael was caught up in a plan to betray the Grand Prince. Let's just say that Vasili was not impressed. He threw Michael in prison to rot for 12 years. However, his saving grace came after his dear sister married his imprisoner. Elena convinced Vasili to free her brother, and the Grand Prince even appointed Michael to look after his son Ivan.

However, once Vasili died, Michael betrayed his sister's trust—and paid a horrific price for it.

]]> 13. She Made Her Own Brother Starve to Death While Ivan was a young boy and Elena was regent, Michael took advantage of his blood and gained a tremendous amount of influence at court—a little too much, in fact. Michael's political maneuvering made Elena nervous. If given enough time, he might even have taken the throne for himself! Elena was determined to see her son take his rightful place as ruler of Russia, so she coldly did what she had to do.

She had her own brother thrown in prison once again, and this time, his stay was even worse. Soon after the bars shut behind him, Michael Glinsky died of starvation.

]]> 14. The Orphan Prince Though she did everything in her power to ensure that her son Ivan could take Russia's throne, Princess Elena never lived to see it. She died suddenly in 1538 at just 28 years old. Now sure, this was the 16th-century, and people died young all the time—but still, as soon as Elena passed, dark rumors began to swirl around the Russian court.

]]> 15. Was it Poison? Accusations of poison ran wild after Elena's death. In fact, authorities apprehended Ivan's own governess for that reason. Though no one was able to prove that the Princess had been poisoned, several different groups were connected to a potential plot on her life. True, accusations like this were a dime a dozen around the time just about any European ruler died, but there was likely some truth to these rumors.

]]> 16. It was Probably Poison Centuries after her death, researchers dug up Elena's remains and tested them. The results seemed to indicate that she had indeed been poisoned. We may never know who did the deed, but one thing was for sure: Both of Ivan IV's parents were dead, and he was now alone in the snake pit.

]]> 17. He Knew How to Hold a Grudge Ivan was still technically ruler of Russia, but at just eight years old, he wasn't all that Terrible yet. After Elena's death, all of the most prominent boyar families began vying for control of the country. In all of their backstabbing and infighting, young Ivan was left by the wayside. He would later write that he and his younger brother were treated little better than peasants. They often went hungry and had to wear old, shabby clothing.

His childhood mistreatment gave Ivan a lifelong hatred of the boyars—and when he came of age, they would come to regret ever crossing him.

]]> 18. A New Caesar Finally, when he was 16 years old, Ivan donned Monomakh's Cap and took his place as the rightful ruler of Russia. From the very beginning, Ivan was determined to put more of a stamp on Russia than his father had. While Vasili was merely the Grand Prince of Moscow, Ivan had himself crowned as "Tsar of All the Russias." His reign would see the Tsardom come to completely dominate Russian affairs—and the nation would tremble from the consequences.

]]> 19. Will You Accept This Rose? Ivan was now Tsar, but he needed a Tsaritsa. He sent out invitations to prominent noble families all across Russia: Send your eligible daughters to Moscow, and if you're really lucky, the Tsar might just select her to be his wife. Allegedly, up to 1,500 girls showed up at the Tsar's doorstep, but out of all of them, he chose just one. Two weeks after his coronation, Ivan married Anastasia Romanovna, the first Tsaritsa.

]]> 20. Behind Every Great Man... By all accounts, Ivan chose his wife well. Though he was a volatile personality from the beginning, Anastasia seemed to have a calming effect on him. One writer even implied that the intelligent and driven Tsaritsa was the real power before the throne. But while Ivan and Anastasia seemed to genuinely care for one another, their marital bliss was quickly shattered by tragedy.

]]> 21. Heartbreak after Heartbreak Anastasia gave birth to two daughters in the early years of their marriage, but both of their young girls died in infancy. The couple was devastated, but they kept at it, and soon, Anastasia bore Ivan a healthy son. They named to boy Dmitri, and the nation rejoiced: The Tsar had an heir. Dmitri wasn't sickly like the two sisters who predeceased him—but that only made his death all the more devastating.

]]> 22. A Terrible Idea—With Terrible Consequences Illness claimed Ivan's first two children, but what made his son's death so painful was that it seemed so senseless. Less than a year after Dmitri was born, Ivan suddenly told his young family that he was taking them on a pilgrimage...to a monastery hundreds of miles away. Allegedly, an advisor told Ivan that bringing a one-year-old child on a mostly pointless 1,000-mile journey was probably not a great idea.

Did Ivan listen? Of course not. Should he have? Well...

]]> 23. Another Child Lost... While the Tsar and his family were sailing north on a river, a sudden wave struck their boat, overturning it. In the chaos, young Dmitri's wetnurse dropped him into the swirling water. All of the adults survived the wreck—but by the time they got to the child, it was too late. Tsarevich Dmitri was just eight months old when he died, and the Tsar and Tsarina were left to mourn a child once again.

]]> 24. The First Son to Live—But For How Long? One year after Dmitri's tragic loss, Anastasia gave birth to another son. This one, she named after his father: Tsesarevich Ivan Ivanovich. I can only imagine the young parents were absolutely obsessed with the boy's safety, because this time, young Ivan managed to grow into a daring, intelligent young man. He accompanied his father to war, and once, he even saved the Tsar's life.

But one way or another, the new Tsesarevich was his father's son, and being Ivan the Terrible's kid was hazardous to your health. It would come much, much later, Ivan Ivanovich met the most brutal end of all—but that story comes later.

]]> 25. A Villainous Face If you look at most of the portraits of Ivan the Terrible, he looks like a villain out of a horror movie. While the paintings are effective, they probably aren't exactly true-to-life. Almost all of his surviving portraits were painted long after his death. However, maybe they weren't too far off. One chronicler called Ivan tall, broad, and athletic...with an "unpleasant" face and a long, crooked nose.

]]> 26. A Powder Keg Ivan's reign got off to a pretty, well, terrible start. The year of his coronation also saw the Great Fire of Moscow, where the crown jewel of Russia almost entirely burned to the ground. Before the blaze, Moscow was mostly made out of wood. The military also kept massive stores of gunpowder inside the Kremlin, in the middle of the city. Moscow was, quite literally, a ticking timebomb, and it was only a matter of time before it went off.

]]> 27. He Watched Moscow Burn...From a Safe Distance, of Course By the time the Great Fire of Moscow faded, nearly 4,000 people had perished. A further 80,000 were left without homes, and the city's economy took a major hit. And where was the new Tsar of All the Russias as his capitol burned? He was nice and safe, miles away from the city. A horrific fire seems like a pretty bad start to Ivan's rule—but don't worry. It was going to get much, much worse.

]]> 28. He Found Himself on Death's Door To make a bad situation worse, Ivan suddenly grew extremely sick early in his reign. His condition quickly deteriorated, and it looked like another succession crisis was on the horizon. The Tsarevich was still an infant, and the boyars didn't love the idea of having a boy-Tsar again so quickly. The boyars made plans to have Ivan's cousin Vladimir take the throne in case the Tsar never recovered, and that was looking more and more likely.

However, to everyone's shock, Ivan suddenly got better. But when the boyars greeted the recovered Tsar, they found a whole new man in front of them—a man who was much more disturbed than he had once been.

]]> 29. He Wanted War—and Boy, Did He Get It The new and not-so-improved Ivan was even more brash and impulsive than he'd been before—and this very quickly brought him to war. Desperate to gain access to the Baltic Sea and the important trade routes that come along with it, Ivan embarked on the Livonian War against Sweden...and Lithuania...and Poland...and the Teutonic Knights. This war would last for decades and nearly bankrupt Russia—but Ivan was just getting started.

]]> 30. Things Fall Apart If the Great Fire of Moscow was Ivan's reign started on the wrong foot, the following years saw it fall flat on its face. The Livonian War was going badly, droughts had led to widespread famine across the country, and Ivan still hadn't managed to get access to the Baltic Sea. It seemed like absolutely nothing was going his way—but just when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, Ivan was hit with the most heartbreaking loss yet.

]]> 31. His Beloved Wife was Taken From Him Ivan's beloved wife Anastasia had been in poor health for years, but in 1560, she fell ill for the last time. She passed away that summer. To put it bluntly, her death left Ivan...broken. His mental health had already been frayed from his own illness, but at least he had Anastasia around to keep him in check. With her gone, he had a complete emotional breakdown.

He had been a questionable ruler before, but after the loss of his wife, Ivan finally began to earn his nickname.

]]> 32. The Paranoia Sets In In his mad grief, Ivan became convinced that the boyars had poisoned his wife. The same boyars who had left him fending for himself as a young boy. The same boyars who he'd hated for almost his entire life. No one could find any evidence that Anastasia had died of poison, but there was no changing Ivan's mind. Seemingly with little rhyme or reason, he had several boyars captured, questioned, and executed.

It seemed like Ivan had truly gone mad in his grief—but there may actually have been some truth behind his paranoia.

]]> 33. Not The First Woman in His Life to be Poisoned—and Not the Last As with Ivan's mother, archaeologists uncovered Anastasia's remains centuries later and tested them for the cause of death. Once again, the bones revealed indications of poison. In Anastasia's case, scientists found far higher levels of mercury in her remains than they expected. With this evidence, it's generally agreed that the Tsaritsa did indeed die of poison.

]]> 34. The Fakeout to End All Fakeouts Without his beloved wife to keep him contained, Ivan truly descended into tyranny. But in a bizarre twist, he began his reign of terror by...abdicating his crown? That's right, a few years after his wife died, Ivan suddenly left Moscow. Next, he sent letters to the Kremlin announcing that he planned to give up his throne. He claimed that the treasonous boyars were stealing his money, and so he was no longer able to rule.

This seems like the craziest plan in the history of crazy plans—but what happened next was even more unbelievable.

]]> 35. The Worst Was Yet to Come Despite his abdication letter, Ivan had no intention of giving up his power. However, he knew that the people of Moscow were on his side, and that the boyars would be completely helpless without him. I can only imagine the smug satisfaction on his face when an envoy from the boyars came crawling to his feet, begging for Ivan to come back. If they had known what he would do upon his return, maybe the boyars would have thought twice...

]]> 36. Absolute Power Corrupts, Absolutely Ivan agreed to return to Moscow and take back the position of Tsar—but at a huge cost. He forced the boyars to grant him absolute power. He demanded that he be granted the ability to imprison traitors, execute them, and take all of their possessions for himself. And who decided who was a traitor? Well, Ivan of course. The boyars were out of options, so they agreed to all of Ivan's demands—creating a monster in the process.

]]> 37. The Dark Times Begin Ivan the Terrible now had more power than any Russian monarch had possessed before—but he was just getting started. One of his first decrees after returning was the creation of the oprichnina. Soon, nearly every soul in Russia would learn to fear that name.

]]> 38. What Mad Tyrant Would Be Complete Without His Secret Police? The oprichnina was a territory in Russia where Ivan had absolute control over every facet of life. But that wasn't nearly the worst part of the decree. To maintain order in this new world, Ivan created the oprichniki—his black-clad secret police. Ivan pulled men from every corner of Russian society and gave them everything they ever wanted: money, power, you name it. This made the oprichniki intensely devoted to the Tsar.

It also ensured they didn't bat an eye when he began ordering them to commit some of the worst atrocities in Russian history.

]]> 39. The Purge Ivan was still reeling from the death of his wife—and now he had a pack of rabid dogs to do his bidding for him. Not long after he founded the oprichniki, Ivan instituted a brutal purge of Russia's noble clans. Under vague accusations of conspiracy, the oprichniki rounded up thousands of boyars. A tiny fraction of them bowed to Ivan and became oprichniks themselves. The rest were not so lucky.

Some were forced to become monks, some were exiled out of Russia, and many were executed without trial. And Ivan was just getting started.

]]> 40. He Managed to Make Life Worse for His Poorest Subjects To keep the oprichniki happy, Ivan gave them massive estates in his now ever-increasing oprichnina. And if you think that the members of Ivan's brutal secret police would make bad landlords, you'd be right. Upon taking their estates, the oprichniki came down on their peasants like a hammer. They began forcing farmers to pay as much in a single year as they used to pay in 10.

]]> 41. The Country was Running Out of Food Unsurprisingly, many peasants weren't too happy with this new arrangement. They fled their estates, meaning that grain production plummeted and prices skyrocketed, which only made life in the oprichnina even worse. Under Ivan's iron fist, Russia was becoming a frightening place—but his madness didn't stop there.

]]> 42. How Terrible Was He? Just Ask Novgorod In Ivan's time, Moscow was the most important city in Russia, but Novgorod was a close second. The city was still managing to prosper under Ivan's tyranny, and it became a favored haven of his critics. As you can imagine, Ivan wasn't too happy about that. The Tsar was becoming increasingly paranoid and started seeing conspiracies everywhere.

Eventually, his focus landed on Novgorod—and what followed was by far the darkest saga of his rule.

]]> 43. The Two Es: Exile and Execution First, Ivan had thousands of people exiled from the city of Novgorod in the hopes that it might help quell any potential rebellion. When his paranoia didn't subsist, he started executing anyone from the city who he deemed to be a threat. Hundreds of boyars met their fate around this time. Nobody was safe from Ivan the Terrible. Not even members of his own family...

]]> 44. Poor Vlad Never Saw It Coming Years earlier, when Ivan had nearly died from illness, the boyars had nominated his cousin Vladimir to succeed him. When Ivan recovered, he forgave Vladimir—but he never forgot. Now, with his wife gone and his megalomania increasing with every day, there was no one to protect Vladimir from Ivan's wrath. His vengeance on his own cousin was truly horrifying. Ivan burnt Vladimir's palace to the ground, took all of his land, and accused him of treason.

Next, in Ivan's own residence, he forced Vladimir and his young children to take poison in front of him. Vladimir's mother and wife were in a different city at the time, so they were spared that fate...they were simply drowned in a river a few days later.

]]> 45. Sodom, Gomorrah, and Novgorod Apparently, killing his own cousin only whet Ivan's appetite for carnage. And where did most of Vladimir's friends and supporters live? Novgorod, of course! Ivan's next act was something completely unprecedented and absolutely insane: the Tsar of Russia launched a military attack...on one of his own cities. And this wasn't just any ordinary army. He sent the oprichniki to teach Novgorod a lesson.

One historian described what happened next as "the most repulsive episode in the brutal history of the oprichnina. The cruel, senseless slaughter of innocent people made oprichnina synonymous with lawlessness and excess."

]]> 46. He Didn't Need a Reason, but He Still Made One Up To defend his horrific actions, Ivan claimed that Novgorod planned to defect from Russia and join nearby Poland-Lithuania. Of course, there's absolutely no concrete evidence to back up his claim, but that wasn't about to stop him. In the summer of 1569, Ivan pointed the oprichniki towards Novgorod. They left a path of destruction in their wake, terrorizing every village they came across.

]]> 47. Path of Destruction In each of the villages that Ivan's army passed through, he had all the prominent merchants and officials rounded up. Seeking proof that Novgorod was planning to defect, he had these men put to the question—and his methods were horrifying. Prisoners were roasted over bonfires, strung up by their hands, and subjected to a horrifying fire-making device known only as a "grill."

Ivan didn't find the proof he wanted, but he'd come too far to let that stop him. Finally, they made it to the city, and that's when the true nightmare began.

]]> 48. No One Was Safe The different classes of Novgorod all met different fates in the massacre—but all of them were equally horrible. Members of the church were rounded up, subjected to horrific "interrogation" methods, and either thrown in prison or executed outright. The nobles who were left saw the brunt of Ivan's wrath: their homes were burned, their possessions were taken, and they were executed on masse.

Ivan's main beef was with the Church and the nobility, so for the most part, his men didn't attack the city's working classes outright. But in a way, they met the darkest fate of all.

]]> 49. To Die in the Russian Winter Remember how Ivan's brutal policies had led to widespread famine? Well, that meant that thousands of impoverished peasants had fled their land and traveled to Novgorod for shelter. When Ivan arrived, he had these innocent souls cast out of the city in the middle of winter. Countless peasants died of exposure and starvation outside of the city's walls while the carnage continued inside.

]]> 50. The River Styx When they tired of killing, the oprichniki started letting the brutal Russian winter do their dirty work for them. Men, women, and children were all indiscriminately tied up and thrown into the Volkhov river, where they became trapped under the frigid ice. While this was happening, soldiers would patrol the waves in boats, armed with hooks and spears, to push anyone who tried to get out back under.

]]> 51. Salt the Earth Ivan took out his rage on Novgorod for five horrific weeks. Thousands lay dead when he finally left, and the city would feel the effects of the massacre for generations. Not only was the population decimated, but Ivan also laid waste to the farmland surrounding the city. The region was already suffering from a famine, but this ensured that the populace wouldn't recover for years. Yet the ramifications of the attack went even deeper than that.

The remaining citizens had to grapple with the psychological trauma from the fact that they were attacked by their own ruler. It was a blow from which the city never truly recovered, and Novgorod never again rivaled Moscow in influence.

]]> 52. The Beginning of the End The Massacre of Novgorod was the darkest moment in the history of the oprichnina, but it also marked the beginning of its end. First, the atrocity was a stain on Ivan's reputation. Also, when Ivan sent his oprichniki into battle against the Crimean army not long after, they were utterly humiliated. It turns out, fighting real soldiers is different than attacking helpless citizens.

Just three years after the massacre, Ivan ended the oprichnina and disbanded the oprichniki.

]]> 53. Hey, At Least He Built One Nice Church! Ivan the Terrible's legacy is truly...terrible, but it wasn't all bad. It was Ivan who ordered the construction of the world-famous St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. According to legend, when he first laid eyes on the finished Church, he was so taken aback by its beauty that he had the architect blinded, so that he might never create something so beautiful again.

Now, this story is completely false, and the architect went on to create many more buildings, but it gives you an idea of the kind of reputation Ivan left behind.

]]> 54. Pen Pals While Ivan's nightmarish reign seems like something out of the darkest chapters of Game of Thrones, he actually ruled at the same time as Queen Elizabeth I of England, a famously civilized monarch. In fact, the two of them corresponded with each other for years, and Ivan even made a deal with Elizabeth so that he'd be allowed to stay in England if his people ever rose up against him and he was forced to flee Russia.

]]> 55. He Couldn't Protect His Own Territory Things didn't get much better as Ivan's reign went on. The later years of his rule saw his southern borders beset by Crimean raiders almost constantly. These armies attacked Russia in order to capture citizens to be sold as forced laborers in the Ottoman Empire. And since Ivan was still fighting the now-decades old Livonian War in the north, he had no men left over to defend his own territory.

But while it started with raids on Russian borders, in 1571, the Crimean armies dealt Ivan an utterly devastating blow.

]]> 56. Moscow Burns...Again That year, the Crimean Khan Devlet I led 40,000 men right into the heart of Ivan's territory—straight to Moscow itself. With most of the Russian army off fighting Ivan's failing war, Moscow had just 6,000 men to defend itself. The tiny garrison couldn't even slow the Crimeans down. Devlet and his men attacked the city and burned it to the ground—the second time that had happened in Ivan's reign, for anyone keeping count.

Anywhere from 10,000 to 80,000 people perished in the flames. According to one historian, it took over a year to clear away the bodies that clogged the streets.

]]> 57. Finally, Someone Does Something Right Once wasn't enough for Devlet of Crimea. He launched yet another attack on Moscow the following year—but this time it went a little differently. Though the Russians were outnumbered once again, the brilliant Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky led them to a shocking victory. Vorotynsky completely routed the Crimeans and sent them heading for the hills, saving Moscow from another massacre.

One would think that Ivan would be eternally grateful to his heroic commander. What really happened was much, much darker.

]]> 58. Are You Even Surprised at This Point? How did Ivan the Terrible thank the general who saved Moscow? Just a year later, Ivan accused Vorotynsky of treason and personally subjected him to truly horrific questioning (we'll spare you the details, but let's just say, fire was involved). Vorotynsky died of his injuries soon after. Absolutely no one was safe from Ivan madness—not even those who served him the best.

]]> 59. Fool Me Once, Shame on You... If a plan works once, why not try it again? In 1575, Ivan pretended to abdicate his throne for the second time—and somehow, this scheme was even more underhanded than the last one. This time, he proclaimed a man named Simeon Bekbulatovich to be his successor. In reality, the new Tsar was just a puppet, and Ivan continued to rule behind the scenes. Pretty sleazy, right? You don't even know the half of it...

]]> 60. You Can't Make This Stuff Up... When Tsar Simeon confiscated every monastery in Russia's land, sweet, humble Ivan publically denounced the decision. Then, when the people got fed up of Simeon and Ivan returned to the throne, he showed his good nature by returning some of the land that Simeon had taken—while keeping a good chunk of it for himself, of course. It turns out, the whole thing had been a plan to snatch lands away from monasteries, but this way, he came out looking like the good guy.

]]> 61. Cause of Death...Married Ivan the Terrible Throughout all of this chaos, Ivan's personal life was just as tumultuous. After his first wife was poisoned, he married three more times. Two of his subsequent wives also died of poison. The fourth wife, he had sent to a convent when he tired of her. But no matter what was happening at home or away, his son Ivan Ivanovich stood there by his side. He was present at the Massacre of Novgorod and saw the rise and fall of each of the Tsar's wives—but before long, cracks in their relationship started to show.

]]> 62. Domineering Dad To give you an idea what it was like being Ivan the Terrible's kid, the Tsar forced his son to marry, then divorce, then remarry, then redivorce, then remarry again. First, he had the young Ivan marry a woman who he himself had almost hooked up with (awkward). After this first wife didn't get pregnant immediately, he annulled the marriage, banished her to a convent, then tried again. The Tsesarevich's second wife didn't get pregnant any faster than than the first, so she also got the boot, and the whole song and dance started up again.

Finally, Tsesarevich Ivan's third wife, Yelena, got pregnant soon enough for the Tsar's liking, and she was allowed to stick around. Gosh, being Ivan the Terrible's son sounds exhausting.

]]> 63. The Lesser Brother Ivan's other son, Feodor Ivanovich, was a mere child when his mother died. As his father grew more and more insane, Feodor had only his brother to look out for him. He was also a frail and sickly child who grew up to be a shy and unconfident man. Not exactly the ideal person to inherit the mess that Ivan the Terrible would leave.

]]> 64. You've Gotta Admit—It's Kinda a Cool Nickname Feodor I of Russia didn't amount to much, but at least he could boast one thing: he had a better nickname than his father! Since the world of politics and warfare terrified him, Feodor fell in love with religion instead. He spent much of his time in churches, and he always made sure that the priests there would ring the bells according to Orthodox tradition. Because of this, he came to be known as Feodor the Bellringer.

Unfortunately, that's about all he accomplished...

]]> 65. It Seems Like Ivan's Entire Family Was Cursed After the death of his brother, Feodor became painfully lonely, and he took solace in the arms of his beloved wife. But while his wife was a bastion of support, their relationship only caused him more pain. After years of trying, they finally gave birth to a young daughter. The couple adored the child and they doted on her constantly, but tragically, she died at just two years old. Feodor and his wife never had a child again.

]]> 66. A Simple Death for a Terrible Man After his horrific reign, one would think that Ivan the Terrible would have been assassinated, or perhaps killed in some misguided military venture, but no. Ivan the Terrible died of a stroke while playing a game of chess. Such a simple way for such a monstrous man to die.

]]> 67. He Suffered a Painful End Soviet scientists excavated Ivan the Terrible's grave in 1963. His bones painted a grim picture of his final days. At the time of his death, the Tsar suffered from several debilitating bone diseases that would have left him in constant pain and barely able to move. They also found high levels of mercury in his body, likely from ointments he would have taken to try and ease his agonizing joints.

]]> 68. Oh, the Irony... Ivan the Terrible was the definition of a tyrant. He helped create the idea that the Tsar was an absolute power, accountable to no one but God—someone who could essentially do whatever he wanted with zero repercussions. It was this attitude that eventually made the Russian people so fed up that the Soviets were able to topple the monarchy and take control.

How ironic, then, that the Communist regime then spun Ivan's legacy to make him a symbol of nationalist pride. Specifically, Joseph Stalin identified himself with Ivan. In hindsight, that actually makes a lot of sense...

]]> 69. Imagine Inheriting a Building on Fire Believe it or not, Ivan's absolutely disastrous reign left Russia on the brink of ruin by the time of his death. His failed wars, heavy taxation, and economical mismanagement ensured that his weak-willed son Feodor was pretty much doomed from the start. But still, if anything, Feodor still managed to do worse than anyone expected.

]]> 70. From Bad to...Still Bad? Not only did Tsar Feodor I do little to improve the Russian economy during his reign, but his inability to father an heir meant that upon his death, there was a succession crisis. This led to the infamous Time of Troubles—15 years of chaos and anarchy as several forces vied for the Russian throne. But, while the Time of Troubles were a dark period in Russian history, were they any worse than the nightmares that Ivan the Terrible had unleashed for decades?

]]> 71. "Trouble" is an Understatement The Time of Troubles were, to put it lightly, troubling. Within just a few years of Feodor's death, yet another brutal famine struck Russia. This one was particularly horrible—approximately one-third of the entire country's population perished. On top of that, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took advantage of the chaos to occupy massive swaths of Russian territory.

Even decades after his death, Ivan the Terrible still somehow managed to make things awful for the people of Russia.

]]> 72. The Tsar is Dead—Long Live the Tsar Finally, the Time of Troubles came to a close when the Russians elected a man named Michael Romanov to be the new Tsar. Does that name sound familiar? Probably because the Romanov Dynasty would continue to rule Russia for centuries until they were finally brought down in the February Revolution of 1917.

]]> 73. Oh Maria, You Could Have Done So Much Better... Ivan took a second wife not long after Anastasia died. He chose the utterly beautiful (and 17-year-old) Maria Temryukovna—but this union was doomed to an utterly chilling end. Ivan was infatuated with Maria at first sight, but he soon came to regret his decision to marry her. She was illiterate, temperamental, and infamously vindictive. She was also apparently terrible with Ivan's two young sons, and on top of all that, the people of Moscow hated her almost instantly.

By all accounts, Maria Temryukovna was not an ideal Tsaritsa—but she still didn't deserve the chilling end that she got.

]]> 74. Her Death Seemed a Little Too Convenient A few years after she married Ivan, Maria suddenly fell ill and died. Almost everyone assumed that the Tsar himself had poisoned her. To his credit, Ivan had several people killed on suspicion of assassinating his wife—but this is Ivan the Terrible we're talking about. Killing his wife, then killing a bunch of innocent people to cover his tracks, doesn't sound like that big of a stretch.

]]> 75. Fighting Father and Son Ivan the Terrible did a lot of horrible things—but the death of his son Ivan was the darkest moment of the all. It all began when the devoted son started to admit that his father wasn't exactly doing a great job. The Livonian War was still going on, and it was going no better than it had for the last, I don't know, 20 years. The Tsarevich decided to take matters into his own hands and demanded Ivan give him troops so that he could liberate the besieged city of Pskov. For his part, Ivan couldn't care less about Pskov, and he began to resent his son's rebelliousness.

Things were tense already—but then, in one chilling outburst, Ivan the Terrible finally went too far.

]]> 76. It Was the Most Terrible Thing He Ever Did On November 15, 1581, Ivan the Terrible was in a particularly violent mood. When he saw his pregnant daughter-in-law walking around in clothing that he didn't approve of, for whatever reason, he absolutely snapped. He viciously attacked her, and her screams brought the Tsarevich running to see what was happening. The son managed to pull the father off of his wife—but the violence was just getting started.

]]> 77. His Son was Finally Fed Up Tragically, after Ivan attacked his daughter-in-law, she suffered a miscarriage. In their struggle, the younger Ivan screamed at his father, "You sent my first wife to a convent for no reason, you did the same with my second, and now you strike the third, causing the death of the son she holds in her womb!" The relationship between father and son had finally been irreparably damaged—but either way, it wouldn't last much longer.

]]> 78. He Tried to Turn the Tables As the younger Ivan screamed at his father, the elder Ivan changed the subject to his son's recent insubordination related to the siege at Pskov. The Tsar accused his son of rebellion and treason. It was completely ludicrous, as per usual, but this time, the younger Ivan stood up to his father. He denied the accusations, but stood firm that the people of Pskov deserved to be liberated.

He had a point, but Ivan the Terrible was beyond reason by now.

]]> 79. My Son, My Son, What Have I Done... Mad with rage, Ivan finally snapped. He grabbed his royal scepter and smashed it into his son's temple. One of his advisors, who was witnessing the fight, ran to stop him, but Ivan struck him as well. The Tsarevich fell to the ground, blood pouring from his head. The sight of his own son and heir lying bleeding on the ground finally snapped Ivan back to reality. He threw himself on top of his boy, sobbing, kissing his face, and crying, "I've killed my son! I've killed my son!"

]]> 80. He Killed His Own Child Allegedly, Ivan Ivanovich regained consciousness just long enough to look up at his father and say, "I die as a devoted son and most humble servant." He quickly fell back into a coma, where he stayed for the next several days. Distraught, the Tsar desperately prayed for a miracle, but nothing was coming. After four days, Ivan Ivanovich died.

]]> 81. His Legacy Died With His Son Ivan the Terrible's legacy is absolutely horrific, but killing his own son is the darkest stain of all. To make things worse, the younger Ivan had been a strong, effective, and determined leader. After he died, his brother Feodor was left as the heir to the throne, and he was a mere shadow of his older brother. In fact, though he couldn't have possibly realized it at the time, killing his own son ensured that everything Ivan the Terrible had built would fall to pieces within just a few years of his death.

]]> 82. Terrible Ivan the "Terrible" is actually an indirect translation of his Russian sobriquet, Ivan Grozny. At the time, grozny would have meant something closer to "powerful," or "formidable." A man to be feared and respected, but not a man who's considered evil or monstrous. In fact, one historian claims that the name Grozny would have meant "magnificent" or "courageous."

But whether or not they meant it that way, now that we can look back upon Ivan's reign, I think "Terrible" was the perfect word.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, , 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61734 <![CDATA[Jackson Pollock became a master of chaos on the canvas—but he still couldn’t escape the chaos within.]]> 2026-07-22T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-21T20:30:02+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-jackson-pollock Jillian Kent People Carving His Own Path Jackson Pollock is one of those artists who is a household name, even in households that aren’t art-centric. However, few people truly understand the complicated and often difficult story of Pollock’s life. Born into a home of modest means, Pollock struggled to process life the only way he knew how—but even his meteoric launch to fame couldn’t erase the demons that chased him.

]]> 1. He Had Modest Beginnings Born in Cody, Wyoming, Paul Jackson Pollock was the youngest of five boys. He was far from rich. His father, LeRoy Pollock, worked as a land surveyor, often travelling for work and leaving his wife, Stella May, alone to raise their five children. This led to a childhood that became broken up in pieces, fractured by traveling and marked by disappointments.

]]> 2. His Childhood Was Disrupted Although Pollock was born in Wyoming, he never called it home. Stella packed up her boys and moved the family to San Diego in November 1912, when Pollock was only 10 months old. Instead, Pollock grew up moving between Arizona and California. It is unclear how often the Pollocks moved or how often Pollock’s father left, but this suggested instability may have created something dark inside of the young boy.

]]> 3. He Struggled As A Child Pollock appeared to be a difficult child. He had strong opinions and never feared expressing them. During high school, he became involved in a protest against the football team. Sources are unclear as to what Pollock protested about, however, they state that the protests got out of hand, enough so that the faculty at his high school felt that they needed to do something about it.

]]> 4. He Got Out Of Control As a result of his involvement with the protest against the football team, Pollock’s high school expelled him. Kicked out of school, Pollock needed to find another institution to attend. Fortunately, the search did not take long. The same year, he enrolled in Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles, a standard high school with a specialized art department. This school may have started Pollock down the path of fame and fortune, but it couldn’t change who he was.

]]> 5. He Landed On His Feet—For A Bit It’s unclear if Pollock’s interest in the arts developed at Manual Arts High School or if he came to the school with the interest already. However, regardless of where Pollock’s passions may have lain, his demons continued to follow him. Pollock still couldn’t keep his passions to himself, and they continued to cause trouble for him. Eventually, even Manual Arts High School couldn’t protect him.

]]> 6. He Couldn’t Keep Out Of Trouble Jackson Pollock couldn’t have been at Manual Arts High School for more than a year or two at most before trouble found him again. This time, in the form of published attacks against the faculty. Again, sources are unclear as to what, exactly, Pollock said or did in these attacks, but the results were final. Yet again, Pollock found himself expelled, and yet again, he needed to chart a new course in his life.

]]> 7. His Father Helped Inspire Him Fortunately, this period of Pollock’s life wasn’t all struggles. He spent time traveling with his father during LeRoy’s trips as a land surveyor. This introduced him to a world beyond his own, particularly Native American culture. As Pollock grew and began developing his own style and techniques, he drew on the early experiences that his father gave him. However, his father couldn’t help him during his expulsions. Pollock needed to find a path forward on his own.

]]> 8. He Followed His Brother In the end, Pollock settled on following one of his elder brothers, Charles, to New York. He arrived in 1930 and joined Charles in studying at the Art Students League under painter, muralist, and printmaker Thomas Hart Benton. Over the course of Pollock’s career, it became clear that Benton’s preferred subject matter (rural America) had little to no influence on Pollock. However, Benton still had something to offer.

]]> 9. He Found A Mentor Pollock appeared to spend quite some time studying with Benton. This tutorship even extended beyond the classroom. One summer in the early 1930s, Pollock joined Benton and another student, Glen Rounds, touring the Western United States together, presumably exploring both the lifestyle and the art that this area had to offer. Pollock never took to lifestyle painting, but Benton still had a few lessons that stuck with Pollock throughout his life.

]]> 10. He Learned Two Things From Benton From Benton, Pollock appeared to carry two lessons with him throughout the rest of his career, the first being Benton’s rhythmic use of painting. While Benton used this method in a highly traditional sense, creating fluid and often pastoral figure drawings that captured both American life and classic mythology, Pollock used Benton’s teaching as a springboard, something to rebel against to drive him to create something truly unique.

]]> 11. He Knew What He Didn’t Want Jackson Pollock often remarked that Benton’s traditional teachings gave him a starting point from which to deviate. He rebelled against the traditional workings of the art world, which led to the second lesson that Benton gave Pollock: his fierce sense of independence. Only once Pollock understood the foundations of traditional art could he break the mold and create something no one had seen before.

]]> 12. He Began To Figure Things Out Pollock’s artwork truly began to grow, taking on a life and spark unique to him in 1936. It started when Pollock took a workshop in a then-experimental style hosted by David Alfaro Siqueiros, a Mexican muralist. Siqueiros and this workshop introduced Pollock to liquid paints, and seemed to spark a specific interest in Pollock, a need to dive deeper into the art form that he’d discovered.

]]> 13. He Needed To See It Following Siqueiros’s workshop, Pollock gained access to Dartmouth College to study a specific work. The Epic of American Civilization is a 3,200 square foot mural painted by José Clemente Orozco. This massive mural consists of 24 fresco panels and now lives in the basement reading room of Memorial Library at Dartmouth. Now almost 100 years old, the mural was something new and compelling when it captured Pollock’s imagination.

]]> 14. His Timing Was Horrible Being an artist comes with a certain amount of risk. Artists depend on their ability to sell their work, and even today, “struggling artist” is a common archetype. Not only did Pollock have to struggle against the natural difficulties of creating art, but during the 1930s, when he began working, the Great Depression left many men struggling without work. Pollock’s career may have looked very different if a powerful ally hadn’t stepped in.

]]> 15. He Got A Helping Hand By 1938, ,Pollock had support in his craft through the federal government. In an attempt to provide jobs for artists across the country, as well as preserve art in a time of struggle, the government created the Federal Art Project, which supported thousands of artists throughout the 1930s, including Jackson Pollock. However, the government couldn’t save Pollock from himself.

]]> 16. He Succumbed To Vices From a young age, Pollock appeared to struggle with keeping himself under control. As a youth, this seemed to manifest through outbursts and loud protests that often got him in trouble with authority figures. However, as he got older, the world offered him access to even more vices, and given his background, he found it difficult to say no. Unfortunately, these vices got in the way of his work.

]]> 17. He Knew He Needed Help Although only 26 in 1938, Pollock already recognized that he had a problem that he needed to deal with. He struggled with alcoholism, and it likely affected his ability to approach his work as he hoped. At the very least, something motivated Pollock to seek help for his struggles in the late 1930s. Though Pollock likely never realized just how deeply his difficulties may have run.

]]> 18. He Didn’t Believe In Freud From 1938 to 1942, Pollock worked with at least two different psychologists who approached their work backed by the theories of Carl Jung, otherwise known as analytical psychologists (in opposition to those who followed Freud’s school of psychology). However, despite his best efforts, it seemed that these treatments refused to have the desired effect.

]]> 19. His Troubles May Have Gone Deeper While Pollock may have immediate conquered his troubles, they didn’t disappear, as this particular demon followed Pollock around for the remainder of his life. Several modern psychologists have looked at the evidence and theorized that Pollock may have suffered from bipolar disorder. However, no one can prove now, and even if someone could prove the diagnosis, it would be much too late for Pollock.

]]> 20. He Began To See Promise Perhaps Pollock’s treatments and sessions with the psychologists had some small effects in the immediate period after he took them, for shortly after that period of his life ended, Pollock’s life began to change for the better. He signed a contract with Peggy Guggenheim, leading to not just his early showings but what might’ve been his first truly big break.

]]> 21. He Found The Right Person For many artists, all they need is the right person to notice them and their talent to change everything. For Jackson Pollock, Peggy Guggenheim was one of the first people to do that. Not only did she sign him to his gallery, but she also commissioned him to create a unique piece for the entryway of her new townhome. At the suggestion of fellow artist Marcel Duchamp, Pollock painted this piece on canvas rather than directly on the townhome’s walls, ensuring that the piece could be portable, and this changed everything.

]]> 22. He Made Something Unique In the end, Peggy Guggenheim’s private commission became an 8-by-20-foot abstract painting that’s known simply as Mural. This piece finally gave Pollock what all artists crave: genuine recognition from the world of critics. Mural blew art critic Clement Greenberg away. In response to seeing it, Greenberg wrote, “I took one look at it and thought, ‘Now that’s great art’”. However, Greenberg’s praises didn’t end there.

]]> 23. He Stunned Critics As if reaffirming an art critic’s belief in what is and isn’t great art isn’t enough, Greenberg went on to give Pollock even higher praise. He added that, upon seeing Mural, “I knew Jackson was the greatest painter this country had produced”. Greenberg wasn’t the only one impressed with Pollock and the potential that his work had. Pollock had a mysterious something that people seemed to gravitate towards.

]]> 24. He Couldn’t Be Defined His first show included a catalogue which introduced Pollock and his talent as “volcanic. It is unpredictable. It is undisciplined”. People didn’t quite know what to make of Pollock and the energy that his work possessed. However, they knew that it had something that they couldn’t resist. This sort of energy drew people in, even other artists. One artist in particular felt so compelled to meet Pollock that she defied all rules of decorum to do so.

]]> 25. He Was In The Right Place In 1942, Lee Krasner was 34 and struggling with her own art. She possessed a critical nature, and this often led to dissatisfaction with her own work. However, this did not stop her from producing enough art for the McMillen Gallery to feature her alongside another up-and-coming artist with great promise: Jackson Pollock. At a crossroads in her own creative process, Pollock’s work struck Krasner with a force that may have surprised even her.

]]> 26. He Almost Missed Out Krasner had never heard of Pollock before the McMillen Gallery exhibited them together, but his work spoke to her. The promise that it showed intrigued her, and she needed to meet the artist who had created these works. She wanted to know and possibly pick the brain of the artist. However, she never got the opportunity to meet Pollock during their time at the gallery. Some may have left it at that, but not Krasner.

]]> 27. He Found A Surprise At His Door The world of art could’ve been very different if Lee Krasner possessed a less assertive personality. Some people would have just accepted their fate for what it was when Krasner and Pollock both departed from the McMillen Gallery without meeting. Some people might’ve done that, but not Krasner. Instead, Krasner appeared at Pollock’s apartment unannounced and introduced herself. That also could’ve gone one of two ways.

]]> 28. He Had A Choice To Make Too Who knows what exactly ran through Jackson Pollock’s mind when he opened his door one day and found Lee Krasner standing upon his stoop. Artists all have reputations for being particular sorts, but even they must have their limits of what they can and can’t accept. Pollock easily could’ve turned Krasner away, telling her that he didn’t have time for her and encouraged her to find her inspiration somewhere else. Pollock could’ve done that, but he didn’t.

]]> 29. He Didn’t Turn Her Away Presumably, instead of turning Krasner away, Pollock invited her in. What, exactly, they spoke about appears to be a secret that only the two of them knew, but not much time passed before the world could see that something began to bloom between the two young artists. Pollock married Krasner three years later in a small ceremony; they only had two witnesses present. From there, their lives truly began.

]]> 30. He Left The City Shortly after marrying, Pollock and Krasner moved out of the city. They relocated to a small plot of land on the south shore of Long Island in an area known as East Hampton. The property contained a small house and a barn, which Pollock turned into a studio. From the outside, the barn looked unassuming, no different than the hundreds of other old barns that scatter the country. However, inside, this barn became a part of history.

]]> 31. He Found His Stride Most artists go through many different phases as they work to develop their own identity. Jackson Pollock was no different than the rest. However, fame often pushes those phases into the shadows. No one remembers what came before. They only remember what caught their attention, the technique that truly made them shine. For Pollock, this happened in his barn on Long Island.

]]> 32. He Created Something Special Unless you are an avid history buff, if you’re familiar with Jackson Pollock, you are familiar with one style in particular: his loud, vibrant drip paintings. Throughout the late 1940s into the 1950s, Pollock created painting after painting through the process of pouring liquid paint onto a large canvas he laid upon the floor of his studio. The art world had its eye on Pollock before he found this technique; yet, only after he discovered it did his star truly start to shine.

]]> 33. He Inspired Stories Pollock truly made a name for himself through his drip paintings. If he had never discovered this style, it is possible that time would’ve eventually forgotten his name, his work fading into the background as so many other artists had experienced before and after him. In 1949, right in the middle of his drip period, LIFE magazine featured Pollock and his work, posing a simple question in its title that many still ask today.

]]> 34. He May Have Been The Greatest Ever LIFE ran their article under the title “Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?” It certainly seemed like he had the potential to become so during this period. However, people seemed just as interested in attempting to figure out how Pollock’s work came to be. Throughout his career, he engaged with a wide variety of artists, absorbing their work and style into his own. So much so that perhaps Pollock even forgot what pieces he borrowed from which artists.

]]> 35. He Contradicted Himself Pollock spent a significant amount of time working and studying in a workshop with David Alfaro Siqueiros. Many art historians point to this era as the first spark that eventually led to Pollock’s definitive drip period. However, Pollock himself rarely mentioned this period of study, and when he did, he made a point of scorning his connection with Siqueiros, insisting that it did not influence his current work. However, even in this, Pollock contradicted himself.

]]> 36. He Couldn’t Stick With One Answer In 1947, Pollock claimed to paint with his canvas on the floor rather than on an easel (as most artists do) because he’d seen a Navajo Sand artist do so at the Natural History Museum in 1941. However, records exist that Pollock witnessed Siqueiros do so five years before that, in 1936. He then made the claim of doing so because “the Orientals did it” only a short time after that. Another layer that complicates Pollock’s inspiration is Janet Sobel.

]]> 37. He May Have Ignored An Inspiration Born in the Russian Empire (now part of Ukraine), Janet Sobel moved to America in 1908. However, she didn’t begin to paint until 1937, when she was already a grandmother. Sobel’s paintings were abstract and often had an unearthly quality to them. She is also credited with developing the drip painting technique that Pollock is famous for. So, did she influence Pollock’s work?

]]> 38. He Didn’t Do It First One of Sobel’s most popular works is Milky Way, a piece that is now owned by MoMA. Sobel created this piece in 1945, around the time that Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner were married, and two years before Pollock began experimenting with drip painting. Art critic Clement Greenberg (who’d been so impressed with Pollock years before), often spoke of Sobel and Pollock in the same breath, comparing their works—and crediting Sobel, not Pollock, with first producing the method they both seemed to work in.

]]> 39. He Admitted To Knowing Her Work, Barely Eventually, Greenberg claimed that Pollock informed him that Sobel’s work “had made an impression on him”. However, if Sobel had a larger role in inspiring Pollock, he never mentioned it. This, perhaps, is unsurprising, as sources seem to indicate that he didn’t even credit his own wife for the significant influence that she had over the trajectory of his career.

]]> 40. His Wife Remained In the Background When Krasner first met Pollock, he had potential. However, he had yet to fully realize it. Critics were looking at him, but he hadn’t quite figured out how to turn that potential into something that fully held people’s attention. Only after meeting Krasner, who had an extensive background in modern art, did Pollock begin to shift his work into something that truly captured the imagination. Of course, it took years before anyone realized it.

]]> 41. His Wife Pulled The Strings During the height of Pollock’s fame, no one looked at Krasner. However, as time went on and society caught up with where feminism should’ve been the entire time, people began looking at Lee Krasner in her own right. Fritz Bultman, a fellow painter, referred to Pollock as Krasner’s “creation, her Frankenstein,” and art dealer John Bernard Myers went as far as to claim “there would never have been a Jackson Pollock without a Lee Pollock”. Unfortunately, haunted by his demons as he was, Jackson Pollock failed to see what he had right in front of him.

]]> 42. He Couldn’t Handle The Pressure As Pollock’s fame increased, he began to feel the pressure more keenly. This made it even more difficult for him to keep his vices under control. Feeling frustrated and trapped by the pressure to continue to create, Pollock returned to his old habits. He began to drink again. This put a strain not just on his art but also on his relationship.

]]> 43. He Returned To Old Habits It appears as if Krasner and Pollock’s relationship had been born out of a mutual respect for art. However, as Pollock began to drink more heavily, Krasner found it more difficult to turn a blind eye to the life that they lived. If it had stayed with just drinking, perhaps Krasner might have overcome her frustrations with her husband, but something other than drink also caught Pollock’s eye.

]]> 44. He Met Another Woman Jackson Pollock met Ruth Kligman at a gallery in 1956. At the time, Pollock was 44, and Kligman was 26. However, that didn’t stop Kligman from catching Pollock’s eye, and the memory of Krasner at home didn’t stop an affair from blooming. Krasner may have been able to overlook her husband’s drinking habits, but how could anyone ever expect her to ignore his complete disregard for her and the life that they built together?

]]> 45. His Wife Left Him In August of 1956, with their relationship in trouble, Krasner left to visit friends in Europe. Perhaps she thought that a small break and time apart would help both of them decide what they truly wanted from their lives and each other, and they could discuss their relationship when they returned. However, Krasner couldn’t have realized when she left her home that she’d never see Pollock again.

]]> 46. He Had No Control Over Himself It’s possible that if Krasner had not left, she might have been able to control Pollock slightly, appeal to his better nature rather than his demons. Then again, Pollock was a grown man who made his own choices. Either way, he continued to sink deeper and deeper into drink. When a man cannot stop themselves from drinking, as Pollock couldn’t, it is only luck that stops disaster from happening—and Pollock’s luck finally ran out.

]]> 47. He Got Behind The Wheel After a day of drinking, Jackson Pollock got into his car, an Oldsmobile convertible, with Ruth Kligman and another passenger, Edith Metzger. Decades before drinking and driving campaigns began to sweep the nation, the two passengers likely never even realized they were risking their lives when they let Pollock get behind the wheel, but tragically, that’s exactly what they did.

]]> 48. He Lost His Temper The plan had been for the three to go to a local concert. However, Pollock was volatile after drinking, and little time passed before his temper caught up with him. Having flown into a rage, he turned the car around, intent on returning home. Metzger screamed for Pollock to stop and let her out, but fueled with booze and rage, Pollock only drove faster. They were speeding towards a dark destiny, and nothing stood in their way.

]]> 49. He Lost Control Pollock approached a corner roughly a mile from his house with too much speed and too much drink. He lost control, sending the car spinning through the air. Metzger finally got her wish to get out of the car; the force threw her out of the vehicle, where it eventually rolled over her. Also thrown out of the car, Kligman became the sole survivor of the crash.

]]> 50. His Wife Carried His Legacy For Him As soon as she heard about the accident, Lee Krasner returned home to bury her husband. In the face of such a tragic loss, Krasner put the pains that Jackson Pollock caused her aside. Instead, she chose to remember the man he’d been before his demons consumed him and dedicated her life to protecting his legacy. Nearly three decades later, she would join Pollock in eternal sleep at New York’s Green River Cemetery.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=27764 <![CDATA[From his controlling habits to his tragic end, Prince Albert’s life was one wild ride.]]> 2026-07-23T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-21T20:23:42+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-prince-albert Kyle Climans People Queen Victoria's Royal Consort Prince Albert was the consort of Queen Victoria and one of the most famous royal husbands in history. Still, people tend to see him as an obedient, romantic figure next to his powerful, desperately in love wife—but nothing could be further from the truth. From his controlling habits to his tragic end, Prince Albert’s life was one wild, sordid ride.

]]> 1. His Family Was Crazy Though he was of noble birth, Albert’s childhood was a horror story. His father Ernest I, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was a reckless philanderer and more than twice the age of Albert’s mother, Princess Louise. Eventually, the mismatched marriage started to fall apart at the seams—and it all came undone in one fell swoop.

]]> 2. His Mother Flaunted Her Sins Some women devote themselves to their children when their marriage is disintegrating, but not Albert’s mother. Instead, Princess Louise gave as good as she got. She took up with her own string of lovers, parading them in front of Albert as well as his older brother Ernest. The volatile, unloving household scarred Albert emotionally, but he couldn't have known that much worse was on the way.

]]> 3. His Home Life Was Infamous In 1826, after less than a decade of marriage, Albert’s parents finally split up for good. And then came the utterly mortifying part. His mother proved all the nasty rumors were true when she married her latest lover, Alexander von Hanstein, just seven months after the divorce went through. For poor little Albert, the consequences were almost immediate.

]]> 4. His Mother Abandoned Him The next years of Albert’s life were worthy of a Charles Dickens novel. For one, his mother Princess Louise got banished from court and never saw her sons again. That would be hard enough, but then Albert’s father had the gall to one-up his ex-wife in the scandal department. The patriarch actually re-married his own niece, one of Albert’s cousins. I know: Very ew.

Is it any wonder, then, that Albert would develop some serious family issues later in life?

]]> 5. He Had An Inferiority Complex Carrying all this enormous baggage, Albert became determined to become twice the man his father was and threw himself into his studies at the University of Bonn. Not only was he an upstanding student, but he was also a frighteningly good sportsman, particularly when it came to fencing. Basically, Albert was turning himself into a Prince Charming—and his Cinderella was right around the corner.

]]> 6. His Family Played Matchmaker By the time Albert was a strapping 17-year-old, his family began planning what would be his great destiny. His ambitious uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, decided he had the perfeft woman for Albert: the young Princess Victoria in England, who was poised to take the English throne in a matter of years. But there were some strange things about this match…

]]> 7. He Wanted To Marry His Cousin For one, Albert and Victoria were first cousins—not exactly uncommon for the time, but pretty gross nonetheless. In fact, the royal circle was so small, the pair had shared the same midwife at their births, and when Albert was just two years old, his grandmother was already planning a wedding for the infants. With all this family pressure, what could possibly go wrong? Answer: a lot.

]]> 8. He Had Stiff Competition For The Crown With his uncle breathing down his neck, Albert traveled to meet the 16-year-old Victoria. He quickly found a huge obstacle in his path. As it happened, the future Queen of England was very hot on the European marriage market, and a rogue’s gallery of eligible bachelors was already lining up to woo her. Only, Albert had a secret weapon.

]]> 9. He Was Beautiful One of Albert’s main rivals for Victoria’s affections was Prince Alexander of Orange, another royal manly man who loved horse riding and adventuring. The one thing Alexander didn’t have, though, was Albert’s perfect face. Already a beautiful youth, Victoria described Albert as “extremely handsome,” praising his “very sweet mouth with fine teeth” and the “delightful” expression in his eyes. Meanwhile, she could only describe poor Alexander as “very plain.”

Before the visit was up, Albert found that he had captured Victoria’s heart. She had taken his, too, but the road ahead of them was more brutal than people know.

]]> 10. He Was A Star-Crossed Lover In truth, Albert and Victoria were more like star-crossed lovers at the beginning. While the young royals were certainly attracted to each other, no proposal came during this visit and Albert went home still a bachelor. Then, roughly a year after their initial courtship, "Princess Victoria" turned into Queen Victoria upon the death of her uncle King William IV—and everything changed.

]]> 11. His Crush Rejected Him At First With Victoria finally on the throne, everyone expected a ring on her finger in good time, but Victoria’s response was surprising—and very unromantic. She refused to bow to pressure from her family, calling marrying Albert at such a young age a “shocking alternative.” Instead, she vowed to stay single until she settled into her role as monarch.

Victoria seemed to be getting cold feet, and the next few months made things all the worse.

]]> 12. The English Hated Him With rumors still flying about a possible betrothal, Albert’s past came back to haunt him. The English public began to scrutinize him intensely, and they came away with one heck of a bad impression. Parliament thought he came from a backward country, knew he came from a scandalous court, and didn't want him anywhere near their crown.

Still, despite her hesitancy, Victoria was head over heels. Soon enough, she proved her love in a very unconventional way.

]]> 13. The Queen Proposed To Him In October 1839, Queen Victoria and Albert made a strange kind of history. That day, Victoria was the one who proposed to Albert, not only breaking the traditions of the time but also showing him that she was the one who was going to wear the pants in their relationship. Albert accepted her...but this turned out to be a bad omen for their future.

]]> 14. He Had A Fairy Tale Wedding To be sure, Victoria and Albert’s union certainly started out like something in a children’s book. In February 1840, the young couple married in the idyllic Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, with Victoria famously wearing a white wedding dress, turning the color choice into an enormous fad. But if Albert's wedding day was all sweetness and light, his wedding night was spicy and stormy.

]]> 15. His Wedding Night Was Racy We actually know TOO much about Albert’s wedding night, because Victoria’s diary reveals scandalous details. Her personal account went deep into her emotions about finally being “alone” with Albert…and apparently, the prince did not disappoint. As she wrote, caps and all,  “I NEVER, NEVER spent such an evening!!! MY DEAREST DEAREST DEAR Albert…He clasped me in his arms, & we kissed each other again & again.”

Albert and Victoria were mad about each other, and they apparently got hot and heavy whenever they darn well pleased. Not that this ended up being a good thing.

]]> 16. He Got His Wife Pregnant Way Too Fast Mere weeks after the wedding, Albert got shocking news: Victoria was pregnant. Now, this should have been happy tidings, but it was far from it. Young as she was, Victoria had hoped to have at least a handful of months to "enjoy" her new bridegroom. Plus, the pair were barely in their 20s with no idea how to raise a family. And then it got even more chilling.

]]> 17. His Queen Turned Murderous Victoria wasn’t just upset about her pregnancy, she was beside herself. Once more, her letters reveal the dark truth. She wrote to her grandmother complaining that the idea of a baby was “Spoiling my happiness.” She also proclaimed that if she had the misfortune to give birth to a “nasty girl,” she would drown the babe. Whether Albert understood the depths of his wife’s anger or not, he'd soon find out.

]]> 18. He Had A Love-Hate Relationship Victoria and Albert burned for each other in the bedroom, and their fighting style was equally fiery. Indeed, the lusty teenagers had all out-brawls inside the palace. It got so bad, Victoria would often refuse to even speak to Albert, forcing him to resort to sliding contrite notes under her door to make up for whatever he said or did. Only, there was something very sinister about all this.

]]> 19. His Wife Scared Him During this twisted honeymoon period, Albert realized he had one deep, dark fear about his marriage. Victoria’s grandfather had been “Mad King” George III, and some of her rages around the palace closely mirrored her unhinged relatives. Albert couldn’t help but wonder if she had inherited some of the royal madness—though as we’ll see, he should have worried about another illness entirely.

Still, for most couples, a coming baby means settling down and working through their differences, hereditary illnesses and all. Well, that did NOT happen with Victoria and Albert.

]]> 20. His Love Despised Being A Mother As Victoria grew heavy with her coming child, she couldn’t hide her disgust even to Albert. In fact, Albert's new wife hated child-rearing. Not only was she miserable about her pregnancies, not a whole lot after that pleased her. She thought newborn infants were ugly and had a deep aversion to breastfeeding. Yet at the center of all this, there was something truly disturbing.

]]> 21. His Wife Hallucinated Today, historians believe that Victoria suffered from post-partum depression, once calling pregnancy “the heaviest [trial] I have ever had to endure.” During these low periods, Albert’s worst fears came true. At her most brutal nadirs, Victoria would even experience hallucinations, further linking her to Mad King George III. Still, Albert's response to all this was brutal.

]]> 22. He Could Be Cruel When it came to Victoria’s fears about childbith, Albert wasn't empathetic—he was annoyed, at best, and cruel at worst. In his letters to Victoria around her pregnancies, he complains about her moods and her lack of self-control, sneering at her crying over a “miserable trifle.” Incredibly, though, it wasn’t just mental dangers that Albert and Victoria had to face. They were also in grave physical danger.

]]> 23. He Suffered A Vicious Attack In the first few months of their marriage, Albert and a very pregnant Victoria were riding in a carriage to visit her mother. Suddenly, a vicious twist of fate confronted them. Out of nowhere, a mentally-ill teenager named Edward Oxford shot at the royal couple. Although they were both unharmed, Albert was shaken down to his foundations, and his life wasn't going to get any easier.

]]> 24. He Had To Wait For An Heir In the end, Victoria was in for a huge disappointment with her eldest child: It was a girl, a princess she called Vicky. And believe me, almost no one treated it as a celebration. When the attending doctor apparently said mournfully, "Oh Madame, it's a girl!" Victoria shot back, "Never mind, next time it will be a prince!”  But Victoria and Albert would learn to be careful what they wished for.

]]> 25. He Tried To Live Through His Son True to her word, the second child Victoria had with Albert was indeed a boy, Prince Albert, nicknamed “Bertie.” Yet this was just the beginning of a lifelong and tragic struggle. Although Victoria and Albert went on to have a whopping seven more children, it was their eldest son Bertie who received all their pressure. Albert in particular was determined to mould Bertie into the perfect man…until, of course, it all backfired spectacularly.

]]> 26. He Was A Controlling Father Unlike many Victorian fathers, Albert took a keen interest in bringing up his children, even attending all their births (people were shocked at this) and developing a rigorous educational curriculum for them. This was not a good thing. Perhaps trying to atone for his own father’s rakish sins, Albert over-corrected and became a hugely overbearing father. The results weren’t pretty.

]]> 27. He Punished His Son Despite Albert's best efforts, his eldest son and heir Bertie proved to be the most difficult of his children to tame. The boy preferred roughhousing to Albert’s schoolroom teachings, and Albert grew more disappointed by the year. Eventually, the consort took to personally caning the Prince of Wales if he failed his classes or misbehaved, as if intense corporal punishment would fix things.  Still, Albert had bigger problems just around the corner.

]]> 28. He Was In A Huge Power Struggle As the royal couple raised their children and Victoria got more confident as queen, an unfixable rift developed between them. Namely: jealousy. Albert chafed at the idea of Victoria dominating him as monarch, while Victoria was staunchly determined to keep every ounce of regnal power for herself, often refusing to let Albert take over her duties even when she was pregnant.

Within a couple of years, Albert was going stir-crazy, once confessing that “the difficulty in filling my place with the proper dignity is that I am only the husband, not the master in the house.” And if Victoria thought it would get better with time, she was sorely mistaken.

]]> 29. He Had A Private Nemesis One of the main sore sports for Albert was the fact that Victoria’s old childhood governess, Baroness Lehzen, was now running  HIS household, and Albert just so happened to despise her. Unable to deal with the Baroness’s matronly hold over his grown wife, Albert dubbed her “The House Dragon” and refused to have any dealings with her. Eventually, it reached a disturbing climax.

]]> 30. He Made A Disturbing Accusation One day, Albert finally made a stand in these power games with a vengeful show of his strength. He outright attempted a coup, accusing the baroness of mismanagaing his home and putting his children in danger. Furious, he demanded that Queen Victoria boot the woman out, and waited with bated breath for the answer. It wasn’t the one he was looking for.

]]> 31. He Bent His Wife To His Will Unfortunately for Albert, Victoria was having nothing to do with his man-baby outbursts, and she didn’t back down from the massive fight that ensued between them. In the end, though, Albert won for one chilling reason. Victoria realized her insecure husband needed her to be a submissive wife at that moment and not a queen regnant, and she eventually agreed to send Lehzen off packing.

Yet once more, the minute that Albert dealt with one problem, another one festered. And this one really festered.

]]> 32. His Health Took A Strange Turn Starting in 1859, when Albert was still a healthy and relatively young man, the consort experienced debilitating stomach cramps. No matter what he did or what royal doctor he saw, no one could quite figure out what the matter was—and his condition only got worse the more he took cures and treatments. It was enough to make anyone frustrated, but it hit Albert in a particularly cruel fashion.

]]> 33. He Had A Dark Premonition Within a few months of falling ill, an eerie and ominous change came over Albert. Even Albert’s own biographer admitted that it was around this time that Albert “lost the will to live.” Suddenly, Albert's once active, mentally acute lifestyle turned inward on itself and lead to listlessness and depression. Tragically, though, fate had one more curve ball in store for him.

]]> 34. He Experienced A Terrifying Brush With Death In the fall of 1860, Albert was driving a four-horse carriage by himself when disaster struck. One of the steeds bolted, and the runaway carriage careened toward a railway crossing and another wagon, spelling out certain death for the royal. Terrified, Albert managed to leap from the carriage and save his own life, even as one of the horses perished in the accident.

Albert survived with only a few bruises and scrapes from the incident, but the damage was done.

]]> 35. He Confessed His Deepest Fear After this, Albert’s vague sense of mortality became a total omen of death, and he made a heartbreaking confession. Keeping his concerns from his wife, he nonetheless told his older brother and his favorite daughter Vicky that he knew his end was near. If they brushed him off at first, time would tell just how right the consort was.  But before that, Albert plunged right into his last family crisis.

]]> 36. He Thought His Son Was Stupid Around this time, a wrenching truth became clear to Albert: His son Bertie wasn’t just uninterested in his studies, he was going to make a horrible king. After all, Bertie wasn’t the brightest bulb in the drawer; the poor sod didn’t even realize until he was 10 years old that he, and not his older sister Vicky, would become ruler. But Albert’s son had more scandalous secrets in store.

]]> 37. He Disapproved Of His Heir As Albert's son Bertie grew up, he became very interested in women—and I mean very. Much to his father's horror, he started taking up with the brash Irish actress Nellie Clifden, a woman who was certainly not going to help the still-teenaged prince with his math homework. But whatever Albert initially thought was going on between Nellie and his son, the truth was ten times worse.

]]> 38. His Son Defied Him While Bertie was away from his strict father during a trip to Ireland with the army, the princeling had yet another rendezvous with Nellie. According to reports, he and Nellie wasted no time on their solo adventures, as Bertie's fellow cadets allowed Nellie to hide out in their barracks for three days while she and Bertie had their fun.

So the story goes, Albert’s precious son lost his virginity to Clifden during those three days. And when Albert found out, there was hell to pay.

]]> 39. He Nearly Disowned His Child Albert had not only sacrificed a ton of his traditional manhood to be a good husband to Queen Victoria, his own philandering father had shown him the havoc that could come of womanizing in a family. Accordingly, he was so furious and disturbed over his son’s licentiousness, he wrote Bertie a scathing letter calling him out for being a “fallen” man…but that wasn’t enough.

]]> 40. He Thought His Family Was Doomed After Albert sent the letter, he still worried not only for his son’s soul but for his family’s reputation. He and Queen Victoria feared that Bertie's activities would get out in the press, or—worst of all—that Nellie Clifton would get pregnant. To keep the rumor mill at bay, Albert decided to take matters right into his own hands. It was the beginning of his end.

]]> 41. He Had A Tense Confrontation Playing the role of man of the house, Albert personally traveled to see Bertie in late November 1860 to give his boy a right tongue lashing for acting out and flouting his royal duties. It coudn't have gone more horribly. Not only did Albert's stern words do nothing to curb his son's determination to take Nellie where he darn well pleased, the father and son decided to hash out their differences during a long, cold walk in the November rain.

Spoiler: This was not good for Albert’s failing health, as everyone in England found out.

]]> 42. His Wife Carried A Silent Killer In Her Blood Though very few British citizens realized it at the time, the royal family was hiding a rotten core. Today, we know that Albert’s wife Victoria was a carrier of hemophilia, an often fatal disease that hinders blood clotting, causing many sufferers to bleed out. This sounds serious, but the personal consequences to Albert and his family were even more devastating.

]]> 43. His Baby Boy Died Young Because of the complexities of genetics, only male haemophiliacs suffer dangerous side effects. So while Albert’s daughters Alice and Beatrice inherited the gene, his son Leopold truly got the raw end of the deal. It led to every father’s worst nightmare, had Albert lived long enough to see it: Leopold died at the tender age of 30 after a cerebral haemorrhage.

]]> 44. He Had A Favorite Child If Prince Albert had a chilly relationship with his eldest son Bertie, his absolute favorite child was his eldest daughter Vicky. He praised her as “very intelligent and observant” and mourned when she married and moved away. However, his affection manifested in supremely creepy ways. He once gifted his wife with a brooch made out of one of Vicky’s baby teeth.

]]> 45. His Pain Became Excruciating Once he finished chastising Bertie about Nellie Clifden, Albert returned back home...to experience horrific symptoms. In addition to his chronic stomach cramps, he now had shooting pains running up and down his back and legs. By early December, Albert’s state had weakened even more significantly, and the palace called in one of their best doctors to take a look at him.

After looking the royal consort up and down, the physician’s diagnosis was grim.

]]> 46. His End Came Fast According to the doctor, Prince Albert was suffering from typhoid fever on top of everything else. The end came swift and brutal. On December 14, 1860—fewer than three weeks after he traveled to confront his son—Albert died just before midnight in the Blue Room at Windsor Castle, one of Queen Victoria’s favorite residences. The fallout was unimaginably tragic.

]]> 47. His Wife Never Forgave Their Son Like Albert, Queen Victoria had never been particularly fond of young Bertie. Afte all, she too thought he was a screw-up. When Prince Albert passed, her dislike transformed into a profound sense of hatred. She blamed him and his affair with Nellie almost entirely for Albert’s death—and boy, did she show her vengeance on her husband’s behalf.

She wrote to her eldest daughter that "I never can, or shall, look at [Bertie] without a shudder,” and denied him any political power or position until the day she died. Still, even with all of this grief, Victoria went from heartbroken to very disturbed.

]]> 48. He Turned Victoria Into "The Widow Of Windsor" To say Queen Victoria took Albert’s death badly is an understatement. Aside from blaming and all but disowning her son Bertie, she sunk into a deep depression and, most infamously, wore black for the rest of her life. This last habit earned her the mournful nickname “The Widow of Windsor.” Except that’s just the most well-known of Victoria’s mourning customs. In truth, the widows’ weeds were just the tip of the iceberg.

]]> 49. He Was A Ghost In His Own Home Overcome with grief,  Victoria retreated from public life, and her private habits were nothing short of bizarre. In the long years after Albert’s passing, Victoria insisted that her servants keep his rooms continually prepared, as if he was just going to walk through the doors one day. Aides always placed a bowl of hot water, for shaving purposes, on a side table, and laid out a new change of clothes on his bed.

But if you think that’s eerie…get a load of what Victoria saved for last.

]]> 50. Victoria Held Out For Him Until The Bitter End Victoria’s lifelong mourning of Albert is notorious, but most people don't know that it extended to her own funeral. In contrast to her permanent black, Victoria requested that she wear a white dress and her wedding veil once her attendants buried her. She had waited decades to reunite with her beloved Albert, and she wanted to meet him as a renewed bride.

]]> 51. His Illness Was Mysterious At the time of his passing, the doctors still believed that Albert’s cause of death was typhoid fever. But modern historians have a much more disturbing suggestion. Given Albert’s chronic stomach issues, they believe he could have been suffering from a long-term fatal illness like kidney failure or Crohn’s disease, making his end not just random bad luck, but an excruciating, drawn-out process.

]]> 52. He Was A Modern Man One of Albert’s biggest achievements was the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the impact of his hard work led to what we now call “Albertopolis.” This is the London area of South Kensington, which famously contains many institutions that come from the surplus of the Great Exhibition, including the Royal College of Art and Royal Albert Hall.

]]> 53. He Was Number One Queen Victoria and Prince Albert looked reserved and proper on the outside, but they hid a dark secret behind bedroom doors. Queen Victoria’s aversion to child-rearing and her undying devotion to Prince Albert was a lethal combination. Indeed, she frequently admitted to liking him more than their heirs.  For example, in 1856, while Albert was away on a trip, the unhappy queen wrote, “All the numerous children are as nothing to me when he is away.”

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=30954 <![CDATA[Of all the women in the Prussian court, Empress Victoria was the most tragic—and the most twisted.]]> 2026-07-22T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-21T20:00:48+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/princess-victoria-facts Dancy Mason People Empress Victoria Of Prussia’s Life Was A Royal Nightmare Queen Victoria of England is a titan of history, and anyone following in her footsteps had terrifying shoes to fill. Enter: Her daughter, Princess Victoria, who went to agonizing lengths to make her mother proud and became an Empress of Prussia in the process. Tragically, this Princess Royal’s rise ended with an enormous crash.

]]> 1. She Was A Disappointment Princess Victoria came into the world on November 21, 1840. Only, this was bad news. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of England were deeply disappointed to find out their first born was a daughter, not a son. Heck, even the attending doctor was bummed, saying sadly to the queen, “Oh Madame, it’s a girl!” Not a good start to what was supposed to be a charmed royal life, and as we’ll see, the bad times only continued.

]]> 2. She Had Mommy Issues Despite these rocky beginnings, the little girl developed a close bond with her father Prince Albert; he and the family lovingly called her “Vicky” for the rest of her life. Her powerful mother, however, was a different story. Although Queen Victoria loved her daughter in her own way, their relationship was chilly and distant. Heads up: That came back to bite them, big time.

]]> 3. She Had A Strict Upbringing Growing up in the royal palace, Vicky had to meet excruciatingly high expectations. Not only did her parents expect her to be the perfect “Princess Royal,” they also insisted she undergo an extremely rigorous education, with her father Albert even literally writing a book on the subject of educating his heirs. Uh, but this got more absurd.

]]> 4. Her Parents Were Clueless Although Prince Albert and Queen Victoria had really specific ideas about how to train their children, not all of those ideas were right. The hoity-toity couple had zero clue about childhood development milestones, and the queen once admonished the teething baby Vicky for sucking on bracelets, since she thought it meant her girl had a “deficient education.”

Wow, I can tell we’re in for a wild ride when it comes to this family.

]]> 5. She Went To Great Lengths To Please Her Family With a childhood like that, it’s no wonder Vicky grew into a massive over-achiever. The sharp, curious girl spent most of her days learning everything from arithmetic to philosophy, and took on liberal ideas. She even started to learn French at 18 months old and German when she was four. After all, how else was she going to please mommy and daddy? In a few short years, this paid off in a surprising way.

]]> 6. She Was A Child Bride Vicky’s parents also knew she had to make a stunning match on the marriage market to keep up the value of her pedigree. But this is where it got creepy. When the girl was just 11 years old, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria started eyeing up the 19-year-old Prince Frederick William, a scion of the kingdom of Prussia, as a potential match. As it happened, the matchmaking went a little too well.

]]> 7. She Caught The Eye Of A Much Older Man In 1851, Victoria—who was, yep, still 11 years old—met Frederick for the first time at The Great Exhibition in London. Grossly enough, the pre-teen and the grown man got along “very well,” with our quick, eager-to-please little Vicky showing off her fluent German, conversing with Frederick in his native tongue while he could only speak a few words of English.

This started one of the greatest predatory—uh, I mean stirring, romances of the Victorian era.

]]> 8. She Had A Steamy Pen Pal As soon as Frederick returned to Germany, he struck up a long-distance correspondence with Vicky, and the two exchanged letters for four long years. Even as a tween, Vicky could already hold her own, and their messages grew more intimate over the years…until, that is, Prince Frederick simply couldn’t take it any longer.

]]> 9. Her Lover Made A Grand Gesture In 1855, Frederick made the trip back to Great Britain, ostensibly for diplomatic reasons. But everyone knew the reason he was really there. He was head over heels for his long-distance girlfriend, and he had come specifically to see her and decide if she would make a good wife in his own realm. Still, this wasn’t necessarily good news.

]]> 10. She Had A Romeo And Juliet Love Story On Frederick’s side of things, Prussia was absolutely outraged at his little English crush. Many people at court believed in an absolute monarchy, while Great Britain was a “weaker” constitutional monarchy. So instead of some lily-livered British woman, Prussia wanted Frederick to marry a full-blooded Russian Archduchess.

This was bad enough, but when Frederick landed across the channel to visit the royal family, this Romeo and Juliet story got even more complicated.

]]> 11. She Was “Ugly” When the lovelorn Frederick visited this time, Vicky was 15-years-old and (slightly) more acceptable as an object of marital affection. But there was one unsettling problem. Standing at a measly 4 feet, 11 inches short and with a big, round face like her mother’s, the Princess Royal wasn’t an ideal “beauty” of the era. Indeed, Queen Victoria considered her daughter’s looks so offensive, she worried that Frederick would get one glimpse of her and walk away. That’s not what happened at all.

]]> 12. Her Wildest Dream Came True Absence must really make the heart grow fonder, because Vicky and the Prince hit it off immediately again in person. After just three days with the family, Frederick sealed the deal and asked the monarchs for their daughter’s hand in marriage. They said yes, though they thankfully insisted the couple wait until Vicky was 17 to tie the knot.

The fairy tale had been four long years in the making. Yet little did they know, it would turn into a nightmare.

]]> 13. The People Hated Her Usually, the announcement of a royal wedding is met with excitement throughout the nation, but Vicky was in for a huge disappointment. If the Prussian people weren’t so hot on her as a bride, the Brits hated Frederick even more as a groom, calling his family a “miserable dynasty” in the press. Was this foreshadowing? You bet.

]]> 14. She Received A Cold Rejection Even the lead-up to Vicky’s wedding was full of controversy. The British royal family was at loggerheads with Frederick’s stubborn and much more traditional parents, Wilhelm and Augusta. When Vicky requested to bring two of her own ladies-in-waiting with her to the foreign land, the answer back from Berlin was a cold “Nein.” As the wedding approached, the family feud only heated up.

]]> 15. Her Mother Insulted Her Husband’s Family Prince Frederick’s family wanted to do everything their way, and they insisted that Victoria, Princess Royal and he get married in Berlin, in full view of the Prussian court. The response back was brutal. Queen Victoria put her darn foot down on that little indignity, and the daunting woman got her way, setting the wedding in St. James’s Palace in London.

]]> 16. She Had A Fairy Tale Wedding On January 25, 1858, Frederick and Vicky finally got married, with the bride wearing a flouncing Honiton lace confection complete with an enormous three-yard train and delicate wreaths of orange and myrtle blossoms. Once the staunchly English ceremony was over, however, Vicky whisked herself off to Berlin—and it was there her real troubles started.

]]> 17.  She Had Monster In-Laws Frederick and Vicky were young, in love, and probably raring to kick-start a blissful honeymoon period. Fate, however, had more bitter plans in store. After years of sniping between Great Britain and Prussia, the German court fully despised Vicky, and she endured open insults from many members of Frederick’s extensive family. In true catty style, though, they dealt their worst blow without saying a single word…

]]> 18. She Was Dirty At this point, Frederick’s uncle King Frederick William IV was the ruler of Prussia, and he gave the newlyweds a chilly reception—almost literally. Upon their arrival, the king posted them up in a derelict wing of the Berlin Royal Palace, a section of the building that was so shabby and outdated, it didn’t even have a bath. Only, that wasn’t all.

]]> 19. Her Mother-In-Law Was A Snob Vicky’s mother-in-law Princess Augusta took the opposite of a shining to her daughter-in-law. Although the two women both held liberal views, Augusta preferred to criticize Vicky about the pettiest things rather than converse with her on philosophy. When Vicky once decided to take a modern landau coach out on the town, Augusta sniped that she should have taken the statelier barouche.

]]> 20. She Worked To The Bone Though only 17 years old and in a completely new country, the Berlin court expected Vicky to endure a grueling schedule of traditional pomp and circumstance, including appearing at formal dinners and public performances every night, usually staying past midnight. Then she would have to wake up at the crack of dawn, get dressed in full regalia, and greet people at 7:00 AM.

]]> 21. She Was A Pauper Princess Besides all this, Vicky’s endless duties were utterly thankless. King Frederick Wilhelm gave his nephew Prince Frederick a paltry allowance for his troubles, and the amount was so meagre that Vicky often had to dip into her own dowry to keep her and her husband in a presentable state. This gruelling existence had to take a toll on the young girl, and it soon showed…

]]> 22. She Was A Teen Mom As a 17-year-old bride, Vicky was nothing if not dutiful, and less than a year into her marriage, the teenager was pregnant. The Prussian court couldn’t take that away from her, and Vicky started nesting up a storm in preparation for the heir on the way. In late January 1859, she went into labor—and then the nightmare started.

]]> 23. Her Delivery Was A Mess From the very moment Vicky started feeling contractions, everything went wrong. The maid who was supposed to get the doctors delayed doing her duties, and when the medics finally did come, it didn’t get better. Vicky was “embarrassingly” just in a flannel nightgown, and they hesitated to examine her. It spiraled down from there.

]]> 24. She Almost Perished In Childbirth The ineptness of the attendants was one thing, but Vicky was in even graver danger. As it turned out, her baby was in breech position, which made the delivery long, complicated, and near fatal for both her and her unborn child. When the doctors finally did deliver a living baby boy, they breathed a sigh of relief…and then they caught their breath.

]]> 25. Her Newborn Had A Devastating Injury When Vicky caught sight of her son, her relief turned into a profound sense of despair. Throughout the excruciating birth, the baby—who Vicky named Wilhelm—had suffered nerve damage around his shoulder, and had possibly even experiences a lack of oxygen to his brain for an incredible 10 minutes. Vicky’s response was heartbreaking.

]]> 26. Her Baby Never Recovered When Vicky saw the extent of her baby’s injuries, doctors had to do all that they could to calm the new mother and assure her the newborn would recover from his complications.  Sadly, they were wrong. The trauma would eventually wither little Wilhelm’s left arm and make it a full 15 centimeters shorter than his right arm. Shocked and disbelieving, the royal couple had to make a gut-wrenching decision.

]]> 27. She Kept A Huge Secret Vicky couldn’t stand the thought of announcing to the horrible Prussian court that she had somehow failed in her first task of motherhood. Instead, she and Frederick lied about little Wilhelm’s true condition, keeping it secret. Vicky only told her own parents after four long months, when it was clear Wilhelm would never get better.

At the time, it must have seemed like the worst thing that would ever happen to her. Yet as we’ll see, she would be very, very wrong.

]]> 28. She Had A Big Brood Over the course of her very fruitful marriage to Frederick, Vicky had an astounding eight children, including Wilhelm—the future Kaiser Wilhelm II—and her eldest daughter Charlotte. In a somewhat ironic twist, none of Vicky’s labors were as tormented as her first; her experience with her girl Charlotte was downright smooth. Still, that didn’t mean she was happy…

]]> 29. She Was An Overbearing Mother As Wilhelm grew up, Vicky showed some disturbing tendencies. Vicky was desperate for her son to be “normal,” and insisted that he learn to ride a horse perfectly, even though his arm made it nearly impossible to balance. As Wilhelm later recalled, “The torments inflicted on me, in this pony riding, must be attributed to my mother.” Oh, but she didn’t stop there.

]]> 30. She Experimented On Her Child Because of his nerve damage, Wilhelm’s head tended to tilt to one side, and Vicky couldn’t have that, either. She put her eldest child through extremely painful electroshock therapy in a misguided attempt to “correct” the imbalance. Then, when it failed to work to her satisfaction, she moved on to even more drastic measures.

]]> 31. She Put Her Son Through A Disgusting Ritual Perhaps the most vile thing Vicky came up with to “cure” her son was to give him “animal baths,” a straight-up barbaric procedure where Wilhelm dunked his withered arm into a squelchy tub of animal entrails on a regular basis. Unlike electroshock therapy, this method doesn’t even seem to have a clear reason behind it, unless that reason is “gross me out as much as possible.”

]]> 32. She Lost Her Father Suddenly In 1861, another horrific tragedy came knocking at Vicky’s door. Her beloved father Prince Albert passed suddenly of typhoid fever, throwing England and her mother into a state of paralyzing mourning from which neither would ever recover. Devastated, Vicky went back to the United Kingdom for the funeral and to support Queen Victoria. When she returned to Prussia, it soon all collapsed in on itself.

]]> 33. She Gave Her Children A “Bizarre” Upbringing The liberal-minded Vicky insisted on raising her younger children herself, even when both her mother Queen Victoria and her mother-in-law Augusta protested. She also refused to leave on long diplomatic trips, afraid she would miss her children too much. Well, this only made the heartache that was to come all the more tragic.

]]> 34. She Suffered A Mother’s Worst Nightmare Vicky’s fourth child was the bouncing baby boy Sigismund, but the innocent babe met a dark fate. In 1866, when he was just 21 months old, Sigismund succumbed to a fatal case of meningitis. Vicky was beside herself with grief; it was her first child to go, and the first of Queen Victoria’s grandchildren. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

]]> 35. Her Mother Was Cruel To Her Although Vicky was deep in mourning for her lost son, no one else seemed to be. Even when another son, Waldemar, passed in 1879, she received almost no sympathy from anyone in the Prussian court. Even her own mother, Queen Victoria, was too overcome with grief for Prince Albert, and considered losing a husband much worse than losing a child.

]]> 36. She Made A Big Error In Judgement A Vicky’s brood grew up, unsettling issues began to show themselves. Although Vicky had wanted her children to have her own liberal education, she accidentally hired an enormously autocratic tutor. The man quickly taught Wilhelm to embrace his right to divine rule, and blast anyone who got in his way. Vicky was aghast, but she had bigger problems to worry about…

]]> 37. Her Country Was In Ruins During this time, Prussia was an absolute mess, and Vicky and Frederick were smack dab in the middle. Frederick’s father, now the king, nearly had to abdicate, all while the country plunged into conflict after conflict. To top it all off, hatred of Vicky was at an all-time high. Things were about to hit a breaking point—and Vicky’s personal life was first on the chopping block.

]]> 38. People Thought She Was A Drama Queen Even when Vicky tried to make the Prussian court like her, it always blew up in her face. During the seemingly endless conflicts the country was involved it, Vicky showed pluck by helping build her own military hospital and tending to the wounded. The response? Scorn. Frederick’s father demanded she stop with her “theater of charity.” Still, that wasn’t the only blow the Emperor of Prussia dealt Vicky and her husband.

]]> 39. She Got A Royal Snub As Vicky’s son Wilhelm grew into a brash, militant German, the aging Emperor decided to let the young whippersnapper attend public events for him. Though that sounds nice, it really wasn’t. The elder ruler did it to explicitly exclude Vicky’s husband Frederick from duties, even though he was next in line for the throne. Yeah, this is going nowhere good.

]]> 40. She Had A Natural Enemy Vicky could try all she wanted, the Germans were never going to like her, and there was one disturbing reason for their hatred. As time wore on, Prussia only got more autocratic in its rule, all while Vicky and Frederick clung to their rather liberal ideas about a constitutional monarchy. Then, overnight, the game got fatally dangerous.

]]> 41. She Was Poised To Take The Throne In 1887, Frederick’s father Emperor William was an astonishing 90 years old and becoming increasingly frail. Everybody in the Prussian court knew he was going to go soon, and everybody knew Frederick was due to become King in his stead. Nobody, however, was ready to accept this reality—and they came up with a nefarious plot.

]]> 42. The Court Wanted To Execute Her As time wore on, a group of Vicky’s enemies planned to bar her and Frederick from becoming Emperor and Empress. Their plan was chilling. They would stage a coup, put Vicky’s son Wilhelm on the throne, and exile her back to Britain under threat of execution if she ever returned. This never came to pass…because something much more tragic happened.

]]> 43. Fate Dealt Her A Cruel Twist Just as Vicky’s husband Frederick came close to his rightful throne, his health started to decline, and he began to experience a strange hoarseness in his throat. By November 1887, he couldn’t even speak. Eventually, doctors diagnosed him with a malignant tumor and urged him to remove it through surgery. His response was surprising.

]]> 44. Her Son Accused Her Of A Malicious Act Despite the fact that removing the tumor was Frederick’s only chance for survival, both he and Vicky refused any treatment. It caused a massive explosion in their personal life. Their children were appalled, and Wilhelm even travelled to see them just to accuse his mother of being “happy” that Frederick was so gravely ill. Nonetheless, the royal couple didn’t back down—and it created one of the most bizarre circumstances in German history.

]]> 45. She Was A Shadow Empress On March 9, 1888, Frederick’s father William finally passed, officially anointing Vicky and her husband as the Empress and Emperor. Yet it was a beginning that was also an end: Fredrick was so far gone at this point and the Grim Reaper so close, Vicky admitted that they were really just "shadows ready to be replaced” by her son Wilhelm. The end may have been near, but Vicky still went out fighting.

]]> 46. She Launched A Top-Secret Mission Vicky had been an A+ student all her life, and she was smart enough to protect herself and her legacy. Just before Frederick took the throne, she secreted away three boxes of sensitive personal documents to Windsor Castle in England, hoping she could keep them away from the prying eyes of her enemies. She would soon be very glad she did.

]]> 47. She Was Empress For 99 Days In the end, Vicky and Frederick ruled for a meager 99 days. Frederick conserved every breath and every ounce of his energy, but he still passed on June 15, 1888, just months after his father. His passing made way at last for Wilhelm to become Emperor in his own right—and he immediately dealt his mother a heartbreaking betrayal.

]]> 48. Her Son Invaded Her Privacy It’s safe to say that Vicky and Wilhelm never saw eye to eye, but the new Emperor wasted no time showing his displeasure. As soon as he took the crown, Wilhelm let his soldiers loose on the imperial residence and ransacked his parents’ private rooms, looking for anything that might incriminate him, them, or the country.

Of course, thanks to Vicky’s quick thinking, we already know he found nothing; it was all in Windsor Castle. Yet that didn’t mean Wilhelm didn’t punish her in other ways.

]]> 49. Her Family Controlled Her With Frederick gone, Vicky was now merely a Dowager Empress, and Wilhelm made darn sure she didn’t forget her demotion. He kicked her out of the palace and kept her almost entirely excluded from society, even passing her over for traditional dowager duties like becoming a patron of the German Red Cross. Don’t worry, though, Vicky got him back.

]]> 50. She Scorned Her Son Even in her later years, Vicky never hesitated to knock Wilhelm down a peg. When the traveling Emperor wrote in a foreign guestbook, “The will of the king is the supreme law," Vicky didn’t mince words about his weird tourist flex. Writing to her mother, she referred to fallen kings of yore, sneering, “The Tsar, an infallible Pope, a Bourbon or our poor Charles I might have pronounced that phrase, but a monarch of the 19th century…”

]]> 51. She Was Caught In The Middle Throughout Vicky’s early years at the Prussian court, Queen Victoria was no help at all. Instead of commiserating with her daughter, the Queen reprimanded Vicky for caving too much into the Prussian demands, saying she was a British princess first and foremost. In other words, Vicky was getting it from both sides. And that wasn’t all.

]]> 52. She Had To Make An Impossible Choice One of the biggest sticking points for poor Vicky came when the Duchess of Orleans, a distant relative of both her and her husband’s family, passed. Sure, that doesn’t seem like the biggest deal—but it turned into an absolute horror. British protocol dictated a month of mourning, while the Prussians only dressed in black for a week. Well, Vicky made the wrong choice.

]]> 53. Her Mother Suffocated Her When Vicky decided to go with her husband’s family and only dress in mourning for seven days, her Imperial mother Queen Victoria rained hellfire down on her, berating her as not English enough. Vicky was so devastated by her mother’s criticism, her father Prince Albert had to insist that the Queen stop writing demanding letters.

]]> 54. She Started A War As a young teenager in Frederick’s chilly court, Vicky tried her best to make herself at home by taking up gardening, a hobby she’d enjoyed in England. It backfired horribly. While English-style gardens were geometric and simple, the Prussians preferred more ornate greenery, and took Vicky’s tastes as yet another affront.

Vicky’s faux-pas kick-started the “Anglo-Prussian garden war,” a subterranean battle for the palace’s leafy greens. Yes, these people really had nothing better to do.

]]> 55. She Had One Final Desire By 1898, Vicky’s own health failed her, and she was suffering from terminal breast cancer. But she had one scandalous dying wish. Terrified once more that her son would use her private letters against her, she spirited her more recent messages back to England again via a complicated cloak-and-dagger operation and a willing godson. The GOAT, people.

]]> 56. Her Daughter Had A Mysterious Illness While Wilhelm gave her tension headaches, Vicky’s daughter Charlotte was a whole other ball game. Temperamental, a compulsive gossip, and a nasty prankster, many historians believe Charlotte had porphyria, a hereditary illness that ran through the British monarchy. If this is true, it may also reveal a deep secret about Vicky herself.

]]> 57. Her Family Was Cursed Throughout her time as a Princess of Germany, Vicky suffered from strange headaches and skin rashes, and she tended to self-medicate these problems with a hefty dose of morphine. Today, some experts believe that Vicky may have had her own mild form of porphyria, since the illness could also explain this collection of symptoms.

]]> 58. She Could Be Vicious The thing is, Vicky may have had a very good reason to hide her letters from Wilhelm. Some of her missives were so scathing, they’re impossible to forget. In one she wrote to her parents when Wilhelm was young, Vicky confessed, "He is really smart for his age...if only he didn't had that unfortunate arm, I would be so proud of him.” Yikes, Vicks.

]]> 59. She Met A Tragic End The last years of Vicky’s life transformed the spitfire Dowager into a shade of her former self. Her cancer kept her confined to her bed, yet she still held onto life. It was only years later, on August 5, 1901, that the Princess Royal and Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter passed at the age of 60. Unfortunately, she had one brutal legacy left.

]]> 60. Her Son Proved Her Right In the end, Wilhelm really should have listened to his mother. After decades of autocratic rule and the outbreak of WWI, Wilhelm was the last Emperor of Germany. In 1918, he lost all support and power and had to flee to exile in the Netherlands. Yep, Wilhelm finally found out that the will of the king was not supreme law…But his mother Vicky could have told him that.

You May Also Like:

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Sources: 1, 2, 3

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=49691 <![CDATA[Inside Missouri's Legendary Hippie Hideout]]> 2026-07-23T10:40:00+00:00 2026-07-21T15:33:42+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/interesting/east-wind-community-missouri Allison Robertson Interesting Communal Living Hidden deep in the Ozarks is a 1,200-acre intentional community where residents share nearly everything, reject traditional leadership, and have lived for decades without modern conveniences like flush toilets.

It's home to people who have chosen a very different way of life, building a self-sustaining community that exists almost entirely outside the mainstream. Here's how their unconventional experiment has endured.

]]> What is an Intentional Community An intentional community is a voluntary community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork.

]]> Advantages of an Intentional Community Being a member of a group of like-minded people who share the same set of values as you allow you to enjoy a sense of wholeness, connectedness and integrity that is not easily found in mainstream society.

]]> What is East Wind? East Wind is a community of people living and working together. They hold their land, labor, and resources in common.

]]> East Wind Values East Wind puts great value on cooperation, nonviolence, and direct democracy.

Their website states, “Ultimately, we seek to maintain and continually improve this decades strong, living example of what can happen when people see that working together for a common purpose makes life easier and more fulfilling.”

]]> East Wind Community Culture East Wind’s culture is entirely dependent upon the current membership. They are a very diverse group with many different interests.

]]> An Intentional Community East Wind members have no bosses. They set their own rules and actively engage in self-governance. The great level of autonomy allows members to live spontaneously, as well as assume the responsibilities they desire to take on.

]]> East Wind Diversity Their website says, “We are extroverts and introverts, bluegrass lovers and dubstep fanatics, bookworms and TV series marathoners. There is no one ‘type’ of person that dominates at East Wind.”

]]> Size There are 73 members plus guests and visitors living at East Wind at any given time. In 2017, half of their adult population was age 30 and under.

]]> The Land East Wind sits in the heart of Missouri's Ozarks on nearly 1,200 acres of rolling countryside. More than 800 acres have been preserved as protected woodland known simply as "the Woods," while the remaining land contains the community's homes, workshops, gardens, and pastures.

]]> The Layout of the Land The land includes creeks, hiking trails, dirt roads, ravines, caves, jumping cliffs, swimming holes, rock beaches, and a variety of plant, tree and animal life.

]]> Plants Various wild edible and medicinal plants are found on the land, which include chickweed, cleavers, dandelion, passionflower, chicory, chives, mullein, nettles, burdock, self-heal, plantain, and yarrow, among many others.

]]> Animals The woods are full of various wild animals, which include deer, squirrels, coyotes, armadillos, raccoons, groundhogs, skunks, snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and many types of fish.

]]> Shared Spaces: Rock Bottom An area known as Rock Bottom, which was built in 1976, houses the main kitchen and dining facilities. This is where community meals are prepared. It includes three refrigerators plus a walk-in fridge.

This area is also where the community message boards are set up, and a commonly used hangout spot.

]]> Shared Spaces: Hammocks Hammocks is a large open room in the Enterprise building—which also houses offices, computers, and shipping space.

This is where members previously created handmade hammocks for sale, but it currently used as a movie theater and games room—which includes a projector screen, pool table, air hockey table, ping pong table, and a foosball table.

]]> Shared Spaces: Others Other shared spaces include buildings with an auto/metal/general shop, a music studio, a fitness center, a laundry room, and a food processing house.

]]> The Shower House The shower house is a small building with a sink and two showers in a shared stall. It has two hot water tanks.

There is also two other buildings that have private bathrooms with their own shower, and there is an outside shower available.

]]> Residences East Wind currently has four main residential buildings along with nine smaller personal shelters for members who prefer more privacy. The two largest dormitory-style residences, Fanshen and Anarres, house much of the community and serve as central gathering places for daily life.

]]> Fanshen Dorm Fanshen was built in 1975 and has 21 rooms, equipped with heat and hydro. There is a private bathroom and shower available.

]]> Annares Dorm Annares has 10 rooms, also equipped with heat and hydro. This building also includes a private bathroom, but also a shared living area with a kitchen, living room, and an extensive community library.

]]> Lilliput Dorm Lilliput is a resident that was made for children and families. It has 12 rooms, and includes a kitchen, living room, play space, and a home school room.

It also includes a backyard with a garden, sandbox, kids’ pool, and a small playground. There are two other playgrounds elsewhere in the community.

]]> Personal Shelters There are nine personal shelters that include five singe residents, and four double shelters. These are small places located in the woods surrounding the community. Most are simple living and sleeping spaces with outhouses, and some have basic kitchen set ups.

Some personal shelters have hydro, while others use solar panels or are completely without hydro, and all use wood stoves for heat.

]]> The Guesthouse There is a small guesthouse called “The Lighthouse” that is available for guests, or as a retreat for members. It can be signed out by members on a first come, first serve basis.

]]> Comptoil The biggest difference between East Wind and traditional living is that East Wind does not have flush toilets—aside from one regulated bathroom facility for the Nut Butter factory, which is required by law.

They exclusively do their #2 business in fillmores and outhouses.

]]> Fillmores A fillmore is their name for a restroom. It was named after Millard Fillmore, the last US president to not have a flush toilet in the whitehouse.

All fillmores are equipped with a sink, hot and cold water, soap and toilet paper.

]]> The Waste Rather than flushing waste with clean drinking water, community members use dry composting toilets that collect waste in buckets lined with peanut hulls. The peanut hulls, a byproduct of the community's own agriculture, help control odors and support the composting process.

]]> Composting the Waste The waste is collected each day and taken to a far away composting site that changes every 3 years. They are very careful in processing their waste in a way that maintains their health and their land.

]]> Housekeeping House labor is both a shared responsibility, as well as tasks that members can sign up for as their contribution to the community.

Because the people living at East Wind are seeking the communal living lifestyle, most are considerable of others and a clean home is maintained fairly easily.

]]> Resources East Wind holds their land, income, labor, and other resources in common. The community assumes responsibility for the needs of its members, from food and shelter to medical care and entertainment.

]]> Personal Possessions Everyone at East Wind is free to have their own personal possessions such as clothing, media and electronic devices.

]]> Self-Governance East Wind has a set of bylaws that set forth their purposes, direction, ideology, define the rights and obligations of membership, and state the guarantees made by the community to its members.

]]> Spending Money Provisional and full members receive an equal “Discretionary Fund” each month that members are free to spend as they please. This number is around $150 or higher.

]]> Cooperation Life at East Wind is built around the idea that every member is responsible not only for themselves but also for the community as a whole. Instead of encouraging competition, the commune relies on cooperation, with shared work and collective success at the heart of everyday life.

]]> Work Ethic It is said that there is only one thing that is most harshly judged within the community, and that is work ethic. They believe they have a very easy life at East Wind compared to the industrialized world.

]]> Jobs At East Wind Members can choose from an endless number of activities to do throughout the day. They are not required to sit at a desk for 8 hours, instead, each member is allowed to choose what they feel comfortable doing—and most are able to find a niche where they feel appreciated.

]]> Examples Examples of jobs include gardening, farming, construction, business management, food processing, cooking, coaching (exercise, education, etc.) and so much more. Anything that helps run the community is a job that needs to be done by someone.

]]> East Wind Profession East Wind runs a multi-million-dollar food manufacturing business as their primary profession, selling various forms of food grown and processed on-site, as well as a booming nut butter business and handicrafts, like rope sandals.

]]> East Wind Crafts The East Wind Crafts is the e-commerce-based retail storefront for East Wind, where they sell various Nut Butters and Utopian Rope Sandals that are authentically and sustainably made.

]]> The Business East Wind Nut Butters has been owned and operated by the members of East Wind since 1980. As equal owners, they participate in all aspects of the business. From roasting raw nuts, milling butter, packaging product, shipping and business management, they do it all together, using the skills they have.

]]> Construction East Wind members come from a variety of backgrounds that offer countless skills. The grounds are equipped with shops that include a variety of drills, saws, sanders, planers, and more. They have a tool for every purpose, and many people with the skills and knowledge to use them all.

]]> Nonviolence At East Wind, nonviolence is priority. They believe that every person has the same right to be there and be free from threat of physical violence. Instances of violence are not tolerated.

]]> Sustainable Living East Wind members consider themselves stewards of the land they use and are working toward creating a more sustainable lifestyle while reducing their impact on the environment.

]]> Utilizing the Environment A big part of East Wind’s garden, ranch, comp toil, and forestry teams’ goals involve using their natural resources as effectively as possible to allow the ecosystems they co-habitat with to flourish.

]]> Garbage & Recycling East Wind recycles as much as they possibly can, and put a huge emphasis on doing it correctly by removing labels and cleaning products prior to recycling.

Garbage collection is available to them once per week. But members actively work on reducing the amount of garbage they have by using reusable containers and avoiding non-recyclable waste products as much as possible.

]]> Decision Making East Wind uses voting methods—like petitions, proposals, and ballots—to ensure all members have an opportunity to participate in decision making.

Sunday afternoons include meetings to discuss relevant topics.

]]> Food & Nutrition East Wind’s land and labor provides them with fresh produce, dairy, and meat. They use natural methods to manage their land and animals so that their food is healthy and nutritious. Their animals are treated with love and respect.

]]> Dairy Cheese, yogurt, butter, cow’s milk, pork, beef, chicken, goat, deer, mushrooms, fresh greens and vegetables are all available and prepared on-site by members. The milk is raw and unpasteurized.

]]> Purchasing of Food East Wind is not completely food self-sufficient. They purchase staple grains, cooking oils, and other food that members wish to enjoy. Though the majority of their diet comes from their own land.

]]> Preservation East Wind prepares and processes many seasonal foods for preservation, allowing them to enjoy the fruits of their labor all year round, and stock pile for future use.

]]> Meal Preparation: Dinners Every evening a community dinner is set out in buffet style for everyone to enjoy. Meal variety includes American, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Korean, Japanese, or Mediterranean—depending on who cooks that night.

Members are free to cook and eat their own meals as well.

]]> Recreational Activities Drinking and smoking is allowed, and many do so, however excessive use is discouraged. Any misuse of substances that becomes an ongoing problem is not tolerated.

They also have a brewery in the community where they make their own brew.

]]> Fun The community has a variety of social scenes that include campfires, poker nights, swimming and canoeing adventures, yoga classes, weekly jam nights in the music studio, and monthly holiday parties.

]]> Shared Vehicles East Wind members share a fleet of community vehicles, which members are able to sign out for personal, group, and community-related trips.

The vehicles are maintained in their community auto-shop by members with mechanical and auto skills.

]]> Visiting East Wind Visitors are welcome and are able to stay for a weekend, or a full three-week period. They encourage visitors to go as a retreat from the busy world, or as a way to settle curiosity of their lifestyle. Some visitors go to see friends and family who live there, and also as potential newcomers.

]]> Visiting Expectations Visitors who stay for the three-week period are expected to work a full labor quota—35 hours a week, and attend visitor orientations and participate in the community.

Membership is only considered if this participation takes place.

]]> Visitor Accommodations Typically, all male visitors room together in their own building called the Man Hut and all female visitors room together in a shared room called Sunburst in the Annares dormitory.

]]> Membership Those interested in joining East Wind are to first arrange a visit, as mentioned before. Dropping in unaccounted is not accepted. All visitors and potential members must contact them first to discuss expectations. Further information can be found on their website.

A wait list may be present, depending on current population.

]]> Final Thoughts Living in an intentional community is vastly different from mainstream society, but can be extremely rewarding to those pursuing this type of lifestyle.

This is where people can escape consumer culture, and enjoy a deeper connection to the natural world.

Source: East Wind Community

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=45081 <![CDATA[The Disturbing Stories Behind History's Most Evil People]]> 2026-07-23T10:35:00+00:00 2026-07-21T15:33:02+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/real-life-super-villains-1784602360 Miles Brucker People History's Most Evil People Every so often, history produces a figure so ruthless that they seem more like a fictional supervillain than a real person. Edward Longshanks was one of them. His vengeance against Simon de Montfort crossed a line that shocked even by the brutal standards of the Middle Ages.

]]> 1. The Killdozer For most people, the municipal government rejecting a zoning proposal wouldn't be enough to launch a rampage of revenge and destruction, but as the world would soon find out, most people were not Marvin Heemeyer. Heemeyer had asked the town council for Granby, Colorado, to halt the construction of a concrete plant next to his land.

When they refused, Heemeyer retreated to his secret lair—err, his muffler shop—for a whole year, building the ultimate weapon: the Killdozer.

]]> 2. Rampage On June 4, 2004, Heemeyer unveiled his Killdozer, a 46-tonne Komatsu bulldozer fitted with foot-thick panels of steel and concrete. Secure behind the wheel of his absurdly powerful wrecking machine, Heemeyer cut a path of destruction through the town. In just two hours, the Killdozer knocked down 13 buildings and cut off the town’s gas supply.

]]> 3. The Best Laid Plans With an armor of steel and concrete, along with damage-resistant plastic and three ports for Heemeyer's rifles, the Killdozer was practically indestructible. Granby law enforcement could do little but stand by and watch as Heemeyer crashed through building after building. Eventually, the National Guard was called in, armed with Apache helicopters and anti-tank missiles. Heemeyer's attack was inevitably going to come to an end—but few people expected the tragedy that was coming.

]]> 4. Scrapped Embedded tightly into the base of Gamble’s Hardware Store, the Killdozer was utterly incapacitated. Trapped with no escape, Heemeyer chose to turn his firearm on himself instead of turning himself in. His machine was dismantled piece by piece and sold off for scrap, helping to recoup some of the $7 million in damage done that fateful day by the Killdozer.

]]> 5. A Real Gem Embodying the character of daring adventurer-thief, Gerard Blanchard pulled off a series of high-end thefts across three continents. In one notable case, Blanchard took the Star of Sisi, a priceless diamond-and-pearl ornament worn by Empress Elisabeth of Austria, without permission. Blanchard spent a week posing as a tourist alongside his wife and his father; throughout this time, he was discreetly gathering intel, formulating a flawless plan to covertly acquire the jewels.

]]> 6. Two of a Kind On the day of the heist, Blanchard disabled the alarms at Schönbrunn Palace where the Star of Sisi was kept. That night he parachuted into the Palace and replaced the Star of Sisi with a simple replica he bought at the Palace gift shop. It must have been some replica—it was weeks before anyone noticed the swap.

]]> 7. Family Heirlooms Authorities eventually tracked Blanchard down in his native Canada, but one mystery still remained: Where was the Star of Sisi? Blanchard gladly pointed them to the answer. The priceless jewels had been sitting in plain sight all along—on the mantel in his mother's basement.

]]> 8. How the Mighty Have Fallen Blanchard was looking at a potential 164-year sentence for his unlawful actions, however, he spent less than two years serving time. However, in spite of a lenient sentence, and promising to lead an honest life, Blanchard simply could not abandon his path of lawbreaking. His subsequent robberies were notably less thrilling, however: in 2017, he was apprehended for shoplifting at a local Best Buy. Talk about a downgrade.

]]> 9. You are Getting Sleepy Blanchard pulled off his heists the old-fashioned way: through careful planning and daring break-ins. Vladimir Kozak from Moldova took a much more creative approach, despite his unlawful activities. Kozak acquired more than $40,000 from Eastern European banks by hypnotizing bank tellers, instructing them to hand over the cash, and simply walking out the front door. With powers like that, why he’d stop at $40,000 is anyone’s guess.

]]> 10. The Eyes Have It Fantastic? Unbelievable, you say? Perhaps, but Kozak posed a significant challenge for Moldova's law enforcement: how do you halt an individual with the capacity to manipulate thoughts? At the height of Kozak’s reign of terror, banks across Eastern Europe were instructed to avoid eye contact with their customers, lest they fall under Kozak’s villainous spell.

]]> 11. Jesus Saved Vita Aras also used an unusual talent to enter the world of theft. Former acrobat Aras utilized his superior flexibility to infiltrate the Harvard library and illicitly procure an extraordinarily rare copy of the Gutenberg Bible. Sadly, for Aras, his attempt was not so successful. Unable to scale back to the roof with the heavy book, Aras plummeted to the floor, fracturing his skull. He would not have survived had the Bible not broken his fall. Truly inspiring.

]]> 12. To Infinity and Beyond After his accident, Aras started reevaluating his career path. He stopped engaging in burglary activities and transitioned into the slightly more honorable sphere of adult entertainment, which also happened to be within the bounds of law. His flexibility came in handy there, too, and he became famous for a rather...ahem...jaw-dropping solo-act. Aras even adopted a stage name better suited to a comic book villain: Dr. Infinity.

]]> 13. From Beyond the Grave Adam Worth was among the numerous individuals who perished in a prominent American conflict. Specifically, he was amongst the substantially smaller group of combatants who were reported as no longer living without actually, you know, passing away. Inaccurately reported as having fallen in conflict, Worth took the opportunity to slip away from his army duties. He would rejoin the army several more times, pocketing the bounty then disappearing once again.

Thus started the late Adam Worth's abundant misdeeds.

]]> 14. Snake Oil Salesman After the conflict, Worth moved to New York City and opened a small shop selling imitation tonics. Shady, perhaps, but hardly the work of an international mastermind. The real scheme was happening beneath the floorboards: Worth had deliberately rented a storefront above a bank and quietly tunneled from his shop straight into its vault.

]]> 15. London Calling Worth executed the same heist in Boston before the law enforcement authorities finally apprehended him. Rather than risk arrest, Worth moved operations to England. Taking on the guise of a prosperous American financier, Worth quickly established an international empire of illicit activities. Worth directed heists and robberies as far afield as South Africa, all from the comfort of a London townhouse.

]]> 16. Art Lover Worth executed his most significant heist in 1876, when he took possession of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, at the time the most costly painting in the world. Worth would not sell the painting, however: according to friends, Worth was completely infatuated with the painting, and even slept with it under his mattress.

]]> 17. Hard Times Worth was finally apprehended in 1893 and subsequently incarcerated. In the four years he spent in HMP Leuven, Worth’s life completely fell apart. Inside, he was the frequent target of attacks by competing mobsters. Outside, one of his underlings seduced and then abandoned his wife; the affair drove her mad and she had to be institutionalized. Despite, or perhaps because of, his hardships, Worth was released early on good behavior.

]]> 18. Small Change Worth emerged from incarceration a transformed man. For one thing, he befriended his old nemesis, private investigator William Pinkerton, and even arranged a job for his son with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Perhaps the biggest shock came when Worth finally revealed the location of his beloved Duchess of Devonshire. He returned the portrait to its rightful owners…in exchange for $25,000. Even someone reformed from wrongdoings needs to eat, correct?

]]> 19. A Sher Thing As if Worth's lawbreaking lifestyle wasn't sufficiently akin to a detective narrative, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle later borrowed Worth's moniker, "the Napoleon of Wrongdoing," applying it to his own devious genius, Sherlock Holmes' adversary, Professor Moriarty.

]]> 20.Exhausted to the core As head of Los Zetas, Miguel Angel Trevino Morales was the most ruthless man in one of Mexico’s most ruthless drug cartels. Morales' approach to dealing with his adversaries is too disturbing to discuss here, but it's noted that he found it difficult to sleep without having ended a life that day. Guess he’d never heard of counting sheep.

]]> 21. The Number of the Beast Colombia's Luis Garavito, known as "La Bestia" ("the Beast"), confessed to the murders of 138 children, though investigators believed the true number of victims may have exceeded 300. While he initially received a sentence totaling 1,853 years, Colombian law capped prison terms, and his sentence was later reduced for cooperating with authorities. Garavito ultimately died in prison in 2023 before he could be released.

]]> 22. Shock the Vote In a television interview in 2006, Garavito stated that he intends to enter politics after serving his sentence. Naturally, this made people very uneasy. Can you imagine being too terrible for politics?

]]> 23. Yin and Yang Shoko Asahara was a man of contrasts. A tormentor during his high school years (at a school for the blind, no less), he progressed to a career in acupuncture and traditional medicine; found guilty of unauthorized distribution of controlled substances, he utilized the period to study Taoism. Asahara was a spiritual guy with a mean streak—opposing traits, maybe, but they would both serve him well as the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo cult.

]]> 24. A Cult Following Asahara founded Aum Shinrikyo in 1987 and began granting interviews to magazines and television programs. Asahara’s followers grew so quickly that the Tokyo municipal government was obliged to recognize Aum Shinrikyo as a legally recognized religious organization in 1989.

]]> 25. Rub-a-Dub-Dub So, what was the crux of Asahara’s philosophy? Well, pretty cliché doomsday cult stuff, actually: WWIII was coming, thanks to a conspiracy propagated by—among other groups—the Freemasons and the British royal family. WWIII would spur Armageddon, which was actually a good thing for some reason, and not to worry because Asahara would transfer spiritual powers to his followers and all they had to do was drink his bathwater. You know, normal cult stuff.

]]> 26. The Second Coming Oh, and, also, according to Aum Shinrikyo, Asahara was Jesus. Asahara was deadly serious about this particular point, and even titled his 1992 memoir Declaring Myself the Christ.

]]> 27. Holy Smoke Overwhelmed by megalomania and eager to instigate an apocalypse, it wasn't long before Asahara transformed his religious organization into one engaging in illegitimate activities. In 1995, members of Aum Shinrikyo launched a series of sarin gas attacks inside the Tokyo subway system. Their objectives were dual-purpose: to ignite the conflict central to their faith and establish Asahara as the Emperor of Japan.

]]> 28. Under New Management The Aum Shinrikyo attacks claimed 13 lives and led to the arrests of more than 200 cult members, while leader Shoko Asahara was sentenced to capital punishment. Yet the group did not disappear. Rebranded as Aleph, it continued attracting new followers and remained under intense scrutiny for years afterward.

]]> 29. Game Day Roy Spencer lived the dream of every hockey-mad Canadian dad: to see his son climb the ranks and make it to the NHL. Or he would have. The night Brian Spencer was to make his debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation chose to air a game between the Vancouver Canucks and the California Golden Seals instead.

These were the days before cable tv, so anyone wanting to see the Leafs was out of luck. The elder Spencer was not about to miss his boy's big game, however, and so he was left with no option but to impose a firm demand on the CBC.

]]> 30. The Face-Off Armed with a nine-millimeter pistol, Roy Spencer drove to the nearest TV station, 84 miles away. Spencer broke into the control room and ordered the station managers to broadcast the Leafs game instead—a request which they hurriedly obliged.

]]> 31. Only One Way for This to End Tragically, Spencer’s story does not end there. After successfully watching the game, Spencer exited the station, only to be confronted in the parking lot by a group of law enforcement officers. A standoff ensued, and on what should have been the pinnacle of both his and his son's life, Spencer tragically lost his life.

]]> 32. Like Father, Like Son Brian Spencer enjoyed a modest career in the NHL, but he struggled to cope with his father’s violent end. Spencer developed an addiction much like his father's and eventually descended into the same lawless lifestyle. At one point, Brian faced charges of kidnapping and taking a life, narrowly avoiding capital punishment. Unfortunately, Brian met the same harsh end as his father: he was shot during a burglary attempt in 1987.

]]> 33. Monkey Business Can you be a mad scientist if your degree is in anthropology? Professor John Buettner-Janusch was a primatologist who just happened to know his way around a chemistry lab. He also just happened to be an extreme narcissist. His narcissism distanced Buettner-Janusch from his colleagues, but it wasn't a question of legality... yet.

However, something altered within the professor after the loss of his wife. He soon began using significant class time to produce large quantities of hallucinogenic substances and Quaaludes.

]]> 34. Tough Break Professor B-J (as he now liked to be called) had turned his life into something resembling Breaking Bad. And just like Breaking Bad, it was only going to get progressively worse. He was dismissed from his position as he could not persuade the Anthropology Department at NYU of the significance of conducting experiments with hallucinogens on lemurs. He started trading illicit substances and soon found himself serving a five-year term of incarceration.

And that’s when Professor B-J went full supervillain.

]]> 35. Aw Nuts After being freed from confinement, Buettner-Jansch swore revenge on those who had incarcerated him. Using his chemistry skills, he poisoned several boxes of chocolates, which he sent to the judge who had sentenced him and to several former colleagues. Fortunately, no one was harmed, and the authorities were able to track the chocolates back to Buettner-Janusch without difficulty.

The case made headlines throughout the country; fascinated by his outlandish behavior—and unable to resist a delicious chocolate-based pun—newspapers branded Buettner-Janusch “the Nutty Professor".

]]> 36. Blind Ambition Daredevil lost his sight and became a superhero; Clarence Peddicord took a different path. Peddicord lost his sight when his refrigerator exploded. If you’re thinking Peddicord launched a revenge campaign against refrigerator manufactures, well, good guess, but Peddicord took the accident in stride. Eager to prove that the blind can do everything that sighted people can do, Peddicord became an avid mountain climber.

Still, when doctors suggested an experimental surgery that would restore his sight, Peddicord jumped at the chance…

]]> 37. Ever the Optimist “Experimental surgery?” I heard you ask, “Surely, this is where Peddicord goes bad". Nope. Even when the surgery failed, Peddicord applied his usual sunny approach. He became a chemist and even founded his own chemical sales company.

]]> 38. The Blind Leading the Blind “So, what was it, some sort of chemical explosion? Did Peddicord get superpowers? Was he Daredevil and the Hulk?” Wrong again. What finally pushed Peddicord over the edge was good old-fashioned capitalism. After his chemistry company went under, Peddicord started sending threats of explosive devices to Portland department stores, demanding ransom money in return for directions to the apparatus.

Peddicord joyfully guided Portland's law enforcement officers around the city with a series of payphone calls and notes, but he never did collect his money.

]]> 39. Blind Man’s Bluff The Portland PD finally located "the Blind Bomber" by scrutinizing his letters and tracing them back to Peddicord's typewriter. Consequently, Peddicord received a sentence of 20 years of confinement.Authorities also attempted to detain Peddicord's sister-in-law, who they believed directed Peddicord to the various locations of his campaign. Ironically, charges against her were dropped, due to a lack of eyewitnesses.

]]> 40. Old Dogs, New Tricks After his wife passed, Red Rountree had nothing but time. He was 86 years old, had no kids, and no job. He decided he should take up a hobby—after all, it’s never too late, right? Problem was, Red lacked enthusiasm. He wasn’t interested in stamps. Model trains bored him. And skydiving was out of the question. The only thing Red really felt strongly about was banks. Crooked, money-grubbing banks.

The same banks that had driven him to bankruptcy back in his younger days. Indeed, a fiery hatred of banks was pretty much all ol’ Red had left. Red decided to succumb to the hate and transform into the oldest individual globally to undertake bank heists.

]]> 41. The Thrill of the Chase On one morning in 1998, Red Rountree strolled into the SouthTrust Bank in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was not armed, but quietly slipped an envelope to the teller. The envelope was labeled with bold, red letters, indicating "Theft". The teller raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding?” Red shook his head. Even though he wasn’t armed, the teller gave Red the money, and he sped off.

The authorities apprehended him in his Buick half an hour later, resulting in a sentence of three years probation and a caution to avoid Mississippi. It was exhilarating!

]]> 42. Here for a Good Time and a Long Time Rountree would rob two more banks. Each time, he was caught. Each time, he was given a stiffer sentence. Red Rountree's last conviction occurred at the age of 91, when he received a 12-year sentence for robbing the First American Bank in Abilene, Texas. Still, Rountree had no regrets. In an interview, he said, “Do you know why I rob banks? It’s fun!”

]]> 43. Dr. Chaos Joseph Konopka never finished high school, but his talent for computers landed him a job as a computer systems administrator. The work was fine, the pay was okay, but Konopka knew he was meant for bigger things. Konopka wanted excitement and meaning. He wanted more. And so he became…Dr. Chaos!

]]> 44. Today, Sheboygan. Tomorrow, the World! With his supervillain persona in place, Konopka set about building an army of similarly malcontented computer geeks. “The Realm of Chaos” used their tech skills to wreak havoc around Wisconsin and the western Great Lakes region. The activities of the Realm of Chaos mostly consisted of creating a nuisance: disrupting tv and radio broadcasts, selling bootleg software, that sort of thing. But Konopka had bigger plans.

]]> 45. Let’s Just Walk Dr. Chaos’ activities soon escalated to interfering with air-control towers. Then arson. By the time law enforcement authorities reached the Realm of Chaos, they had already started accumulating large amounts of cyanide in an unutilized part of the Chicago subway system.

]]> 46. The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth Whatever attack Konopka and his acolytes were planning was, thankfully, intercepted by law enforcement. Konopka was prosecuted for the arsons and possession of cyanide, receiving a 21-year sentence to a correctional facility. When asked why he launched this career in villainy, Konopka replied, “I have several reasons, but no good reason". Truer words were never spoken.

]]> 47. Hello, Dolly! The Joker terrorized Gotham while dressed as a clown; Poison Ivy scattered harmful greenery wherever she journeyed; Mr. Freeze, well, froze people. Batman’s most popular villains have creative names and signature themes. Mrs. Velvalee Dickinson of New York City could fit right in. This unassuming widow had her own unique trademark: the extremely life-like dolls she sold out of her New York City shop.

Hence, Velvalee was recognized by law enforcement agents under a slightly more vibrant alias: The Doll Woman.

]]> 48. Do You Want to Know a Secret? Dickinson even had a supervillain origin story. She embarked on her unlawful journey after her husband succumbed to a heart attack in 1943. With her husband no longer around, she needed to earn some money. So, Dickinson did what any adversarial individual during conflict would do: she commenced trading confidential information to the Japanese authority.

]]> 49. Tourist Trap How did a gentle-natured widow possess secrets related to defense forces? Simple—she asked. Dickinson would visit major shipbuilding centers like Seattle, San Francisco, and Pearl Harbor, and casually ask the locals about projects. No one ever suspected the little old lady who loved dolls was a spy.

]]> 50. It’s All Fun and Games… Dickinson’s shop provided the perfect cover for her communications with the Japanese. For example, if an aircraft carrier was being built in Pearl Harbor, she would write to a “customer” in Argentina about a new doll dressed in a grass skirt. American investigators finally cracked the code, and Dickinson traded her dollhouse for the Big House.

]]> 51. “Stretch” Was Already Taken One of the most famous kings in England's history was known by a bizarre nickname: Edward Longshanks. So how did he get the strange moniker? The answer is far simpler than you’re probably guessing. Edward was a very long-limbed man, which inspired the nickname. We here at Factinate assume the first person to suggest it was a butcher.

]]> 52. Nobody Laughs to Mike Tyson’s Face Either Descriptions of Edward depict a child who was frequently ill. Health concerns were also augmented by a drooping eyelid and a lisp. Despite the latter concern, Edward overcame his initial frail health and matured into a very tall, physically imposing man with a very “persuasive” manner of speech. The lisp, of course, never went away, but really, who’s going to mock Edward to his face for how he talks?

]]> 53. Not Until I’ve Had My Fun! In 1304, amidst one of his combative campaigns in Scotland, Edward laid siege to Stirling Castle, situated very near the site of William Wallace's surprising 1297 triumph. For three months, Edward battered at the castle with trebuchets that he’d brought north at great expense. When the defenders offered to surrender after those three months, Edward actually refused!

The bloodthirsty Edward had just set up a brand-new trebuchet that he called the Warwolf, and he wanted to demonstrate its power. Edward wouldn’t accept the surrender until an extra day of bombardment.

]]> 54. Be Ruthless When Edward defeated William Wallace, King Robert the Bruce took up the role of leader of the rebellion against the English. Unfortunately for Robert’s family, they became a target for Edward’s wrath. Robert's younger brother, Neil, was drawn and quartered by Edward’s forces. Meanwhile, Bruce’s sister, Mary, and his ally, Isabella MacDuff, suffered an even more chilling fate.

The two women were left suspended in cages for four years!

]]> 55. And Now the Rains Weep O’er Montfort’s Halls Simon de Montfort was one of Edward's greatest enemies—and when Edward finally got the better of him, his wrath was absolutely horrifying. Montfort was compelled to witness his son being harshly dispatched before he himself met a similar fate via the sword. In a final act of spite and vengeance, Edward ordered that Montfort’s body be mutilated; his head, hands, feet, and testicles were all removed from his person. The scene was called "an episode of noble bloodletting unprecedented since the Conquest [of William the Conqueror]".

]]> 56. Fact or Fiction Caligula, born Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus in 31 AD, was the Emperor of Rome between 37 and 41 AD. Known throughout history as a cruel and unpredictable ruler, he's perhaps most famous today for his (largely fictional) representation in the notorious 1979 sensuous film Caligula. The movie strays quite far from the truth, but that doesn't mean that the actual Emperor Caligula was not seriously fascinating, often in strange and disturbing ways. 

]]> 57. Disturbing Joke Caligula had a malevolent sense of humor. Once at a dinner party, he reportedly burst into raucous laughter. When asked to explain the reason for his mirth, he replied, “I’ve just thought that I’ve only to give the word and you’ll all have your throats cut". Hilarious, right?!

]]> 58. Planning for His Demise Caligula was so hated by the Roman people at the end of his reign that the citizens began to demand that he be removed from power. An ominous plan was concocted within the senate aimed at ending Caligula's life, and on January 24, 41 AD, Cassius Chaerea made a cut across his throat from behind, immediately followed by a hit to the chest by Cornelius Sabinus. 

The forceful impact made Caligula fall to the ground, where the remaining conspirators punctured him 30 times.

]]> 59. First Deed of Elimination The downfall of Caligula was the first incident where a Roman Emperor was forcefully removed from power. The Praetorian guards pierced him 30 times at the Palatine Games. His wife and daughter were also executed.

]]> 60. Erased From History By the time Caligula's life ended, he had become so despised, the Senate ardently moved to completely expunge his existence from Roman history. They ordered the destruction of his statues and public inscriptions, and his coins were pulled from circulation and melted down whenever possible.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=45719 <![CDATA[The Dark Truth Behind Some Of Disney's Most Beloved Characters]]> 2026-07-22T09:10:00+00:00 2026-07-21T15:32:15+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/interesting/dark-facts-about-disney-characters-simple Sarah Ng Interesting Surprisingly Dark Facts About Disney Characters Disney movies may end with a happily ever after, but many of their most iconic characters have surprisingly dark stories hiding beneath the surface. One of the biggest examples is the hunter who ended Bambi's mother. Fans debated their identity for years until Disney finally connected the mystery to another legendary villain.

]]> 1. Why Couldn't Dopey Speak? Dopey is the famously mute character in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. But this wasn't always the case. You see, initially, the script had many lines for him. The studio even hired the famous voice actor Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck) to bring Dopey to life. However, it just wasn't meant to be.

Walt Disney, unhappy with the recording, cut ALL of Dopey's lines. Blanc's voice is only audible whenever Dopey hiccups.

]]> 2. She Had The First Word The first character to actually speak in a full-length Disney cartoon was the Evil Queen in Snow White. Not first villain, or first female character: first voice ever. Her first wicked words were "Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space, through wind and darkness I summon thee. Speak! Let me see thy face".

]]> 3. Frozen Had A Completely Different Villain Initially, creators planned to have Elsa as the evil Snow Queen, comparable to other white-haired greats like Cruella de Vil and Ursula. However, the musical number "Let It Go" was a total gamechanger. After hearing the lyrics, the writers completely rejigged the plot to make her the beloved antihero of our dreams.

]]> 4. Frollo Was Actually A Man Of God In Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Frollo is a Catholic priest. For the Disney adaptation, screenwriters made him into "Judge Claude Frollo" the Minister of Peace, as not to offend any religious sensibilities.

]]> 5. A Famous Drag Queen Inspired Ursula Ursula from The Little Mermaid was inspired by the iconic drag queen, and John Waters' muse, Divine. Unfortunately, Divine did not live to bring Ursula to life himself, as she passed on in 1988.

]]> 6. Captain Hook And George Darling Are Oddly Connected The same actor voices two characters from Peter Pan. Hans Conried is the voice behind both Captain Hook and George Darling. And we can't deny that there are some obvious similarities here.

]]> 7. The Evil Witch Reigns Supreme The Evil Queen from Snow White landed at No. 10 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest movie villains. That put her one spot ahead of The Godfather's Michael Corleone, making her one of the most unforgettable villains in film history.

]]> 8. Only One Princess Kissed A Villain Poor Jasmine really took one for the team when she tried to save Aladdin by locking lips with the evil Jafar. In fact, she is the only Disney princess to kiss a villain.

]]> 9. Tarzan's Family Betrayal In Disney’s 1999 adaptation of Tarzan, we know little of Clayton beyond that he really wants to hunt those gorillas. In the original Tarzan books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, however, Clayton is revealed to be Tarzan’s paternal cousin. The Disney version of Clayton doesn’t resemble much of the literary Clayton beyond sharing the same name, but it’s good to know that after all these years, Disney still doesn’t shy from kin-slaying.

]]> 10. The Little Mermaid Almost Lost Its Iconic Song One of the film's best songs, "Part of Your World," almost didn't make the final cut. During the test screening, a child in the audience dropped his popcorn, making the chairman of Walt Disney Studios worry that the song was too boring. Luckily, the rest of the staff disagreed and saved the day for all of us.

]]> 11. An Unprecedented Expiration Technically speaking, Mother Gothel is the first Disney villain to die on-screen of old age.

 

]]> 12. Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder Are In Frozen If you keep your eyes peeled while watching Frozen, you may notice a brief appearance of Tangled's main players—Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder. You can see them here, entering the castle for Elsa's coronation.

]]> 13. Animating Sulley Took Forever In Monsters, Inc, Sulley is a massive, blue monster with an unbelievable amount of fur. In fact, the character had a staggering 2.3 million strands of hair. That said, creating him was no small feat. Because each strand had to be animated, producing a single frame of Sulley took about 12 hours.

]]> 14. Walt Disney Had A Favorite Princess Walt Disney had a special fondness for Cinderella. He once told Ilene Woods, the actress who voiced the princess, "You're my favorite heroine, you know". When Woods asked if he meant Cinderella, Disney simply replied, "Yes. There's something about that story I associate with".

]]> 15. A Fable Inspired A Bug's Life A Bug’s Life was inspired by Aesop’s fable, The Ant and The Grasshopper. In this story, a grasshopper spends the harvest months having fun instead of collecting food. Come winter, the grasshopper is starving and begs the ants for food but is turned away. Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft wondered why the grasshopper doesn’t just take the ants’ food. 

Thus, the antagonist Hopper and A Bug’s Life were born.

 

]]> 16. The Beast Is A Combination Of Many Animals According to animator Glen Keane, he found inspiration for the Beast's singular look by looking at many different animals. He used a wolf's legs, a bear's body, a dog's tail, a buffalo's head, a gorilla's eyebrows, a lion's mane, and a wild boar's muzzle.

]]> 17. Sleeping Beauty Barely Spoke Princess Aurora only has a measly 18 lines in Sleeping Beauty. But considering that she spends the majority of the film snoozing, this definitely makes sense.

]]> 18. Only Belle Wore Blue Among her townspeople, Belle is the only citizen wearing the color blue. The creators purposely dressed her in this way to drive home the notion that Belle was different from everyone else—an outsider. Even better? When she finally meets the Beast, he, too, is also wearing blue, proving that they really were a match made in heaven.

]]> 19. Scar Had An Unfortunate Name As per The Lion King canon, Scar’s birth name was "Taka". He changed it to "Scar" after a Buffalo attack left him with the signature mark on his eye. And to give you some perspective on the piece of work that is the Lion King family, "taka" can mean "want" in Swahili, but it is also commonly used to mean "garbage" or "dirt". 

To sum up, Scar and Mufasa’s parents named their older kid after the Swahili word for "King" and then turned around called the other kid "trash".

]]> 20. Hercules Has A Very Disturbing Rug In The Lion King, Zazu snips that Scar would make an excellent throw rug. Technically, this actually comes true, as Scar can be seen as a throw rug in a scene from Hercules. How many of you noticed that?

]]> 21. Merida's Voice Is Unlike All The Rest Disney princesses come from kingdoms all over the world, but Merida from Brave is the only official princess who speaks with a distinctly Scottish accent rather than an American one. Her fiery personality and unmistakable voice make her stand out from the rest.

]]> 22. The Very First Male Villain Gaston is the first male Disney villain in any Disney Princess feature—it had been all evil queens, sea witches, and stepmothers before that. 

]]> 23. Ariel Was A Redhead For A Reason In 1984, Daryl Hannah became famous as the blonde mermaid in Splash. In order to make Ariel as unique as possible, Disney decided to give her bright red hair.

]]> 24. A Sibling Rivalry Under The Sea King Triton and Ursula from The Little Mermaid are supposed to be brother and sister, which makes Ariel the tentacled witch's niece. These familial connections did not make the final cut, but it just goes the show that blood isn't always thicker than water.

]]> 25. The Story Behind Belle's Unruly Hair In Beauty and the Beast, Belle has a stubborn strand of hair that constantly fall across her face. The screenplay writer, Linda Woolverton, commented, "The only thing I wrote [to describe Belle physically] was 'she has a little wisp of hair that keeps falling in her face.' Because I wanted her not to be perfect. It was important that not every hair be in place".

]]> 26. The Ice Palace Reflects Her Feelings In Frozen, Princess Elsa's ice palace reflects her emotions through color. The walls turn blue when she's content, purple when she's sad, red when she's frightened, and yellow when she's enraged.

]]> 27. She Had No Teeth How did Lucille LaVerne achieve her vocal transformation from Evil Queen to Evil Witch in Snow White? She simply removed her teeth.

]]> 28. Walt Disney Had A Favorite Piece Of Animation Reportedly, Walt Disney's favorite animated scene was Cinderella's magical transformation before the royal ball. The dazzling rags-to-riches moment remains one of Disney's most iconic sequences and still captivates audiences today.

]]> 29. An Evil Lineage The animator Bruce W. Smith imagined Doctor Facilier of The Princess and the Frog as the "lovechild" of Cruella de Vil and Captain Hook. I ship it!

]]> 30. Pocahontas' Initial Sidekick Could Talk Although the beloved raccoon Meeko, Pocahontas' non-verbal sidekick, made the final cut, filmmakers had other ideas. Initially, they wanted to animate a talking turkey named Redfeather. But that's not all. They also wanted John Candy to voice the character.

]]> 31. We Never Meet Aladdin's Mother Despite having her very own song—"Proud of Your Boy" Aladdin's mother didn't make the film's final cut. However, her song had its moment in the broadway musical adaptation.

]]> 32. This Disney Character Had A True Story Pocahontas is the only princess based in reality. Pocahontas was an Indigenous woman who belonged to the Powhatan people. Mulan, although based on a real legend of a warrior, did not exist in real life.

]]> 33. There Was A Disney Princess Hiatus After 1959's Sleeping Beauty, audiences didn't get to meet another princess for another 30 years. It was a long wait, but totally worth it. In 1989, Ariel captivated audiences in The Little Mermaid.

]]> 34. This Villain's Name Says It All Maleficent means "evil-doing" in Latin.

]]> 35. An Actress Inspired Ariel's Looks According to actress Alyssa Milano, Disney's animators used childhood photos of her as part of the inspiration for Ariel's appearance. Her youthful features helped shape the Little Mermaid's distinctive heart-shaped face.

]]> 36. What IS Prince Charming's Name? Sadly, Cinderella's prince (like many other princes) isn't the most fleshed-out character, and as such, he has a couple of different names. In the original, he is simply known as Prince Charming. However, Disney France calls him Henri, while the live-action film named him Kit.

]]> 37. Prince Eric Wasn't A Singer Of all the official Disney princes, Eric was the only one to bite his tongue when it came to the musical numbers. Despite losing her voice, Ariel ended up taking the reins as songbird supreme.

]]> 38. Lady Tremaine Was Chillingly Realistic Lady Tremaine, AKA Cinderella’s stepmother, was deliberately drawn to be more realistic than the film’s other antagonists. Filmmakers wanted her to embody a more chilling and "out of this world" demeanor by drawing, ironically, from our world.

]]> 39. Skateboarding Inspired Tarzan's Movements The animator Glen Keane revealed one of the greatest inspirations behind Tarzan—his son, Max: "[Max] loved performing fearless skateboarding stunts and watching extreme sports, such as snowboarding. Thus, Tarzan seemed to 'surf' through the trees".

 

]]> 40. A Real Prince Inspired Prince Phillip It's been said that Sleeping Beauty's Prince Phillip was named after Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, he would have been a familiar figure at the time of the film's release in 1959.

]]> 41. John Smith Was A Man Of Many Talents Usually, two actors voice Disney characters: one sings, and the other speaks. But this is not the case for Pocahontas' John Smith. Mel Gibson contributes both his voice acting and singing prowess to the role.

]]> 42. We Saw That Dance In Another Film During the production of Beauty and the Beast, time was of the essence. Running behind, they decided to use the animated dance scene from Sleeping Beauty for Prince Adam and Belle's final dance scene.

]]> 43. There's Only One Princess With A Tattoo Of all the Disney princesses, Pocahontas is the only one with a tattoo—a red band that wraps around her right bicep. Of course, that's not the only unique thing about the 1995 film.

]]> 44. Disney's First Interracial Relationship Not only does Pocahontas include Disney's first interracial couple, but it's also the only original movie where the love interests don't end up together. When John Smith asks Pocahontas to come back to England with him, she refuses, choosing to stay with her tribe instead.

]]> 45. Mr. De Vil Came First 101 Dalmatians was based on Dodie Smith’s novel, The Hundred and One Dalmatians. In this written version, Cruella de Vil is not living the sweet single life, as in the movie, but has a henpecked husband. His clearly didn't matter that much though, because the novel doesn’t even give him a name—he's never referred to as anything but "Mr. De Vil". We can guess who wore the pants in that relationship.

]]> 46. Lady Is A Real Dog A real dog inspired the character Lady from Lady and the Tramp. In fact, it was Disney writer Joe Grant's Springer Spaniel. When Walt Disney laid eyes on Grant's sketches, he asked him to mount a storyboard of his furry pet. Although Disney initially scrapped the idea, he returned to it after reading the story Happy Dan, the Whistling Dog.

]]> 47. Belle's Personality Is Inspired By Another Character The screenwriter for Beauty and the Beast, Linda Woolverton, said that one of her main sources of inspiration for Belle was Katharine Hepburn's performance in 1933's Little Women. Hepburn's interpretation of the bookish Jo March is undoubtedly similar to Belle's headstrong character.

]]> 48. Mirabel Is The Very First In 2021's Encanto, Mirabel is the very first female Disney lead character to wear glasses.

]]> 49. A Heartthrob Inspired Aladdin At first, animator Glen Keane thought of making Aladdin similar to a Michael J. Fox character. But the chairman of Walt Disney Studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg, had another idea. He thought of using Tom Cruise's character from Top Gun. Keane later said, "I got the film and I looked at him, and what I noticed was all of his poses. His attitudes. There was this confidence. The way his chest stuck out. There was a cockiness to him. And Aladdin, we wanted to have a little bit of that edge on him".

]]> 50. Mulan Is Based On A Chinese Legend The story of Hua Mulan goes way back. The earliest record of her story is the Ballad of Mulan, most likely written around 400 AD. But before her Disney debut, her story was a little bit different. Originally, the female warrior fools her comrades until the very end of the war. They don't find out she is actually a woman until the conflict is over.

]]> 51. This Villain Had A Secret Song The shrill and desiccated Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove had her own villain song titled "Snuff Out the Light". Not familiar? That's probably because it was cut from the final version of the film, but you Kuzco super-fans out there may have heard it on the official soundtrack for the movie.

]]> 52. The Only Disney Princess Who Is Not The Lead Jasmine is the only Disney princess who does not star as the main character of her film...or should I say, Aladdin's film.

]]> 53. Thumper Charmed Walt Disney Thumper is one of the most beloved characters from Bambi, but initially, he didn't have such a prominent role. However, once Walt Disney watched his scenes with Bambi, he fell completely in love with the character. As a result, Thumper got a hefty promotion.

]]> 54. Mrs. Potts Had A Different Name In Beauty and the Beast, the maternal teapot Mrs. Potts was originally known as Mrs. Chamomile. However, considering its difficult pronunciation, it was eventually changed to the simpler "Mrs. Potts".

]]> 55. Sebastian Had A Different Accent First of all, Sebastian the crab has an extremely long name: Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian. But what's more? Creators almost gave him a British accent. It would have changed everything.

]]> 56. A Notorious Ladies' Man Inspired Lumiere French actor Maurice Chevalier was known for his suave personality and smooth voice. After his passing, his features and style inspired the character of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. But that wasn't Chevalier's only connection to Disney. In The Aristocats, he sang its title track.

]]> 57. Mickey Almost Had A Different Name Before he landed on the name "Mickey," Walt Disney planned to name his iconic mouse "Mortimer". Well, luckily, his wife Lillian thought the name wasn't the right fit for the feisty character's personality. Instead, Mortimer Mouse became one of Mickey's greatest rivals.

]]> 58. There's One Original Character In Wonderland Although the Alice in Wonderland adaptation couldn't possibly include all of Lewis Caroll's characters, there was one original Disney character to make an appearance. After Alice falls down the rabbit hole, she comes face to face with the talking Door Knob. Her interaction with the Door Knob removed the necessity of a monologue.

Instead, she conveyed her thoughts to the audience through conversation.

]]> 59. What’s a Good Henchman For? In The Lion King, Scar’s iconic number "Be Prepared" is actually sung by... Ed the Hyena. Or rather, Ed’s voice actor (Jim Cummings) stepped in to do the singing voice for Jeremy Irons for part of the song. Irons had blown out his vocal cords while trying his best, so that’s Cummings doing his best Irons impression for the song’s final third.

]]> 60. Going Solo All the animation for Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians was done by a single person. That’s a lot of straight lines for one poor sketch artist.

]]> 61. Gaston Was Not The Original Villain Gaston was not originally supposed to be the lead villain in Beauty and the Beast. Instead, Belle’s evil Aunt Marguerite was meant to have occupied that dastardly role. Unfortunately for her, Maggie did not have what it takes to make the film’s final cut, and so it's Gaston that we all remember hating so much.

]]> 62. They Had Another Hades In Mind Before James Woods won the part of Hades, the creators of Hercules imagined the role for John Lithgow or even Jack Nicholson—two distinct voices, but not exactly fast-talkers, as Woods’ Hades came to be known. 

]]> 63. The Stars Just Didn’t Line Up Patrick Stewart had to turn down the role of Jafar in Aladdin because he was too busy filming Star Trek: The Next Generation.

]]> 64. Her Wardrobe Reveals The Truth Tangled takes place in the 1780s, but Mother Gothel’s dress is from the Renaissance. Some people might think this was just a design mistake, but her costume was actually deliberate—it signifies how old she actually is.

]]> 65. He Was Too Terrifying For Disney Tim Curry auditioned to play Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but unfortunately, most considered the former Dr. Frankenfurter just too terrifying for Disney. This was only two years before he played Pennywise the Clown in the horror film, It.

]]> 66. The Youngest Disney Baddie Hans from Frozen is canonically 23 years old. This makes him the youngest ever Disney villain (If you don’t count Sid from Toy Story. I personally don’t; he was just a kid, and no one told him that toys were alive…).

]]> 67. Hook Was Too Lovable Walt Disney himself specifically ordered that Captain Hook not die at the end of Peter Pan. The iconic animator had an eye for hot intellectual property; he predicted fans would like this bumbling buccaneer, and that means Hook’s here to stay.

]]> 68. Gaston's Quarter-Life Crisis  Gaston is only 25 years old. Honestly? That makes a lot of sense now that I think of it.

]]> 69. Gaston 2.0 Gaston was based on Beauty and the Beast co-screenwriter Linda Woolverton's ex-boyfriends. However, he was also based on the character of Avenant, a very similar bro-type from Jean Cocteau’s 1946 adaptation of the same fairy tale. Of course, Disney transformed him from Cocteau’s more foppish aristocrat suitor to the jock we know and hate.

]]> 70. From Big Boss to Bad Bad Ratigan from The Great Mouse Detective was modeled after the CEO of Disney, Ron Miller. You can’t blame them: Miller was 6'6" and happened to be a former player for the Los Angeles Rams football team, so he cut a pretty imposing figure.

]]> 71. The Price We Pay The original design for Ratigan was originally more "thin, weasely, and ratlike". However, the casting of Vincent Price as the voice actor inspired the animators to rework the character to better fit the famously sleek, expressive actor.

]]> 72. He Was A "Car Salesman Type" James Woods ad-libbed much of Hades' dialogue in Hercules. He was "based on a Hollywood agent, a car salesman type"—and he was hard to keep up with. The most difficult part of bringing the God of Death to life was getting the speed of his animation to match Wood’s fast-talking performance. 

]]> 73. John Ratcliffe Comes From The History Books To date, John Ratcliffe from Pocahontas is the only animated Disney villain to be based directly on a real historical person. That it, unless Ursula really is hiding beneath the waves and we've just never managed to find her.

]]> 74. Iago's Other Personality Iago was originally to be a serious, dignified British parrot. But then the smooth and sultry sounds of Gilbert Gottfried in Beverly Hills Cop II seduced the animators. Gottfried won the part, and the animation team even changed the parrot's design to give him a semblance of the actor’s half-lidded eyes and omnipresent teeth.

]]> 75. It's Just A Nickname Although most of us know Minnie by her short and sweet nickname, her full name is actually Minerva Mouse.

]]> 76. Dastardly Daycare In the live-action Maleficent movie, three of Angelina Jolie’s children (Pax, Zahara, and Vivienne) make cameo appearances.

]]> 77. Kaa Wasn't Always The Enemy Poor snake can’t catch a break: Kaa in The Jungle Book was supposed to be Mowgli’s ally. In the Disney movie, he was demoted to side-antagonist.

]]> 78. You Talking to Me? Robert De Niro was John Lasseter’s first choice to play Hopper in A Bug’s Life. Unfortunately, De Niro repeatedly turned the part down. At the 1995 Oscars, Lasseter met Kevin Spacey, who enthusiastically signed on to the animated flick.

]]> 79. The Evil Queen Had a Real Name The Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs actually has a name: She goes by "Grimhilde".

]]> 80. Woody Was A Ventriloquist Dummy It's difficult to imagine Woody as anything other than an adorable cowboy doll—but horrifyingly, the initial concept envisioned him as a ventriloquist dummy.

]]> 81. Disney's Repeat Offender Eleanor Audley did the voices for Lady Tremaine in Cinderella, Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, and even Madame Leota in the famous Disneyland ride, The Haunted Mansion. That's a pretty good resume!

]]> 82. The Truth Behind The Horns The horns on Angelina Jolie’s costume in Maleficent were designed by professional fetishwear makers. Seems obvious now that I know.

]]> 83. The Lion King Had A Creepy Side "The Madness of King Scar" was a deleted song in The Lion King. With Nala singing, it was centered around a creepy deleted encounter between her and Scar. According to leftover storyboards, Scar was thinking about his need for a mate and cubs to continue his line. He comes across Nala, who spurns his advances. At her rejection, Scar sends his hyenas to chase Nala off.

 Although it was eventually reworked and included in Lion King: The Musical—with Scar, Zazu, the hyenas, and Nala singing—let’s be thankful, for our childhoods' sakes, that this cinematic courtship was left on the cutting room floor.

]]> 84. The Chorus Line Among the all-stars who lined up to voice Ursula the Sea Witch were Bea Arthur, Roseanne Bar, and Elaine Stritch. The role ultimately went to Pat Carroll.

]]> 85. Gaston's Altered Demise If you’re "lucky," you might come across the grittier ending of Beauty of the Beast, in which Gaston’s passing is much less ambiguous and a little more explicit. Some cuts of the ending feature a shot of skulls in Gaston’s baby blue eyes as he plummets to his end at the film’s climax. In the script, the womanizer also screams "Time to die!" at the Beast, instead of "Belle is mine!" but this was also cut for being too intense.

]]> 86. Gaston Got Off Easy Gaston was supposed to die like Scar from The Lion King. In the original drafts for Beauty and the Beast, Gaston was meant to initially survive his fall off the cliff, only to be devoured by wolves. Disney deemed this end too gruesome for a human being. For fratricidal lions, though? Bon appetit.

]]> 87. Hercules And Ariel Are Related If you want to get technical about it, Hercules and Ariel are cousins. You see, Hercules is the son of Zeus, who is the brother of Poseidon, who fathered Triton—Ariel's father. I guess it's a small world after all.

]]> 88. Snow White Is Underage Yes, Snow White is only 14 years old—and yet, she spends the entire film living with seven men in the middle of the woods while longing for her Prince Charming.

]]> 89. A Famous Screen Siren Inspired The Evil Queen The Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a combination of two different women: actresses Joan Crawford and Lucille LaVerne. The queen's unsettling gaze, strong jaw, and arched brows were a direct influence of the screen siren, Joan Crawford. However, Lucille Laverne not only lent her voice to the role, but her body movements were also a reference for the queen's dramatic transformation into the witch.

]]> 90. Who Shot Bambi's Mother? The hunter responsible for the demise of Bambi's mother was originally credited as "Man," but an early draft of Who Framed Roger Rabbit was going to reveal that her killer was in fact none other than Judge Doom!

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=25112 <![CDATA[Ronald Reagan is best-known as the Hollywood star turned US President—but behind all the fame was a complicated man.]]> 2026-07-21T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-20T16:27:24+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/42-astonishing-facts-ronald-reagan Nikolas C. People Playing The Part Ronald Reagan had already become a household name by the time he entered politics, having established himself as an accomplished actor, but the presidency was an entirely new role. Known especially for his part in ending hostilities with the Soviet Union and transforming the Republican Party into what it is today, he charmed voters across America into supporting him—no matter how many controversies he had.

]]> 1. His Mother Was Religious While some would label him an extremist, Ronald Reagan’s more radical personality helped to reform the Republican Party throughout his career, but these views didn’t come out of nowhere. Much of his worldview took influence from his Christian background, as his mother, Nelle Clyde Wilson, was a devout member of the Disciples of Christ and a prominent leader in their branch of the First Christian Church.

Naturally, he grew up to have some strong opinions of his own.

]]> 2. He Joined A Strike Always one to involve himself in as much as possible, Reagan spent much of his time in extracurricular activities like drama and cheerleading after enrolling at Eureka College in 1928. It was here that he got his first brush with politics by joining the student government, and despite how staunchly he would later oppose such public demonstrations, he actually participated in a student-led strike against the college president.

Eventually, he got his first public-facing job—so to speak.

]]> 3. He Used His Voice Ronald Reagan spent four years at Eureka before graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and economics, but neither of those likely helped much with his first job out of college. He had already been an avid sports fan and played football in college, so after moving from Illinois to Iowa, he took a position as a broadcaster for a few Big Ten Conference games.

Little did he know that this was just a springboard to bigger and better things.

]]> 4. He Branched Out Growing his resume, Reagan was lucky enough to secure a job as a broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs—but this would be a short-lived position. While on the road with the team as they headed to their spring training, Reagan saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Warner Bros Pictures, which was holding screen tests for new actors. Seizing the chance, he managed to impress the Warner Bros executives, who signed him to a seven-year film deal.

As such, he never had to worry about finding work, even if it wasn’t what he had pictured.

]]> 5. He Took To The Screen Taking his shot at a brand-new career in film, Ronald Reagan relocated once again to Hollywood, where he immediately got to work on his first project, Love is on the Air. While he would go on to appear in about 30 films in the span of a few years, these weren’t exactly blockbusters, and instead were what most would call “B-movies”.

At the same time, he felt called to do something much more real.

]]> 6. He Joined The Service All while Reagan was trying to make it big in Hollywood, tensions around the world were rising as the outbreak of WWII grew closer, and Reagan wanted to serve his country if needed. Still working on his B-movies, he enlisted in the US Army reserves in 1937, receiving his post as a private in the 322nd Cavalry Regiment.

Fortunately for him, he wouldn’t have to give up on his film career entirely.

]]> 7. He Had His Big Break Although the typical movies he was doing in the late 1930s certainly provided him a stable income, Ronald Reagan wanted the industry to take him more seriously—and he would soon get his shot. Shortly after the outbreak of WWII, he starred in the 1940 biopic Knute Rockne, All American, proving to everyone that he had what it took to do more grounded films.

Behind the scenes, he wasn’t doing so bad in his love life either.

]]> 8. He Fell In Love Back before he had his true breakout role, Reagan had starred in the 1938 film Brother Rat, and while it may not have done much for his career, he found something even better—love. Starring alongside him was actress Jane Wyman, and the two immediately felt a spark, beginning a relationship that led to marriage two years later.

Of course, he would soon have to put any dreams of fame and fortune on hold.

]]> 9. He Got The Call America didn’t enter WWII right away, so Warner Bros continued to put Ronald Reagan to work for as long as they could—but their time was running out. When the US finally joined the fight, he received his commission as a cavalry officer and expected to ship out with the rest of the army as soon as possible.

The studio was about to lose one of its best actors—but not without a fight.

]]> 10. They Held It Off Reagan was just hitting his stride as a serious actor in Hollywood, but after receiving his commission, he and Warner Bros didn’t have any options to keep him there—except for one. He was in the middle of filming the 1942 drama Kings Row, so the studio’s lawyers arranged a draft deferment for the rest of production. However, this started to look like he was intentionally avoiding the draft, so he left in 1942 anyway.

Although he left Warner Bros for the army, that didn’t mean he had finished making movies.

]]> 11. He Continued Filming While Ronald Reagan may have wanted to join the fight as a cavalry officer, his service would end up looking a bit different—and more familiar. During his medical assessment, the Army found that his eyesight was too poor to allow him to serve in active combat, so he joined a film unit in LA instead. This way, he was able to further his acting career by creating around 400 training films for the army.

This allowed him to visit home much more frequently—where it wasn’t just him and Jane anymore.

]]> 12. He Made A Family Between his time on set for Warner Bros and his later service in the army, Reagan still found time for his family—especially since they added a few new members. Welcoming their first child, Maureen, in 1941, he and Jane decided to adopt a boy named Michael four years later as well. Jane also gave birth to another daughter named Christine in 1947, but she tragically passed in infancy.

At the same time, he was still heavily involved in Hollywood—and would soon win his first election.

]]> 13. He Took The Helm Ronald Reagan already had some experience as a leader from serving in his college student government, but he would get another chance in 1947, when the President of the Screen Actors’ Guild stepped down. It wasn’t nearly as cutthroat as the elections he faced later in life, but he still won the special election held and took over SAG’s leadership.

Of course, this didn’t mean he had no one to answer to.

]]> 14. He Gave Them Names Reagan had no shortage of increased responsibility as the new President of SAG, and although much of his work was to look out for the well-being of actors—he wasn’t always on their side. During this period, the FBI was putting a lot of pressure on leaders like Reagan to give up anyone they thought might be a communist, and he was all too happy to give them a whole list of actors he suspected.

While he was thriving as a leader, his personal life wasn’t doing so well.

]]> 15. She Was Done With Him After nearly a decade married to Ronald Reagan as a devoted wife and mother, Jane Wyman realized she didn’t like the person he was becoming or the life he was leading. Specifically, she hated that he was growing more political, and after a brief period of trying to separate several times, she finally filed for divorce in 1948.

This certainly shocked him, but he didn’t have too much trouble moving on.

]]> 16. He Met Someone Else As a result of the crackdown on communism, Reagan was also responsible for the concept of the Hollywood blacklist—which nearly ruined the life of someone close to him. Months after his divorce, Reagan met with actress Nancy Davis, who believed her name had been wrongfully added to the blacklist. After closer inspection, Reagan realized there had been a mix-up with a different actress named Nancy Davis, and he cleared her name.

Still, this was far from the last time they would see each other.

]]> 17. His Family Grew After Reagan helped Nancy figure out her case of mistaken identity, the two realized how much chemistry they had and started meeting up more regularly—though not in a professional capacity. After dating for a couple of years, they tied the knot in 1952 and went on to have two children of their own before the decade was out.

Before long, his first time as a president would be up—or so he thought.

]]> 18. They Brought Him Back Serving as the SAG president for about five years, Ronald Reagan finally resigned in 1952 as he focused on supporting his family—but the Guild hadn’t seen the last of him. Near the end of the 1950s, SAG was having trouble convincing producers to grant actors residual payments, so they elected Reagan as president for a second term. After mediating the issue and reaching an agreement, he resigned once again, and this time for good.

It didn’t matter much to him—he had already set his sights on a loftier goal.

]]> 19. He Became Political Through his career with SAG, Reagan grew even more involved in American politics as it became more intertwined with Hollywood—though he didn’t lean the way most might expect. He practically idolized Franklin D Roosevelt, so at least initially, he would have described himself as a supporter of the Democratic Party.

However, this clearly wasn’t the man he would be forever.

]]> 20. He Switched Sides Ronald Reagan may have thought Roosevelt was his hero, but as he witnessed the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon and Dwight D Eisenhower, his allegiances began to change. The public first saw this shift after he signed a deal with General Electric, and they were surprised to hear him giving speeches to their employees in favor of free markets.

As it happened, they didn’t like this side of him too much.

]]> 21. They Cut Ties With Him Using his platform to speak his mind, Reagan became increasingly more right-leaning as he tried to get his listeners to see things his way—which wasn’t what GE had signed up for. After he gave one last speech in which he was heavily opposed to Medicare, the company had had enough and tore up their contract with him. This was enough to push him off the fence, and he officially registered as a Republican in 1962.

He was already a household name, but now he was going for a new reputation.

]]> 22. He Got His Name Out There As the next presidential election drew nearer, Ronald Reagan found his new favorite choice in the Republican candidate, Barry Goldwater, and wanted to do everything he could for his campaign. Using his voice once again, Reagan gave his now-famous “A Time for Choosing” speech in support of Goldwater. While he was nowhere near his own presidential campaign yet, this moment put Reagan on the radar of conservatives looking for new blood.

Soon enough, he took his biggest leap yet—and made his stance known.

]]> 23. He Was Against It Even if he had a desire for the US presidency at this point, Reagan knew he would have to start a bit smaller and threw his hat in the ring to be Governor of California in 1966—but he didn’t have all the support he hoped for. Just two years earlier, he had openly opposed the passage of the Civil Rights Act, so while he hoped to count on the votes of African-American Republicans, this was a major point of criticism against him.

Clearly, his enemies had a lot of ammo to use.

]]> 24. They Didn’t Like Him While Ronald Reagan may have received a bit of disapproval from the general public, it was nothing compared to what his opponents had cooking up. At best, most wrote him off as someone way out of his depth when it came to actually leading California, but at worst, those like previous Governor Pat Brown referred to Reagan as an extremist. However, none of this bad press seemed to matter, as Reagan won the election and took his place as Governor.

He would soon face one of his biggest crises yet—and he wasn’t backing down.

]]> 25. He Shut Them Down By his third year as governor, Reagan showed the public exactly what kind of leader he was when the University of California became the location of several protests, and he decided to put his foot down. As the demonstrations were quickly growing more aggressive, he ultimately declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to come in and stamp them out.

This wouldn’t be the last time this happened—and he only grew more ruthless.

]]> 26. He Didn’t Care The following year, Ronald Reagan had to overcome the same issue when another series of violent protests erupted around the University of California—but peace was the farthest thing from his mind. By sending in the National Guard again, he made it clear that his main goal was to demonstrate his power to eliminate threats, as he stated: “If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with”.

Once again, though, he knew this was only a stepping stone to even greater heights.

]]> 27. He Was Done With It Reagan had already become a beloved actor in America, but as governor, he used his position to win over even more Republican voters and make a name for himself. However, this was never his end-goal, and after he successfully ran for a second term in 1970, he decided that was enough and stepped down four years later.

He now had his eyes on the top of the ladder—and he had a few things to say about it.

]]> 28. He Called Him Out Already planning his campaign for the presidency during his governorship, Reagan’s first step was to target the current Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, hoping to take down the competition. Reagan publicly chastised his leadership, citing rising unemployment and inflation and criticizing specific decisions, such as the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty.

On the flip side, Carter wasn’t holding back either.

]]> 29. They Began Their Rivalry Announcing his campaign in 1979, Ronald Reagan joined the presidential race after already making an enemy out of Jimmy Carter—who wasn’t going to take this lying down. In line with some of the other criticisms of Reagan’s views, Carter referred to his opponent as a “warmonger,” whose lack of understanding would virtually destroy Social Security.

Still, it was obvious which way the country was leaning.

]]> 30. He Was Sworn In Jimmy Carter did everything he could to disparage Reagan’s reputation, but no matter how true the words of his smear campaign were, it wasn’t enough to make a difference. Reagan knew how to play to an audience, and as conservatism was quickly growing in popularity, he soon became the only real option for many. His charm had worked, and in January 1981, he was inaugurated as the 40th President of the US.

However, it was here that his rise to power was nearly cut short.

]]> 31. He Almost Lost His Life Ronald Reagan had won over the people of America and become the most powerful man in the country, but that didn’t mean he was invincible—something which he soon received a stark reminder of. Just a couple of months after his inauguration, he faced his own mortality when a man named John Hinckley Jr walked up and shot the new president as he was standing outside the Washington Hilton.

This wasn’t the end of his story yet—and now he had a new lease on life.

]]> 32. He Had A New Perspective Although he would make it through this attempt on his life, it wasn’t a simple matter of patching him up, as he had sustained a punctured lung, a broken rib, and was bleeding internally. However, after a long and difficult surgery, he emerged on the other side—now with a new purpose in life. Having faced his own demise so closely and survived, Reagan believed that God had saved him and that he now had some sort of divine mission.

At the same time, the country was facing its own medical crisis—though no one would know it from Reagan’s reaction.

]]> 33. He Brushed It Off Just as Ronald Reagan stepped into office, the AIDS epidemic had begun to sweep the nation, and although doctors were struggling to grasp its extent, it already wasn’t looking good. Despite this, Reagan seemed to have a somewhat laissez-faire attitude, believing it would simply go away on its own, and even comparing it to the measles.

However, there were other issues he happily devoted all his attention to.

]]> 34. He Thought It Was Perfect All while Reagan was tackling the domestic problems facing the US, the country’s tensions with the Soviet Union were still high, and the danger of a nuclear attack felt far too close for comfort. To give the American public some reassurance, though, Reagan established the Strategic Defense Initiative, a defense system he boasted would shield all of America by using ballistic missiles fired from space.

This was an amazing promise, but not everyone shared his certainty.

]]> 35. They Didn’t Believe Him Although Reagan was completely on board with the Strategic Defense Initiative and guaranteed it was practically infallible, many felt he had no idea what he was talking about. Specifically, the scientific community was quite skeptical that such a plan would work out as he wanted, with some writing off the initiative entirely and giving it the nickname “Star Wars”.

Meanwhile, his term was coming to an end—but he wasn’t done yet.

]]> 36. He Won Them Over Even with some of his more egregious flaws during his first term, Ronald Reagan managed to capture hearts all over America and stay at the head of the ever-growing conservative movement—but this was just the beginning. As the 1985 election drew nearer, he announced his campaign to a nation full of supporters, who allowed him to win a landslide victory and begin his second term as President.

Of course, he still had to overcome some of the bad publicity aimed at him.

]]> 37. They Called Him Old Reagan still had his fair share of opponents, and they latched onto any faults they could find. For instance, after he had a hard time getting his stats right during the first presidential debate, his enemies began remarking how his age might be affecting his abilities. However, he came right back at them in the second debate when he said, “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience”.

There were also some more serious issues he could no longer ignore—at least completely.

]]> 38. He Finally Addressed It By 1987, the AIDS epidemic had affected over 36,000 Americans, and over 20,000 had lost their lives to the disease—so Reagan could no longer sit back and hope for the best. Speaking on it publicly for the first time, he called for both a higher degree of testing and a more precise approach, targeting specific groups like federal prisoners.

Still, this didn’t mean he actually took it seriously—especially in retrospect.

]]> 39. He Didn’t Do Much On the surface, it looked like Ronald Reagan was finally facing the AIDS epidemic head-on, but as many have pointed out, nothing could have been further from the truth. While he tasked Surgeon General C Everett Koop with creating a report on the disease, Reagan barely glanced at it and spoke very little about the epidemic beyond his initial speech. Not to mention that he made things much worse by refusing to fund AIDS research properly.

Although he prioritized another major issue facing America, he still couldn’t make up his mind.

]]> 40. He Went Back And Forth As America continued to navigate its hostilities with the Soviet Union, it was hard to pin down exactly how Reagan wanted the situation to play out. On one hand, he became known for intentionally pushing the two nations closer to an all-out conflict, but on the other, he seemed very much in favor of working things out diplomatically.

He would soon reach one of his most iconic achievements—even if he had little to do with it.

]]> 41. He Took The Credit Reagan had already spent years antagonizing the Soviet Union, but to show that he too wanted peace, he gave his famous speech at the Berlin Wall in 1987, in which he called for Soviet leader Gorbachev to “tear down this wall”. This had little effect on the Soviets and largely went overlooked until two years later, when, after the Berlin Wall finally fell, America attributed the decision to Reagan’s speech.

Still, when it came down to actually negotiating with the Soviets—he wasn’t all talk.

]]> 42. They Reached An Agreement Ultimately, as Reagan saw the positive changes that Mikhail Gorbachev was making to the Soviet Union, he couldn’t help but respect the efforts toward peace. Finally, the two leaders met at the Washington Summit in 1987, where they negotiated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. This was arguably Reagan’s crowning achievement, as it ensured that each nation would abolish much of their nuclear arsenals.

He was also busy with more domestic issues in America—and still handling them with an iron fist.

]]> 43. He Cracked Down On Them Despite his more complacent attitude regarding the AIDS epidemic, Reagan did have several issues he seemed more invested in. For instance, he tackled the rising use of illicit substances in the late 1980s by signing an act that implemented new penalties for such offences. However, many have since condemned this act for disproportionately targeting African Americans, creating an even greater divide in the country.

Nonetheless, he wouldn’t be in charge of things for much longer.

]]> 44. He Finished His Term The criticisms about Reagan’s age didn’t come out of nowhere, since when he first took office in 1981, he had broken the record for the oldest person elected President at 69. Although he usually deflected any remarks about his age, this record followed him right to the end, when he stepped down at 77 and also became the oldest to resign the presidency.

This seemed to be not a moment too soon, as more than just his age was affecting him.

]]> 45. He Was Sick Five years after leaving the Oval Office, Reagan made headlines across the US again—but not for any political reason. He had received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and while most sympathized with the former president, this also brought up several questions. The public wondered how early the illness had begun impacting his decision-making, but while many have speculated about this, there remains no clear answer.

Regardless, his health was declining fast—so he had to make some sacrifices.

]]> 46. He Made A Big Change Ronald Reagan had reached a severe stage of Alzheimer's by the time he learned of his diagnosis, and as the 1990s progressed, the disease rapidly deteriorated his mental faculties. It soon got to the point where he could hardly remember who anyone was beyond his wife, so his family faced a tough decision. Eventually, they arranged for him and Nancy to live away from the public in semi-isolation.

However, it was clear that he didn’t have much time left.

]]> 47. He Quickly Declined Although Reagan survived long enough to see the new millennium, his condition had grown exponentially worse over the years, robbing him of his speech and keeping him bedridden. His wife continued to take care of him as even his memory of her started to fade, but he ultimately lost his life on June 5, 2004, to complications from the illness as well as a nasty case of pneumonia.

In the end, though, no one could say he didn’t leave a legacy behind.

]]> 48. He Left His Mark Throughout his career, it’s unquestionable that Reagan made many drastic changes to how America operated, whether it was his influence on the economy or the steps he took to repair relations with the Soviet Union. Because of this, many scholars recognize him as arguably the most impactful American president since Franklin D Roosevelt.

Still, many haven’t forgotten his more egregious faults.

]]> 49. Many Think He Made Things Worse While Reagan became one of America’s most popular presidents during his lifetime, the number of critics against him has only grown in the decades since. Experts like economist Paul Krugman have cited that although Reagan’s financial plan seemed revolutionary at the time, it only worsened the income inequality in the US.

Even so, he gave America exactly what it wanted at the time—even if he didn’t live up to his own image.

]]> 50. His Past Was More Hollywood Than People Thought Reagan’s stint as an actor occurred at a time where Old Hollywood was known for glitzy parties, decadent lifestyles, and steamy affairs—and even though he had a buttoned-up image, he still had his vices. Before marrying Nancy, he had a brief relationship with Piper Laurie, who was 18 to his 39. She was playing his daughter in a film.

Laurie spilled all the details of their romance in her 2011 memoir, including the fact that he was the first man she slept with—and even said he was “an insensitive show-off” in the bedroom.

]]> 51. He Was A Charmer Before Ronald Reagan became president, he was an actor, so not only was he already a celebrity, but he also knew how to play the right part and get people to like him. Always witty and tactful, he endeared voters to him by promoting patriotism and family values. However, some have pointed out the hypocrisy of him preaching the idea of a “traditional family,” considering he was also the first president to have gone through a divorce.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=30881 <![CDATA[Edwina Mountbatten was the most scandalous aristocrat of the 20th century. If her name isn’t well known today, maybe that’s because of her tragic end.]]> 2026-07-17T10:30:00+00:00 2026-07-16T16:05:03+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-edwina-mountbatten Dancy Mason People The High-Society Rebel Edwina Mountbatten knew better than anyone that behind the glittering, softly lit ballrooms of high society, there were dark, twisting corridors full of secrets—after all, behind closed doors, Edwina had more than a few secrets of her own. From her scandalous marriage to her tragic twist ending, this beautiful socialite lived ten lives in one.

]]> 1. She Wasn’t Like You Or Me Edwina Mountbatten was a huge society catch. Born Edwina Ashley in 1900, she was the maternal granddaughter of the powerful magnate Ernest Cassel, a financier to royals and one of the most influential men in England. In other words, baby Edwina was rolling in dough…but all her money couldn’t stop the tragedy coming her way.

]]> 2. She Suffered A Child’s Worst Nightmare When Edwina was just 11 years old, her consumptive mother Amalia passed, leaving the young girl without a feminine role model in her life. But that wasn’t the worst part. Her father Wilfred soon forgot all about her mother and remarried Molly Forbes-Sempill. Now, second wives get a bad rap…but Molly may have truly deserved the title of “evil stepmother".

]]> 3. She Had An Evil Stepmother Edwina’s father had desperately wanted a male heir, and he looked upon his daughter Edwina as a mere inconvenient mouth to feed. Well, Molly was happy to follow the party line—and then some. Called a “wicked woman,” it wasn’t long before Molly thrust poor Edwina into her own Cinderella-story, packing her off unceremoniously to boarding school. And then the real trouble began.

]]> 4. She Was Unpopular Edwina Mountbatten didn’t find her people at boarding school, she only found further misery. Her classmates teased her mercilessly about anything they could find, and the vivacious, spontaneous girl found the strict and somber routine of school life near suffocating. Within a few months, she was at her wit’s end—and desperate times called for desperate measures.

]]> 5. She Begged For Mercy Lonely and crestfallen at school, Edwina wrote a heart-wrenching letter. Through the tragedies of her formative years, her grandfather Ernest Cassel had remained her strongest supporter, and she sent him a message, begging him to "Please take me away, dear Grandpa, if you love me at all". Thing is, this pitiful letter had surprising consequences.

]]> 6. She Knew How To Party For most people, even a dramatic message like this one wouldn’t get their parents to pull them out of school. Then again, Edwina wasn’t most people. Her doting grandfather not only eventually let her drop her studies, he then hired the teenager to act as his party “hostess” at his palatial house instead. Yeah, Edwina was spoiled as heck—but this was just the beginning.

]]> 7. She Was A Bright Young Thing Within a few years, Edwina the “hostess” was partying like it was her job—which, well, it was. She took to it like a duck to water: Friends and admirers immediately noticed how bright, clever, and curious she was, and she fell in with some of the leading socialites of her day, including the wealthy and beautiful Gloria Vanderbilt. Indeed, it was Edwina’s friendship with Gloria that sealed her fate.

]]> 8. She Fell In Love With A Royal When Edwina was just 19 years old, she met Lord Louis Mountbatten, a relative of the current British Royal Family and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria in his own right. Translation: He was one heck of a catch. Lucky for Edwina, Louis only had eyes for her, and they struck up a whirlwind romance. Yet immense tragedy was just around the corner.

]]> 9. She Lost Her Father Figure In the middle of her intense courtship with Louis Mountbatten, Edwina received the worst news of her life. Her grandfather Ernest Cassel had passed, simultaneously turning her into a wealthy heiress while leaving her overwhelmingly heartbroken. As if that weren’t enough, Louis’ father also passed around this time. Huh, maybe this was a bad omen…you think?

]]> 10. She Wanted A Fairy Tale Wedding Both Edwina and Louis didn’t heed these cosmic warnings signs and went full speed ahead with their love. Within months of meeting each other, they had decided to marry, and they weren’t about to go back on their (ill-advised) word. Edwina poured all her newfound money into planning their wedding—and what a wedding it was.

]]> 11. She Had The Wedding Of The Year When Edwina married her Prince Charming on July 18, 1922, it was “the wedding of the year". Not only did many members of the royal family attend the nuptials on the grounds of Westminster Abbey, the Prince of Wales himself, the future King Edward VIII, was the best man at the proceedings. But the real extravagance came just after.

]]> 12. She Went “Hollywood” The newly-minted Mountbattens treated themselves to a lavish six-month honeymoon after tying the knot. One leg of the globe-trotting adventure even had them touring the United States and partying with enormous Hollywood stars like Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin. But behind closed doors, the cracks were starting to show.

]]> 13. Her Husband Had A Fatal Flaw Edwina barely knew Louis when she married him—and once they made it official, she started to discover some unsettling traits in her new husband. The effervescent girl already had a healthy taste for misadventures, but Louis…not so much. In fact, he could be downright stern, even teaching his houseguests how to “properly” eat strawberries. Um, not fun. And that wasn’t all.

]]> 14. She Had Strange Kinks While still on her honeymoon, Edwina unleashed her secret wild side. Although she and Louis were both inexperienced on their wedding night, it didn’t take long for the socialite to discover she liked falling into bed very much. So much, in fact, that she reportedly begged Louis to take her to Paris for the explicit purpose of getting it on in “the most awful places we could find". Louis, however, had a much different reaction.

]]> 15. She Wanted More In The Bedroom While wedded bliss had awakened Edwina’s desires, the same didn’t go for her husband. Louis, ambitious for a career in the Navy, thought of marriage as a “smug diversion” from his real goals and reportedly considered intimacy as an awkward mix of “half hydraulics and half psychology". In fact, we have evidence of their bedroom life—and it’s not pretty.

]]> 16. Her Husband Gave Her A Cringe-Worthy Nickname When I say that Louis Mountbatten was awkward in the royal bedchambers, I really mean it. This guy was so unused to the idea of Edwina’s real, warm, womanly body next to him that he “lovingly” nicknamed her chest…“Mutt” and “Jeff". In case this can sound any less romantic, that’s Naval slang for medals. Later, it was the name of a comic. Uh, this is going nowhere good.

]]> 17. She Was Repressed Whether because of her dismal private life or other issues, Edwina began to exhibit unsettling signs. She grew restless in her seemingly perfect existence, with one friend commenting that, "For Edwina, there was always something missing. She didn't know what it was or where it was but she was determined to find it". Still, she went looking in all the wrong places.

]]> 18. She Was Jealous Of A Baby In 1924, Edwina and Louis had their first child, a daughter named Patricia. While this would be a joy for many young mothers, Edwina didn’t count herself in that number—not by a long shot. Instead of coddling and cooing at the girl, she was actually jealous of the attention her baby was getting. And let me tell you, jealous people do some unhinged things…

]]> 19. She Betrayed Her Husband After Patricia’s birth, Edwina Mountbatten went off the deep end. One day while Louis was away in the Navy, she packed up her babe with a nanny and sent her off to the coast so she could have some Mommy alone time. Only, she wasn’t so alone. Edwina proceeded to spark up a string of affairs with society’s most eligible bachelors. And somehow, this wasn’t the most scandalous detail.

]]> 20. She Had Several Lovers At Once Once Edwina decided to jump the Good Ship Fidelity, she really went for it. She not only took lovers, she took them near-simultaneously, hopping around town with a Lord Molyneux in the morning, the dashing polo player Laddie Sandford in the afternoon, and newspaper editor Mike Wardell in the evening. It wasn’t long before it got messy.

]]> 21. She Had A Harem By the time Edwina’s second daughter Pamela was born in 1929, her philandering had reached epic proportions. Edwina had to work overtime to coordinate her little black book, and she often came home to her staff trying frantically to keep her paramours separated. She had so many men in her life, those in the know—and there were many—dubbed the lovers the “ginks". But loose lips sink ships…

]]> 22. She Was Caught Red-Handed Soon enough, all Edwina’s lies unraveled. Although Louis had been happily (if unbelievably) ignorant of his wife’s cavorting, the bottom had to drop out sometime. One day, the Prince of Wales himself tipped Louis off to what everyone else in London already knew. Mountbatten’s response was both exactly like you’d expect, and nothing like you’d expect.

]]> 23. She Broke Her Husband’s Heart When Louis first realized the extent of Edwina’s double life, he was “devastated,” but he also had to think practically. As a member of the royal family, he could hardly divorce her without causing an uproar. So instead, they came to a scandalous and very secret agreement: They would have a marriage where they both could do what they wanted. You know, some would say this wasn’t the best idea.

]]> 24. She Had Fierce Competition To be fair, the Mountbattens’ salacious arrangement started out well enough. Not one to be outdone, Louis soon started a dalliance with the gamine Yola Letellier, the French It girl who became the inspiration behind Colette’s novel Gigi. The brash, steamy Yola was a fitting first-time mistress—until Edwina got her claws into her, that is.

]]> 25. She Kept Her Enemies Close Edwina made it her business to know about all her husband’s conquests, so she found out about Yola in no time flat. Then she made a bizarre move. After confronting the vixen about it, Edwina took her out to lunch, later writing to Louis, “Your girl is sweet…and I like her and we got on beautifully and are now gummed and I am lunching with her at her house on Tuesday!!!"

Yep, Louis and Edwina were that couple…and the real weirdness was yet to come.

]]> 26. She Had A Type Around this time, Louis started getting cozy right back with Edwina’s lovers. Friends considered her next sidepiece, Bunny Phillips, as Louis "with the volume turned down,” so it only made sense when Louis struck up a friendship with him, even attending the theater together on his wedding anniversary. Still, under the surface, this seemingly enlightened marital agreement had a very dark side.

]]> 27. She Almost Divorced Her Husband In truth, Edwina and Louis’ arrangement was playing a dangerous game. If anyone from the outside world ever found out about it, the British Royal family would be exposed to moral outrage. Louis lived in terror of this exposure, and the possibility of divorce always hung in the background, with the couple reconsidering it several times.

Well, within a few years, Louis might have wished he’d split…

]]> 28. She Caused A Huge Scandal In 1932, Edwina’s world crashed in on her. After spending nearly a decade hastily suppressing public knowledge of their extramarital activities, the Mountbattens found themselves in the middle of a true scandal. A gossip columnist published a story claiming that a well-heeled socialite—who everyone knew was Edwina—was having an affair with a, gasp!, Black man. The royal reaction was swift and mortifying.

]]> 29. She Was In A Notorious Court Case Almost immediately, the reigning King George V ordered Edwina and Louis Mountbatten back to England, demanding that they sue the publication for libel while denying all claims of an affair. There was just one big problem: The information was very likely true, and the details were even juicier than people knew.

]]> 30. Her Lover Was A Casanova The rumor mill went into overdrive trying to reveal the identity of Edwina’s Black lover, but experts today think they know the truth. Although some suggested she had taken up with the actor Paul Robeson, it’s more likely that the man in question was the dashing cabaret singer Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson, who was quite the hit with society ladies.

But it was one story in particular that almost decimated the monarchy.

]]> 31. She Gave Her Lover A Disturbing “Gift” People claimed that Edwina had given Leslie Hutchinson an extremely racy and extravagant gift to show her “affection”: She presented him with a custom-made, diamond-encrusted Cartier cod, er, piece. Yep. It was enough dirty laundry to nearly exile Mountbattens from the inner royal circle, and even after Edwina won her libel case, this rumor stuck. I mean, diamonds are forever.

]]> 32. Her Children Resented Her As much as Edwina and Louis’s affairs nearly ruined their reputations, their two daughters were having an even worse time of it. Their youngest, Pamela, later lamented the string of strange “uncles” that made up her childhood. After all, as Louis once put it, “Edwina and I spent all our married lives getting into other people's beds". And upheaval of a very different kind was around the corner.

]]> 33. She Was A Spoiled Brat In 1939, WWII broke out, and Edwina’s first reaction was disturbing. Pretty, posh, and used to only the best in life, the society girl balked at the idea of rationing and tightening up her belt buckle. In fact, when the conflict started, her biggest “sacrifice” was to swear she would heroically…give up chocolate and stop painting her toenails. But then something strange happened.

]]> 34. She Underwent A Transformation After years of searching for fulfilment in jet-set living, champagne dreams, and midnight pillow talks, WWII finally gave Edwina the one thing she had been missing: a purpose. Before long, she threw herself into work for the Allies, primarily inspecting air-raid shelters, hospitals, and leave camps—and always dressed in perfectly-tailored uniforms, natch.

It was a huge transformation…for the most part.

]]> 35. She Got Promoted Edwina went into WWII as a spoiled debutante obsessed with chasing conquests, and came out the other side a hardened, practical woman. So when Louis Mountbatten got an enormous promotion in 1947 as the last viceroy of India—making Edwina the vicereine—she finally seemed poised to take up the challenge.

Still, Edwina could never help misbehaving.

]]> 36. She Had A Forbidden Desire Becoming the vicereine of India didn’t make Edwina stop falling into people’s beds, it only made her more serious about her lovers. Her next infatuation couldn’t have been more inappropriate. While serving, Edwina became obsessed with none other than the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Yes, that’s a major conflict of interest…and Edwina had to go and make it even tenser.

]]> 37. She Orchestrated Her Own Meet-Cute See, Nehru wasn’t just an idle snack for Edwina’s man-eating tendencies; he was the whole darn meal. She was head over heels for him before she even saw him, and when Louis first met the politician solo, Edwina insisted he drive Nehru by where she was volunteering so she could meet him, too. Except Nehru was no easy victory, and for perhaps the first time in her life, Edwina would really have to earn something.

]]> 38. She Threw Herself Into Immense Danger Edwina refused to rest on her laurels while serving as vicereine, especially not with the handsome Jawaharlal Nehru watching her. The bold, stubborn woman became infamous for going out in the middle of conflicts, with snipers still shooting, to rescue bodies and bring them to the hospital. Well, that certainly caught Nehru’s attention.

]]> 39. She Was Fatally Charming When Edwina and Louis landed in Delhi in 1947, India was in the midst of partition from Pakistan, and anti-British sentiment and suspicion ran deep even among their high-class contacts. That’s when Edwina surprised everyone. She turned her charm up to 11 and won everyone’s trust. "She was quite marvelous," one aide recalled, “She was almost better with women than men, and that's saying a lot".

But once more, there was one man she had in mind.

]]> 40. She Had One “Great Love” Although Edwina and Louis only served in India for a little over a year, it was enough time for one of the most extraordinary loves of her life to develop. Over the months, she and Nehru grew intensely, spiritually close to each other, drawn together by their concern for his country and by their own sharp intellects. Today, experts consider Nehru as Edwina’s “great love". The truth, however, is much more complicated.

]]> 41. She Had A Higher Love Although Edwina’s relationship with Nehru made all her previous affairs and lovers look like child’s play—including, let’s be honest, her marriage to Louis—there is still a lot of mystery shrouding their intimacy. Although they shared a close bond, researchers still argue about whether things ever got physical between them. Still, one person close to the couple thought they knew the real story.

]]> 42. Her Husband Had A Creepy Keepsake Louis Mountbatten himself firmly believed that Nehru and his wife were in a physical relationship, and he was more than a little proud of the big fish Edwina had snagged. So proud, in fact, that he kept the flurry of correspondence Edwina and Nehru wrote to each other—and it’s these letters that reveal the most detailed clues.

]]> 43. She Got Intimate Presents Even on the surface, Edwina and Nehru’s correspondence shows the deep connection that they had together. Louis Mountbatten later recalled that Nehru’s own letters to him “were always typed,” while Nehru’s letters to Edwina “were always hand-written". This gesture is intimate enough, but the words themselves are overwhelming.

]]> 44. Her Letters Bare Her Soul In these private missives, Edwina and Nehru show sweeping feeling, with Edwina writing in an early passage, "I hated seeing you drive away this morning…You have left me with a strange sense of peace and happiness". In his own letter to her, Nehru writes: "Life is a dreary business, and when a bright patch comes it rather takes one's breath away". You decide what these words might tell us.

]]> 45. She Dominated The Relationship Maybe it’s no wonder that Edwina dictated nearly all the terms of her relationship with Louis Mountbatten. When they first married, he might have had royal connections, but he didn’t have much money to his name. Meanwhile, Edwina was rolling in it: Her monthly allowance was ten times her husband’s salary. Our girl was rich-rich.

]]> 46. Her Body Started To Fall Apart With her late-in-life romantic awakening in full bloom, Edwina must have thought she had the rest of a long life to enjoy her second spring. Yet fate had crueler plans. Her health declined throughout the 1950s, though she never slowed down despite both her husband and Nehru’s concerns. Eventually, she had to pay the piper.

]]> 47. She Died Young On February 21, 1960, Edwina Mountbatten passed in her sleep from an unknown cause at the still-youthful age of 59. When Louis first heard of her passing, he called it a “poleaxe blow”—yet it was Nehru who got the last piece of Edwina’s heart. Touchingly, his handwritten letters were right by Edwina’s bedside when she passed.

]]> 48. She Had “Extremely Low Morals” As she reached late middle age, Edwina had completed her transformation into a stalwart symbol of Britain. Yet few knew her biggest secret—and it’s contained in an FBI file. Dating from 1944, the file deems the Mountbattens “persons of extremely low morals". See, although the affairs of their younger days shocked polite society, there were more dangerous proclivities that they kept locked very, very tight…

]]> 49. The FBI Kept Her Secrets In the government files, there is evidence that both Edwina and Louis Mountbatten were bi—a boudoir taste that was considered utterly depraved for their time. Indeed, there are suggestions that the husband and wife would "enjoy" their clandestine lovers together as a couple. Sadly, though, there are much darker allegations.

]]> 50. Her Husband Had A Double Life The final blow of these documents are the harrowing—and infamous—accusations against Edwina’s husband. Although there’s no evidence she was involved, sources now claim that Louis Mountbatten sought out the company of young boys in some of his affairs. It’s a dark stain on the scandalous Mountbattens that no amount of today’s progressive morals can erase.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=26590 <![CDATA[When Edward VIII gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, people called it a fairy tale—but it was really a horror story.]]> 2026-07-16T15:45:41+00:00 2026-07-16T15:45:41+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-edward-viii Christine Tran People The King Who Lost His Crown He was born into royal privilege, yet King Edward VIII’s reign ended in absolute infamy. Although he’s gone down in history as the man who sacrificed everything for love, the true story of his life reveals a much more complicated—and chilling—truth. For such a short-reigning king, Edward VIII left behind no shortage of controversy.

]]> 1. His Name Was Completely Different Edward’s name wasn’t what you think it was. Born on June 23, 1894 to the future King George V and Queen Mary, the royal family was a tight-knit brood. So although Edward's official name was Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, his parents and close friends just lovingly called him "David." Soon, though, those family dynamics would turn dark.

]]> 2. He Was Horribly Mistreated Like all royals, a series of nannies brought up the children. Yet when it came to his own nanny, Edward was hiding a dark secret. His caretaker was so possessive, she would pinch him just before he saw his parents, making him cry and sending him right back to her. Of course, as soon as Edward confessed the horrific treatment, the nanny was fired. But some say the damage was done…

]]> 3. He Got A Strange Birthday Present Edward got a strange gift for his 16th birthday: He officially became the Prince of Wales. In May 1910, his father ascended to the throne as George V, and he gave his son the title a little over a month later, along with the royal designation of the "Earl of Chester." Sadly, all the official names in the world couldn’t hide one unsettling fact.

]]> 4. He Wasn’t Ready To Be King Plain and simply, the new Prince of Wales was woefully unprepared for his responsibilities. Before he became the heir, Edward wanted to join the Navy. Once his father ascended as King, however, those plans turned to dust. Instead, his parents expected him to get an academic education at Oxford, and enroled him immediately. It did not go well.

]]> 5. He Had One Big Flaw While at Magdalen College in Oxford, Edward became more of a party boy than a princeling. He loved playing polo with his friends on the university grounds instead of hitting the books, and when he left Oxford after just eight terms, he had almost no academic qualifications. Strap in, though: Edward's hard-living ways only got worse.

]]> 6. He Was Blood-Thirsty When WWI broke out in 1914, Edward was a virile, hot-blooded young man. Naturally, then, he wanted to fight for his country. Well, he got his wish. Although parliament kept England's heir away from most of the fighting, Edward went regularly to the front lines to witness trench living. And then he picked up a more scandalous habit from the soldiering life….

]]> 7. He Had An Illicit Affair Whenever Edward got leave, he bee-lined it right to Paris to party. His late-night actions would have shocked his parents. While in France, Edward’s friends introduced him to the high-class courtesan Marguerite Alibert, who he immediately fell into lust with and struck up a passionate affair. Before long, the connection came back to haunt him.

]]> 8. His Lover Was A Killer Although Edward and Marguerite flamed out after year, she returned into the Prince’s life with a vengeance. In 1923, Marguerite shot and killed her husband at the swanky Savoy Hotel in London, and Edward’s PR department had to go into white-knuckle overtime to make sure his name never came up in the trial. It would be far from his last controversy.

]]> 9. He Was A Heartthrob Around this time, the Prince of Wales became an international sensation. Good-looking and in love with a good-time, the bachelor prince was a heat-score for newspaper. As Men’s Wear magazine pointed out, “The average young man in America is more interested in the clothes of the Prince of Wales than in any other individual.” Behind closed doors, he wasn't so picture perfect.

]]> 10. He Loved Dangerous Women The young Edward had a type when it came to the ladies—and that type was ruinous. He soon developed a penchant for married women, and also seemed completely uninterested in settling down like a responsible member of the royal family. These disturbing traits led Edward’s own father to remark, "After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself in twelve months." He wasn’t wrong.

]]> 11. He Kept A “Harem” In 1930, Prince Edward was posted up in Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park. It turned from a lavish palace into a den of sin. While there, Edward took up with a bevy of married women, from English socialite Freda Dudley Ward to the American beauty Thelma Furness. His dalliance with Furness would end in betrayal and infamy.

]]> 12. He Cheated On His Own Mistress Through Lady Furness, Edward met the woman who would drag him kicking and screaming into the annals of history: Wallis Simpson. At the time, Wallis had already been divorced once and was still peskily married to the businessman Ernest Simpson. Meanwhile, Edward himself was still visiting Thelma Furness’s bedroom. Did any of that stop them? Nope.

]]> 13. He Kept A Dirty Little Secret Wallis Simpson and Edward’s relationship began as a dirty little secret. In fact, after years of flirtation, they struck up their steamy liaison while Lady Furness was out travelling abroad. When they did finally get together, the couple tried to keep it hush-hush for as long as possible, but as we all know, the truth always comes out…

]]> 14. He Liked Bad Girls Edward became smitten with Simpson because of her strong personality and the irreverence she showed toward his royal status. Within only a year of their relationship, Edward was already, in the words of his biographer, “slavishly dependent” on Simpson. The feeling was mutual, as Simpson had fallen in love with Edward by August of 1934.

]]> 15. He Told An Enormous Lie To be fair, Edward tried incredibly hard to keep Wallis as a secret—even in the face of one very embarrassing encounter. When his father asked about his relationship to Wallis, he lied through his teeth…despite the fact that his father’s staff had caught the couple in bed together and saw “evidence of a physical...act.” Now that’s commitment to a lie.

]]> 16. He Caused A Family Feud When Edward’s affair finally came out, he shoved it in his parents’ faces with a scandalous stunt. The Prince of Wales decided to introduce Wallis to his traditional mother in the middle of a formal Buckingham Palace function, even though the stuffy palace didn’t usually invite divorcees inside. His mother was utterly outraged, and she eventually got a revenge of her own.

]]> 17. His Family Snubbed Him Apparently—surprise, surprise—Wallis Simpson didn’t make the best impression on the King and Queen during her visit to Buckingham Palace, because when Edward tried to bring her to another event soon after, the royal couple fully denied their son and refused to see the divorcee. Ice cold…but also maybe a little understandable.

]]> 18. His Mistress Was A Gold Digger Wallis Simpson was certainly into Edward, but that doesn’t mean her reasons were completely pure. When she met the Prince of Wales, her marriage to Ernest Simpson was in tatters, largely because he didn’t make enough money to fund her extravagant tastes. Edward, however, had all the power and moolah of the monarchy behind him. And there was another red flag.

]]> 19. His Love Life Was Dark Simpson was never the most faithful wife, but it must have really cut like a knife when she started straying from Edward, too. Rumors swirled that during their time together, Simpson was also “entertaining” an adventurous commoner named Guy Marcus Trundle. Thing is, he wasn’t even her most infamous conquest, but more on that later.

]]> 20. He Tried To Buy Love Edward loved showering Wallis with clothes and jewels. Indeed, he was so indiscreet about his generosity that it helped expose their affair to their circle of friends. Moreover, Wallis apparently didn’t have taste when it came to the jewelry, and people often commented on how she ruined her elegant outfits by putting honking jewels on top of them.

]]> 21. He Had A Secret Government File Even the British government was onto the affair, and the Metropolitan Special Branch actually followed Edward and Wallis in secret and took notes on the nature of their relationship. Central intelligence was likely not happy when one eye-witness reported that Wallis had Edward “right under her thumb.” But the worst was yet to come.

]]> 22. He Became King At The Worst Time With Edward now fully head over heels for the scandalous Wallis Simpson, the government’s biggest nightmare happened. Edward’s father King George V passed on January 20, 1936, which meant that Edward—messy affair and all—was now King Edward VIII of England, and the head of the state. He wasted no time proving parliament's worst fears.

]]> 23. He Flaunted His Sins The very next day after his father’s passing, Edward threw egg right in parliament’s face by insisting on watching his own ascension announcement alongside his mistress Wallis Simpson. After all, he considered himself fundamentally non-traditional. From then on, the government knew they were in for a wild ride, they just didn’t know how wild it would get.

]]> 24. He Was A Speed Demon Not content to just flaunt Wallis in front of parliament, Edward also had to flaunt his skills as a pilot when it came time to ascend as king. The new royal flew from Sandringham to London for his Accession Council, becoming the first monarch of the British Empire to do so. But no amount of smoke and mirrors could disguise the rot at the core of his reign.

]]> 25. He May Have Betrayed The Government The government went to desperate measures to save themselves from Edward’s tyranny. Ministers avoided sending sensitive documents to his home at Fort Belvedere—and their reasons were chilling. Not only would the new King shirk his duty and barely look at them, many were afraid that Wallis Simpson and her fun-time friends would take a peek at them and expose government secrets.

]]> 26. He Was Almost Assassinated On July 16, 1936, less than half a year after he was crowned King, Edward’s life almost ended in one violent act. That day, an Irish ne’er-do-well named Jerome Bannigan tracked Edward down while he was riding horseback and pulled a gun on the young monarch before Edward’s security detail neutralized the would-be assassin. The attack left Edward shaken…but it didn’t help him make better decisions.

]]> 27. He Made A Controversial Demand By the fall of 1936, it became clear that Edward was desperate to marry Wallis Simpson. In October, the Simpsons even brought forward divorce proceedings to the British courts, and on November 16, Edward formally told the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, that he intended to marry his mistress. This proposition couldn’t have gone worse.

]]> 28. He Was An Unholy Terror See, as King, Edward was the head of the Church of England, which did not look well upon divorcees and saw it as nothing short of sacrilege that Edward wanted to make Simpson Queen. Even when Edward proposed a “morganatic marriage” that wouldn’t give her the title of “Queen,” parliament and the Church said no. In other words, Edward was now backed into a corner.

]]> 29. His Family Double-Crossed Him Even as Edward was getting public pressure from the government about his love life, his mistress Wallis was getting that same pressure in secret from Edward’s own family. The king’s lord-in-waiting, Lord Brownlow, even approached her and pressured her into renouncing the king in a statement. The heartless act only made Edward all the more determined to marry her.

]]> 30. He Humiliated A Prime Minister Even in the early days of his reign, Edward proved how flippant he could be. While the commonwealth was in a tizzy about his love life, the Prime Minister of New Zealand was completely lost, having never heard of Simpson before. In response, Edward apparently sniped that his opinion didn’t matter because “There were not many people in Australia.”

]]> 31. The Press Kept His Secrets While all this was going on, King Edward and the government were pulling a fast one on the British people. Out of respect for the monarchy, no magazine or journalist printed a word of the royal crisis in the paper, even as American publications had a field day reporting on Edward and his controversial lover. So when the end came, it was an even bigger shock.

]]> 32. Parliament Forced Him To Make A Terrible Choice In the end, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin gave the King of England three options, and none of them were good. First, he could give up his fantastic notion of marrying Wallis Simpson. Second, he could marry her against parliament’s wishes and start pandemonium. Third, he could give up his throne. They were excruciating options, and no one actually expected the choice he ended up making.

]]> 33. He Sacrificed Himself Against all odds, Edward gave up his crown, officially signing the abdication papers on December 10, 1936. So just like his father King George V had predicted, Edward VIII hadn’t even made it a year as king. Nonetheless, it seemed like a heartwarming act of love for his soulmate Wallis—but Edward’s scandalous history was just getting started.

]]> 34. He Made A Public Confession Edward’s first act after abdicating wasn’t triumphant, but rather grovelling. The next day, he announced to the world via radio that he had surrendered his title, saying, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility…as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.” For all these pretty words, it wasn’t smooth sailing from there.

]]> 35. He Didn’t Get A Happy Ending Even after his grand gesture, Edward and Wallis couldn’t run into each other’s arms and be free and clear. Until her divorce officially went through they couldn’t even see each other, and Edward departed for Austria immediately after his announcement to wait for his lover. It would be several long months before they could reunite.

]]> 36. His Wedding Day Was Almost Ruined On June 3, 1937, Edward made good on his promise and married Wallis Simpson in a quiet and private ceremony in France. Yet even this happy day started with bitterness. The Church of England still refused to have anything to do with their marriage, so they had to get a small-town clergyman to perform the ceremony. And that wasn’t the only drama…

]]> 37. His Brother Was Cruel To Him Instead of celebrating his brother's big day, King George VI banned all the royal family members from attending the ceremony, including Edward's closest friends. Both Edward and Wallis felt this slight for the rest of their lives, and Edward never managed to forgive his brother for the cruelty. But as it turns out, he and Wallis were being pretty cruel themselves.

]]> 38. He Sent A Secret Message Although Edward and Wallis loved to be the injured party in all things, they weren’t blameless when it came to their wedding day. As it happened, June 3 was also Edward’s father’s birthday, and the old king would have turned 72 that day if he was still alive to see it. Even Edward's mother Queen Mary thought it was a deliberate and cruel choice, and Edward’s happily ever after only got more complicated from there.

]]> 39. He Had A Sibling Rivalry After that fateful day on December 1936, Edward’s brother Albert succeeded him to the throne as King George VI. For his first act as king, George wanted to grant his older brother the title of the Duke of Windsor. Only there was a selfish motive behind this act. The title of “Duke” specifically gave Edward zero political power, neutralizing him on the playing field. Ouch.

]]> 40. His Wife Got A Mean Slight Another royal slight to Edward and his new wife came when the newly-minted George VI refused to let Wallis Simpson be styled “Her Highness the Duchess of Windsor” in society, even though she was now married to a duke. The former King was incensed at this personal vendetta against the woman he loved, and he sure let George know it…

]]> 41. He Harassed His Brother While campaigning for his wife’s titles, Edward would telephone his brother nearly every day, needling him and begging him to reconsider. Then again, Edward also used these calls as an opportunity to ask His Royal Daddy Warbucks for more money for his allowance. It got so bad, George VI eventually ordered his people not to forward the ex-king’s calls.

]]> 42. He Made Strange Private Demands When it became clear that George VI wasn’t going to move an inch on the “Her Royal Highness” business, Edward and Wallis took matters into their own hands. Reportedly, they just had all of their servants and household address Wallis as “Her Royal Highness” anyway, and even got some of their friends in on the, ahem, “joke.”

]]> 43. He Dealt His Mother A Brutal Insult Around this time, Edward also began to treat his own mother, Queen Mary, in incredibly cruel ways. He expected mommy to step up for him, and lashed out when that didn’t happen. In 1939, he even wrote her to say that her last letter, “destroy[ed] the last vestige of feeling I had left for you ... [and has] made further normal correspondence between us impossible.”

]]> 44. His Mother Despised His Wife In truth, Queen Mary made no secret of her dislike for Wallis Simpson, lawfully-wedded wife or not, and she refused to meet the "false" Duchess for as long as she lived, at least in formal company. Her words were even more brutal. The Queen, positively indignant over her son’s abdication, once huffed, “To give up all this for that.”

]]> 45. He Gave His Niece A Bitter Nickname Edward and Wallis could be very petty when they wanted, and they apparently extended their snark to innocent parties. They were always a little uppity with Edward’s niece Elizabeth, who they thought should help them more. Wallis even privately and snarkily nicknamed Elizabeth “Shirley Temple” for her stoutness and do-gooder ways.

]]> 46. He Was Incredibly Vain By most accounts, the Duke and Duchess lived a bittersweet life in France, and their turn away from the monarchy and toward self-absorption only grew more pronounced. For example, Edward had a “Wallis Collection,” of images of Wallis on almost every surface of the house, most of them just heavily retouched photos. And that wasn’t all.

]]> 47. He Was An Exacting Man The Duke and Duchess of Windsor kept an eerily immaculate house, and expected nothing less than perfection at any of the parties they attended. Wallis even had a golden notebook that the servants dubbed her “grumble book,” which she would set up next to her at dinners and write down the evening’s various successes and failures.

]]> 48. His Brother Controlled Him Eventually, Edward must have realized that marrying Wallis put him in a gilded cage. For one, George VI paid his allowance out of his own pocket for a good long while. This meant that Edward had to please his brother, not himself, if he wanted to survive—which wasn’t something he was used to. One day, it came to a disturbing climax.

]]> 49. He Was Banned From England In the aftermath of the abdication, Edward and Wallis lived in semi-exile on the continent. So when they wanted to return home, they got one rude awakening. George VI forbid them, even threatening to cut off their allowance if they cam over without an invite. That was the end of that. But it was also the beginning of the most infamous period of their lives…

]]> 50. He Had Dark Sympathies In 1937, Edward and Wallis made their most controversial move yet, and it’s an act that is still looked on with horror today. They traveled to Nazi Germany—to the absolute shock of the British government—and actually had a meet and greet with none other than Adolf Hitler. Perhaps worst of all, they gave full Nazi salutes. And oh, the circus show was just getting started.

]]> 51. His Friends Were Evil Hitler liked Edward VIII, and thought that if his infamous abdication hadn't happened, things could have been much different. To quote Hitler directly: “I am certain through him permanent friendly relations could have been achieved…His abdication was a severe loss for us.” This is not the guy you want in your corner. But if you think that's bad, hold on to your hats.

]]> 52. He Made A Sinister Ally Whatever Edward was thinking in public during this time, his private comments were much darker. Apparently, he once confided to a friend years after his little visit that, “I never thought Hitler was such a bad chap." Yes, this is completely gross and reprehensible, but somehow it gets even grosser and even more reprehensible.

]]> 53. He Tried To Take Back His Throne The Duke’s letters from around this time reveal a disturbing truth: He wanted to take back his crown. In the late 1940s, George VI’s health was ailing, and the Duke of Windsor took full advantage. In his correspondence, there’s evidence he planned to sneak back into England and set himself up as a regent for his sick brother. Thing is, it came closer to happening than most people know.

]]> 54. He Might Have Become King Again In 1940, there was Nazi plot—called Operation Willi—to persuade or kidnap the Duke of Windsor and make him work for Adolf Hitler. It didn’t work, but people obviously knew what side he was really on during WWII. Today, many scholars agree that the German state was fully prepared to reinstate Edward as a fascist ally king.

]]> 55. He Insulted Queen Elizabeth II In 1952, Edward received a crushing blow. That February, his brother King George VI passed, turning his niece Elizabeth officially into Queen Elizabeth II, a title that must have rankled Edward to the bone. He didn’t even attend the coronation, claiming that it wasn’t proper for a foreign sovereign to be there. But since when did Edward care about propriety?

]]> 56. He Suffered A Mysterious Ailment Throughout all their years together, the great love story of Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII had one glaring problem: They never had children, and not necessarily for lack of trying. The reason behind this was tragic. Many historians believe that a spell of mumps in Edward’s youth rendered the Duke of Windsor royally infertile. Many of Wallis Simpson's biographers have postulated that she was infertile as well as the result of a botched abortion before she knew Edward VIII.

]]> 57. His Wife Had Bizarre Tastes Edward apparently liked them freaky. Throughout her life, Wallis Simpson was infamous for her love of pug dogs, and it wasn’t a normal kind of love. Besides owning multiple pugs—with names like Davey Crockett, Black Diamond, and Ginseng—Edward and Simpson also slept with 11 pillows shaped like the breed at the foot of their bed.

]]> 58. He Was An Exile In 1940, the British government was so appalled with Edward and Wallis, they sent the Duke of Windsor over to Nassau to be the “Governor of the Bahamas,” a position that he hated and a populace he disdained with a vicious contempt. The couple reportedly called Nassau “our St. Helena,” referring to the French Emperor Napoleon’s place of exile.

]]> 59. He Got A Merciless Revenge Many people in England felt that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s anti-British leanings had partly to do with revenge. Bitter that Wallis had never become queen and that he hadn’t remained King, Edward turned on the country he once ruled and ran straight into the arms of her enemies. Yeah, somebody had mommy issues. And, well, daddy issues...

]]> 60. His Father Hated Him Edward’s father George V not only preferred Edward’s younger brother, he even preferred George VI's own daughter, the future Elizabeth II. This distaste was personal as well as professional: George once said he hoped Edward would never have children so “nothing will come between...Lilibet and the throne.” No wonder Edward turned out how he did.

]]> 61. His Wife Received A Rare Tribute Ever the fashion-plates, Edward’s wedding to Wallis turned into legend for another reason besides scandal. When Wallis wore a pale blue Mainbocher dress on her big day, the designer created the pale cerulean color especially for her, and later dubbed it “Wallis Blue.” Hey, if you can’t have a kingdom, at least your wife can have her own color.

]]> 62. He Broke A Huge Tradition Edward’s vanity about his hair destroyed a centuries-long tradition about royal coinage. When new coins are struck in the monarch’s honor, the tradition is that they face the opposite direction of their predecessor. George V was facing left, but Edward insisted that his face also face left...all because it showed off the fetching part of his hair.

]]> 63. He Left An Odd Memento In 1997, Sotheby’s auctioned Edward and Wallis’ personal belongings, and one peculiar item made headlines for all the wrong reasons. A slice of cake from their wedding went for whopping $2,900 after a heated auction. The couple who won said of it, “It is almost unimaginable to have such an item exist...It represents the epitome of a great romance.”

]]> 64. He Was Hateful Though it may come as zero surprise to you, Edward’s opinions on race were controversial even for their time, and near-universally reviled. To call a spade a spade, he was a white supremacist to his core and spent much of his royal life dropping incredibly hateful sound bites about people who didn’t look like him, causing several well-earned royal scandals in the process.

]]> 65. He Developed Sinister Ailments In the 1960s, Edward’s once-glamorous life slowed to a near halt. His health started deteriorating, and beginning in 1964, he had a series of surgeries for various ailments, including his an aneurysm abdomen and a detached retina. In late 1971, he then found out that he had throat cancer after a lifetime as a smoker. The end was near, and it was tragic.

]]> 66. He Became Frail In the final days of his life, Edward was too weak even to hold onto the last vestiges of his royal dignity. When his niece Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1972 while she was on state business in France, she managed to speak to her uncle for 15 minutes, but only Wallis was feeling well enough to accompany Elizabeth for a photo opportunity while the ailing Edward stayed inside.

]]> 67. He Lived In Style For all that the royal family weren’t so hot on them, Edward and Wallis made famous friends wherever they went, and were prominent members of Paris’s café society at the time. In endless glittering evenings, they rubbed elbows with the likes of Gore Vidal and socialite Gloria Guinness. Of course, we now know that some of their other friends were less than savory.

]]> 68. He Has A Dubious Claim To Fame At 326 days, Edward’s reign is the shortest for any monarch of the United Kingdom. There are shorter reigns if you’re thinking about just the English throne, but even then, Edward’s is still one of the briefest tenures in the crown’s history. In fact, like Edward V and Jane Grey, Edward VIII never even had an official coronation.

]]> 69. He Made A “Triumphant” Return Just 10 days after Queen Elizabeth II visited him, the former King Edward VIII passed from throat cancer in his home in France, just a few weeks away from his 78th birthday. In death, he did what he could never do in life: returned to Britain for good. To this day, his body lies in Windsor castle. And as for his beloved Wallis? Well…

]]> 70. His Love Never Forgot Him The former Mrs. Wallis Simpson outlived her infamous royal lover by over a decade, but she chose to be with him when the end of her life came, too. After living out the remainder of her years as a recluse, she passed at the age of 89 in 1986. As per her last wishes, attendants buried her next to Edward on the Royal Burial Grounds at Windsor Castle.

]]> 71. His Wife Two-Timed Him With A Villain While Edward and Wallis were getting friendly with Germany, Simpson’s penchant for infidelity reared its ugly head. According to FBI reports from the 1930s, Wallis started an affair with German officer Joachim von Ribbentrop. If we're to believe the whispers, she also kept his signed photograph on her bedside table. But that wasn’t the only way Ribbentrop humiliated Edward…

]]> 72. He Was A Cuckold Apparently, Ribbentrop also sent Wallis a disturbing “gift.” Reportedly, after their tryst was over, he would send 17 carnations to Simpson’s home each day. Why 17? It was the number of times that the two had slept together during their affair. Yep, the gesture was a creepy way for Ribbentrop to remind Simpson—and Edward—about their time together.

]]> 73. His Wife Loved Someone Else Despite their dark pasts and infidelities, we still tend to see King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson as a love story for the ages. Well, even that has holes in it. According to the man who ghost-wrote her memoirs, Wallis actually admitted that a childhood friend, Herman Rogers, was the true love of her life, though she made the writer swear never to print the confession.

]]> 74. He Made An Unforgivable Comment Edward’s reaction to the death of his youngest brother, Prince John, put a rank taste in people’s mouths. John, who was 11 years younger, passed in January 1919 from a severe seizure at just 13 years old. Edward’s response was so disturbing, it’s impossible to forget. He referred to John’s passing as “little more than a regrettable nuisance.” And that wasn’t all.

]]> 75. He Didn’t Know How To Deal With Grief When Edward heard of John’s tragic fate, one of his first responses was to complain about John to his mistress at the time. As he wrote to her, "This poor boy had become more of an animal than anything else." Edward was also so savage to his mother about her loss that he later apologized for being “a cold-hearted and unsympathetic swine.”

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,  6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61563 <![CDATA[The Outlaw Mother Who Became An FBI Legend]]> 2026-07-17T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-15T21:40:51+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/ma-barker Brendan Da Costa People Wikimedia Commons 1. She Wasn’t Always Ma Barker The woman who would become infamous as “Ma Barker” started life under a name that sounded nothing like an outlaw’s. Born Arizona Donnie Clark on October 8, 1873, in Ash Grove, Missouri, she went by “Arrie” to those who knew her. According to FBI records, she came from Scotch-Irish stock in Ozark country, though some claimed she also had Native American ancestry.

She did not seem destined to become an outlaw.

]]> 2. She Married Young “Arrie” Clark became Arrie Barker on September 14, 1892. She was still a teenager when she tied the knot with George E Barker but the records are fuzzy on the couple’s early days. Even the location of the wedding is disputed: some records place it in Lawrence County, Missouri, while the FBI insists it happened right there in Ash Grove.

No matter the details, the fruits of that marriage would be a gang of outlaws.

]]> 3. She Raised Four Sons—And A Legacy The Barker household filled up fast. “Arrie” and George welcomed four boys in quick succession: Herman in 1893, Lloyd in 1897, Arthur “Doc” in 1899, and Fred in 1901. They spent their early years in Aurora, Missouri—a quiet town that no one expected to be the birthplace of one of the most infamous gangs in history.

Not a single one of Ma Barker’s boys would meet a peaceful end.

]]> 4. Her Family Drifted West Sometime around 1903, the Barkers packed up and moved to Webb City, Missouri, where Herman and Lloyd started school. By the time Herman wrapped up his grade school years, the family had relocated again—this time to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Each move took them further from small-town respectability and closer to a dark world.

]]> 5. Her Husband Scraped By Ma Barker might have felt the pressure to turn to illicit means. It was obvious from the very beginning that her husband, George, was never going to be the family breadwinner. Census records and Tulsa city directories from 1916 to 1928 paint a picture of a man bouncing between low-paying positions—farmer, then watchman, station engineer, and clerk.

Barker’s boys, on the other hand, knew how to make a buck.

]]> 6. She Didn’t Educate Her Boys A later FBI assessment of the Barker household was unsparing in its description of Barker’s parenting. One document noted that neither Barker nor her husband paid much attention to their sons’ schooling—leaving the boys “more or less illiterate”. Another investigation was only slightly kinder, describing Barker as “probably just an average mother” with “no aspirations…to maintain any high plane socially”.

Average or not, her sons were about to make the family infamous.

]]> 7. Her Sons Started Early With her lack of parenting, it didn’t take the Barker boys long to find trouble. As early as 1910, authorities picked up Herman for a highway holdup in Webb City after he ran over a child during the dramatic getaway. From there, the Central Park Gang of Tulsa took the brothers under its wing and gave them the education that Ma Barker hadn’t—an education in lawbreaking.

They turned out to be excellent students.

]]> 8. Her Eldest Son Met A Violent End Herman Barker’s run ended on August 29, 1927, in Wichita, Kansas. After a botched heist, he found himself cornered by officers and opened fire, striking one at point-blank range after putting his piece in the officer’s mouth. Gravely wounded himself after crashing his getaway car, Herman chose the easy way out rather than face the law.

Going down instead of getting nabbed would be the Barker family way.

]]> 9. She Lost Everything At Once By 1928, Ma Barker’s world had collapsed. Herman was in the ground. Lloyd sat behind the walls of the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth. “Doc” was locked up in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Fred occupied a cell at the Kansas State Penitentiary. And George—the husband who’d been drifting away for years—finally walked out for good.

Her “gang” had disbanded.

]]> 10. She Basically Endorsed Her Sons’ Actions The family’s gang activity appears to have been the cause of the failure of Barker’s marriage to George. Writer Miriam Allen deFord observed that George “gave up completely and quietly removed himself from the scene” after Herman’s passing and the incarceration of his other sons. While Barker “countenanced” her sons’ activities, George denounced them.

Either way, the divide in her marriage was only growing wider.

]]> 11. She Was, Maybe, A Little “Loose” According to the FBI, George didn’t leave Barker because of their sons—he left because of her. FBI records claimed she had become “loose in her moral life” and was “having outside dates with other men”. It’s also curious that, though George himself was no outlaw, he did show up after they all passed to claim their ill-gotten assets as next of kin.

Even so, Barker had little to offer him.

]]> 12. She Hit Rock Bottom The years between 1928 and 1930 were the lowest of Ma Barker’s life. With no husband, no income, and every son either gone or behind bars, she scraped by in what one account described as a “dirt-floor shack” in “miserable poverty”. By 1930, she had taken up with a jobless man named Arthur W Dunlop, who appeared as her husband on the Tulsa census.

Her fortunes, however, were about to change—and not for the better.

]]> 13. Her Son Brought Trouble Home Fred Barker walked out of the Kansas State Penitentiary on March 30, 1931, and wasted no time picking up where he left off. He linked up with a former cellmate named Alvin Karpis, and together they formed what would become the Barker–Karpis Gang. By late 1931, Fred had joined his mother and Dunlop at a rented cottage near Thayer, Missouri.

The gang was taking shape again—and Ma was right in the middle of it.

]]> 14. She Became A Wanted Woman On December 19, 1931, Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis took the life of Sheriff C Roy Kelly in West Plains, Missouri. With the heat hot on their trail, the gang had to run. Ma Barker and Dunlop fled with them, cycling through false identities along the way—but simple name changes wouldn’t be enough. Authorities issued a wanted poster offering $100 for the capture of “Old Lady Arrie Barker”.

The quiet Ozark mother now had a price on her head.

]]> 15. She Did Not Play The Violin The group’s first stop was Herbert Farmer’s place near Joplin, Missouri, before they moved on to St Paul, Minnesota. There, Ma, Dunlop, Fred, and Karpis rented a house. It might have been a decent hideout if not for the landlady who curiously noted the group’s “violin cases” and correctly guessed it held something far more dangerous than a string instrument.

With their cover blown, Ma and the others bolted on April 25, 1932. Not all of them made it out.

]]> 16. Her Companion Was A Liability Ma Barker’s common-law partner, Dunlop, hadn’t earned the trust of the rest of the gang. Karpis considered him a nuisance, and the rest of the gang eyed his every move with suspicion. Then, while lying low at one hideout, a local resident spotted the group in the pages of True Detective magazine and tipped off the authorities.

The gang escaped—thanks to a corrupt St Paul chief named Thomas “Big Tom” Brown—but Dunlop took the fall.

]]> 17. Her Lover Paid The Price The gang decided that it had been Dunlop’s big mouth—and not dumb luck—that had given them away. Ma Barker was powerless to stop what happened next. Dunlop’s body turned up near Webster, Wisconsin, on April 26, 1932, “stripped of its clothing” and with three close-range wounds. FBI records noted a bloodstained woman’s glove near the body.

]]> 18. She Played The Part Perfectly After Dunlop’s demise, Ma Barker relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, where the gang slipped into the costumes of ordinary citizens. She adopted the alias “Mrs AF Hunter” and bounced between a few different addresses to further obscure her identity. Her sons told anyone who asked that they were in the “insurance business”.

It was a convincing cover—for the time being.

]]> 19. She Moved To An Outlaw City The gang’s next move was calculated. On the advice of racketeer Jack Peifer, the Barker–Karpis outfit relocated to St Paul, Minnesota—a city with a well-earned reputation as a sanctuary for wanted men. Under the protection of the corrupt Chief Brown, the gang evolved from holdups to something far more ambitious: snatching wealthy men for ransom.

Ma Barker’s involvement in what came next is a matter of debate.

]]> 20. Her Sons Kept Her In The Dark “Doc” Barker walked free on September 10, 1932, and promptly reunited with Fred, Karpis, and Ma Barker in St Paul. But the reunion came with conditions. Fred made a point of stashing Ma Barker in a rotating series of hotels and hideouts—partly to shield her from the specifics of their operations, and partly because she couldn’t stand the gang’s girlfriends.

The feeling, it turned out, was mutual.

]]> 21. She Couldn’t Stand The Competition Whether Ma Barker orchestrated her sons’ lawbreaking is a matter of debate. But she absolutely orchestrated matters of their hearts. An FBI investigation later wrote, “Kate Barker was very jealous of her boys and did not wish to have them associate with girl friends”. She reportedly manipulated her sons, sowing discord wherever she could.

The other women in the gang learned fast—stay clear of Ma, or pay the price.

]]> 22. Her Sons Left Bodies Behind On December 16, 1932, Fred and “Doc” Barker joined Karpis and other gang members to hold up the Third Northwestern National Bank in Minneapolis. But the heist went sideways—and fast. Two officers—Ira Leon Evans and Leo Gorski—and one civilian lost their lives before the gang could make their escape.

Ma Barker’s boys were no longer just a nuisance—they were a menace to society.

]]> 23. Her Sons Snatched A Brewing Magnate The gang’s boldest move came on June 15, 1933. Outside his St Paul office, four figures pulled William A Hamm Jr—president of the Theodore Hamm Brewing Company—into the back of a car. They spirited him to Wisconsin, forced him to sign ransom notes, then moved him to a safe house in Bensenville, Illinois. The price for his freedom: more than $100,000.

Ma Barker had total plausible deniability.

]]> 24. She Was Nowhere Near The Scene While the gang grabbed Hamm off the streets of St Paul, Ma Barker sat in a house at 114 Home Avenue in Oak Park, Illinois, with a woman named Helen Ferguson. It was the perfect cover. Whatever her role in the outfit might have been, she was miles away when the biggest job went down. That detail would matter a great deal later.

]]> 25. Her Fingers Weren’t On It The FBI cracked the Hamm case with a technique so new it barely had a name. On September 6, 1933, Bureau scientists applied a silver nitrate solution to the ransom notes and managed to raise fingerprints from invisible traces of perspiration. The gang’s hands were, quite literally, all over the ransom demands. But Ma Barker’s hands, miles away, remained perfectly clean.

For the time being, anyway.

]]> 26. Her Sons Struck Again Ma Barker’s boys wasted no time with their big “job”. On August 30, 1933, they hit the Stockyards National Bank of South St Paul, Minnesota, making off with a payroll haul. Officer Leo Pavlak lost his life in the crossfire, and another officer was left permanently disabled. The Barker–Karpis outfit was racking up a body count that even their St Paul protectors couldn’t ignore forever.

]]> 27. Her Sons Took An Even Bigger Prize On January 17, 1934, the gang outdid themselves. They grabbed Edward George Bremer Jr—president of the Commercial State Bank and son of one of Minnesota’s wealthiest families—right off the street in St Paul. The Bremer family paid $200,000 for his return and Ma Barker’s boys released him less than a month later. This time, the FBI eyed Ma.

]]> 28. She Ruled With An Iron Will By the second abduction, the FBI focused like a laser on the Barker-Karpis gang. More specifically, they began to question Ma Barker’s involvement, saying that “she ruled them with an iron will and found this expression of dominance easily exerted because of the submission of her sons Fred and Arthur”. They also noted that she “liked to live well” and spent the money from her sons’ exploits.

On the other hand, she may not have been involved at all.

]]> 29. She Played Housewife The most convincing account of Barker’s actual role in the gang makes her look less like a mastermind and more like a doting mother. Gang members routinely sent her to the movies while they went to “work”. Historian Claire Bond Potter summed it up: “Her age and apparent respectability permitted the gang to hide out ‘disguised’ as a family…she rented houses, paid bills, shopped, and did household errands”.

She certainly did “pick up after” her boys.

]]> 30. She Picked Up Ransom Money When most mothers “pick up after” their children, they’re usually talking about dirty clothes and discarded dishes. Ma Barker, on the other hand, was picking up ransom money. On March 23, 1934, Ma Barker and another woman drove to a burial site in Wilmington, Illinois, dug up a cache of Bremer ransom money, and delivered it to Fred’s apartment in Chicago.

It seemed a clea sign of her direct involvement—and the FBI took note.

]]> 31. She Wanted The Quiet Life By late September 1934, Fred Barker and associate Harry Campbell checked into the El Commodore Hotel in Miami under assumed names. Ma Barker soon joined them. Fred asked the hotel manager for somewhere peaceful for his mother to live, and the manager pointed them toward a friend’s cottage on Lake Weir, in rural Florida.

It sounded like the perfect hideout. It would turn out to be a trap.

]]> 32. She Settled Into Her Final Home In November 1934, the Barkers rented the Lake Weir cottage in Ocklawaha, Florida, from a man named Carson Bradford. They signed the lease under the name “Blackburn” to avoid raising FBI alarms. Fred told the rental contact, Joe Adams, that he wanted a place where he and his mother could “enjoy a quiet life”. For a few weeks, that’s exactly what they got.

Then Ma Barker blew their cover.

]]> 33. Her Letter Gave Her Away The gang started to unravel on January 8, 1935, when agents grabbed “Doc” Barker in Chicago. Inside his apartment, they found a map with the Ocala area circled. But the real break came from a letter Ma had sent to “Doc”, in which she mentioned a local alligator known as “Gator Joe”. That one detail was enough to pinpoint the house.

The FBI placed undercover agents on Lake Weir who confirmed Fred was there. Ma’s motherly correspondence had sealed her fate.

]]> 34. Her Gang Slowly Went Down The night “Doc” went down in Chicago, agents also scooped up other Barker-Karpis associates, severely limiting the gang’s manpower. Meanwhile, Karpis and a handful of other gang members had already cleared out of the Lake Weir cottage three days earlier, on January 13. That left only two people in the house: Fred and Ma Barker.

]]> 35. She Was Surrounded By Elite Agents The men that the FBI sent to Lake Weir weren’t ordinary field agents. Most came from the so-called “Dillinger Squad”—the Bureau’s most seasoned outlaw hunters, with experience taking down the country’s most wanted. Special Agent in Charge Earl J Connelley led the operation and before dawn on the morning of January 16, 1935, he had the cottage surrounded.

Ma Barker would have to choose: justice or the grave.

]]> 36. She Answered With Lead At roughly 7:00 am, Connelley called out to Fred and Ma Barker, demanding they surrender. According to the FBI’s account, a voice from inside the house shouted back: “All right, go ahead”. Then the upstairs window erupted with automatic fire. As one journal entry from an FBI agent said, “Immediately they began firing from the house”.

What ensued was right out of a Hollywood script.

]]> 37. She Held Out For Hours In response to the fire from the house, the FBI agents unleashed tear gas and automatic fire of their own. According to agent records, the return fire from inside the house fell silent after 9:00 am. The FBI’s official account pushes the timeline further, noting that all firing had ceased by 10:30 am. Either way, the standoff had lasted for hours—and the aftermath was devastating.

]]> 38. She Terrified J Edgar Hoover The firefight was so intense that, hundreds of miles away in Washington DC, the FBI chief J Edgar Hoover was sweating it out. He scribbled in his case notes that the Karpis–Barker outfit represented “the worst criminals in the entire country” and confessed he was “deeply concerned lest our agents exhaust their supply of equipment”.

Hoover ordered an agent in Jacksonville to charter the “fastest plane available” and rush additional firepower to Ocala.

]]> 39. Her Handyman Found Her At 12:30 pm, with the house silent for hours, Connelley needed to know what was inside. He sent in Willie Woodbury—the local handyman who had worked for the people he knew only as the Blackburns—wearing a bulletproof vest. When Connelley shouted to ask what the Barkers were doing, Woodbury called back with two words: “They’re [gone]”.

]]> 40. Her Son Went Down Fighting Both Fred and Ma Barker lay lifeless in the same southwest corner bedroom. Fred was face down, his corpse riddled with rounds. Beneath him lay a .45 automatic that had jammed after a round struck its grip. A Thompson with an empty 50-shot drum rested just past his left hand. Ma Barker, lying not far from him, hadn’t fared much better.

]]> 41. She Went Down In A Red Dress FBI accounts from the scene noted that Ma Barker had fallen to a single round. Agents found her in the northeast corner of the room, lying on her side in a red house dress, one slipper, and several diamond rings. A Thompson loaded with a 100-shot drum—roughly half its rounds still remaining—lay just beyond her left hand. The FBI claimed the Thompson was “lying in her hands”.

Other accounts placed it somewhere between her body and Fred’s, creating a controversy Hoover would have to solve.

]]> 42. Her House Was Shredded The scale of the firefight, and who was firing what, depended on who was counting. A 1935 incident report estimated that agents poured roughly 500 rounds into the cottage while the Barkers fired about 250 from inside. Some accounts claim agents later counted 641 holes in the walls. The popular figure of 2,000 total rounds is almost certainly inflated—the real number was probably closer to 900.

Whatever the count, there was little definitive evidence of Ma Barker’s involvement.

]]> 43. She Left Behind A Fortune Whether she orchestrated the gang activity and participated in the firefight is unclear. But Ma Barker certainly cashed in. FBI agents recovered more than $14,000 on the bodies and inside a Buick parked in the garage—most of it in $1,000 bills. The FBI tallied another approximately $29,300 in total across smaller denominations.

Adjusted for inflation, the haul amounted to roughly a quarter of a million dollars.

]]> 44. Her Neighbors Brought Picnics Ma Barker’s final stand on Lake Weir was making the news long before it hit the papers. Reports from the time claim that locals had gathered to watch the spectacle, with some allegedly setting up picnics to watch the…fireworks. The excitement was so intense that one spectator crouched so quickly he tore his pants, ran to the nearest hardware store, purchased khakis, and ran back to watch the finale.

]]> 45. She Was On Display Despite their notoriety and infamy, nobody came forward to claim the bodies of Ma Barker and her son Fred. For months, they sat unclaimed—and for a time, were put on public display. It wasn’t until October 1, 1935, that relatives finally had them interred at Williams Timberhill Cemetery in Welch, Oklahoma, next to Herman. Only 25 people attended—a mix of family, curiosity seekers, and six undertakers.

]]> 46. She Was Branded A Mastermind For J Edgar Hoover and his FBI, the optics were terrible: elderly woman fallen in hours-long firefight. Possibly to cover his failings, Hoover built a myth around the mother of the gang. He declared Ma Barker “the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful [outlaw] brain of the last decade”. The image of Ma as the puppet master of the Barker–Karpis Gang quickly took root in the popular imagination.

The evidence for Hoover’s theory, however, was thin at best.

]]> 47. She Was “Generally Law Abiding” Alvin Karpis—who most historians and law enforcement officers consider the actual brains behind the outfit—painted a very different picture. To him, Ma Barker was “just an old-fashioned homebody from the Ozarks…superstitious, gullible, simple, cantankerous and, well, generally law abiding”. Not exactly the image that Hoover wanted.

]]> 48. She Was Just There To Provide Cover Karpis doubled-down on his portrayal of Ma Barker. He went on the record with a full takedown of Hoover’s narrative: “The most ridiculous story in the annals of [lawbreaking] is that Ma Barker was the mastermind behind the Karpis–Barker gang…She wasn’t a leader of [outlaws[ or even [an outlaw] herself…her participation in our careers was limited to one function: when we traveled together, we moved as a mother and her sons”.

“What could look more innocent?” Karpis concluded.

]]> 49. She “Couldn't Plan Breakfast” If Karpis’ assessment wasn’t damning enough of Hoover’s fiction, Harvey Bailey—a notorious holdup man who knew the Barkers firsthand—delivered the most devastating line of all. In his autobiography, Bailey observed that Ma Barker “couldn’t plan breakfast” let alone an enterprise of outlaws. Incriminating Ma Barker helped the real bad guys get away.

]]> 50. Her Legend Was A Convenient Lie Writer Tim Mahoney offered yet another theory about what really fueled the Barker–Karpis Gang. He argued the true engine was the corrupt St Paul law-enforcement apparatus under Chief Tom Brown. “Had the Barker gang never come under Brown’s protection, Ma Barker might have [passed on] lonesome in the Ozarks, an impoverished obscure widow”.

Her legend was just a cover for Chief Tom Brown.

]]> 51. Her Final Home Almost Became A Museum The cottage on Lake Weir had a strange afterlife of its own. It went up for sale in August 2012 with a starting bid of $1 million—and attracted no buyers. In 2015, the Florida state senate floated a $500,000 bill to preserve it as a historic landmark, but the measure failed. Finally, in October 2016, the house was relocated by barge across Lake Weir to Carney Island in Marion County, with the goal of opening it to the public.

Roughly 90% of the original 1935 furniture was still inside—some of it still bearing the scars of that January morning.

]]> 52. Her Son’s Ring Surfaced 81 Years Later On June 11, 2016, just before the property changed hands, members of the Central Florida Metal Detecting Club swept the grounds for relics. They turned up around 30 shell casings—and then club member Alan James found something truly remarkable: a 10-karat gold signet ring. The ring was hand-engraved, bearing the initials “FGB”—Fredrick George Barker.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=27471 <![CDATA[As a pregnant widow at just 13, Margaret Beaufort was forced to play a game of thrones—and she was terrifyingly good at it.]]> 2026-07-14T17:55:42+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-margaret-beaufort Christine Tran People The Scheming Mother Of The Tudor Dynasty History would be a much more boring place without Margaret Beaufort. Without her, we’d never have two of the most famous monarchs in history, King Henry VIII and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I. Those two often overshadow the royals who came before them—which is a shame, because Margaret Beaufort’s story is absolutely jaw-dropping. 

From her perilous childhood to her adult courtly schemes, there was often little difference between her life and an episode of Game of Thrones. Buckle in for these facts about the scheming teen mother of the Tudor Dynasty, because it’s going to be a wild ride.

]]> 1. The Odds Were Against Her Margaret Beaufort’s father John was a prominent general who helped the English lead campaigns against the French. His position should’ve brought his family great wealth and honor, and ensured a prosperous future for Margaret. There was just one problem. He wasn’t exactly good at his job.

]]> 2. He Didn’t Have Long With Her During his career, John Beaufort saw his fair share of humiliating failures on the battlefield. Early on, he spent 13 years as a prisoner of France. After his release, he married and climbed the career ladder. In 1443, Margaret was born—but this joyous occasion was followed up by an utter disaster.

]]> 3. She Was On Her Own John Beaufort passed on a year later, in 1444—but the story behind his death is truly twisted. Beaufort was just 40, and the cause of his death was ambiguous, which led many to believe that he’d taken his own life. He had recently experienced a humiliating military blunder in France. It had been such an embarrassment that the king had banished him from court and accused him of treason.

Margaret Beaufort never knew her father, who left the world with shame and mystery hanging over his name—and hers, as a result.

]]> 4. The King Betrayed Her Father John Beaufort had been quite wealthy, and all that now passed down to Margaret, making her one of the most eligible brides at court, even though she was still just a toddler. John may not have been great at planning his military campaigns, but he had planned for Margaret’s future. He’d asked King Henry VI to make Margaret’s mother her sole guardian—but the King had other ideas.

Henry VI passed on Margaret’s wardship to one of his favorites, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, who quickly formulated his own plans for the young heiress.

]]> 5. Her Line Was Illegitimate—At First See, there was something they all knew about Margaret Beaufort—something that she was far too young to comprehend. She had a tenuous connection to the English throne. If you trace her lineage back, her branch of the family had been the result of an illicit affair between King Edward III’s son, John of Gaunt, and a mistress.

John had married his mistress and legitimized their children shortly before his passing, creating that connection to the crown that so many were ready to exploit. But there was a catch…

]]> 6. They Tried To Stop It When John of Gaunt had his children legitimized, his older brother, who was King at the time, had added a catch. It said that while they were legitimate descendants of King Edward III, they would never have any claim to the throne. Well, when it came time to exploit that connection to the English throne, the people around Margaret Beaufort were all too eager to ignore that one sticking point…

]]> 7. He Was Using Her As A Pawn For the Duke of Suffolk, Margaret Beaufort was his ace in the hole—and he was ready to deploy her at just the right time. Unfortunately for him, he had similar luck to her father. The English were on a downward trend when it came to losing territory to the French, and someone had to take the blame. It ended up being Suffolk, who faced banishment. So he came up with a sinister plan.

In a panic to ensure his son’s future, he married the boy, John de la Pole, to his ward, Margaret Beaufort. The bride was maybe seven years old, and the groom, not much older.

]]> 8. Her Home Life Was Unstable William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, set sail away from England after his exile, only for sailors to nearly immediately capture and execute him. Once again, Margaret was adrift—and stuck with her dud child-husband. Margaret was still under the care of her mother, but her wardship, along with that of John, fell once again to King Henry VI.

This time, he wasn’t about to shunt her off to some courtier. No, he was going to exploit her connections for himself.

]]> 9. He Kept It In The Family In 1453, the King summoned Margaret and her mother to court and transferred her wardship to his two half-brothers, Jasper and Edmund Tudor. Does that name sound familiar? Well, Margaret was about to make it sound a lot more familiar. Next, he dissolved Margaret's marriage to John de la Pole, leaving the boy out in the cold. But he still had more in store for the young girl…

]]> 10. He Needed Her Pregnant In due time, Henry VI’s grand plan came to light. He wanted to marry Margaret Beaufort to his half-brother Edmund Tudor in order to keep her ostensible claim to the throne within the family. That wasn’t unexpected—but there was a sinister side to the plot. He wanted to do it immediately, and for the couple to have an heir as soon as possible.

That’s even though Margaret was only 12 years old, and her groom was twice her age. She’d already spent her youth having men use her to get at her claim to power—and it was about to get so much worse.

]]> 11. She Was A Child Bride People said that it was a terrible idea. Margaret had barely hit puberty and had a very small, fragile frame. However, the King and Edmund didn’t care. The marriage took place on November 1, 1455, and they consummated the union immediately. Within a matter of days, Margaret Beaufort had lost her innocence.

One day, she was a child, and the next, a wife with a baby on the way—but that was just the beginning of her nightmare.

]]> 12. She Lost Her Husband Men close to Margaret Beaufort—like her father, John, and her custodian, the Duke of Suffolk—seemed to meet tragic, sudden fates. Well, her husband was no different. It was the early stages of the Wars of the Roses, and Edmund Tudor was out fighting in Wales. King Henry VI deposed a nobleman named Richard of York, and as a result, the furious York sent his men out for revenge.

The Yorkists captured and imprisoned Edmund Tudor. Then, while in captivity, Edmund succumbed to the plague. He and Margaret had been together for all of six months.

]]> 13. She Almost Didn’t Make It Margaret Beaufort was now a widow at 13, and six months pregnant on top of that—but her ordeal was just beginning. Margaret almost died giving birth to the Tudor dynasty. Her youth and petite stature proved dangerous to not only Margaret herself, but her unborn baby as well. It was a painful, gruesome nightmare which Margaret barely survived—and it left a multitude of scars, both physical and psychological.

]]> 14. It Changed Her Despite the traumatic circumstances of the birth, both Margaret and her son made it, and she named him Henry Tudor—nailing home the boy’s connection to the throne. Margaret was both a widow and a woman, so the law dictated that her properties automatically went to her son, even though he was just an infant. Margaret had lost nearly every person who was supposed to protect her. She had little agency. From the time she was an infant, people had pulled her in different directions.

She was absolutely determined to stop the same thing from happening to her son. This was the moment when Margaret Beaufort went from pawn to ruthless matriarch.

]]> 15. She Found An Ally As Margaret’s grit and determination began to show themselves, her luck started to change. It didn’t hurt that she was no longer alone. After her husband passed on, his brother Jasper had stepped in to protect her. Even during the Wars of the Roses, when family members and old friends frequently turned on each other, Jasper remained a champion and ally to both Margaret and her son Henry. As we’ll see, she needed as many allies as she could get.

]]> 16. She Needed To Marry Again As a young widow, English society expected Margaret to remarry. However, when it came to picking a mate, she was at the mercy of the English court during a very tumultuous time. King Henry VI’s mental health was deteriorating, and letting him pick her next husband could’ve proven disastrous. Luckily, her protective brother-in-law Jasper came through for her.

He arranged a marriage with Sir Henry Stafford, the son of a Duke. However, the match was a bit inappropriate, in more ways than one.

]]> 17. They Were Too Close For The Court For one thing, the groom was way too old for the bride—this time, about 33 years old to her 14. But that wasn’t the only problem. There was also the fact that the pair were second cousins. Yikes. Sure, there were lots of um, ahem, close marriages at the time, but this one went a bit too far. They had to seek a papal dispensation for their marriage, which they eventually got.

After her official mourning period for Edmund was done, they tied the knot. Margaret was moving on with her life, as was expected of her—but there was an unfortunate side effect.

]]> 18. She Lost Custody Margaret’s son, Henry Tudor, was still a ward of his uncle, Jasper Tudor. That meant that he had to stay with Jasper, while Margaret was headed off for her happily-ever-after with her husband. Mother and son were separated when he was about two, though Margaret and her husband were allowed to visit him at Pembroke Castle in Wales, where Jasper lived.

In short order, it would become clear that the boy being sequestered away in Wales was a blessing in disguise—at least at first.

]]> 19. Things Were Heating Up Margaret had been playing her own game of thrones, navigating the world after the birth of her son. All the while, things in England were getting more and more tumultuous by the day—until they reached a fever pitch. The Wars of the Roses were raging. After Henry VI and his wife (the Lancasters) fled to Scotland, the Yorkist forces won the Battle of Towton.

As a result, there was a new Yorkist king in England: Edward IV. Would this immediately turn Margaret’s world upside down? You bet.

]]> 20. They Had To Switch Sides The new Yorkist king had automatically stripped Margaret’s son of his land and properties. On top of that, Margaret’s husband Henry Stafford had fought with the Lancasters at the Battle of Towton and lost. Things were not looking good. But then, even though Stafford was loyal to the Lancasters, he made a dramatic sacrifice for Margaret.

He sought pardon from King Edward IV, and as a result, was able to purchase the wardship of her son Henry for £1,000. Stafford then sent the boy to live with the Yorkist nobleman who had taken over Jasper Tudor’s earldom. Margaret’s son was safe—for the moment.

]]> 21. She Watched Them Begrudgingly Despite her connections to the Lancasters, Margaret’s husband cemented his alliance with Edward IV, who then gifted the couple a manor…which he’d taken from her in the first place. Thanks, you shouldn’t have! They even had to occasionally host the king at their home. And, while many historians report that Margaret’s marriage to Henry Stafford was a happy one, they definitely differed politically. Occasionally, this took them to some strange places.

]]> 22. She Tried To Get What Was Hers When Edward IV’s brother the Duke of Clarence and his ex-advisor Richard Neville rose up against him in 1869, the rebels captured and imprisoned Margaret’s husband. She was quick to negotiate his release—but she had ulterior motives. Margaret also tried to convince the Duke of Clarence to give her son and all of his holdings back to her. It didn’t go right, but it didn’t exactly go wrong, either…

]]> 23. She Got To See Him Again Henry VI recaptured the crown, and for just a moment, Margaret got everything she wanted. The king invited her, her husband, her son, and Jasper Tudor to the palace. But sadly, the Wars of the Roses raged on. Their happy reunion became one fleeting moment of joy. Things were about to get really, really ugly.

]]> 24. She Worried About Him Edward IV and Henry VI were involuntarily tossing the crown back and forth like a game of opposite hot potato. Then, the Battle of Barnet broke out. When the dust settled, the aftermath left Margaret Beaufort utterly devastated. Her husband, Sir Henry Stafford, hadn’t returned from the battlefield with the Yorkist victors. Panicked, she sent a rider to Barnet. They sent word back that he’d suffered some serious injuries in battle.

Eventually, they brought him back to their manor—but his homecoming was far from joyful.

]]> 25. She Lost Her Husband…Again Before the Battle of Barnet, Stafford had quickly jotted down a will, in case things went south. Its contents were heartbreaking. In the document, he refers to Margaret Beaufort as “my most entire belovyd wyff.” Throughout the summer of 1471, he tried to heal and rest at home. Sadly, his wounds were just too serious—and they soon proved to be fatal.

Margaret was once again a widow, and at just 28 years old.

]]> 26. It Threw Everything Into Chaos The loss of her husband wasn’t the only devastating event that summer. Edward IV had slain Henry VI’s son at the Battle of Tewkesbury, leaving the Lancasters without a clear heir. It was dire—and it was about to get so much worse. Henry VI passed on while imprisoned in the Tower of London. While some of Edward’s supporters claimed that melancholy had taken his life, others whispered that Edward had the former king murdered.

Either way, Margaret and her son were in deep trouble.

]]> 27. The Timing Was Terrible Now, with Henry VI gone, Margaret’s son Henry Tudor was the foremost Lancaster claimant to the throne. Great news—unless you’re going up against Edward IV. After his victory at the Battle of Tewkesbury, Edward had systematically picked off his rivals for the throne. Margaret knew what was coming, so she begged her son to flee to France.

Her plan worked, and the boy landed safely in Brittany—but there was an unintended, heartbreaking side effect. Margaret couldn’t have predicted it when she sent him off, but mother and son wouldn’t see each other for another 12 years.

]]> 28. She Used Him With her son safely ensconced in Brittany, Margaret’s next job was to protect herself. Just nine months after her husband’s passing, she remarried to Lord Thomas Stanley, a widower with strong ties to the House of York. From Margaret’s first marriage to Edmund Tudor (she didn’t count her childhood union as official), she’d gotten her son. From her second marriage, she’d experienced real love. For her third marriage, she wanted only one thing: power.

While married to Henry Stafford, he’d been in the driver’s seat. This time, Margaret wanted to be the one to play hardball with the power players of the English court.

]]> 29. She Climbed The Ladder Henry VI was gone and Edward IV was firmly in power. It seemed like the Wars of the Roses were done—or at the very least, at a standstill. The action wasn’t happening on the battlefield anymore, it was happening in the royal court, giving Margaret a prime opportunity to participate in the political maneuvering. She put on a smile, got to work, and immediately proved herself.

Margaret charmed the pants off of the king and his wife, Elizabeth Woodville. Before long, they were making her godmother to one of their children. She was exactly where she wanted to be. But, let’s remember, it was also one of the most turbulent times in English history.

]]> 30. Their Friendship Was A Facade Margaret Beaufort was playing the game of thrones, but she wasn’t the only one. After Margaret became godmother to one of his kids, Edward IV suggested that perhaps they could hook up her son, Henry Tudor, with his daughter, Elizabeth of York. Cute, right? And proof that Margaret’s plan was moving right along. Well, there was a sinister dark side to this proposal. 

Many believe that Edward IV was actually trying to get Henry Tudor to return to England in order to assassinate his rival to the throne. Well, he didn’t know who he was dealing with.

]]> 31. He Couldn’t Fool Her Margaret Beaufort may have been playing nice with the king, but she was no fool. Many think that she warned her son of Edward IV’s devious plot. As a result, he was able to escape at the last minute from Edward’s men. The king couldn’t strike back at Margaret. Doing so would only expose his true intentions. So, he kept trying other ways to get the boy back to England, and Margaret kept outsmarting him.

But all that was about to become moot anyway…

]]> 32. Everything Changed Despite all of their respective strategizing, it had been a relatively peaceful time for Margaret in Edward’s court. Well, all that was about to change. In 1483, Edward IV passed on after a short battle with a mystery illness. Soon after, his brother Richard locked Edward and Elizabeth Woodville’s two sons in the Tower of London, claiming that it was in preparation for the eldest’s coronation.

She had her own son to think about, but still, the mysterious disappearance lit a fire under Margaret Beaufort.

]]> 33. She Stood By Her Friends For all her courtly schemes and intrigue, there is one thing that can be said of Margaret Beaufort: She was always loyal and warmhearted with her female friends. Many believe that she was part of a plot to try and help Edward’s widow, Elizabeth Woodville, retrieve her missing sons from the Tower of London. Sadly, it went nowhere, and the boys were never seen again.

Edward’s brother claimed that the king’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid, making their children illegitimate, and then took the throne—crowning himself King Richard III.

]]> 34. She Played Both Sides They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and that’s exactly what Margaret Beaufort did. Despite her allegiance to Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret and her husband attended the coronation of Richard III, where she carried his wife Anne Neville’s train. She may have been playing nice, but underneath the surface, she was already planning her next move—and it would be utterly jaw-dropping.

]]> 35. It Was Time For Her To Make It Happen Margaret smiled and dutifully served the new king and queen in court—but behind the scenes, she was devising her most explosive plot yet. She was in regular contact with Elizabeth Woodville, and proposed an alliance that would solidify her son’s claim to the throne. She suggested that he wed Edward IV and Elizabeth’s oldest daughter, Elizabeth of York. Two claims is better than one, and that’s exactly what the pair had. But that’s not all that Margaret was planning…

]]> 36. She Built Her Team Margaret had found an unexpected ally in an unlikely place. His name was Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, and if that sounds familiar, it’s because he was Margaret’s second husband’s nephew and namesake. While Buckingham had initially backed Richard III, he became increasingly disenchanted with the new king…which was something Margaret sought to exploit.

Margaret and her son Henry offered to back Buckingham if he’d gather men to rebel against Richard III—and soon enough, he took her up on this offer.

]]> 37. She Wanted The People On Her Side Margaret Beaufort took a very comprehensive approach to plan her son’s ascent to the throne. Not only was there the marriage proposal and the rebellion, but also some healthy propaganda. She commissioned a reprinting of the French romance Blanchardin et Eglantin, whose story had suspicious similarities to the alliance she made with Elizabeth Woodville in wedding their kids together.

What better way to sell a foreign invasion than a love story? Margaret knew exactly what she was doing.

]]> 38. It All Happened Too Fast Margaret’s son Henry Tudor, still exiled out in Brittany, had a massive team of supporters there. The plan was for them to join with a number of regional forces in England and march on London. However, a rebellion in Kent broke out early, alerting Richard III to the fact that the Duke of Buckingham had turned against him.

On top of that, gale force winds had diverted Henry and his men’s ships. Things were not looking good for Margaret’s first official attempt to put her son on the throne.

]]> 39. She Lost Her Ally The king reacted swiftly to the rebellion—and the consequences were devastating. He put bounties on the heads of Buckingham and any other rebels. Some were captured, but many escaped. The Duke of Buckingham was not one of them, and he was convicted of treason and executed. One of Margaret’s best allies was gone, but she had a lot more up her sleeve.

Unfortunately, the king was now aware of her intentions, and had to punish her too…

]]> 40. Her Husband Became Her Keeper Margaret had been acting against Richard III right underneath his nose, and his reaction was swift and brutal. He stripped Margaret of her titles and estates (not that she had much access to them as a woman) and accused her of high treason. However, the punishment didn’t exactly match the gravity of her transgressions. He simply transferred her property fully to her husband Lord Stanley, and imprisoned her in Stanley’s home.

Soon enough, she would come to make him regret showing mercy.

]]> 41. She Made Her Biggest Plan Yet Margaret Beaufort continued to contact her son in secret, and both worked tirelessly to gather forces to support him—him in Brittany, and her in England. Margaret knew that she’d gotten off easy after the last rebellion and that she might not have the same luck were she to fail again. Their next attempt would be their final chance to capture the throne, and they’d have to do it right—so they got to plotting.

]]> 42. Her Husband Didn’t Pick Sides Margaret and Henry Tudor stayed one step ahead of Richard III. The king convinced leaders in Brittany to give up Henry—only for Henry to flee to France, where he found more support. All the while, Margaret’s husband Lord Stanley had been something of a fence-sitter. Margaret didn’t seem to mind, but it drove Richard III up the wall.

In due time, Margaret’s husband would show his true colors.

]]> 43. It Was Time To Enact The Plan Thus far, Margaret’s plotting had taken place in the royal court. Now, it was time for her son to take it to the battlefield. Henry Tudor made it to English shores and began a slow tour toward Richard’s forces, picking up more supporters as he went. They finally met near Ambion Hill in Leicestershire, where Richard was waiting. It just so happened that at the time, Margaret’s husband Lord Stanley and his family had finally picked their side.

It was that of Margaret and Henry Tudor. Richard was furious, and he acted drastically.

]]> 44. Her Husband Was Ice Cold Richard then took Margaret’s stepson hostage and threatened to execute him. Lord Stanley’s reply was so disturbing, it’s impossible to forget. He told the king: "Sire, I have other sons." Ouch! Richard tried to get his troops to behead Stanley’s son, but they refused, saying that battle was imminent. They were absolutely right.

]]> 45. She Couldn’t Be Part Of It The Wars of the Roses culminated in the Battle of Bosworth Field, which was brutal, bloody, and decisive. Margaret, still a prisoner at her husband’s home, prayed and waited for news. Her son Henry had little to no experience in battle. Richard came within sword’s length of Henry, who smartly retreated—only for William Stanley, Margaret’s brother-in-law, to come through with his forces and take down the king. The battle ended, and a new king was crowned.

]]> 46. She Finally Got What She Wanted In the end, although Henry Tudor did have a familial claim to it, it was the right of conquest that won him the crown, and he became King Henry VII. It was Margaret’s husband, Lord Stanley, who placed the crown on his head shortly after he’d won the battle. Margaret Beaufort had fought for her entire adult life to get her son on the throne, and now she’d finally done it.

So, did she put up her feet and relax for once? Absolutely not.

]]> 47. She Claimed What Was Hers See, Margaret was fighting for her son, but she was also fighting for herself, and what was rightfully hers. After her father’s passing, the money and land that should’ve been hers had been passed from male guardian to husband to trust and back again. And despite their long separation, Margaret and her son Henry VI were still thick as thieves.

One of his first decrees was to restore her right to her own wealth, and to give her a degree of independence practically unheard of for women at the time.

]]> 48. She Didn’t Share Neither Margaret nor Henry VI went back on their promise to the former queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Henry not only restored her children’s statuses as legitimate, he also tied the knot with her eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York. Margaret’s old friend lived out the rest of her life at Bermondsey Abbey—it seemed like there was only room for one mother-in-law in the palace, and that was Margaret.

]]> 49. He Gave Her Everything As she was never a “Queen” herself, Margaret Beaufort could not be titled a “Queen Mother.” Instead, Henry VII gave his mom the specially-made title of “My Lady the King’s Mother.” As Lord Stanley had helped Henry at the Battle of Bosworth, Henry made him an earl, which also made Margaret a countess by extension.

As if that weren’t enough, Henry also gave Margaret a position of honor within the court. Mother and son were most definitely making up for lost time—but Margaret didn’t stop there.

]]> 50. She Was Top Dog Did Margaret consider herself the uncrowned Queen of England? Signs point to yes. She wore clothes of the same quality as her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth of York. Likewise, Margaret walked only a half-pace behind the Queen. Now, remember that Margaret technically ranked below Elizabeth in her son’s court. From anyone else, such conduct would have been flagrantly rude.

Margaret Beaufort, of course, was not “anyone else” in Henry Tudor’s court. He knew what—or rather who—got him there.

]]> 51. She Let Them Know Who Was In Charge There’s even more evidence that Margaret considered herself the real boss. From 1499 onwards, Margaret styled her signature as “Margaret R,” which reads a lot like “Margaret Regina,”—as in, queen. Some historians insist the “R” simply stood for “Richmond,” i.e. the region of her second husband. However, she had been styling herself as “M. Richmond” for decades before. Why the change, Maggie?

]]> 52. She Was A Doting Grandmother At the same time, Elizabeth of York was basically pumping out children (AKA, prospective heirs) for Henry VII. Lest we forget, Margaret and her son were separated for most of his childhood. Well, this time around, she insisted on looking after her Tudor grandkids from the nursery to their honeymoon suites. And I do mean that quite literally—but more on that later.

]]> 53. She Wasn’t Just Power Hungry It may seem like Margaret’s entire life was just schemes and devious plots, but there was a lot more to the woman than that. Margaret was definitely scholarly, and in addition to keeping a private library, she also supervised multiple translations of important texts. On top of that, she was actually one of the most devout religious members of the entire noble class in England. However, that led her to some weird places.

]]> 53. She Was Over It As we all know, Margaret had chosen her third husband, Lord Stanley, now Earl of Derby, for political gain. And if that wasn’t already clear enough to him or anyone else in the royal court, in 1499, she chose to underline the transactional nature of their marriage in a peculiar way. That year, Margaret took a vow of chastity. On behalf of Lord Stanley, I say: ouch.

However, it’s not quite as cold-hearted as it seems.

]]> 54. It Was A Strange Move Sure, it was very unusual for married women to take this vow, but it actually wasn’t unheard of. And on top of that, Margaret did have her husband’s permission to do it. Did she end up regretting it? After her husband Lord Stanley passed on in 1504, she took yet another vow of chastity. It was clear that that part of her life was over, and she was way more interested in the increasingly messy lives of her descendants.

]]> 55. They Were Her Sole Focus After Elizabeth of York started popping out babies left and right, Henry VII gave Margaret the responsibility of overseeing their childhood household, and even named his eldest daughter for her. The great hope for the future of the Tudor name lay in the king’s eldest son, Arthur, who the entire family doted on. Of course, Margaret’s form of doting was a bit…heavy-handed.

]]> 56. She Planned Everything For Him From the time Arthur was basically an infant, Margaret Beaufort dutifully planned for his future wedding. After the success of her son’s marriage, she hoped for an even more politically advantageous match for her grandson Arthur. Sensing that an alliance with Spain would put them in a good position, she convinced the King of Aragon to wed his daughter Catherine to her grandson.

They hurried the wedding along, acquiring a papal dispensation so that Arthur could be married at the age of 11. Margaret Beaufort worked fast. Sometimes, too fast.

]]> 57. She Was Overbearing The couple had a marriage by proxy and only ever exchanged letters until they were finally old enough to officially become husband and wife. However, Margaret’s meddling didn’t stop there—it even extended to their wedding night, in the most creepy way. Margaret was obsessed with maintaining an image of royal legitimacy, so she organized a public bedding ceremony for her teenage grandson and his bride. Yup, that’s…almost exactly what it sounds like.

]]> 58. The Ceremony Was Creepy After their wedding ceremony, Catherine of Aragon’s ladies-in-waiting (all hired by Margaret, natch) undressed her and laid her down in the marriage bed, while Arthur’s courtiers brought him into the room as music played. A bishop then blessed their union and, thankfully, the crowd then left them alone. Terrifying? Absolutely. But Margaret wasn’t completely callous when it came to her family.

]]> 59. She Stood Up For Other Women During Henry VII’s reign, one of the surviving York princesses, Cecily, married a commoner without the king’s permission. Henry punished Cecily with banishment and the loss of her lands. Perhaps this reminded Margaret of her own struggles to keep her estates against the odds, when so many men tried to take them from her.

As we all know, Margaret wielded immense power—and when she intervened with her son on Cecily’s behalf, he immediately folded like a house of cards. Mama’s boys, am I right?

]]> 60. Her Happiness Couldn’t Last Forever Compared to the Wars of the Roses that had preceded his reign, Henry VII’s first decade-plus as king was relatively peaceful. That is, until a series of dire tragedies befell the Tudor family. Sadly, it all began with one of the most important members of the family: Henry’s heir and Margaret’s beloved grandson, Prince Arthur.

Shortly after his marriage, Arthur and his wife Catherine began to ail with a mysterious sickness. While Catherine made it, Arthur did not. The loss devastated Margaret and the rest of the family—and it also put the Tudor dynasty in jeopardy.

]]> 61. She Needed A Plan B Immediately, Margaret recovered the only way she knew how—by going into overdrive planning what would happen next. Her grandson Henry was now the heir apparent, and Margaret plotted who would become part of his household, and which position they’d occupy. On top of that, there was the matter of Arthur’s widow to deal with. Margaret and King Henry VII came up with an…unconventional plan.

]]> 62. She Wasn’t About To Let Her Go Margaret had worked so hard to arrange a marriage for Prince Arthur that would create a strong political bond with Spain. So, even though Arthur was gone, why let all that hard work go to waste? Margaret and her son sought papal dispensation for Arthur’s widow to move on with…his younger brother, Prince Henry. Keep it in the family, right? Well, things were going to get weirder, but first, they were going to get more tragic.

]]> 63. She Lost Two People At Once Henry VII’s wife, Elizabeth of York, was not only recovering from the loss of her eldest son, but she was also pregnant with the couple’s eighth child. As if that weren’t bad enough, her last two children hadn’t even made it out of infancy before they passed on. She was hanging by a thread—and it was tragically too thin to hold.

Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter in 1503, but the girl only lived a few days. Soon after, Elizabeth succumbed to a post-partum infection. The loss devastated Henry VII and sent Margaret into a tailspin.

]]> 64. It Was All Falling Apart Margaret’s hopes for a Tudor dynasty were crumbling around her, and on top of that, her son Henry VII was paralyzed by grief. On top of his heartbreak, he fell ill and refused to see anyone but Margaret—not a great look for a ruler. As he recovered, his courtiers sought out potential candidates for a second wife, but all of his specifications just described Elizabeth.

Then, just as quickly, he swung the other way—and considered marrying his son’s widow, the teenaged Catherine of Aragon. Things were getting a bit too weird, and it was time for someone to take control. Guess who?

]]> 65. She Took Over After the tragic loss of Elizabeth of York in 1503, Margaret took over many of the queen’s jobs. She moved into the same manors as Henry’s oldest daughter, Princess Margaret, who was named after her. Henry’s dwindling brood meant that it was not only important to get his son hitched to someone powerful, but that he should probably do the same for his daughters, as well.

Considering her history with politically-driven marriages, you’d think that Margaret Beaufort would be a-ok with this. Well, apparently not…

]]> 66. She Was Protective King Henry VII hoped to marry his daughter off to the King of Scotland, James IV. Margaret’s reaction was completely unexpected. It was rare for mother and son to disagree, but she insisted that her granddaughter, 10 at the time, was far too young to go off with the Scottish king, who was in his late 20s. (Frankly, she has an excellent point).

Margaret demanded that they wait—and her reasons why were absolutely heartbreaking.

]]> 67. She Didn’t Want The Same Thing To Happen Again Margaret had never forgotten the trauma of her first wedding night and the subsequent birth of her son at 13 years old. She didn’t want the same thing to happen to her namesake granddaughter, and didn’t trust the infamously lusty James IV to wait until his bride was ready. Margaret begged Henry VII to put it off. As with many things, Henry gave way to his wise mother.

Princess Margaret didn’t leave for Scotland until she was 13—which is only hardly “better” by our standards, but Beaufort deserves points for trying.

]]> 68. She Lost Her Driving Force Despite their infrequent disagreements, there was no mother and son pair more devoted to each other’s success and well-being than Margaret and Henry VII—which makes what happened next all the more tragic. In 1509, Henry contracted tuberculosis, and passed on soon afterward. Henry had been Margaret’s reason for being since she’d been a teenager, and now, she’d outlived him. She was utterly heartbroken—but also determined to make sure that her life’s work hadn't been for naught.

]]> 69. She Couldn’t Stop Even while dealing with the loss of her son, Margaret took on the reins of responsibility. While she planned his funeral, she simultaneously organized the coronation of her grandson Henry, who would become King Henry VIII, and his wedding to Catherine of Aragon. Of course, Henry VII made her executor of his will and at the funeral, she had precedence over every other female family member, including his daughters. He was definitely a mama’s boy to the very end.

]]> 70. She Carried The Pain With Her Margaret was so single-mindedly dedicated to her family, it raises the question of why she didn’t have any other children. True, her first husband passed before their child was even born—but the real reason may be even more heartbreaking. If you’ll remember, Margaret’s first birth occurred when she was just 13, still underdeveloped and small of frame.

It was so painful and harrowing, it likely caused permanent damage, rendering her infertile—not to mention the psychological trauma.

]]> 71. She Never Forgot Him Despite the traumatic circumstances of her son’s conception and birth, Margaret would honor her only boy’s father in memory. When preparing her will, Margaret disregarded her two other (more long-lasting) marriages. She asked to be buried next to Edmund Tudor, the father of her son, upon her passing. It was good optics for the Tudor dynasty, after all.

]]> 72. She Was A Trailblazer Margaret was deeply concerned with education throughout her life, and that’s reflected in her legacy. The first Oxford University college to admit women is named in Margaret Beaufort’s honor. “Lady Margaret Hall” was founded in 1878 and bears the motto of its resilient namesake: “Souvent me Souviens,” which is Old French for "I often remember" or "Think of me often."

]]> 73. People Wondered How Ruthless She Really Was As mentioned earlier, Margaret Beaufort had remained loyal to the deposed Elizabeth Woodville, and perhaps even tried to help free her sons and heirs to Edward IV, the Princes in the Tower. However, one historian has advanced a different, much more disturbing possibility. She claims that getting rid of the two boys would’ve helped clear Henry Tudor’s path to the throne. Thus, when one looks at who could've possibly had the motive to trap the heirs in the tower, she pointed at Margaret Beaufort as potentially being the one behind their captivity—or, conceivably, having been the one to give the order to have the brothers murdered.

If it's true, Beaufort would've been behind one of the most vicious crimes of the Tudor era. However, despite Margaret’s penchant for political scheming, most historians believe she was incapable of going that far for what she wanted. Additionally, Beaufort wouldn't have been able to access the Tower of London without alerting King Richard III. 

]]> 74. She Didn’t Leave Until The Job Was Done In the weeks following Henry VII’s passing, Margaret was driven by the pure desire to ensure her grandson successfully married and took the throne—and, just as she had many other times in the latter half of her life, she got exactly what she wanted. The last family events that Margaret witnessed in her eventful life were the wedding of her grandson Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon and the couple’s joint coronation.

]]> 75. She Got Everything She Wanted In The End Margaret passed on just two months after her beloved son, at the ripe age of about 68. It also happened to be just five days after the coronation of Henry VIII, and one day after his 18th birthday—almost as if she were waiting for the last Tudor male to be a majority-age king in his own right before she retired forever.

Margaret Beaufort did not leave loose ends.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61262 <![CDATA[The Scandalous Life Of Princess Charlotte Of Monaco]]> 2026-07-16T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-14T13:57:58+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/fact-charlotte-of-monaco Byron Fast People Charlotte Of Monaco Was The Royal Family's Wild Card If Monaco’s Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, felt a little used, she certainly had her reasons. First, the royal family shunned her because her parents were never married, but then they realized that they actually needed her. So, they forced her into a marriage with someone who was her complete opposite. Not only that, but her groom also had a secret life, making the union a complete joke. When Charlotte of Monaco finally decided to live her life her way, the royal family was in for the biggest shock of their lives.

]]> 1. She Was A Wild Child On September 30, 1898, Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi was born in Constantine, French Algeria. Charlotte’s father was a big deal. He was Louis II, son of the Prince of Monaco. But little Charlotte didn't seem to fit the expectations of a granddaughter of Monaco’s reigning monarch. There was something wild about her. 

The answer to this discrepancy lay with Charlotte’s mother. 

]]> 2. Her Mother Was Scandalous Charlotte's father was the son and heir of Prince Albert I, who just happened to be reigning at the time. So, it seemed that Charlotte was kind of set for life. But there was a hitch. Charlotte’s mom wasn't exactly royal—in fact, she was the furthest thing from. Her father had met Marie Juliette Louvert on a trip to Paris. She was a cabaret singer.

This was scandalous enough, but she also had a few other strikes against her. 

]]> 3. She Was Far From Ideal In addition to being a cabaret singer, Charlotte’s mother was also a seamstress and a laundress. Worse still, she was already a mother of two. The father of these children was a “girlie” photographer named Achille Delmaet. As you can imagine, Louvert wasn't exactly what the royal family wanted in a wife for the prince’s only son. The truth was, Charlotte’s father was actually in love with Marie, the cabaret singer. 

He had to do something. 

]]> 4. Her Parents Broke The Rules Some believe that Louis defied his father and married Marie, but no legal document supports that claim. If they didn’t marry, that meant that when Charlotte of Monaco was born, it was outside of a legal marriage. This may not have been such a big deal except for one very important fact. 

]]> 5. She Was The Only One Charlotte’s father, Louis II, didn’t have any siblings, so the crown would go to him. However, Charlotte was the twist: She was his only child. He’d never been married, so he had no legitimate children. Members of the court could already anticipate a problem on the horizon. When Louis II passed, the crown couldn’t go to Charlotte or any other children from Louis’s marriage to a cabaret singer. 

The future of the Grimaldi family’s reign in Monaco was in dire straits. 

]]> 6. She Had To Be The Heir What they feared in Monaco was that upon Louis II's passing, the crown would skip Charlotte of Monaco and go to Louis’ cousin. This was Wilhelm, 2nd Duke of Urach. If his name doesn't sound French, you’re on to something. He was German, and this was a problem. The folks in Monaco didn’t want to upset their neighbors, the French, with a German Prince. 

Keeping things on a positive note with France was priority number one—and so they made a jaw-dropping decision.

]]> 7. She Was Their Only Hope  The French saw the writing on the wall and issued an ultimatum. They wanted the Prince of Monaco to find an heir to the throne who was not German. If they weren’t successful, France would annex Monaco. In this scenario, Monaco would no longer exist. Of course, it suddenly dawned on everyone. 

Charlotte was the Grimaldi family’s only hope. 

]]> 8. Her Parents Weren’t Married Until this time, Louis and Marie were raising Charlotte of Monaco in far-off Constantine, Algeria. When they moved back to Paris, Louis moved Marie, who was not his official wife, and Charlotte, who was not his legitimate daughter, into “Villa Charlotte," which is north of Paris. Since they were back on French soil, it seemed even more important that Louis marry Charlotte’s mother. 

But this would not be easy. 

]]> 9. He Said No Again Louis’ father still hadn't warmed up to the idea of Marie as a daughter-in-law. It was the same old problem. Her past professions, her divorce from a cheesy photographer, and her two children. Unfortunately, this hard "no" squashed Louis' dreams. This meant that Charlotte of Monaco would continue to be his illegitimate daughter. 

However, despite the odds stacked against her, Charlotte would become the key to saving this royal family. 

]]> 10. She Had A Mission  What the Prince of Monaco finally came to realize was that Charlotte was his only hope. Louis had no legitimate children, and he was not about to marry someone else while he was still in love with his cabaret-singing lover. They had a mission for Charlotte. Keep the Grimaldi family in power. 

But getting to the point was going to be a very rocky road. 

]]> 11. She Became Royalty  The Prince sensed that Charlotte of Monaco was important—but the problem still remained. She was illegitimate. Well, when you’re the big cheese, you can do anything you want. So, on May 15, 1911, he passed a law which finally recognized 13-year-old Charlotte as the child of Louis II. This made her a member of the Royal family, and her title would be Mademoiselle de Valentinois. 

This solution would soon hit a snag. 

]]> 12. They Took It Away Everything was smooth sailing for Charlotte, that is, until someone dug up some old statutes from 1882. These statutes made it very clear that an illegitimate child could not join the Royal Family. The Prince was back to square one, and Charlotte was back to being a non-royal. 

Luckily, the Prince had a plan B. 

]]> 13. She Was Adopted  The Prince wondered if it would be a good idea for his son to adopt his own daughter. If he adopted Charlotte of Monaco, certainly she would be a member of the royal family. To ensure this plan worked, the Prince passed an ordinance declaring adopted members part of the royal family. Once Louis had adopted Charlotte, she’d have the surname Grimadli. 

The next part of the plan would be to find a suitable husband for Charlotte, so she could carry on the family name. But this was no easy task. 

]]> 14. They Desperately Needed A Man  Charlotte’s father and grandfather searched high and low for a suitable match for her. But this was not going to be easy. Remember, Charlotte carried a sketchy past, and to please France, she needed a husband with ties to a royal family. He would also have to be willing to give up his family name and take on his wife’s name. 

They would be scraping the bottom of the royal barrel. 

]]> 15. He Was Exquisite  The search for a husband for Charlotte of Monaco stopped when they came upon Pierre Marie Xavier Raphaël Antoine Melchior de Polignac. His father was a count, and his mother was from Mexico. Pierre had exquisite manners, was soft-spoken, and loved the arts. But that wasn't what made him the perfect suitor.

]]> 16. He Wasn't Rich At All The thing was, Pierre's family had very little money, which was actually a good thing. It meant he might be willing to agree to marry a woman with a questionable background like Charlotte’s. But there was another, more compelling reason for Pierre to say “I do”. 

]]> 17. He Was Perfectly Wrong If you lived in Paris at this time and hung out with a certain crowd, there was one thing you would know. Pierre was gay. Many knew the truth, but didn’t speak about it in public. This fact made Pierre an even better candidate. He would do anything to keep his secret unspoken. Even going so far as to marry a woman like Charlotte. 

]]> 18. She Had A Lavender Marriage Getting Charlotte of Monaco and Pierre together had nothing to do with romance. There were no dinner dates. There were no love letters. It was all business. If Pierre looked at the situation analytically, he knew exactly what it was. They were recruiting him to inject his royal blood into a desperate family line. He was there to save Monaco. Of course, Charlotte's opinion of Pierre meant nothing. 

But she did have an opinion. 

]]> 19. He Wasn’t Her Type  Charlotte of Monaco was not one who had become enamored with the stuffy life of a princess. In fact, people still saw her as a little too wild for a royal. Likely, the fine boned and mild-mannered Pierre would be something close to the opposite of what Charlotte would look for in a man. This didn’t matter. Pierre was going to provide an heir. 

This wedding was happening whether she wanted it or not. 

]]> 20. She Tied The Knot Charlotte's father, Louis, had arranged everything for his daughter’s marriage. Whether he knew that Pierre was gay remains unknown. What we do know is that Louis would do anything to keep his family at the head of Monaco. As per the plan, Charlotte and Pierre married civilly on March 18th and religiously on March 19, 1920.

They didn’t hold back on the pageantry. 

]]> 21. They Spared No Expense In case anyone didn’t know there was a wedding going on, 21 cannons announced it pretty loudly. Charlotte wore a white dress made of silk and had a crown of orange flowers on her head. Pierre was slim, and his fair hair added to his nobility. A large crowd had come to welcome the couple to married life. This was a lot for a woman born to a cabaret singer. 

But if you looked closely, there were some dark omens baked into this elaborate wedding. 

]]> 22. It Was An Awkward Wedding  A picture is worth a thousand words. Photographs from the two wedding days show the couple looking tense. Charlotte of Monaco went so far as to actually point her body away from her husband. Pierre looked equally awkward. He spent the time looking off into the distance, likely wishing he were somewhere else. 

The energy of the wedding was peculiar, but the marriage? Well, that was even worse.

]]> 23. She Wasn’t Good Enough Believe it or not, the fact that the groom was gay wasn't the only problem with this marriage. There was also his alleged snobbery. Pierre reportedly saw himself as superior to the people around him. He also tried to make Monaco more like Paris. It was certainly a sign that he yearned for some of the freedoms of his past.

But when it came to his new life, he had no choice but to make Charlotte a priority...of sorts.

]]> 24. She Was Shockingly Distant From Her Own Husband Pierre and Charlotte couldn't be more different, and yet they still had one important duty to attend to: producing a male heir. The pressure to reproduce was immense and stifling, with both parties forced to put aside their distaste for one another for the sake of the royal bloodline. It was not a happy time for either of them. And all the while, Monaco and France expected results. 

]]> 25. There Was Good News And Bad News As it happened, Charlotte and Pierre were lucky in one respect. Almost exactly nine months after the wedding day, Charlotte was ready to give birth. But in the blink of an eye, her luck had disappeared. She gave birth to a girl. While the public celebrated the birth of Antoinette, Charlotte knew the horrible truth. To provide a male heir, she’d have to shake up the sheets with Pierre once again. 

The pressure was mounting.

]]> 26. She Moved Up The Ladder In 1922, Charlotte's grandfather passed away at the age of 73. This meant that Charlotte's father was now the Prince of Monaco. If Charlotte eventually had a son, he would get the top job. Charlotte’s life was not what anyone had expected. She was the daughter of a cabaret singer and seamstress, and now she was a celebrated member of the royal family. 

Now she needed a son even more urgently.

]]> 27. The Tension Was Palpable Charlotte and Pierre’s awkward work in the bedroom paid off once again. She was pregnant. The delivery day was May 31, 1923, and citizens of both Monaco and France were on the edges of their seats. When Charlotte gave birth to a son, there was a collective sigh of relief. After more than a decade of hard work, they had a male heir. 

But with the important work out of the way, Charlotte still had to deal with a husband she couldn’t stand. 

]]> 28. Her Husband Longed For Paris Charlotte and Pierre were now off the hook for providing a male heir. Pierre almost immediately began to pursue a life more in line with his interests. This meant occasional trips to Paris, where he was able to live a more carefree “gay” existence. It was the 1920s, and Paris was the place to play. That left Charlotte isolated—and left to her own devices.

]]> 29. She Felt Alone While her husband was spending time as a mover and shaker in Paris, Charlotte was stuck in Monaco raising their two kids. All she could do was brood about her husband living the high life off of her family’s wealth. She felt alone and used. And so it's no wonder that she began pleasure-seeking in her own debaucherous way.

]]> 30. He Treated Them Badly Though they were still married, Charlotte and Pierre were unofficially separated. His gay identity certainly drove a wedge between them. But that wasn't the only issue tearing the couple apart. Charlotte clearly wanted to have her fun too, and reportedly engaged in extramarital affairs.

For a royal couple, these two certainly didn't shy away from scandalous behavior—their gilded appearance only disguising a rotten core.

]]> 31. She Had An Affair With A Doctor Though Charlotte allegedly pursued several men, her most predominant lover of the time was none other than an Italian doctor named Dalmazzo. He could certainly please Charlotte in ways Pierre could not. And so when her marriage reached a breaking point in 1930, their ongoing estrangement became more of an acknowledged truth.

Severed from her disappointing husband through an unofficial separation, Charlotte ran straight for Dalmazzo, even moving into his villa. But as we'll see, there was even more drama to come.

]]> 32. She Finally Divorced Him Charlotte's marriage was both a total failure and a resounding success. In their own way, the couple secured a male heir, all while sacrificing their personal happiness. Three years after the break-up, Charlotte got an official divorce from Pierre in 1933. This turbulent chapter of her life was finally over. But unfortunately for Pierre, he had to suffer one last humiliation.

]]> 33. Her Father Was Enraged Divorce in any royal family has always been looked upon with disdain, and so perhaps it came as no surprise that Charlotte's father was not pleased with how his daughter's marriage had collapsed. However, it was Pierre whom he really turned his ire upon, unleashing his own special revenge.

]]> 34. Her Husband Paid A High Price If Pierre thought he was going to escape this royal mess unscathed, he was sorely mistaken. According to one article, "The union ended ... under circumstances which prompted the temperamental father-in-law to vow he would call out the Monégasque army if the prince ever set foot in the principality again".

Pierre was exiled...but not for long.

]]> 35. She Didn't Leave Him Empty-Handed Thankfully for Pierre, Monaco ultimately had mercy on him, lifting his punishment of exile just a few months after the divorce went through. He also walked away with a generous annuity of 500,000 francs. The dramatic saga of Pierre and Charlotte was finally over—but her next era might have been the most surprising part of all.

]]> 36. She Had Her First Taste Of Freedom Princess Charlotte's strength of character was undeniable, and she knew what she wanted. She wasn't a fan of politics or Monaco, and actually spent most of her time in France. She also had a deep love for her many dogs. After her marriage ended, she had time to pursue her true passions...and being the Hereditary Princess of Monaco was not one of them.

]]> 37. She Gave Up The Throne In 1944, with her father's blessing, Charlotte renounced her rights to the throne. Instead, it would go straight to her son Rainier, as long as he didn't pass away before her. She promptly dropped "Hereditary" from her title. The Princess of Monaco had bigger plans for her future, and she was going to leave all of her drama in the past. Or so she thought.

]]> 38. She Ran In A Completely Different Direction Princess Charlotte decided to switch lanes and go to university, where she studied social work. With justice on her mind, she became a "prison visitor". To her children's dismay, though, she went a step further. Charlotte lived at the Grimaldi estate, Chteau de Marchais—but what she turned it into was the biggest bombshell of all.

]]> 39. She Sought Justice Chteau de Marchais became a rehabilitation centre for former inmates. The seedy histories of some of these ex-convicts made Charlotte's children deeply worried for her well-being. But the princess was as unshakable as ever. Somehow, this new project wasn't even the most shocking part of her new lifestyle.

]]> 40. She Had A Scandalous Lover Not only was Charlotte focusing her efforts on former convicts, but she was also romantically involved with one. She lived with a man named René Girier, who was an infamous French jewel thief. This was certainly a scandalous twist of fate for the woman who was once set to inherit the throne. But then she took it a step further.

]]> 41. She Made A Dramatic Entrance Charlotte never shied away from making waves, so when her son Rainier's wedding to rolled around in 1956, she made a cheeky move—and managed to make headlines once again. She let her bad-boy lover, René, drive her to the event. But her explanation to Rainier was the best part of all.

]]> 42. She Brought A Thief To The Wedding Addressing her sensational decision to employ René as her chauffeur, Charlotte reportedly told her flabbergasted son, “After all these years in the shade, I thought a little sun would do him good". At the time, René was still on parole, making it all the more scandalous. But Charlotte was never your typical mother.

]]> 43. She Was More A Friend Than A Mother Sources say that Prince Rainier III later commented on his unique relationship with his mother, referring to Charlotte as more of a friend than anything else. It really seemed like Charlotte had a wily way of wriggling out of the roles society thrust upon her. And in the end, she was even awarded for the brazen path she chose.

]]> 44. She Made Her Mark Dedicating herself to helping prisoners change their lives and reintroducing them to society, Charlotte proved that she had more to offer the world. What's more? France recognized her efforts, presenting her with several awards, including the French Medal of Recognition, and The French Red Cross Silver Medal, among many others.

However, the details of the end of her story are quite murky.

]]> 45. Her Passing Went Unexplained There's very little to be found about what caused the decline of Princess Charlotte's health, or what illness eventually caused her passing in 1977. All we know is that she passed in Paris at the age of 79, never living to see the tragedy that would rock the world of her son.

]]> 46. Her Daughter-In-Law Passed In A Tragic Way Just five years after losing his mother, Prince Rainier suffered another horrible loss with the sudden passing of his famous wife, Grace Kelly. Both Grace and Charlotte's legacies live on through their children, but there is one grandchild in particular whose life runs parallel to Charlotte's in a shocking way.

]]> 47. Her Grandaughter Shared Her Likeness Sources say that Rainier and Grace's daughter, Caroline, draws striking comparisons to her paternal grandmother, Charlotte. Not only do they share a likeness, but the follies of their young lives are surprisingly similar. As you might remember, Charlotte wed a man she didn't love—Pierre de Polignac—when she was 21. At the same age, Caroline herself took a husband—Ernst of Hanover—a man favored by her mother.

]]> 48. She Lives On Through The Bloodline She Saved Both Charlotte and Caroline have also had scandalous love lives, with Caroline's tryst with Philippe Junot mirroring Charlotte's jaw-dropping romance with the thief René Girieux. But perhaps most of all, both grandmother and granddaughter had a knack for getting under Grace Kelly's skin.

]]> 49. Her Story Needs To Be Told Though Charlotte's story may have been overshadowed by the drama and tragedy of her son's marriage to Grace Kelly, it was no less fascinating. She was the illegitimate daughter of a prince and a cabaret singer. Forced into a loveless marriage with a gay man for the sake of her bloodline, it seemed like she was destined for unhappiness. But against all odds, she changed her fate and left a trail of scandals in her wake.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61522 <![CDATA[Mathilde Kschessinska was the ballerina who stole the heart of Russian royalty—but that was just the beginning of her unbelievable story.]]> 2026-07-15T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-14T13:55:13+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-about-mathilde-kschessinska David O'Shea People Drama Queen Mathilde Kschessinska was the ultimate diva, with a life story ripped from the tabloids. A talented ballerina who redefined the artform on the world stage, her life behind the scenes burst with sordid affairs with royals, petty squabbles with her fellow dancers, and, at the outbreak of revolution in Russia, a hasty exit from her homeland. She lived a long life and witnessed seismic changes in the world, but her craft always remained her north star.

]]> 1. She Was Nobility Mathilde-Marie Feliksovna Kschessinska was born on August 31, 1872, in St Petersburg. She was the youngest child of the noble Krzesiński family, who had their origins in Poland. The lineage had a reputation for more than just their nationality, however.

]]> 2. She Had A Family Business Mathilde’s destiny as a ballerina seemed preordained: she came from a family renowned for their dancing skills. Indeed, her father, brother, and sister all danced in St Petersburg at one point or another. Her father, in particular, had received the honor of a royal summons.

]]> 3. Her Father Got Invited Mathilde’s father was Adam-Felix Kschessinsky, an extremely talented mazurka dancer. Mazurka is a Polish musical form of folk dance, and along with four other dancers, the tsar personally invited Adam-Felix to perform in St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theater in 1853, a huge honor for the noble. It was only natural, then, that his daughter would follow in his footsteps.

]]> 4. She Studied Ballet Mathilde’s father decided to stay in St Petersburg and enrolled his daughter in the Imperial Theatre School in 1880, when she was just eight years old. There, Mathilde studied ballet under some of the discipline’s biggest names, including the famous prima ballerina and instructor Yekaterina Vazem. Mathilde was already enthusiastic about the art form, taking inspiration from dancers such as Virginia Zucchi. It wasn’t long before she was ready to take the stage.

]]> 5. She Put On A Show It spoke to Mathilde’s great talent that her very first performance was on such a renowned stage: On August 30, 1881, the day before her ninth birthday, she performed in a ballet production of Don Quixote on the Grand Theater Stage. She excelled even as a child, and before long, she was attracting some notable spectators.

]]> 6. She Had To Impress For her graduation exam dance, Mathilde Kschessinska opted to perform the pas de deux from La Fille Mal Gardée, to the music of Stella Confidenta. And as if she wasn’t nervous enough already, the young ballerina soon learned that none other than the tsar himself, Alexander III, and other members of the Imperial family would attend her graduation performance. The pressure was on, and the tsar was not shy with his assessment.

]]> 7. She Nailed It The stakes for Mathilde’s graduation dance could not have been higher, but her immense talent and determined attitude meant she met the moment with grace and skill. So impressed was the tsar with her performance that afterward, he publicly gushed: “Be the glory and the adornment of our ballet!” There was another member of the Imperial family that Mathilde impressed, too.

]]> 8. She Met A Boy Accompanying the tsar to Mathilde’s graduation performance was his son, the Tsesarevich, and the future Tsar Nicholas II. Nicholas, like his father, felt mesmerized at the ballerina’s performance, and mutual friends introduced the two after the show. They quickly developed feelings for one another.

]]> 9. She Had A Royal Affair Mathilde Kschessinska was just 17 when she met Nicholas in 1890, and the two began a secret relationship. She became his mistress for the next three years or so, during which time they would meet clandestinely. She developed deep feelings for the future tsar, but ultimately, their destinies would not overlap. For Nicholas, duty called.

]]> 10. She Got Moved Aside In 1894, Nicholas’ father passed after a bout with illness. Now facing an ascension, Nicholas had to do his imperial duty. Shortly after his father’s passing, the new tsar married Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and ended his affair with Mathilde. Perhaps the young ballerina would have been more heartbroken had she not had a career to focus on.

]]> 11. She Began Her Career Mathilde Kschessinska graduated from the Imperial Theater School at the age of 18 and received accolades as one of the most skilled dancers of her graduating cohort. She made her official onstage debut on April 22, 1890, performing the same dance she had chosen for her exam. Before long, she would attain the most coveted title.

]]> 12. She Was Number One After grinding for six straight years, tirelessly working to perfect her craft and performing in several stage shows, Mathilde reached a milestone in 1896 when she obtained the title of prima ballerina assoluta of the Saint Petersburg Imperial Theatres. It was a monumental achievement for a performer as young as her, and all the more impressive by the fact that they scarcely awarded the title locally.

]]> 13. She Was First Of Her Nation Despite dancing in a Russian ballet troupe, in the most renowned theater in Russia, Mathilde was, surprisingly, the only Russian dancer ever to receive the prima ballerina title in the Saint Petersburg Imperial Theatre and would remain the sole Russian recipient up until the 1917 Revolution.

Before that, the title always went to imported dancers from other nations, making Mathilde a great source of pride among her countrymen. Indeed, she had earned quite a reputation as a performer.

]]> 14. She Had Skills Mathilde Kschessinska had certainly earned her prima ballerina title. She had a reputation for her vigorous work ethic and energetic commitment to improving her technique. She gained renown among critics and spectators alike for her expressive depth, her grace, and her technical prowess. She even set a record here and there.

]]> 15. She Was A Spinner Mathilde developed a reputation for taking on difficult ballet moves, and she gave particular focus to improving her fouettés en tournant, the name given for “whipped turns” performed in place on one leg. She excelled at this undertaking and became the first Russian dancer to master an astonishing 32 consecutive turns. Her unmatched skill launched the artform into the stratosphere.

]]> 16. She Redefined Her Craft Mathilde’s exceptional talent meant that audiences kept lining up, and though she could have rested on her laurels, she always pushed that little bit harder. Her technical mastery and expressive artistry played an important role in influencing the development of Russian ballet itself, turning it into a dominant cultural force on the world stage. And indeed, the world was watching.

]]> 17. She Hit The Road Mathilde extended her influence over ballet across the globe. As part of her Imperial Theatre troupe duties, she undertook extensive international tours, dancing throughout Europe, North America, and beyond, enthralling audiences the world over. Even with her colossal success, however, there was always a bigger fish.

]]> 18. She Was Often Number Two Despite Mathilde’s wild success, international renown, and prima ballerina status, she somehow still often played second fiddle to her talented co-star, Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani. Many consider Legnani one of the greatest ballerinas of all time and because of this, she often received better roles in the Imperial Theatre’s productions than the overlooked prima ballerina. Mathilde still had her advocates, of course.

]]> 19. She Was A Muse From early in her career, Mathilde Kschessinska developed a close collaborative relationship with Marius Petipa, a renowned French-Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. Petipa created roles specifically for Mathilde in no fewer than seven productions.

Indeed, even the ballerina herself acknowledged the role her collaborator played in her career, conceding, “My whole artistic career […] had been linked with Petipa”. And while she served as a muse for one man, she could be incredibly difficult for others.

]]> 20. She Was A Diva 1899 saw the appointment of Prince Serge Wolkonsky as director of the Imperial Theatres. Though he achieved much during his brief tenure, he only held the position for around three years—and Mathilde was partly responsible for this.

The two creatives would often clash and, in 1902, after Mathilde refused to perform in an unflattering costume for a ballet performance, the fallout forced Wolkonsky to resign. The prima ballerina clearly had sway, and it may have been because of her associations.

]]> 21. She Got Busy Mathilde attracted the attention of some high-profile men with her mesmerizing stage presence and striking beauty. During the late 1890s and early 1900s, she engaged in physical relationships with not one but two Grand Dukes of the Romanov family: Andrei Vladimirovich and his cousin, Sergei Mikhailovich. The situation, inevitably, got messy.

]]> 22. She Had A Kid In 1902, Mathilde Kschessinska gave birth to a son whom she named Vladimir. Little Vlad would go by “Vova” for most of his life. But who was his father? Well, even Mathilde wasn’t certain of that; either Vladimirovich or Mikhailovich could have sired him, though no one ever found out for sure. But that didn’t stop speculation.

]]> 23. She Got Rebuffed While Mathilde was unsure of her son’s parentage, one candidate certainly seemed confident in his childlessness. She would later write that "Serge knew for certain that he was not the father of the child", and Mathilde seemed to take him at his word. But perhaps it was wishful thinking.

]]> 24. She Had A Crush It was easy for Mathilde to go along with Serge’s denial of fatherhood because she preferred the other cousin anyway. She was not reticent in professing her love for Andrei Vladimirovich, in writing nor in exclamation. She even named her son after her preferred candidate for grand-fatherhood, writing that little Vlad got named “in honor of the Grand Duke Vladimir, André's father”. And if Andrei did not object, it was probably the result of a charm offensive.

]]> 25. She Was Jovial Reports as to Mathilde’s character have been mixed. It appears, however, that if she was fond of someone, she could be quite charming and kind. Many colleagues characterized her as such, including a young Tamara Karsavina, who would also go on to be prima ballerina. But Mathilde wasn’t afraid to use any advantage she had.

]]> 26. She Had Friends In High Places Because of her previous affair with the tsar and her ongoing liaisons with high-ranking members of the Romanov Imperial family, Mathilde could easily climb the ranks in the Imperial Theatre. Indeed, she was not afraid to use her connections to advance her position. She was a high-class woman through and through.

]]> 27. She Sparkled Mathilde did not spare on lavish visuals for her performances. She often sewed valuable jewels into her ballet costumes, and, on at least one occasion, she even wore a diamond encrusted tiara and choker. And you’d better believe that if she had the glamorous, excessive qualities of a diva, she had all the difficult ones too.

]]> 28. She Was Dangerous If anyone got on Mathilde’s bad side, even unintentionally, she made life very difficult for them at the Imperial Theatre. She was infamous for her ruthlessness with her rivals, perceived or otherwise. But just because she was cunning and powerful did not mean she always succeeded.

]]> 29. She Tried To Upstage In 1902, while Mathilde Kschessinska was pregnant, the Theatre gave her the responsibility of coaching a young Anna Pavlova. The rising star clearly had talent, and Mathilde probably felt threatened by her. She dismissed Pavlova as technically weak, confidently asserting that the younger ballerina would not upstage the experienced veteran. It was a huge mistake.

]]> 30. She Miscalculated Mathilde missed a valuable opportunity to strap herself to Pavlova’s rising star. The young, frail, ethereal ballerina completely enthralled audiences, and went on to become one of the greatest of all time. She essentially left Mathilde in the dust. But perhaps Pavlova got off lucky, considering some of Mathilde’s other methods of disruption (more on that later).

]]> 31. She Was Propertied For all her character flaws, Mathilde still had charm enough to maintain a robust network of aristocratic connections. Taking advantage of these friends in high places, the ballerina amassed, over time, plenty of valuable property in Russia’s capital. But the excesses of Mathilde and her aristocratic class would soon come back to haunt them.

]]> 32. She Got Expropriated In 1917, the February Revolution against the tsar completely upended the balance of power, and although it was largely a bourgeois revolution (the communists would not take power until the triumphant October Revolution later that year), the Bolsheviks did win some ground that month: namely, Mathilde’s house.

The heroic force of workers took over Mathilde’s property, booted her from the premises, and held party meetings there, one of which was attended by Lenin himself. Reflecting her class interests, Mathilde would, of course, paint a different picture.

]]> 33. She Felt Entitled Mathilde Kschessinska tried in vain to reclaim her property. She made unfounded claims that the Bolshevik’s had turned it into a “pigsty” and unsuccessfully attempted, through the courts, to recover her ownership. Hilariously, Mathilde claimed that one day, while passing the house, she spotted prominent Bolshevik organizer Alexandra Kollontai wearing one of her overcoats. And while she no longer had the property, Mathilde still had privilege.

]]> 34. She Turned Tail Eventually realizing that her class was quickly losing power and relevance in Russia, Mathilde took her remaining wealth and fled to safer lands for aristocrats: Paris, France. Over the next few years, as the Red Army advanced and the Bolsheviks liberated Russia from tsarist and bourgeois yolk alike, Mathilde fled across the country until she eventually arrived in France on March 12, 1920. She had a companion all the way, and they grew very close.

]]> 35. She Married Her Love During her entire flight from Russia, Mathilde had company in the form of her long-time lover and likely baby daddy, Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of the deposed Romanov family. The two grew even closer on their journey and, after settling in France, the couple wed in Cannes on January 30, 1921. And though their titles held no power in Russia, the newlyweds desperately clung to them, nonetheless.

]]> 36. She Got A Title Despite the overthrow of the tsar in Russia, Mathilde Kschessinska and her fellow aristocratic exiles still put stock in their now-meaningless titles and positions. Writing about her wedding day, she claimed that the Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia bestowed upon her the name of Krassinsky and the title of Princess. And for good measure, Mathilde added another recognizable name too.

]]> 37. She Became A Royal, I Guess While Mathilde happily played princess, her marriage to Andrei was, in reality, a morganatic one, given their unequal social rank. Because of this, she could only take the name Romanovsky, though her son received the Imperial name of Romanov, for all the good it would do him. The ballerina princess took one last step to cement herself in the annals of the withering dynasty.

]]> 38. She Converted For all of her life, Mathilde had been a devout Catholic, a faith she had inherited from her Polish roots. This was somewhat frowned upon in Romanov circles, however, and though it took her a while to relent, the princess finally converted to Russian Orthodoxy in December 1925. It was slowly dawning on Mathilde that she may never return to Russia, so she decided to settle.

]]> 39. She Established Herself On February 5, 1929, Mathilde and her family finally made the move to their new Paris home. Less than two months later, Mathilde resumed her life’s passion and opened a dance studio in the French capital. Lessons began in earnest on April 6, and over the next few years, she built something she could be proud of.

]]> 40. She Attracted A Flock Mathilde’s name held sway among the ballet-parents of Paris, and her school quickly attracted all manner of budding ballerinas. By 1933, she had over 100 students, both boys and girls. Mathilde found herself to be an incredibly competent ballet instructor, and her school’s notable graduates proved it.

]]> 41. She Taught The Greats Many notable ballet dancers, teachers, and choreographers graduated from Mathilde’s Paris school, showcasing her supreme eye for talent. Those graduates included names that may not be recognizable to the layperson but whom, within the ballet world, were titans.

Among them were Pearl Argyle, June Brae, Margot Fonteyn, Diana Gould, Andrée Howard, Pamela May, Tatiana Riabouchinska, and Harold Turner. All these performers even had the honor of dancing alongside their decorated teacher and mentor.

]]> 42. She Kept Going While teaching, Mathilde Kschessinska continued to perform in ballet productions until her body simply no longer allowed it. She made her final appearance onstage on June 14, 1936, at a jubilee performance in London’s Covent Garden. Impressively, the renowned ballerina was 64 years old when she strapped her shoes on for the last time, after which she settled into a long retirement.

]]> 43. She Lost Her Love With the success of the ballet school, Mathilde and Andrei settled into a quiet and comfortable life in Paris. Over the next couple of decades, Andrei suffered on and off from health issues; despite this, however, he ended up living longer than most Romanovs tended to. Mathilde’s husband passed suddenly in 1956 at the age of 77. Devastated, the ballerina found some comfort in reminiscing.

]]> 44. She Recounted Her Life Following her husband’s demise, Mathilde took to the typewriter for creative solace. In 1960, she published her autobiography in French, which later got released in English under the title Dancing in St. Petersburg: The Memoirs of Kschessinska. Unfortunately, however, the book didn’t sell enough to supplement a lost husband’s income.

]]> 45. She Struggled In her later years, Mathilde struggled financially—she and her husband had already been living modestly (compared to their life in Russia) before he had passed, and with his loss and her retirement from the stage, times got tough. Mathilde remained indomitable all the while, however, and held on for a very long time.

]]> 46. Her Final Curtain Call Mathilde Kschessinska passed on December 6, 1971, in Paris, France. She was an astounding 99 years of age. The prima ballerina had lived through a tumultuous and dizzying century and, all things considered, had come out of it relatively unscathed, reasonably comfortable, and deeply admired by her community. She was more than ready to rest alongside her loved ones.

]]> 47. She Lay With Her Love Mathilde's family entombed her alongside her husband in Paris’ Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Russian Cemetery, a cemetery dedicated to the Russian diaspora of the city. And because she lived for so long, it wasn’t actually long before she and Andrei would have further eternal company.

]]> 48. Her Son Joined Her As mentioned, Mathilde was a whopping 99 years of age when she finally kicked it, meaning her son was 69 years old. He was a Romanov boy through and through, and as a result, he did not last much longer than his mother. Three years later, young Vova passed at the age of 72 and got buried alongside his parents. Mathilde’s memory now had to live on in fictional accounts.

]]> 49. She Made The Screen Since her passing, actors have portrayed Mathilde Kschessinska numerous times in film and television. Notable depictions include Fall of Eagles, a 13-part BBC television drama featuring her as a character, a 1983 film about the titular Anna Pavlova, and an upcoming untitled project centering on her and penned by the legendary Paul Schrader, known for writing such massive films as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. 

For a diva like Mathilde, she would take nothing but joy in the idea of gracing the silver screen. She'd also probably be quite amused that the world still remembers one of her most famous pranks. 

]]> 50. She Played Fowl Tricks 1906 saw the Imperial Theatre planning a production of La Fille Mal Gardée, and Mathilde was determined to play the role of Lise. The coveted role, however, ended up going to fellow dancer Olga Preobrajenska. The production involved the use of live chickens onstage, and, in an act of petty spite, Mathilde released the fowl early in Preobrajenska’s variation, hoping to disrupt her performance.

But much to Mathilde’s chagrin, her rival pulled off the variation flawlessly, resulting in thunderous applause from the audience. It was yet another notorious incident of a plan gone wrong for Mathilde, but at least she had her wealth.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=26778 <![CDATA[The More Archaeologists Study The Great Pyramids—The Stranger They Become]]> 2026-07-14T11:00:00+00:00 2026-07-13T20:57:35+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/things/facts-about-the-great-pyramids Carl Wyndham Things Egypt's Greatest Mystery As some of the oldest standing structures on Earth, the Great Pyramids have inspired humans for thousands of years. So, how were they built? Why were they built? What do they contain? Why are they located where they are? And those questions are just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond that, the pyramids are considered so great that they represent something even larger than life, as the ancient proverb says: “Man fears time, time fears the pyramids.” 

]]> 1. Now That’s Old The oldest of all of the Great Pyramids is the Pyramid of Djoser. This pyramid, constructed in the Saqqara Necropolis, was built during the 27th century BCE, over 4,700 years ago. It was built with ascending flat tops, making it a step pyramid, so while doesn't look quite like the more famous pyramids of Giza, it's no less impressive.

]]> 2. Ancient Architect The Pyramid of Djoser was built by Imhotep, the person known to be the first pyramid architect of Egypt. This renaissance man was also an engineer, polymath, priest, and physician. Imhotep was so well regarded that after his death he was elevated to the status of God of Medicine.

]]> 3. Shrinking Pyramid Though it is the largest of Pyramids, the Great Pyramid of Giza has actually shrunk over time. Now standing at 138.8 meters, it was originally 146.7 meters tall.

]]> 4. Physics Meets Pyramid In 2017, modern physics made its foray into the world of the world of the Great Pyramid of Giza. A new chamber, the first new one to be discovered since the 19th century, was discovered by scientists who used particle physics to explore the inner workings of the pyramid.

]]> 5. Realm of the Dead The west bank of the Nile River was associated with the realm of the dead, according to Egyptian mythology, due to being where the sun sets. Because of this, the Egyptians made sure to place all of their pyramids on the west bank of the Nile River.

]]> 6. Last Wonder Standing Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one we still have in existence today. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Lighthouse of Alexandria rounded out the list, but they were all lost to time.

]]> 7. Giza Surroundings Your imagination may picture the pyramids of Giza surrounded by nothing but vast sandscapes, but if that is the case, then you’re in for a wake-up call. Giza is one of Egypt's most populous cities, with millions of people residing there, meaning that the Great Pyramid is flanked by neighborhoods and even a golf course which lays just a few hundred feet north. The reason why we believe the pyramids to be isolated is that the pictures we are familiar with are taken from certain angles to show off the limestone plateaus of the area. Oh, and there is not only a Pizza Hut within a stone's throw of the pyramids, but a KFC as well.

]]> 8. Tallest Building on the Planet For over 3,800 years (3,871 to be exact), the Great Pyramid of Giza stood as the tallest man-made structure on earth. Built 4,500 years ago, the pyramid held its place as the tallest building on earth until the fourteenth century. It was the Lincoln Cathedral, built in England in 1311, that stole the title of Tallest Building away from the Great Pyramid.

]]> 9. Heavy Stones One of the reasons why scientists are still baffled and amazed by the construction of the pyramids is that many of the stones weigh somewhere between five to ten tons apiece. Yes, you read that right, many stones of the pyramid weigh more than an elephant and hippopotamus combined, yet they were cut, moved, and placed with a truly remarkable precision.

]]> 10. That’s One Heavy Pyramid The average stone for one of the pyramids weighs 2.5 tons, and the Pyramid of Giza has 2.3 million of these blocks alone. That puts the weight of the Great Pyramid at over 5,750,000 tons.

]]> 11. Glorious Light, Indeed The ancient name of the Great Pyramid of Giza was “Ikhet,” which translates to “Glorious Light,” for reasons we'll get into below.

]]> 12. They Sure Did Like Building Pyramids We only speak about a handful of ancient pyramids, but that doesn’t mean that only a handful exist. So, how many are there then? Maybe 25, 50, 100? Nope! There 138 still standing. And across the world, there are over 5,000 pyramids still standing!

]]> 13. Paid Workers While many people believe that the Egyptian pyramids were constructed by the hands of slaves, it was the hands of paid workers who built the massive structures. Laborers who were known for their craft were brought in from the surrounding regions to take on the task of building the pyramid, though they did work extremely hard.

]]> 14. Beer for the Afterlife We know for certain that paid laborers were used because the tombs of these workers were discovered in 2010. The bodies were respected, preserved in sand, and buried with jugs of beer and bread to accompany them in the afterlife. That makes us wonder, does that mean that the pyramids were constructed by a group of people who were a bit tipsy?

]]> 15. The Pyramid of Khufu The Great Pyramid of Giza also goes by the name of the Pyramid of Khufu. As each pyramid was built for a different pharaoh, Khufu got the honors of getting the largest one. It is also known as the Pyramid of Cheops, which was the Hellenized version of Cheops.

]]> 16. My, That is a Large Coffer You’ve Got There The main chamber of the Pyramid of Giza contains a massive granite sarcophagus, because if it is the largest pyramid, it must have a huge sarcophagus. What is surprising, however, is that the entrance passage which leads to the main chamber is way too narrow to have fit the sarcophagus through it. Archaeologists believe this means that instead of the sarcophagus being placed in the pyramid after its construction, the pyramid was actually built around it. Also, since the sarcophagus is much less finely constructed than the rest of the pyramid, archaeologists aren't exactly about its origin. One theory posits that the intended sarcophagus was destroyed before it made it to the site, so another had to be quickly thrown together.

]]> 17. Constellation Alignment The ancient Egyptians knew their astrological patterns. They constructed their pyramids in north-south directional patterns to align with the Big Dipper and Little Dipper. What makes this so impressive is their accuracy, as they are placed within 0.05 degrees.

]]> 18. Sticky Stuff In order to create such strong structures, the Egyptians concocted an adhesive mortar that really deserves being called super. With almost five million tonnes of mortar being used, the adhesive is one of the biggest reasons why the pyramids are still standing to this day, as it is stronger than the actual stone itself.

]]> 19. Mystical Leaders For thousands of years, people have marveled at the Great Pyramids, especially the Pyramid of Giza. It has been said that such remarkable figures as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and even Napoleon Bonaparte all decided to spend a night inside of the Great Pyramid just to see what all the fuss was about.

]]> 20. Enter the Void The Great Pyramid of Giza contains a “Big Void,” as it has been named. This “Big Void” is a massive structure that resembles a corridor and is believed to be a Grand Gallery. Hidden behind the North face of the pyramid for hundreds of years, this mysterious void has yet to be explored by modern scientists and what it contains is still unknown. This is just one of many unknown voids that the Great Pyramids contain, which have only recently been realized with the implementation of modern scanning technology.

]]> 21. How Many Workers Does It Take To Build A Pyramid There is no way to know just how many people it took to construct one of the Great Pyramids, but it is believed by many that it would have taken up to 100,000 individual workers.

]]> 22. Sphinx Protection The Egyptians knew that the incredible Giza Necropolis needed to be guarded by a structure of equal magnanimity, and they didn’t disappoint. The Great Sphinx, which was likely built in the representation of the Pharaoh Khafre, stands on guard at the entrance to the necropolis. The Great Sphinx is also the largest monolith statue on the face of Earth.

]]> 23. Chiseled with Copper Though no one knows just how the stones of the pyramids were placed in construction, it is widely agreed that the massive blocks were carved with copper chisels, stone pounders, and abrasive quartz sand. 

]]> 24. Evolving Practice Even though we do not know exactly how the pyramids were constructed, it is accepted that the techniques used to construct them evolved over time. This means that while Imhotep was the original architect, his practices were worked on and developed as the centuries passed. Of course, maybe some of them were even dropped and replaced with better strategies.

]]> 25. Inspiring More Pyramids The Great Pyramids spurred the construction of other pyramids around the region. After the pyramid period ended in the north, another period of pyramid construction took place further south, in what is now Sudan, creating what are now called the Nubian Pyramids.

]]> 26. Indestructible The ancient pyramids didn’t only have to survive mother nature, but also mankind. In the 12th century, Sultan Al-Aziz of the Kurdish Ayyubid Empire made an attempt to destroy the Giza pyramids. While his attempt was futile, he did leave his mark by gashing the northern face of the Menkaure Pyramid.

]]> 27. Lining Up with Osiris One theory about the pyramids of Giza posits that they were designed and placed to correlate with the three stars in Orion's Belt. The constellation of Orion was known by the Egyptians—it was associated with their god Sah—but it has not been proven whether or not the pyramids' similarity to the constellation was intentional or not. They do line up pretty well though...

]]> 28. Shine On You Crazy Stars The pyramids didn't always look like they do today. Their faces were originally polished with a casing of white limestone. The purpose of the limestone layer was to reflect the sun and light up the structures, which would make them their own little stars visible for many miles. Glorious Light, indeed.

]]> 29. No to Read Here In 2011, a group of researchers sent a small robot into the Great Pyramid to search some of its unexplored areas, and it managed to find a secret chamber with strange hieroglyphics written in red paint. Who knows what further exploration like this will uncover?

]]> 30. Still Served After Death While Pharaohs got to be buried in enormous, majestic Pyramids, what about the non-royals? Well, while they didn't get anything quite so impressive, many lower-rank Egyptians got to be buried in smaller tombs called "mastabas." These were rectangular structures with flat roofs but with sides that gradually leaned inward—think like a pyramid with the top 80% or so cut off. Hey, it could be worse.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=31785 <![CDATA[Of all Leslie Hutchinson's lovers, his affair with Countess Edwina Mountbatten was the most scandalous.]]> 2026-07-10T11:00:00+00:00 2026-07-09T16:04:43+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-leslie-hutchinson Dancy Mason People The Royal Scandal-Maker In the Roaring 20s, no one lived like Leslie Hutchinson. People came in droves to see the cabaret star’s performances—but the anarchy that went on in his crowds was nothing compared to the chaos and scandal of his personal life. From secret love children to one of the most infamous royal bedroom gifts in history, Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson’s story is as juicy as they come.

]]> 1. He Was A Natural Born in Grenada at the exact turn of the century, Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson seemed destined to usher the stodgy Victorian world into a new era of sensual pleasure and thrilling scandal. In 1916, when he was still just a teenager, he moved to New York and ended up playing piano in a series of smoky, dimly-lit bars. It was the beginning of his notoriety, and it went from sweet to scary in an instant.

]]> 2. He Was A High Society Darling Hutch was good enough to land a position in an all-Black band that played across New York City for clients like the uber-wealthy Vanderbilt family. Yet with this fame came grave danger: Objecting to the racial mixing the band represented, the Klu Klux Klan swore vengeance on the group. Hutch, however, didn’t bat an eye. He just came up with a new, more glamorous plan.

]]> 3. He Abandoned His Wife By 1924, the fully-grown Hutch took himself off to Paris, hoping it was a less prejudiced mecca. Yet this was also a huge betrayal. Just months before his trans-Atlantic move, Hutch had married a humble, normal woman named Ella Byrd. He would have a daughter with her, Lesley, just a couple of years later. Although Ella followed him to France, Hutch still wasn’t the settling down kind. As soon as he got to Paris, he got himself into trouble.

]]> 4. He Took A Scandalous Lover See, Hutch knew how to take advantage of French living, and before he spent long on the Paris music scene, he had already become the illicit lover of the legendary songwriter Cole Porter. The sketchy morals of this relationship were nonetheless good for his career: Porter opened up even more doors for Hutch—and led him right to the woman who would seal his infamy.

]]> 5. He Met A Powerful Woman During these heady days, Hutch rubbed elbows with none other than Countess Edwina Mountbatten, an English heiress and socialite who had a racy reputation for outrageous parties, affairs with just about anyone, and one wicked sense of fun. Naturally, she developed a liking for Hutch from the moment she saw him work a room on stage. Then the drama started.

]]> 6. He Seduced A Royal Edwina was used to getting what she wanted, and at that moment, all she wanted was Hutch. At one of his infamous post-show parties, she set up an introduction between herself and the singer. It was certainly successful: Just a few nights later, at one of his shows, everyone watched as the married Hutch scandalously sang directly to the married Edwina in the crowd. Oh, but that was just the beginning.

]]> 7. He Had A Very Public Display Of Affection If anyone was in doubt about the vibes flowing between Hutch and the Countess, his next move must have made jaws drop. He got close enough for Edwina to take off her scarf, loop it around his neck, and kiss him in full view of the public. As we’ll see, though, this was the least of the troubles Hutch and Edwina would get into. Besides, Hutch had another life-altering moment coming his way.

]]> 8. He Was Intimate With A Prince In 1927, Edwina Mountbatten convinced Hutch to take his Paris show on the road and make the hop across the channel to England. Once Hutch did, his already scandalous life dialed up to 11. He became a sensation from almost the moment he set foot in Britain; the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII, named him as his favorite singer, and Hutch was the highest-paid entertainer in the country.

Yeah, he was huge. But behind the scenes, things were reaching a fever pitch…and not in a good way.

]]> 9. He Took Famous Lovers Hutch was never a wallflower, but soon he was darn near out of control. He was a prolific lover, scooping up women and men like actress Tallulah Bankhead, starlet Merle Oberon, and the dark-eyed matinee idol Ivor Novello. And as his bedroom escapades rose, it only drew more and more stars to the tall, handsome rake. Yet with this attention came ever more danger.

]]> 10. He Got His Mistress In Big Trouble Hutch was single-minded in pursuit of his romantic quarry, and he didn’t always have the best judgment. Case in point: In 1930, one of his many mistresses, the achingly young and disgustingly rich debutante Elizabeth Sperling, had a little too much fun with Hutch and got pregnant with his child. In response, Sperling’s family concocted a hasty plan to marry the girl off to another man and let him think it was his child.

Well, this went wrong in every way possible.

]]> 11. His Plans Imploded Apparently, being richer than Croesus doesn’t make you any good at genetics, because no one in this marriage plot thought it through to the end. Soon enough, Hutch and his lover got an unwelcome surprise. When poor Elizabeth Sperling and her new husband actually had the child, a daughter named Gabrielle, she was obviously mixed race. This did not go well for Hutch.

]]> 12. He Was An Absent Father With the cat out of the bag, Elizabeth Sperling’s new husband refused to raise Hutch’s child as his own, and Hutch was apparently unwilling to do the same, forcing the newlyweds to give poor little Gabrielle up for adoption. But if Hutch thought he got off scot-free, he was very wrong. Elizabeth’s outraged father ended up suing the entertainer. Hutch was in hot water, and the saucepan was about to boil over.

]]> 13. He Had Voracious Appetites Over the next years, Hutch bed a whole series of lovers with almost self-destructive fervor—and apparently he didn’t learn any lessons from the Elizabeth Sperling affair. Although still technically married to Ella Byrd, he had six more children with five more different mothers. If it seems like he was running from something, maybe he was—because there was a grisly secret to his fame.

]]> 14. There Was One Thing He Couldn’t Do During his glory days in England, Hutch was commanding eye-popping prices just for a couple hours of his entertainment. Yet in this case, all that glittered was not gold. As a Black man, many establishments barred him from sharing the stage with a white woman, severely limiting his options for his performances. Tragically, though, that was nowhere near all he endured.

]]> 15. His “Friends” Treated Him Like Dirt Although the limitations on Hutch’s performances were infuriating, the real insults came from behind closed doors. Literally. When Hutch first arrived to private homes to entertain at a lavish party, many of his patrons insisted he enter through the service doors because of his race, a request Hutch agreed to only with great (and justified) bitterness. I mean, is it any wonder he acted out?

]]> 16. He Showed Off His Money As if to wave it in his racist patrons’ faces, Hutch quickly made England his bona fide home. And this being Leslie Hutchinson, he didn’t do it quietly. He bought an enormous house in the stylish neighborhood of Hampstead, then took to decorating his driveway with an immaculate Rolls Royce—all while dressed by London’s best tailors, natch. Sadly, however, nothing good can last forever.

]]> 17. His Wife Suffered Even at the apex of Hutch’s fame, there were signs that a downfall was coming. For one, in the exact opposite of “relationship goals,” his lifestyle was so lavish in comparison to his virtually unknown wife Ella, many of his neighbors who caught a glimpse of her assumed she was just his housemaid. Ouch. And as Hutch continued to grow out of his britches, white society got more uncomfortable. Enter: utter disaster.

]]> 18. He Had Influential Connections Throughout this time, Hutch remained “close” with Edwina Mountbatten, though they now mostly kept their relationship on the downlow. After all, she had become quite the somebody herself, with her own royal connections. Her husband, Louis Mountbatten, was the future Prince Philip’s uncle, and thus uber-connected to the English throne. While this might seem like a good thing for Hutch, it turned out to be the worst thing that could have ever happened to him.

]]> 19. He Got Involved With The Wrong Couple The first snag in Hutch and Edwina’s relationship was the tumultuous nature of her marriage to Mountbatten. The Mountbattens engaged in and then fought about their many affairs, which eventually led to them opening up their relationship. Again, this should have been a good thing for Hutch, as now he and Edwina could parade around their dalliances once more.

Well, that’s just what they did…but it was most definitely not a good thing.

]]> 20. He Flaunted His Affair With Hutch and Edwina now able to cavort around with each other at parties, they took the bull by both horns. Their first moves were ruinous. At one evening bash where Hutch was playing, witnesses saw Edwina kiss the singer on the neck, stop his song, and then lead him into the dining room and close the doors. And let me tell you, I wish this story ended there.

]]> 21. He Was A Loud Lover In the next minutes, the crowd—practically all of them with their ears pricked toward the closed doors—heard Edwina give a loud shriek. She then exited out of the dining room, straightening her clothes in a very conspicuous manner. When Hutch came out, he reportedly looked like the cat that ate the canary…but no one could have guessed what really happened.

]]> 22. He Kissed And Told BBC producer Bobby Jay claimed that Hutch was “elated” after his little rendezvous, and he apparently had good reason to be. Hutch quickly made a stunning confession. According to Jay, the singer claimed he had sent Edwina flying across “the length of the dining-room table” with “one thrust.” He then went back to the piano and calmly continued his performance. If Hutch knew what was coming, though, he’d have never been so calm.

]]> 23. Journalists Started Sniffing Around Him Up until this turn of his relationship with Edwina, Hutch had survived as a Black man in a white, rich world largely because of one principle. Namely, the upper crust’s “what happens in the manor stays in the manor” attitude. Moreover, this went double when the scandal involved people close to the royal family. But with antics like that dining room escapade, even the stiffest of upper lips were beginning to grimace. That’s how Hutch’s life fell apart with one headline.

]]> 24. One Article Ruined Him In 1932, The People newspaper was the first to break under the weight of the rumors flying around London. The story sent shockwaves through polite society. In it, the paper gave an account of a high-society heiress cavorting about with a famous Black entertainer and getting caught in a “compromising position.” Yet as the details unspooled, the plot thickened.

]]> 25. Rumors Flew About His Life In their effort to be discreet even while spilling all the beans, the newspaper made a fatal error: They put the story out wrong. Although everyone immediately and correctly glommed on to Edwina Mountbatten as the “leading hostess” involved in the affair, the newspaper hinted it was another uber-famous Black entertainer, Paul Robeson, who was her paramour. This despite the fact Mountbatten and Robeson had never met. Um, and there was one more very awkward thing.

]]> 26. He Was At The Center Of A Wild Story The “compromising position” that Edwina was reportedly caught in at the time was rumored to be nothing less than “[intimate] locking,” i.e. a moment where Mountbatten and Hutch literally couldn’t get off each other even though they tried. Apparently, the couple had to get doctors to intervene and disentangle them. True? Almost certainly not.

The whole debacle was about as embarrassing as it could get, but the situation still got way worse—for Hutch, anyway.

]]> 27. His Social Set Dropped Him In the wake of the scandal, the royal family took immediate action—and dealt Hutch a brutal double-crossing. All his friendly times with the Prince of Wales meant just about nothing in the face of Edwina’s precarious reputation, and while the royal family helped Edwina launch a libel trial against the paper, they did absolutely nothing to help Hutch out of his own scandal. And then they really rubbed it in his face.

]]> 28. The Royals Disowned Him Edwina Mountbatten and her husband eventually won the libel trial—because of course they did—and the very next day, the king and queen invited the husband and wife to dine with them, then later threw a big pseudo-Homecoming party for the prodigal couple. Once more, Hutch got nothing. Actually, correction: He did get something, but it was almost too horrific for words.

]]> 29. He Became A Public Enemy Despite the fact that it takes two to tango, and it definitely takes two people to launch someone across a dining room table in a fit of passion, only Hutch started to feel high society turn away from him. After all, even if the larger public didn’t know him from Paul Robeson, the aristocrats who had seen him and Edwina together certainly did. His punishment was brutal.

]]> 30. His Career Ended In Infamy Suddenly, Hutch looked around and realized his career had come to a screeching halt. Patrons who once adored the risqué energy he brought to a room cut him entirely, and he had a difficult time getting gigs he used to be able to get with the snap of his fingers. Even the BBC dropped him and his songs from their programming. It was the beginning of the end, but he had much further to fall.

]]> 31. His Lover Left Him Perhaps most heartbreakingly, his long-time lover Edwina Mountbatten also dropped him like a hot potato once she was back in the good graces of the royal family. While they might have met up for a few steamy secret visits afterward, most believe Edwina cut off the affair completely and left Hutchinson to his own devices. She may have never regretted it, but Hutch did—and as always, he acted out, big time.

]]> 32. He Made A Spiteful Move Although the Royal family expressly forbid Hutch from any Royal Command Performances, turning him into persona non grata in London, Hutch didn’t let that stymie his appetite for scandal. In fact, he got one bitter revenge. According to rumors, he simply took up with another member of the royal family in retaliation, bedding the queen’s aunt Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. And he didn’t quit there.

]]> 33. He Manipulated A Princess Hutch wasn’t the “forgive and forget” kind, and he did neither when it came to Edwina and her relatives. Accordingly, he soon had his eye on another, even more outrageous conquest: Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister Princess Margaret. Some whispered that he managed to seduce the 25-year-old when he was 55. But that wasn’t the only way Hutch struck back.

]]> 34. He Tried To Stage A Comeback Hutch hadn’t climbed this far to give up so easily, and he fought tooth and nail to keep his career and his relevance. He was actually one of the very first British stars to volunteer to entertain the men in WWII, traveling both abroad and entertaining the troops at home in Britain to bring some joy to the servicemen. As thanks, he only got a crueler betrayal.

]]> 35. His Country Ignored Him The wealthy, white world had never been on Hutch’s side, but after his disastrous affair with Edwina Mountbatten and his fall from grace, they were all too happy to treat him as an enemy…when they thought about him at all, that is. As it happened, the government never even formally recognized Hutch for his services during WWII, and never granted him a single honor.

But in just a few short years, Hutch would be wishing that was his only problem.

]]> 36. He Lost The One Person Loyal To Him In 1958, Hutch went through a devastating loss. That year, his wife Ella passed, leaving him truly alone for probably the first time in his adult life. Although he had been less than a faithful husband to her, she was the one constant in his high-flying world. Still, for all that Ella had given him, Hutch gave her back one utterly tragic send-off into the grave.

]]> 37. He Did His Wife Wrong By this time Hutchinson was too immersed in the high life to change, and he couldn’t stop himself from spending lavishly in the same way he had before his gigs dried up. As a result, he couldn’t even afford a proper burial for his own wife. Poor Ella was laid to rest in an unmarked, pauper’s grave that cost just 12 pounds to dig. Even so, it’s hard to feel angry at Hutch—after all, karma came for him in the end.

]]> 38. He Got Himself Into Deep Trouble Less than a decade after Ella’s passing, it became clear just how much she might have been holding Hutch together at the end. By 1967, Hutch had spent what very little money he had left on gambling—and then some. In fact, he was in debt to the tune of over ten thousand pounds, and barely knew what to do with himself. Faced with ruin, he made a heartbreaking choice.

]]> 39. He Gave Up Everything That same year, Hutch had to sell his beloved mansion in Hampstead, the place where he held his most extravagant parties and invited his most influential friends. The sale netted a little over 13,000 pounds, and nearly all of that went directly to his debts, leaving Hutch now all but homeless and penniless. If his life were a fairy tale, someone would come and save him now. Only, no one did, and Hutch couldn’t save himself.

]]> 40. He Watched His Rivals Triumph While all of this was going on, Hutch got more reasons to be bitter about his old friends. After feeding him to the wolves, his old lover Edwina Mountbatten got a huge glow up. Most poignantly, while the government entirely ignored Hutch’s efforts in WWII, Edwina emerged from the conflict as a war hero, and even became the last vicereine of India. Not that Hutch was entirely blameless…

]]> 41. He Was His Own Worst Enemy In truth, although wealthy society discarded Hutch more easily than they did a dessert napkin, the legendary and legendarily scandalous entertainer didn’t seem to learn from his own personal mistakes, either. Even penniless, he was always up to his old tricks, and even had another love child in 1965, a little girl named Emma, when he was well into his 60s. Sadly, Emma would grow up almost entirely without a father.

]]> 42. He Lost His Looks By the mid-1960s, a terrifying change came over Hutch. He had once been an Adonis who could charm nearly any man or woman into his bed, but after his downfall he had begun drinking more heavily than before, and the years had now completely caught up with him. Although he hid it under heavy stage makeup, his face was bloated, his teeth decaying, and his beauty gone. His time was running out.

]]> 43. He Died Alone As Hutch went into his late 60s, his health took a nosedive even if his virility didn’t take much of a hit. In the summer of 1969, the now frail-looking man, aged beyond his years, got hit with an intense bout of pneumonia. Suddenly, Hutch landed in Hampstead hospital. On August 19, 1969, he died, taking all of his remaining bedroom secrets with him. But he did not rest in peace.

]]> 44. He Was A Pauper At The End Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson had seen the better part of an entirely new century, and he had set many of the trends and scandals for that century along the way. In the end, however, it was a thankless task. After selling off his house and paying his debts, Hutch never managed to make any of his fortune back, and he passed “virtually penniless.” And he had one final insult to go.

]]> 45. His Funeral Was Pitiful Even in death, Hutchinson’s reputation as a high society outcast didn’t disappear. In fact, this mark on his memory followed him to the grave. Tragically, only 42 people showed up for his funeral to pay their respects. Perhaps more upsetting is the fact that his career and life are little talked about to this day. There is, however, a glint of hope for Hutch and his memory.

]]> 46. He Had A Revival In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in Hutch’s life and a reconsideration of the scandal that unfairly ruined him. The show Black and British: A Forgotten History centered an episode on him in 2016, and his large and sprawling family certainly kept him in their thoughts. In 2012, his daughter Gabrielle unveiled an iconic English Heritage blue plaque on Hutch’s old London home. Plus, Hutch also got the Hollywood treatment…

]]> 47. He’s A Television Character If you’re a Downton Abbey fan, chances are you already know a little about Leslie Hutchinson without actually realizing it. After all, creator Julian Fellowes based the rascally Jack Ross, played by Gary Carr, on Hutch and his scandalous bedroom exploits. In one episode, Ross dances with the intrigued Lady Rose after a performance. Not bad Hutch, not bad.

]]> 48. He Had One Huge Claim To Fame Although people in “polite” society didn’t necessarily talk about it openly, those intimate with Hutch thought they knew one thing about the singer that made him irresistible: He was enormously well-endowed. At least, that’s what Edwina Mountbatten claimed, and she was likely an expert on the matter. Also, Edwina had a scandalous way of showing her “gratitude” for these physical qualities.

]]> 49. He Was A Kept Man Before the libel suit, Edwina Mountbatten was obsessed with Leslie Hutchinson, and she loved proving it to him with seriously excessive gifts. Among her lover-boy presents were a bejeweled smokes case, a heavy gold ring, and a brilliant diamond watch. Evidently, she and Hutch had a taste for the expensive and shiny—but all this was nothing compared to her most infamous gift.

]]> 50. He Got A Notorious Present Edwina Mountbatten’s piece de resistance to Hutch is still talked about in hushed tones today, partly as rumor, partly as legend, and partly as a real possibility. And it deserves this shocked reverence: Some believe she gave the cabaret singer a custom-made, Cartier diamond-encrusted...codpiece. After all, as Edwina supposedly quipped, her lover could fill it out.

You May Also Like:

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=43317 <![CDATA[The Dionne quintuplets were a media sensation—but even when they grew up, the terrors kept coming.]]> 2026-07-09T11:00:00+00:00 2026-07-08T21:11:20+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/interesting/heartbreaking-lives-of-the-dionne-quintuplets Nur Karageldi Interesting The Most Exploited Children In History The Dionne quintuplets fascinated the public from the moment they were born. These identical sisters were such curiosities that they became victims of exploitation—and their story is unbelievably harrowing.

]]> 1. She Got The Surprise Of A Lifetime When 24-year-old Elzire Dionne went into premature labor, she assumed she was having twins—but she was so wrong. On May 28, 1934, with the help of two midwives, Dr Allan Roy Dafoe delivered five identical babies: Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie. But few know that there were actually supposed to be six infants.

]]> 2. There Were Originally Six Babies In her third month of pregnancy, Elzire experienced severe cramping and actually passed a mysterious object that may have been a sixth fetus. Without a doubt, having a sixth baby would have posed an even higher risk for everyone involved, especially considering that the Dionne sisters were the very first quintuplets to survive their infancy.

Together, the babies' total birth weight was only 13 pounds, six ounces. They were so tiny—and yet, they were about to become the biggest sensations imaginable.

]]> 3. They Were Breaking News Dr Dafoe—cavalier-like and awestruck—went on a gossip spree after delivering the miraculous quintuplets. He alerted the girls' uncle, told everyone at the post office, and even shared the news with a store clerk, who advised him to take this jaw-dropping information straight to the newspapers. Of course, the domino effect was already in motion.

The girls' uncle had already spread the word to the newspapers—but the consequences proved to be a double-edged sword.

]]> 4. They Were Curiosities The news of the quintuplets' birth spread like wildfire. Only six hours after their birth, a reporter and photographer showed up on the doorstep of the Dionne family's farmhouse. In a dangerous move, the underweight babies were lifted out of their heated blankets and positioned next to their exhausted mother. After all, the photographer needed to get the perfect shot.

But this was just the beginning of the Dionne quintuplets' haunting reality show.

]]> 5. Their Chances Of Survival Were Low At first, the media circus that flocked to the Dionne quintuplets actually helped them survive. Hospitals started delivering the family the much-needed mother's milk, while a Red Cross nursing team kept a close watch on their precarious health. Even journalists sent water-heated incubators that made all the difference. But there was also a dark side to all of the overwhelming attention.

]]> 6. They Had Thousands Of Visitors In the first few days, thousands of people showed up at the Dionne home, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famed babies. Soon, the surrounding fields became a parking lot for eager visitors, while reporters circled the house like vultures. Already, the Dionne quintuplets had become a popular tourist attraction—a chilling foreshadowing of their tumultuous futures.

]]> 7. They Cost Too Much Money Now, the girls' father, Oliva Dionne, had a problem on his hands. Before the birth of the quintuplets, the Dionnes had already had five older children. Now they had ten. Stuck in the middle of the Great Depression, Oliva worried about the mounting medical and childcare expenses—and it drove him to a shocking decision.

]]> 8. Their Father Wanted To Exploit Them After the birth of his quintuplets, Oliva Dionne sought the counsel of his priest about a controversial business venture: He wanted to know whether he should publicly display his daughters...for money. The priest brought his "unique" moral compass to the table. Not only did he support this idea, but he also wanted to be the business manager.

Unfortunately, Oliva turned down a path that he lived to regret.

]]> 9. They Were Part Of The Deal Oliva Dionne made a questionable deal on behalf of his quintuplets. For tens of thousands of dollars, he agreed to relinquish his girls for six months, so that they could appear at the Chicago World's Fair. During such trying times, this amount of money was a downright fortune. However, there was one person not on board with this idea.

]]> 10. Their Lives Hung In The Balance Elzire Dionne was rageful when she heard about the Chicago World Fair deal, even more when she heard it was a done deal. But the worries just kept coming. As the quintuplet's futures hung in the balance, their health also took a distressing turn. They began to lose weight and Dr Dafoe insisted on isolating the babies in a separate room.

The Dionne family faced fears they'd never felt before—but it was the quintuplets who paid the ultimate price.

]]> 11. The Custody Battle Was Fierce Though Oliva and Elzire tried to get out of the agreement made with the Chicago promoters, it was already too late. In an effort to protect the girls for a while longer, they came up with a temporary solution. The Dionnes signed over custody of the quintuplets to the Red Cross for two years. It was still a huge sacrifice, but at least the girls would be provided for and, most importantly, shielded from the nefarious contract.

It was a messy situation—but sadly, this wouldn't be Oliva and Elzire's last parental mishap.

]]> 12. Their Parents Used Them For Fame The Dionnes just couldn't resist the limelight, and the very next year Oliva and Elzire advertised themselves as the "Parents of the World Famous Babies". They even traveled to Chicago and took to the stage. For the Premier of Ontario, Mitchell Hepburn, the Dionnes' vaudeville sensibilities raised some serious red flags, which caused him to spring into action.

]]> 13. They Changed The Law When Oliva and Elzire decided to use their babies for clout, they faced some serious consequences. Their little trip to Chicago gave Premier Mitchell Hepburn an excellent excuse to extend the quintuplets' guardianship. He claimed that the babies needed to be saved from exploitation and even changed the law to do so. The Dionne Quintuplet Act ensured that the girls remained wards of the Crown until they turned 18.

But in an awful twist, this only made the quintuplets easier to exploit.

]]> 14. They Were A Tourist Attraction Although the quintuplets' father sat on the Board of Guardians, his voice was often overshadowed by the other three guardians, one of which was Dr Dafoe. And so, three powerful men ruled over five little girls: They managed their money and oversaw their care—but also allowed them to appear in films and commercials. Horrifyingly, they did everything they'd sworn to protect the quintuplets from.

The Dionne quintuplets were the perfect tourist attraction—and there was money to be made.

]]> 15. They Lived In A Zoo Their first order of business was to build a special nursery—or basically a baby zoo–for babies to live in and tourists to spectate them. At first glance, this didn’t seem to be a money-making venture because visitors weren't charged a fee. However, this was only a sideshow act in disguise—and if one looked closely enough, the awful truth made itself known.

]]> 16. They Had A Dystopian Existence The nursery—also called the Dafoe Nursery—opened to the public in 1936, and looked like a building from a post-apocalyptic world: playgrounds and dining rooms specially designed for the toddlers, and a long hallway where they would “present” themselves to the public like living paintings. The girls had a very strict and regimented upbringing—and it didn't seem like they enjoyed any freedoms whatsoever.

]]> 17. They Had A Robotic Routine People working in the nursery had a robotic system in place for the quintuplets. The girls were often tested and examined, and everything about them was documented. Like lab rats, their contact with the outside world was limited, even nonexistent. Indeed, their only interactions were with their spectators and infrequent meetings with their parents and siblings.

]]> 18. They Lived In A Bubble Other than seeing some tourists, the quintuplets lead a very boring life in the nursery. Everything about their routine was predetermined, from when they had breakfast to what they ate. They had set play times, prayer hours, medical inspections, and bathtimes. But there was also a very strange aspect of their daily lives.

]]> 19. They Were Color-Coded Since there were five girls and each girl had lots of dresses, the nursery staff decided to assign them colors and symbols to mark their belongings. The poor little girls became identifiable through colors and symbols: Annette had red and a maple leaf, Émilie had white and a tulip, Cécile had green and a turkey, Marie had blue and a teddy bear, and Yvonne had pink and a bluebird.

But as the quintuplets grew up in their very unique bubble, one of their caretakers, in particular, reaped unbelievable benefits.

]]> 20. Their Doctor Made A Fortune Dr Dafoe ran the facility, therefore he was in charge of the money. He made a fortune off of the Dionne quintuplets, but he also made a name for himself as an expert doctor. He published ads like “Guidebook for Mothers” and wrote a column called “The Quintuplets and the Care of Your Children". Meanwhile, “Quintland” grew in popularity with each passing day.

]]> 21. Nobody Spoke To Them As the glorious “Quintland” made headlines for being the biggest tourist attraction in Canada, people protected the girls more and more. However, this only meant increased isolation for the quintuplets. Visitors were instructed not to speak to the girls. Each tourist stayed silent in their presence and didn’t have much time before the next visitor came through.

The rules were stringent, but this only aggravated their fame—they were like five gold-laying geese, and it became quite disturbing for them.

]]> 22. Their Face Was On Everything The Dionne quintuplets were the stars of a weird theme park—and what was an attraction without its souvenirs? Not only were there souvenir shops on the premises but there were also photoshoots and dolls and countless advertisements. The girls' faces could be found on bottles of ketchup or Palmolive soap. But that wasn't all.

]]> 23. They Were Good Luck Near the nursery, the staff placed bins with stones in them, because people believed that the stones would increase their chances of fertility. Meanwhile, the quintuplets' father Oliva Dionne was the fertility king himself and enjoyed constant attention. Women often touched him as though he was some holy relic, in the hopes that their own fertility would skyrocket.

The place was chaotic in many ways—and yet, shockingly, the girls were actually quite happy.

]]> 24. They Had Their Happiest Years Maybe it was because Dr Dafoe brainwashed them or they didn’t know anything different, but the quintuplets actually enjoyed their lives at “Quintland”. As they later put it, those were “the happiest, least complicated years of our lives”. However, in 1943, their nine-year run in the nursery came to an end—and a fresh nightmare began.

]]> 25. They Reunited With Their Parents While Mr and Mrs Dionne kept fighting for the custody of their children from the beginning, they finally succeeded in 1943 after Dr Dafoe retired. After so many years, the family reunited under the same roof, but the new roof was a bit bigger than the old one. In fact, it was a 20-room mansion. And guess who paid for it all?

]]> 26. They Were The Breadwinners The girls paid for everything—and I mean everything—the luxurious house, numerous lavish cars, and the expensive food their family enjoyed greatly. Still, the family treated them as if they were sources of money, so they never truly welcomed them with open arms. Indeed, mom and dad often spoke to them in a disheartening way.

]]> 27. Their Parents Gaslighted Them The sisters reported that their parents often treated them very differently than their other siblings. As they put it, they often scolded the quintuplets for even existing. Yes, the girls suffered a series of lectures about the troubles they caused their family when in fact they ensured their family's livelihood. Their mother, in particular, often crossed the line.

]]> 28. Their Mother Mistreated Them Ironically, Mrs Dionne—who fought for custody for years—acted very capriciously around the quintuplets. She frequently screamed and insulted the girls, and once in a while, even injured them. While their other siblings got the carrot, they always got the stick. Even amidst their family, the girls felt terribly lonely—a lonely wolf pack of five.

]]> 29. They Didn't Speak The Same Language Siblings usually team up against the parents, yet for the quintuplets, their siblings felt like strangers. Not only did they distance themselves from the children they hadn’t seen for nine years, but they struggled to connect with them. This was because the quintuplets spoke French—nursery rules—while their siblings spoke English.

However, this wasn't even their biggest household crisis.

]]> 30. Their Father Was Selfish Of course, the “man” of the Dionne household—Oliva—loved the quintuplets, as long as they provided money and kept the spotlight trained on him. He loved the attention he was getting, so he milked the girl’s popularity for all its worth. Every time he went out with his five daughters, an officer accompanied their car, which was its own form of spectacle.

For the Dionne quintuplets, their new lives were a massive downgrade.

]]> 31. They Hated Their Home Even when the quintuplets became teenagers, their family still treated them like special edition Barbie dolls that should always be on display. Whenever they traveled, they dressed identically—and they hated every second of it. They recalled their times at the “Big House” as  "the saddest home we ever knew".

]]> 32. Their Father Scared Them On top of all the disappointment and misery, the girls endured some tragic incidents behind closed doors. Reportedly, they had multiple experiences where their father took them for a drive, but then stopped the car and made the girls very uncomfortable by touching them inappropriately.

Shockingly, these demented outings were only the tip of the iceberg.

]]> 33. He Was An Alleged Creep One day, when helpless Yvonne got a chest cold, Oliva did an unspeakable thing with the excuse of  “helping" his daughter. He allegedly used the application of liniment as a reason to get his hands on her. The girls—not being able to say anything—took precautions as best as they could.

]]> 34. She Changed Her Looks Some of the quintuplets' precautions included changing the way they dress. As if people didn’t have enough control over their lives, now their dad's gross behavior influenced their decision-making. For example, Annette always wore turtlenecks and tried to dress “extra conservatively” in order to prevent her dad from becoming inappropriate.

However, the dress code wasn’t Annette's only tactic.

]]> 35. She Didn't Stay Silent The quintuplets were such megastars that their parents turned a building into a private school for them, which allowed them to have more control over the girls' upbringing. When rebellious Annette told the school's chaplain about her father’s strange behavior, not surprisingly, he did nothing. The girls officially had no escape—but this wasn't the only skeleton in the Dionne family's closet.

]]> 36. They Kept A Tragic Secret The Dionne family had countless secrets and one of them involved Émilie. She began to have seizures, but due to the stigma of the time against epilepsy, her family members kept their lips sealed. Sadly, this secret prevailed even when Émilie's seizures intensified in magnitude and number. But as we'll soon see, this was destined to end in heartbreak.

]]> 37. She Was The First To Escape Marie, the youngest quintuplet, proved to be the boldest. As soon as she turned 19, she left her family home, surprising everyone. She must have thought her life was dark and disappointing because she believed that even a strict nunnery would be a more joyful place to live. Thankfully, the rest of the girls followed her lead.

]]> 38. They All Left One by one, the girls left the family home with one simple goal—never to come back. They were ready for a fresh start, and the only thing they truly wanted was to never see their cold-hearted mother and creepy father again. They were finally free to pursue their passions—but sadly, Émilie's days were numbered.

]]> 39. She Followed In Her Sister’s Footsteps After Marie joined a strict order of nuns, Émilie quickly followed in her footsteps. Everyone always considered Marie to be the weakest of them all, so if Marie could do it, so could Émilie. Right? Wrong. Only two months after Émilie joined a convent, tragedy struck.

]]> 40. She Met A Tragic End Due to her seizures, Émilie wasn't supposed to be left alone. She asked other nuns to always be around her, but when one of them accidentally skipped her shift, fate stepped in. Émilie had a seizure and landed with her face in a pillow. This led to her suffocation. She was only 20 years old.

This sudden loss changed the girls' lives forever.

]]> 41. They Would Never Be The Same Again On the day of Émilie's funeral, the remaining quintuplets experienced a life-altering moment. The media asked the girls to pose together for press photos and countless articles about their lost sibling. This was it for them. Since there weren’t five of them anymore, the media craze and the exhausting fame would be over.

They were right, at least for a while.

]]> 42. They Lived A Slower Life When people asked Cécile about her sister Émilie, she said that her demise was “a sort of release” from their rollercoaster lives. After the nightmarish incident, the four girls moved to Montreal, far away from their family and the public craze. All they needed was each other—and they proved that no amount of grief could tear them apart.

]]> 43. They Didn’t Grow Apart One great thing about being identical quintuplets was that they always had their sisters by their side—no matter what. So when they moved to Montreal, Yvonne, and Cécile went to nursing school together whereas Annette and Marie became roommates at university.

However, when they started to form families of their own, they made a startling realization.

]]> 44. They Had Their Own Families As time passed by, the quintuplets formed relationships with people other than their identical sisters. Annette, Cécile, and Marie got married and had children, whereas Yvonne remained single. Despite succeeding in forming new families, the sisters often reported how difficult it was for them to stay away from each other.

]]> 45. Marie Was The Second One To Go In 1970, the sisters went through another heartbreaking break-up—the youngest sibling, Marie, also passed. On that fateful day, after not hearing from Marie, her sisters panicked and called their doctors, who found Marie in her bed—gone for good. This was a devastating moment for the remaining girls, but more tragic news was around the corner.

]]> 46. They Were Broke The three sisters—who supposedly had a hefty trust fund—struggled to pay their bills. They weren’t even living extravagant lives, but the money was somewhat tight. That’s when they realized that a stunning portion of their earnings had gone straight into the government's pocket. So much of their hard-earned money was gone. They were furious, and they took action.

]]> 47. They Wrote A Shocking Letter In 1997, the sisters decided to share their experiences in a surprising way. They wrote an open letter to the McCaugheys who had recently welcomed septuplets into their lives. The letter was like a bitter warning because the sisters warned the parents about the dangers of publicity and exposing their children to the world.

After all, the sisters were also embroiled in a shocking controversy.

]]> 48. They Went After Their Money After the girls opened up about how the government treated them, they sought compensation for all the money taken from them. They requested $10 million—but this is where their situation took an unbelievably shady turn. Apparently, the government had burned all documents concerning the Dionne quintuplets from 1934 to 1937. Sketchy or what? Of course, the government responded quickly.

]]> 49. The Government Insulted Them Premier Mike Harris—former premier of Ontario—offered the girls $2,000 per month. It was such an offensive amount for the famous Dionne quintuplets. The Canadian government profited millions because of them. The girls were furious, so they publicly denied the money and ran straight to the press.

]]> 50. They Got What They Wanted Eventually, the government—tails between their legs—offered the girls two, then three million dollars. The sisters turned down these numbers but finally settled on four million dollars, as well as a thorough analysis of their trust funds. On top of that, the premier made an official apology on behalf of the government.

After staying silent for decades, the sisters finally won control of their narrative.

]]> 51. Only Two Remain In 2001, the remaining quintuplets ceased to be a party of three. The first-born Yvonne—who spent her life as a sculptor and librarian—also passed. Now, the majority of the quintuplets live together on the other side, while the two surviving sisters, Annette and Cécile, still live in Montreal.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=40486 <![CDATA[On the surface, Peggy Guggenheim was a massive success—but behind closed doors, she had a hidden darkness.]]> 2026-07-09T11:00:00+00:00 2026-07-08T21:00:38+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-peggy-guggenheim Kayla Zhu People The Art Maven Peggy Guggenheim was a woman who didn't just collect art; she lived it. From scandalous affairs to a nose for talent sharper than a chisel, Peggy became almost as famous as the artists she collected…and slept with. 

]]> 1. She Was A Trailblazing Modern Art Collector Peggy Guggenheim cemented herself as a modern art icon through her wide-ranging romantic and artistic escapades. She is known best for being an obsessive art collector and passionate lover, bedding a wide gamut of artists, writers, and critics during her lifetime. 

She was a strong, sensuous woman who—according to both herself and her biographer Anton Gill—"slept with 1,000 men" while living in Europe.

]]> 2. She Was Born Rich Born into the wealthy Guggenheim family on August 26, 1898, Peggy’s father, Benjamin Guggenheim, was the son of a major mining magnate and brother of the founder of the famous Guggenheim Museum in New York. Her mother, Florette Seligman, came from a prominent banking family. 

Despite their comfortable status and wealth, her upbringing was anything but happy.

]]> 3. Her Family Was Completely Distant Peggy Guggenheim often described her childhood as quite lonely. Her mother usually neglected Peggy and her sisters, and her father was often absent from their New York home with his mistresses.  "I have no pleasant memories of any kind," Peggy wrote of her early childhood. But during her early teens, even more tragedy would strike their family.

]]> 4. Her Father Passed Tragically In April 1912, Benjamin Guggenheim sank with the SS Titanic. Famously, it was said he and his valet helped countless women and children into safety boats. Dressed to the nines and sipping brandy, he was ready “to go down like gentlemen”. Benjamin’s body, if recovered, was never identified. His passing proved to have a profound impact on Peggy.

]]> 5. She Had A Breakdown Peggy Guggenheim was only 13 years old when she lost her father. After the tragic event, she suffered what she described as a "nervous breakdown” after the incident. Her childhood and her family life were never the same after this incident. Unfortunately, Peggy’s father’s passing came with even more bad news.

]]> 6. Her Inheritance Was Measly  When she was 21, Peggy received her father’s inheritance. While the rest of the Guggenheim family was incredibly wealthy, her father had lost much of his wealth in his business endeavors, leaving Peggy and her sister with a sizeably smaller inheritance compared to their cousins. 

In comparing herself to the other Guggenheims, Peggy's felt terribly poor—and she even proclaimed that she didn’t feel like “a real Guggenheim anymore after that". Well, soon enough she wasn’t acting like a Guggenheim either.

]]> 7. She Made A Bold Fashion Choice In her early 20s, Peggy Guggenheim worked at an avant-garde bookstore in Manhattan where she became fascinated with bohemian artists and the bohemian lifestyle. Tired of her family’s stuffy bourgeois world, Peggy began to pursue this new, rebellious lifestyle, even shaving her eyebrows off at one point. 

Then she made an even more drastic decision. 

]]> 8. She Had Famous Friends In 1920, she moved to France and pursued the Parisian bohemian life, rubbing shoulders with avant-garde artists and writers, like Constantin Brancusi, Djuna Barnes, and Marcel Duchamp. Peggy traveled throughout Europe to explore the worlds of Classical and Renaissance art. 

But art and writing wasn’t all Peggy was exploring.

]]> 9. She Was Inspired To Explore Her Body While discovering the world of art, Peggy Guggenheim became deeply interested in all things to do with bedroom desires. When Peggy was 23, she came across some shocking photographs—frescoes from Pompeii showing people being intimate in mulitple positions. In her autobiography, Peggy said that she was “very curious and wanted to try them all out myself”. 

Soon, she was able to satiate those curiosities.

]]> 10. She Was Very Forward Peggy was very proactive with these curiosities. In one of her first romantic encounters, Laurence Vail, a respected artist and writer visited her at home in Paris, when Peggy’s mother was out. Vail attempted to get Peggy to sleep with him, which she quickly agreed to.

Thrown off guard by her willingness, Vail told her since her mother might interrupt them, it would be wiser if Peggy just visited his hotel room. Without skipping a beat, Peggy grabbed her hat and said “How about right now?” Peggy’s forwardness soon paid off.

]]> 11. She Married For A Scandalous Reason At the age of 23, Peggy Guggenheim entered the first of her many marriages, wanting to “get rid” what she called her "burdensome" virginity. She ended up marrying Laurence Vail, who was referred to at the time as "the King of Bohemia". They married in 1922 and had two children, Sindbad and Pegeen. 

But their marriage proved to be anything but peaceful.

]]> 12.  Her First Husband Was Violent Vail proved to be a terrible husband. He was awfully aggressive towards Peggy. He was known to be an angry drinker who threw Peggy’s shoes out the window and destroyed chandeliers and mirrors. At one point, he even submerged her head in the bath water.

If this scary behavior wasn’t bad enough already, he proved to be even worse of a partner later on in their marriage.

]]> 13. She Was Cheated On Even throughout Vail’s frequent bouts of aggression and temper tantrums, Peggy still chose to stick with him. That is, until Vail dealt her the ultimate betrayal. He cheated on Peggy. He had an affair with American writer, novelist and activist Kay Boyle in 1928. Soon after this affair came to light, Peggy and Vail’s marriage became irreparably broken. 

]]> 14. She Went On The Rebound After her divorce from Vail in 1928, Peggy Guggenheim took on British writer and critic, John Ferrar Holms, as her new lover. Holms and Peggy met in 1928 while she was visiting friends. The day they met, Holms led her to a tower and kissed her. Peggy wrote in her autobiography that she “can attribute everything that followed to that simple little kiss". 

But much like her previous marriage, John Holms came with his fair share of issues.

]]> 15. Her New Lover Was Also Brutal Unfortunately for Peggy, she had a penchant for dating brutal men. Holms put Peggy through terrible acts, such as making her stand for long stretches of time, without clothes, in front of the open window in the middle of winter. But it gets worse. 

Holms would even throw drinks in her eyes and tell her that he wanted to pummel her face “so that no man will ever look at it again". Soon, he would also be out of her picture.

]]> 16. Her Lover Passed Suddenly In 1933, Holms had fractured his wrist while riding with Peggy. Doctors had suggested to him to get a simple surgery for this injury. On the morning of the surgery January 19th, 1934, while under the anaesthetic, John Holms died, leaving Peggy single once again.

Despite this tragedy, Peggy was quick to bounce back.

]]> 17. She Hit It Off With An Old Acquaintance Holms's sudden passing didn’t put a wrench in Peggy’s love life—in fact, it accelerated it. She quickly moved in with Douglas Garman, the director of a publishing house whom she and John had met in 1933. In the wake of Holms's demise, Garman wrote Peggy a letter of condolence. The pair had dinner together and soon after, became lovers. 

]]> 18. She Was In Love With Another Man This new romance didn’t come out of nowhere. Garman had previously asked to spend Easter with Peggy and Holms in their home in Paris. It was during this time that Peggy had “fell in love with him,” despite still being with Holms at the time, and Garman also having a lover at the time.

But Peggy’s new relationship would later meet a similar fate to her previous ones.

]]> 19. Her Lover Was A Radical Douglas Garman, who was already working for a leftist publisher, became more and more involved in politics, namely communist and Marxist circles. He joined the Communist Party of Great Britain, and encouraged Peggy to do the same—which she did, to make him happy.

Instead of staying at home with Peggy, he became a traveling lecturer. It became clear there was tension in their relationship. 

]]> 20. Her Relationship Began Falling Apart Peggy and Garman’s relationship was characterized by differences in temperament, with Peggy moving at a much faster pace than Garman. Despite these disparities, Peggy tried her best to please Garman and his increasing involvement in communist circles.

Still, she complained about her “extremely lonely life” with Garman. As time went on, she felt him drifting further and further away. Then came the worst part. 

]]> 21. She Experienced A Cruel Betrayal Douglas Garman eventually fell for another woman from the communist party, and moved away with her. At this point, Peggy realized that she needed to find a job and purpose since she “had never been anything but a wife for the last fifteen years”. Instead of sulking around, Peggy’s friend Peggy Waldman made a brilliant suggestion.

]]> 22.  She Went Her Own Way Waldman told Peggy she should open her own art gallery, and that’s exactly what she did. After gallivanting with various men for most of her twenties, Peggy moved to London and opened her first gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, in 1938. 

Guggenheim Jeune debuted with an exhibition of work from French artist Jean Cocteau. Peggy’s gallery hosted an impressive array of exhibitions, including works by Henry Moore, , and Yves Tanguy. But Peggy found ways to mix business and pleasure.

]]> 23.  She Was Seduced By A Famous Writer Around the opening of Guggenheim Jeune, Peggy began to see future Nobel Prize-winning Irish author and playwright, Samuel Beckett in Paris. He and Peggy met in 1939, at a dinner thrown by a mutual friend. Beckett ended up walking Peggy home to her apartment, but decided to come in, stretched out on her sofa, and asked her to join him.

Beckett's forward seduction techniques soon led to their passionate affair.

]]> 24. She Had A Passionate Fling With Samuel Beckett Beckett and Peggy shared some passionate moments together. One of the most notable anecdotes from their time together was when they enjoyed four full days together in their hotel room, only getting up to order room service. While they had enjoyed their time together, like the rest of Peggy’s relationships, their fling soon fizzled out.

]]> 25. She Loved Sleeping With Famous People It was rumored that Peggy loved to sleep with so many men because it helped with her low self-esteem and made her feel more desirable. She especially had a taste for sleeping with famous, highly-esteemed folks in the creative industries. Her past lovers, including Samuel Beckett and Laurence Vail were all famous figures in their respective industries. 

Her love for romance, fame, and art continued to blossom as she began to expand her gallery and art collection. 

]]> 26. She Became An Obsessive Collector While their affair was brief, but intense, Samuel Beckett left his artistic influence on Peggy by suggesting she solely focus her art collection on modern artists and ditch the older styles. With the opening of her very first gallery, Peggy established herself as an art connoisseur. 

She began amassing her own personal collection of artwork, often buying at least one piece from each of her exhibitions at the gallery for herself. Soon, Peggy became an obsessive and eccentric art collector.

]]> 27. She Developed Eccentric Tastes  After the start of WWII, Peggy made it her mission to amass as much abstract and surrealist art as possible, at one point aiming to buy one painting a day. She was a champion for the abstract, the surreal, and other modern forms of art. She purchased works by Salvador Dalí and other renowned modern artists. 

Even as the fighting picked up, Peggy showed no signs of slowing down her art purchasing.

]]> 28. She Snapped Up Paintings Even During An Invasion The German’s invasion of parts of Europe did little to faze Peggy’s resolution to buy a painting a day. Peggy famously bought French painter Fernand Léger’s “Men in the City” on the day the German army invaded Norway. Fernand said he was “astonished by her sang froid”.

Peggy would continue her relentless pursuit of modern art, even as the Germans drew nearer and nearer.

]]> 29. She Slept With A Sculptor  Peggy had been desperate to get her hands on a sculpture by Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi. She had her eyes set on the soaring “Bird in Space” sculpture, which was also one of his favorite sculptures—and she went to extreme lengths to get her hands on it. Peggy would visit him daily, thinking that if she slept with him, the “Bird” wouldn't be so expensive.

]]> 30. She Bought A Sculpture While Paris Was Invaded Peggy’s advances were successful, and she was able to purchase Brancusi's “Bird in Space” in Paris, despite Germany's advancements. Peggy recalled in her autobiography that Constantin carried out the “Bird” with tears in his eyes. “I never knew if it was because he was parting with me or his favorite 'Bird,'" she wrote.

]]> 31. She Fled Europe Soon after her purchase of Constantin’s “Bird in Space,” Peggy realized Europe was no longer safe enough for her, or her art collection. Peggy knew it was time to leave. She quickly made plans to flee German-occupied Paris, France just in the nick of time. 

In 1941, she returned to her hometown, New York, New York. 

]]> 32. She Left For New York With An Unconventional Group Peggy rounded up an odd group of people to escape with her to New York, including her children Pegeen and Sindbad, her ex-husband Laurence Vail, Vail’s new wife and kids, as well as German surrealist artist Max Ernst, who she held an exhibition of at Guggenheim Jeune. 

Peggy and Ernst would soon hit it off in America.

]]> 33. She Protected Invaluable Artwork Peggy went to great lengths to safeguard her art collection during a time where the German government deemed contemporary art “degenerate”. She even approached the Musée du Louvre in Paris to shelter her collection from the conflict, but they declined. 

Peggy’s priceless collection ended up being shipped as “household goods” to New York.

]]> 34. She Opened A New Gallery  Peggy quickly established herself in a new continent and found a home for her art collection. She opened another gallery, The Art of This Century Gallery in Manhattan in 1942. The gallery was a resounding success and cemented Peggy’s status as one of the most influential figures in the contemporary art world. 

With her gallery taking off, Peggy turned her eyes back to her love life once again.

]]> 35. She Married An Artist… Again After taking a couple of years off from her love life to establish herself as a contemporary art maven (and escape the conflict in Europe), Peggy set her sights back on her romantic endeavors. In 1941, she settled down with Max Ernst, whom she helped flee to America. 

But, Peggy’s love life was never that easy—things quickly took a turn for the worse.

]]> 36. She Had Another Odd Relationship Once again displaying her desire to be with famous people, when Peggy was asked why she fell in love with Ernst, she said, “Because he’s so beautiful and because he’s so famous”. Their relationship was once again, an unconventional one. Ernst would sometimes cross-dress by wearing Peggy’s clothes.  

Even worse though, this marriage was, like Peggy’s first—a tumultuous one with many quarrels and some physical cruelty. Like her many relationships, this one didn’t last long either.

]]> 37. Her Husband Fell For One Of Her Artists In some ways, Peggy believed she helped spark her own divorce. She had organized a new exhibition called 31 Women—the first all-woman art exhibition in America. It was through this endeavor that Ernst met Dorothea Tanning, a fellow surrealist artist. The two fell in love and Ernst quickly shacked up with her.

Peggy and Ernst got divorced only a couple of years later in 1946. Once again, she found herself all alone.

]]> 38. She Helped Discover New Art Talent While she was still struggling to find success in her love life, Peggy’s art career was flourishing—and she was helping new artists find their footing as well. One of Peggy’s greatest claims was the discovery of Jackson Pollock, a renowned American abstract expressionist painter.

Peggy was a faithful patron to Pollock, and helped propel his art career exponentially. 

]]> 39. She Helped Him Quit His Job She commissioned Jackson Pollock to paint a mural for her new apartment, which he reportedly completed in one night. Upon the completion of the mural, she signed a contract with him and paid him a monthly allowance that allowed him to quit his job as a carpenter and become a full-time artist.

Peggy was also the first to host a solo exhibition of Pollock’s work. She was a true believer of his potential—but it wasn't all smooth sailing.

]]> 40. Her Patronage Wasn’t Always Appreciated Peggy described her relationship with Pollock as a very motherly one. She had once called herself “the midwife”. However, as Pollock became more popular in art circles, and found a wife in fellow American artist Lee Krasner, Peggy felt like an outsider.

“I felt at the time they [Pollock and his wife Lee Krasner] were very ungrateful at the time,” she claimed.

]]> 41. She Released Her Autobiography It was around 1946 when Peggy released her autobiography entitled Out of This Century later edited and republished as Confessions of an Art Addict (now published by Harper Collins). Her autobiography was filled to brim with her many romantic exploits, including her affairs with many artists, a hairdresser, and a ski instructor. 

She even claimed to have been with several gay men. However, her shocking stories didn't end there.

]]> 42. She Was Ahead Of Her Times Peggy was ahead of her times in many ways. From her wide-ranging romantic exploits that were most definitely frowned upon during her time, to her love for cutting-edge art, it was clear that Peggy was not like most women of her generation. She was unconcerned and blunt about even the most personal details of her life, such as telling interviewers about her multiple abortions or her nose job gone wrong. 

]]> 43. She Went Back To Europe After The War In 1947, following her divorce with Max Ernst and after the end of the conflict, Peggy decided to fly back to Europe. She had decided on Venice, Italy as her new stomping grounds. Peggy said she had always preferred Europe to America, and loved Venice far more then anywhere else on the planet. She felt she “would be happy alone there”. 

It was the start of something new.

]]> 44. She Bought A Palazzo Along The Canal Peggy decided to purchase Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, an unfinished mid-eighteenth-century building on the Grand Canal, previously owned by an English viscountess. She exhibited her art collection here and in the garden, and ended up spending the rest of her life here as well—without a partner.

Peggy’s Venice art collection would be her most important one. 

]]> 45. She Became A Local Celebrity Once she settled down in Venice, Peggy became something of a local celebrity. She certainly stood out—and became known for her flashy pair of butterfly sunglasses. As she roamed around town with her dogs in her private gondola, Peggy undoubtedly drew attention. Her beautiful palazzo home also became a hot spot for visiting artists who came to Venice.

]]> 46. Her Art Collection Toured The Continent From 1951 and onwards, Peggy opened her palazzo and her extensive collection several days a week to the public. Her home became a de facto art museum for visitors to enjoy. Her art collection's reputation soared as it made its way around Europe. On the surface, Peggy Guggenheim was a massive success—but behind closed doors, she had a hidden darkness.

]]> 47. She Spent The Rest Of Her Life Alone While she had built a successful career as a collector and was reported to have had some casual flings with young Italian men, Peggy wrote that was frequently lonely towards the end of her life.

"God forbid my ever getting too attached again in my life to anyone. So far everyone I loved has died or made me madly unhappy by living. Life seems to be one endless round of miseries. I would not be born again if I had the chance,” she wrote.

]]> 48. She Hated Tourists With her palazzo becoming a popular art tourism attraction in Venice, housing over 260 art pieces across a gamut of genres, and with Peggy already being a high-profile figure, she tried desperately to avoid the crowds. Peggy always abandoned ship when the museum was open to visitors three times a week. “I try to avoid fools,” she once said.

]]> 49. She Passed Of A Stroke In her last few years, Peggy’s health was quite poor and she seemed uninterested in art and nearly everything else. She wouldn’t do much all day, but she devoted her evenings to rides in her private gondola. She fell ill for some time before suffering a stroke in November 1979. She passed in a hospital the day before Christmas Eve in Camposampiero, Italy at the age of 81.

]]> 50. Her Ashes Laid With Her Dogs Peggy’s ashes were buried on her Venetian palazzo’s grounds, next to her dogs. She often called her Lhasa Apso dogs her “beloved babies" and there are many photographs of her with her furry friends. It was Peggy’s dream to have her final resting place close to them—all together in their forever sleep.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=40434 <![CDATA[The King of France’s favorite mistress, Marie Angélique de Scorailles, died a horrifically gruesome death—and it all came down to foul play.]]> 2026-07-08T15:43:29+00:00 2026-07-08T15:43:29+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-marie-angelique-de-scorailles Brendan Da Costa People The Doomed Mistress Marie Angélique de Scorailles was King Louis XIV’s favorite mistress—until her suspicious demise. Her true-love affair with the Sun King had his other mistresses sharpening their knives.

]]> 1. She Was Louis XIV’s Favorite…Until Marie Angélique de Scorailles rose to prominence as King Louis XIV’s mistress. But, while her beauty was boundless, she was brainless. The doe-eyed duchess became the focus of King Louis XIV’s former mistress’ venomous jealousy. Then her untimely demise became the focus of the scandal-ridden Affair of the Poisons. Or was it witchcraft?

]]> 2. Her Family Had No Money Marie Angélique de Scorailles was born in Upper Auvergne in 1661 at her family’s historic castle, Chteau de Cropières. Her family was one of the oldest aristocratic families in all of France and her father, the Comte de Rousaille, was King Louis XIV’s Lieutenant. But there was one thing that her family didn’t have: money.

]]> 3. She Was Her Family’s Last Hope By the time that Marie Angélique de Scorailles entered the scene, her family’s fortunes had dwindled considerably. Even though they were one of the oldest and most respected noble families in France, they could barely rub two pennies together. However, de Scorailles’ birth marked a considerable change in the family’s fortunes. If de Scorailles survived, that is.

]]> 4. She Was Too Pretty For The Provinces Over the years, de Scorailles grew into an ever more beautiful young woman. Before long, her breathtaking beauty gave her penny-pinching parents a brilliant idea. She was too pretty to live in the provinces. In Paris, they could turn her beauty into cold hard cash. Unfortunately, sometimes you need money to make money.

]]> 5. Her Family Cared More About Money According to some of de Scorailles’ contemporaries, her family was unscrupulous in their pursuit of wealth. They would have done anything to get their fortune back. As one contemporary source put it, “her [de Scorailles’] relatives [...] had more love for their fortune than for their honor”. Somehow, they managed to scrape up enough cash to send the 17-year old girl to court in Paris.

]]> 6. She Was A Maid-Of-Honor With her cobbled-together wares, de Scorailles arrived in Paris, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Her beauty must have concealed her relative poverty because her first appointment at court was a prestigious one. She became the maid-of-honor of Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchesse de Orléans, King Louis XIV’s sister-in-law by way of his brother, Philippe I, Duke of Orléans.

]]> 7. She Was Childish From the time that she arrived in Paris, de Scorailles started turning heads—and hearts—with her beauty. Contemporary sources described her as “fair, with glossy flaxen hair” and large light gray eyes that held a “look of childish wonderment”. She would have to grow up fast, however, if she was going to survive.

]]> 8. She Was A Heroine With her easy grace and childish innocence, de Scorailles became a favorite at court. The other courtiers marveled at her skin that was “white as milk” and her “rose-pink” cheeks. They even went so far as to call her “a genuine heroine of romance”. Of course, every good heroine needs a good villain. Sometimes, that villain wins.

]]> 9. She Had A Good Heart Unsurprisingly, de Scorailles settled into her new role as the Duchesse de Orléans’ maid-of-honor with ease. Famously, the duchess declared that de Scorailles was “lovely as an angel, from head to foot” and praised her “good heart”. However, it seems that beauty and a friendly disposition were the only things that de Scorailles had going for her.

]]> 10. She Was Dumb As A Doornail While every courtier, from the highest to the lowest, couldn’t help but remark at de Scorailles’ beauty and grace, she had another, less favorable, trait. They couldn’t help but notice that her pretty head was pretty empty. Behind her back, they whispered that she was “as stupid as a basket” while the Duchesse de Orléans openly called her a “stupid little creature”.

De Scorailles had unwittingly stepped into the hornets’ nest.

]]> 11. Her Role Was Cursed As the maid of honor to the Duchesse de Orléans, de Scorailles had unwittingly joined a cast of ill-fated or unscrupulous characters who had affairs with King Louis XIV. One of her predecessors had been Louise de La Vallière who had served as maid-of-honor to the first Duchesse de Orléans, Henrietta of England. It was a doomed role to begin with.

]]> 12. She Replaced The “Queen Of France” By the time that de Scorailles had arrived at court 1678, King Louis XIV had replaced Louise de La Vallière as his mistress with another maid-of-honor of the Duchesse de Orléans. He was seemingly enraptured with the Marquise de Montespan. In fact, their affair was so intense that the court had taken to calling de Montespan the “true Queen of France”.

However, de Scorailles would become the Queen of Louis’ Bedchamber.

]]> 13. She Broke Up A Fight The Marquise de Montespan fiercely guarded her relationship with King Louis XIV. But, after bearing seven children for the philandering king, everyone could see that the affair was beginning to fizzle out. At first, it seemed like Louis XIV was falling in love (or lust) with his children’s governess, the Marquise de Maintenon.

And that’s when de Scorailles wandered into the lion’s den.

]]> 14. She Beguiled The King It seemed likely that a fight for King Louis XIV’s affections between the powerful Marquises de Montespan and de Maintenon was about to break out. Then, unexpectedly, King Louis XIV met the bright-eyed “”, de Scorailles, at his brother’s home. Like everyone else at court, he fell victim to her beauty and charms.

She would fall victim to something far more sinister.

]]> 15. She Made A Powerful Enemy Just as her family had intended, de Scorailles found favor in the king’s eyes thanks to her jealousy-inducing beauty. At first, the Marquise de Montespan thought that Louis XIV’s infatuation with de Scorailles would pass like the bloom on a rose. But, when it became apparent that Louis XIV intended to replace her with de Scorailles, she became despondent—and desperate. 

]]> 16. She Was Making Money By March of 1679, just a year after arriving at court, de Scorailles had managed to secure a healthy allowance for herself and her family—just as they had intended. But it came with a dark side. In the process, she had unintentionally replaced the vengeful and vindictive Marquise de Montespan as King Louis XIV’s preferred mistress. She was just too innocent to suspect anything.

]]> 17. Her Love Put Her At Risk At first, the Marquise de Montespan was despondent. She wrote to one of her friends, “All is very quiet here; the king only comes into my room after mass and after supper”. But, as the King’s love for de Montespan waned, his desire for de Scorailles only grew more and more intense. The more he showed it, however, the more he endangered her. 

]]> 18. She Made The King Feel Young The French court couldn’t help but notice that de Scorailles, with her brilliant guilelessness and innocence, had brightened the Sun King’s disposition. Contemporary sources state that, in de Scorailles’ presence, Louis XIV “felt young again”.

He even dressed more stylishly, decorating his outfits with “diamonds, ribbons and feathers”.

]]> 19. She Had Eight Horses King Louis XIV’s outward display of love for de Scorailles only made her love him more. But it made de Montespan absolutely green with jealousy. Or grey. Grey like the pearl grey carriage, along with eight gorgeous horses, that Louis XIV gifted to de Scorailles. If she didn’t watch her back, she would end up in a different kind of carriage.

]]> 20. She Was The Best-Dressed At a big ball in the early spring of 1679, Marie Angélique de Scorailles made an entrance that would cement her place as Louis XIV’s favorite mistress. She appeared at the society event “in great brilliance”, wearing an outfit put together by de Montespan’s own court dressers. Without even trying to, de Scorailles had become a trendsetter.

]]> 21. She Was On The Hunt While on a hunt in the forests of Fontainebleau, de Scorailles set another trend. This time, while maneuvering through the woods, her hair got caught on a tree branch and became disheveled. Ever the ingénue, she later appeared in front of Louis XIV with her hair tied loosely in a ribbon, falling in curls down to her shoulders.

The informality of her appearance might have landed anyone else on the guillotine.

]]> 22. She Was A Trendsetter Far from being insulted at de Scorailles’ casual “frontage” hairdo, Louis XIV loved it. In fact, he loved it so much that the very next day, every woman at court showed up with the same relaxed hairdo. Everyone, that is, except for de Montespan—who let her jealousy show. 

She claimed the look was in “bad taste”. Someone would have to teach de Scorailles some lessons.

]]> 23. She Was Just A Pretty Painting Fueled by jealousy, de Montespan did everything she could to diminish de Scorailles’ position at court. She went around calling de Scorailles nothing more than a “beautiful painting”. She even took aim at Louis XIV, saying that he must not be a very “fastidious” man if he bothered with someone from the provinces like de Scorailles.

]]> 24. She Just Wanted To Be Friends Not surprisingly, the court overwhelmingly sided with the dainty (if dunderheaded) Marie Angélique de Scorailles. In fact, letters from the era even reveal that the court was gleeful in de Montespan’s fall from grace. However, de Scorailles never wanted to embarrass King Louis XIV’s former mistress. She just wanted peace.

]]> 25. She Extended An (Expensive) Olive Branch While de Montespan fumed over de Scorailles’ unstoppable rise in popularity, de Scorailles tried to smooth things over. In an effort to show de Montespan that she meant no harm to her, de Scorailles showered the aging mistress and all of her children with expensive gifts. Unfortunately, it never crossed her mind to buy her a bear cage.

]]> 26. She Made Others Angry With Jealousy With de Montespan’s jealous rage boiling over like a pot of water over an open flame, the court at Versailles became a dangerous place—especially for de Scorailles. But the unsuspecting naïf could never have guessed exactly how far the envious and evil de Montespan would go to remove her from court. In a permanent sense.

]]> 27. She Had Rude Guests In a curious turn of events, somehow, two “pet bears” broke free from their menagerie. The untamed beasts roamed the halls of Versailles, terrorizing the court. Eventually, they ended up in de Scorailles’ apartments where they proceeded to tear the place apart with merciless savagery. The “random” event had the air of intentionality about it. 

]]> 28. She “Bear-ly” Escaped The “pet bears”, as it turned out, belonged to none other than de Montespan. The fact that these two beasts somehow managed to find the apartments belonging to de Scorailles seemed almost too coincidental. Fortunately, de Scorailles had not been home at the time as, possibly, de Montespan had hoped. But de Scorailles was not safe yet.

]]> 29. She Was Pregnant Despite de Montespan’s best efforts, the love between Marie Angélique de Scorailles and Louis XIV only grew stronger. They even developed a permanent bond. By 1679, de Scorailles had become pregnant with one of Louis XIV’s children. Flush with love and hope, de Scorailles looked forward to bearing her lover’s child and elevating her family further.

Sadly, it would not come to pass.

]]> 30. She Lost Everything By all appearances, de Scorailles was a young and healthy woman in her prime childbearing years. So, when she prematurely gave birth to a stillborn boy in January 1680, the news shocked the Parisian court.

Then things got worse. The ordeal had taken a dramatic toll on de Scorailles’ health. In fact, her beauty seemed to have faded some.

]]> 31. She Broke Up Tragically, the physical exertion of her miscarriage had left Marie Angélique de Scorailles “wounded in the service of the king”. Her worst scars, however, were emotional ones. When she recovered in April of 1680, Louis XIV gifted her the title of “Duchess de Fontanges” along with a healthy pension of 80,000 livres. In other words, he was breaking up with her. 

]]> 32. She Fled The Court To heal her wounds (emotional and physical) de Scorailles retreated from court to the Abbey of Chelles. It’s not entirely clear what she did while there or, indeed, how long she stayed away from court. But it couldn’t have been too long. Given what happened next, it’s possible that the love between her and Louis XIV was still strong.

Just like de Montespan’s jealousy.

]]> 33. She Fell Mysteriously Ill By early 1681, Marie Angélique de Scorailles began experiencing inexplicable symptoms such as a high fever. Fearing for her health, she traveled to the Abbey of Port-Royal to recover. But, even there, under the watchful eye of the nuns, her condition only worsened. Then, in March, something truly baffling happened to the ailing mistress.

]]> 34. She Lost Another Baby According to some reports, tragedy once again came knocking at de Scorailles’ door. In March of 1861, de Scorailles yet again gave birth prematurely. This time, allegedly, to a stillborn baby girl. Once again, the ordeal of childbirth took its toll on her health—but de Scorailles could sense that this would be different.

She would not recover.

]]> 35. She Knew The End Was Coming Predicting that her end was nigh, Marie Angélique de Scorailles begged to see her former lover, King Louis XIV. The king was so moved by de Scorailles still-burning affections that he rushed to her side. Once he saw how she was suffering, he couldn’t help holding back the tears and wept for the loss of his favorite mistress.

It all ended so suddenly.

]]> 36. She Was Happy To Go As de Scorailles lay in her bed, she could feel the life seeping out of her—almost as if by sorcery or witchcraft. But, even to the very end, she remained an unsuspecting “heroine of romance”. As she drew her final breaths, she sighed, “having seen tears in the eyes of my King, I can [expire] happy”. She wasn’t the only one smiling in the end.

]]> 37. She Left Behind A Mystery The inexplicable illnesses leading up to Marie Angélique de Scorailles’ untimely demise had everyone at court scratching their heads—and it led to disturbing rumors. People began whispering about witchcraft and poisons.

Even before her body had turned cold, however, de Montespan went about discrediting her former adversary for the king’s affections. But vicious gossip might not have been the extent of her involvement.

]]> 38. She Never Got To Say Her Final Goodbyes Without missing a beat, de Montespan began casting doubt on de Scorailles’ final days and months. She, along with others at court, claimed that de Scorailles had long since fallen out of favor with King Louis XIV. She asserted that he never visited her at the Abbey of Port-Royal and, possibly, that there had never been a second miscarriage.

So, what, then, had caused de Scorailles’ drastic decline in health?

]]> 39. Her Autopsy Was Strange Suspiciously, King Louis XIV did not want anyone to perform an autopsy on de Scorailles’ body. But her family—devastated at the loss of their money-making mistress—prevailed in getting an autopsy.

What the doctors found, however, when they opened up her body only opened up more questions. And cast more dispersions on de Montespan.

]]> 40. Her Lungs Were Appalling In all, six doctors performed the autopsy on de Scorailles’ (still, we imagine, beautiful) remains. What they uncovered, however, was troubling. They found her lungs in “appalling condition”, noting that the right lung was full of a strange “purulent matter”. What’s more, is that her chest was flooded with an indeterminate fluid.

Disregarding their bizarre discoveries, all six doctors concluded that de Scorailles had passed of natural causes.

]]> 41. She Was The Focus Of The Affair Of The Poisons Despite the medical findings, de Scorailles’ untimely demise became the focus of the Affair of the Poisons. There was just too much bad blood between King Louis XIV’s mistresses for anyone to believe that de Scorailles had simply been unlucky.

The scandal really broke out, however, when Marguerite Monvoisin, the daughter of the famed sorceress La Voisin, pointed a finger directly at de Montespan. 

]]> 42. She Crossed A Sorceress Marguerite claimed that her mother, prior to her own untimely demise in 1680, had confided in her about a terrible plot. She claimed that La Voisin had met in secret with two of her lovers, Bertrand and Romani…as well as de Montespan.

Allegedly, de Montespan had commissioned the sorceress and her poisoners to get rid of de Scorailles.

]]> 43. She Purchased Poisonous Things According to Marguerite’s accusations, Bertrand was meant to sell “poisonous stuffs” to Marie Angélique de Scorailles. Simultaneously, Romani was supposed to ensure the delivery of gloves contaminated with poison into de Scorailles’ hands.

If there was any truth to the matter, then only those closest to de Scorailles would know the dreadful details.

]]> 44. Her Servant Was An Occultist Françoise Filastre, one of de Scorailles’ servants and a secret occultist, then made a shocking confession. She claimed that de Montespan had involved her in the plot to poison the late Duchesse de Fontanges.

However, it then came out that she had given her confession under a rather extreme form of duress. She might have made it all up.

]]> 45. Her Servant Made It All Up Before walking off to the hangman’s noose, Filastre recanted her devastating testimony against de Montespan. She claimed to be nothing more than a humble servant to her ill-fated mistress, de Scorailles. Her final words were, “All I said is false. I did that for me to be free of pain and torment”.

But the accusations didn’t end with Filastre.

]]> 46. She Just Had Pneumonia Historians have since tried to perform their own autopsy, sifting through the details of the case. The historian Antonia Fraser, for example, asserted that there was no witchcraft or poisoning involved in de Scorailles demise. As far as Fraser was concerned, it was a simple case of tuberculosis leading to pleuro-pneumonia.

]]> 47. Her Miscarriages Did Her In Alternative versions of the story suggest that de Scorailles’ two miscarriages had, in fact, been the nails in her early coffin. Records indicate that she bled heavily after her miscarriages, indicating that some of the placenta had become lodged in her uterus. Curiously, however, the six doctors who performed her autopsy never mentioned it.

]]> 48. She Had Cancer One final theory for natural causes asserts that de Scorailles suffered a particularly rare form of cancer. It is possible that a cyst had formed on the placenta during one of her miscarriages. After she lost the baby, the cancer developed and, in time, led to her demise. However, the simplest explanation is probably the likeliest.

]]> 49. Her Best Friend Knew The Truth Almost all of the contemporary sources point to de Montespan, poison and witchcraft as the culprits in de Scorailles’ tragic fall from grace and ultimate demise. In fact, if anyone knew for certain, it would be the Duchesse de Orléans, who had been De Scorailles’ first friend at court.

Well, the Duchesse claimed with absolute certainty that de Montespan had poisoned de Scorailles, administered through her milk.

]]> 50. Her Love Cost Her Her Life We may never know the truth behind de Scorailles’ demise. The facts of the matter are obscured under a cloud of scandal and the fog of the Affair of the Poisons. All we know for certain is that she loved King Louis XIV and that, at least for a time, he loved her too. Sadly, that love probably cost her her life—before she even turned 20.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=47135 <![CDATA[New Discoveries Change Our Understanding Of How Ancient Egyptians Really Built The Pyramids]]> 2026-07-08T10:20:00+00:00 2026-07-07T18:56:10+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/interesting/new-discoveries-how-great-pyramids-built Julian Karas Interesting Ancient Wonders Egypt's Pyramids of Giza have captivated people for thousands of years, and they're still among the world's greatest architectural marvels. Every year, millions travel to see these towering monuments in person, often leaving with the same lingering question: How did the ancient Egyptians build something so extraordinary? Here's what historians and archaeologists know, along with the leading theories that continue to fuel the debate.

]]> The Pyramids: The Basics The three pyramids at Giza were built around 2600 BC as tombs of the Fourth Dynasty pharaohs. The Great Pyramid of Khufu’s height of 481 feet made it the tallest human-made structure on Earth until it was surpassed by Lincoln Cathedral in England in the 14th Century.

]]> The Pyramids: Running The Numbers The Great Pyramid’s sides are 756 feet at their base. The sides slope at about 52 degrees. Covering more than 13 acres, the Great Pyramid required almost 600,000 stone blocks for its core and another 40,000 casing stones for the smooth exterior surfaces.

]]> Inside The Pyramids  Almost all pyramids contain internal passageways and burial chambers below ground level. The Great Pyramid is unique in that its King’s Burial Chamber is well above ground level, accessed by a long high-ceilinged passage called the Grand Gallery. The King’s chamber also has two air passages angled upward. The internal structure of the Great Pyramid is important as it offers potential clues about construction methods.

]]> Pyramid Building Materials: Structural Stones The bulk of the stones that make up the pyramids were limestone blocks of an average weight of over two tons. These blocks were cut from a quarry that is still visible today in the area immediately to the south of the pyramids. Research shows that the ancient Egyptians took advantage of the existing natural fracture patterns in the limestone to aid in their extraction.

]]> Pyramid Building Materials: Casing Stones The pyramids were originally smooth, faced with carefully cut blocks of a higher quality white limestone. These casing stones were cut from the Tura quarry on the eastern bank of the Nile, about 15 kilometers from the pyramids. There is a section of casing stones still visible in the upper section of the Khafre pyramid, which provides a clue to the pyramids’ original splendor.

]]> Pyramid Building Materials: Granite The interior passageways, tombs, and sarcophagi of the pharaohs were constructed of larger, heavier slabs of granite. How much heavier? Some of the slabs weigh 80 tons! The granite was mostly quarried from the vicinity of Aswan, more than a thousand kilometers up the Nile. Workers floated these larger rocks down the Nile on barges until they reached the pyramid construction site.

]]> Pyramid Building Materials: Mortar Mortar was the quiet genius holding the pyramids together, helping the stones stay stable and evenly balanced. Egyptian builders used two main mixtures: a lime mortar made from crushed limestone, water, and sand, and a faster-setting gypsum mortar made from crushed gypsum and water. Strong, sticky, and weather-resistant, these mortars were a major engineering breakthrough in their own right.

]]> Pyramid Building Equipment: Wood Wood was mostly used to construct sledges to transport the quarried blocks along the ground. Wooden beams and wedges were also used to force open cracks in the rock during the quarrying process. Wood was hard to come by in the arid Egyptian landscape and would have required transport from the forests of Lebanon.

]]> Pyramid Building Equipment: Rope Rope was a critical piece of equipment for building pyramids. Dragging stone blocks out of quarries, along level ground and up ramps onto the emerging pyramid would have required immense amounts of the stuff. Fortunately, the Egyptians made excellent rope from papyrus fibers. Used to lower sarcophagi into crypts and haul heavy rocks around, there is no doubt about the reliability of Egyptian papyrus rope.

]]> Pyramid Building Equipment: Copper Tools Workers used metal chisels to quarry and shape the stone blocks. As iron hadn’t been developed yet, all the chisels and sawing implements were tipped by copper or copper alloy. The soft metal would require constant re-sharpening when hewing through the limestone. As for the granite slabs used in the complex interior features of the pyramid, a harder material was required.

]]> Pyramid Building Equipment: Dolerite Rock The granite rock at the Aswan quarry site on the Nile would have been far too hard to extract using copper chisels. Instead, research has shown that stonemasons used pieces of a hard igneous rock called dolerite. Hand pounding with dolerite rocks formed the granite slab’s rough dimensions. The edges and surfaces could then be smoothed off using quartz sand abrasion.

]]> Did The Egyptians Have Pulleys? Most researchers agree that the Egyptians knew about pulley systems to lift the blocks. The problem was that they didn’t have strong enough materials to make a pulley that wouldn’t break under the immense weight of the stones. There is evidence that the Egyptians used levers capable of lifting the huge rocks with the help of shims, but there’s no hard evidence that levers were used on the pyramids.

]]> Was There An Army Of Slaves? The use of vast numbers of slaves to build the pyramids is a common belief that may have come from the Old Testament’s Book of Exodus. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus also wrote of an army of 100,000 slaves who constructed the Great Pyramid. Depictions from films such as The Ten Commandments (1956) and Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) have added to the confusion—however, an important discovery in the 1980s put the slave theory to rest.

]]> A Worker’s Village For years, many people believed the pyramids were built by massive armies of enslaved workers. But the discovery of a workers' settlement in 1988 completely changed that story. Known as Heit el-Ghurab, or the Lost City of the Pyramids, the site included homes, storage buildings, streets, and administrative structures, while a nearby cemetery revealed that the builders were likely skilled laborers who were respected, well-fed, and valued for their expertise. Archaeologists estimate the settlement could have housed up to 5,000 workers at a time.

]]> A Worker’s Diary Is Discovered A papyrus scroll from the time of the building of the pyramids was found in 2013 at a site near the Red Sea. Known as the Diary of Merer, the papyrus describes the shipping of rocks to the pyramid building site, and mentions by name the project manager of the pyramid construction. It is further evidence of the skill and intelligence of the workforce building the pyramids.

]]> Water For Faster Stone Cutting The waters of the Nile have always been the lifeblood of Egyptian civilization, and played a crucial role in the construction of the pyramids as well. To cut rock faster, workers poured water into the cutting surfaces. Not only did this lubricate the cutting and chiseling, but it dissolved salts in the rock itself to weaken it further. This was especially important for cutting the harder rock types like granite.

]]> Water To Help Move Blocks The movement of the quarried stones was done by sliding them on wooden sledges pulled by ropes. Water was sprayed onto the ground in front of the sledge, which made it much faster and easier to pull the giant sections of rock along.

]]> The Role Of The Nile Researchers have always wondered about the exact role that the Nile River itself played in the building of the pyramids. It is now commonly accepted that granite blocks were transported from far upstream on the Nile, and that the limestone casing blocks were transported from the other side of the Nile to the pyramids.

]]> A Harbor For Offloading Materials Testing in 2024 using modern techniques revealed a lost branch of the Nile, the Ahramat, that approached quite near the Giza Plateau. There are causeways between the pyramid and the vanished river channel along with other human-made structures that would have been part of a harbor facility. This harbor would have greatly eased the transport of workers, stones, and other supplies for the project.

]]> Alignment Of The Pyramids The pyramids were carefully aligned to the four points of the compass. The Egyptians most likely accomplished this task with the use of their surveying tool, the merkhet. Astronomical calculations and correlation with other monuments in Egypt suggest that the pyramids were aligned to stars that were rotating the celestial North Pole at the time of construction.

]]> Laying The Foundation Before laying a single stone, Egyptian builders took great care to create a level, stable foundation for the pyramid. One long-standing theory suggests they flooded a network of trenches with water and used the waterline to ensure the ground was perfectly even. While many researchers find the idea plausible, others have proposed different methods, making the pyramid's foundation another part of the mystery that's still being debated today.

]]> Laying The Foundation: A More Recent Interpretation Meticulous mapping of the Giza Plateau carried out since the 1980s suggests that the Egyptians didn’t level off the entire foundation area, but only surveyed the pyramid’s four edges to make sure they were perfectly horizontal.

]]> Laying The Foundation: Anchoring The Cornerstones The cornerstones are further evidence of ancient Egyptian foresight and ingenuity. The cornerstones were of a ball and socket design, that is, implanted deeper into the ground to prevent shifting due to earthquakes or other ground disturbances.

]]> Installing The Casing Stones A study of the still-existing casing stones on the Khafre pyramid shows a method to their installation. It appears that each row of casing stone was started simultaneously at both ends by separate teams of workers. The two sections were joined together in the middle by shorter stones called bonding stones with tapered sides that could be dropped easily into place.

]]> The Capstone A pointed capstone was the finishing touch of the pyramid’s construction. It’s speculated that the original capstone for the Great Pyramid was originally coated with gold leaf. If that was the case, it’s no surprise that it was already gone by the time of the Romans, leaving the empty platform at the pyramid’s peak that we still see today.

]]> Building The Perfect Ramp Researchers are unanimous that some kind of ramp was used to drag the blocks up to where they would be installed on the pyramid. But there is no agreement on the ramp’s exact configuration. Every ramp design under consideration has drawbacks, and there are some strict criteria that a ramp has to meet.

]]> Ramp Basics Research shows that any possible ramp cannot exceed a grade of eight percent. Anything steeper, and the workers couldn’t drag the stones up with the methods then in use. The ramp would also have to be wide enough to accommodate two-way traffic: a stone being dragged up the ramp would have to be able to move past an empty sled being brought down the ramp.

]]> The Straight Ramp The simplest ramp concept is the straight ramp. This ramp would have sloped up to each level as the pyramid was constructed. On paper, this idea certainly would have worked very well, especially for the lowest third of the pyramid. But the theory has serious problems.

]]> The Straight Ramp: Problems If the Egyptians had relied on one massive straight ramp, it would have needed to stretch nearly a mile to keep the incline shallow enough for workers to haul heavy stones. Constructing a ramp that large may have required even more labor and materials than the pyramid itself, and there likely wasn't enough space around the site to accommodate it. That's one of the biggest reasons many archaeologists believe a different system was used.

]]> The Zig-Zag Ramp A ramp that zig-zagged progressively up one face of the pyramid has also been proposed, but it suffers from several drawbacks. Similar to the long straight ramp, a zig-zagging ramp would have to be supported on the 52-degree incline of a pyramid face. Such a ramp configuration would have stability problems, and that’s not even taking into account installing the smooth casing stones off such a structure.

]]> The Spiral Ramp A narrow ramp steadily ascending around each face of the pyramid seems more workable than the zig-zag system on one face. It seems possible at first glance that a ramp could be set up and extended steadily up and around each face of the pyramid. But there are numerous problems with this model, too.

]]> The Spiral Ramp: Problems The main problem of a spiral ramp is that the ramp itself would be covering the corners of the pyramid, making it impossible to measure back from newly completed work to ensure that everything is level. And, as with the zig-zag face ramp, it’s hard to imagine how any ramp could be supported on the steep incline of the pyramid face.

]]> The Biggest Problem The biggest problem shared by all the competing ramp theories is a simple one: though remnants of ramps have been discovered elsewhere, and it’s an established fact that the Egyptians used ramps to move rock, there is no definite evidence of any ramp in the immediate vicinity of the pyramids.

]]> A Possible Solution In 2005, French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin put forth a possible solution to the mystery. Houdin proposed a spiral ramp that ascended around the pyramid’s perimeter internal to the pyramid itself. An internal ramp would negate the need for additional materials, and explain why there is no sign of any external ramps.

]]> Building The Case For The Internal Ramp Houdin proposed that a straight ramp was used to build the pyramid’s lower third; this simple approach would allow the bulk of the material to be moved up quickly, and accommodate the enormous granite blocks used for the Great Gallery and King’s Chamber. With these phases complete, the construction would shift to the internal ramp method. There are clues that indicate this was possible.

]]> Physical Evidence Of An Internal Ramp The best physical evidence of an internal ramp is the opening at about 270 feet up the southeast corner of the Great Pyramid. Inside this opening is an L-shaped room that Houdin believes would accommodate a lever for moving blocks around the corner. Further evidence is seen at the Sun Temple of Niuserre, whose small pyramid displays an internal ramp.

]]> Discovery Of The Void The study of the pyramids reached a major turning point in 2019 with the discovery of a large void inside the Great Pyramid, directly above the Grand Gallery. Found using new survey imaging methods, the void represents the first discovery inside the pyramid since the 1800s. But researchers still haven’t figured out the void’s purpose, or whether it supports Houdin’s internal ramp theory.

]]> Far Out Theories It’s unsettling to think that ancient people did things that we still can’t figure out, and that realization has led to some unusual theories over the years. Ideas about blocks with floats being pumped up water chutes; intervention by extraterrestrials; or even prehistoric giants are a few of the wilder ones. Almost all archaeologists think these theories are ludicrous.

]]> The Mystery Endures Even with all the theories of how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids, nobody knows for sure exactly how they did it. As researchers unearth more artifacts, we may yet stumble on the elusive proof of the Egyptians’ ingenious building method. Though we’ve learned much in recent decades, the ultimate secret is still hidden in the sands of time.

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61269 <![CDATA[Many know about Rubin “Hurricane” Carter” thanks to the Denzel Washington film—but there’s more to his story than what the biopic portrayed.]]> 2026-07-08T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-07T18:26:02+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-rubin-carter Byron Fast People He Was In The Wrong Place Denzel Washington brought the heartbreaking story of Rubin Carter to moviegoers in 1999. But before that could happen, Carter had to actually live through the horrendous ordeal portrayed in the film. Carter was a middleweight boxer who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. A flawed system put Carter behind bars for something he did not commit. 

Carter, with his own steely determination and a cohort of unlikely guardian angels, faced the fight of his life to right this terrible injustice.

]]> 1. His Dad Was Strict Rubin Carter’s birthplace was Clifton, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. Carter was the fourth child in a household that had seven children. Carter’s dad had his hands full, and the result was that he was very strict with the kids, which included beatings.

This harsh treatment didn't stop Carter from getting into some very terrible trouble.

]]> 2. He Defended Himself When he was just 11 years old, Rubin Carter found himself sentenced to a juvenile reformatory. Apparently, he’d gone after a man with a blade. But Carter had his reasons. He said the man was attempting to have his way with him. That didn’t seem to matter to the judge, and Carter received a long sentence. But Carter wasn’t about to stay behind bars.

]]> 3. He Wanted Out Carter wasn’t about to wait around forever for judges to believe that he had acted in self-defense. After almost six years in the reformatory, he escaped and ran off to the US Army. He went through basic training and then got his marching orders. He was going to Europe. Sadly, even basic training couldn’t reel in Carter’s behavior.

]]> 4. They Sent Him Home Rubin Carter spent his time with the army in West Germany. Here, he took up boxing and exceled. Carter may have been a good boxer, but being a soldier was proving to be difficult. After four court-martials, they finally kicked him out. Carter was heading back to America—and back to more trouble.

]]> 5. He Was Back Behind Bars Once Carter was back in New Jersey, he got into trouble with the law again. He performed two muggings back to back, and the judge thought this warranted a sentence. After nearly five years behind bars, Carter emerged a better boxer than when he’d entered.

It seemed like boxing could be the thing to keep Carter out from behind bars—but unfortunately, it wouldn’t work out that way.

]]> 6. He Came Out Ready To Rumble After his release, it didn’t take long for Rubin Carter to become a professional boxer. Fans started to notice him for his aggression and the power of his punches. Together, these two forces resulted in more than a few early-round knockouts. Soon, fans had a nickname for him. They called him the “Hurricane”.

The boxing world did not know what to expect from this “storm” of a fighter.

]]> 7. He Moved Up Carter quickly proved himself to the boxing world. He beat fighters like Florentino Fernandez, Holley Mims, Gomeo Brennan, and George Benton. In 1963, he was in the top ten of middleweights. He also got married that year, to Mae Thelma Basket. Two years later, he was number five. But just because he was shaping up, it didn’t mean he didn’t have a rebellious streak.

Carter was a trouble maker and took great delight in provoking his opponents.

]]> 8. He Liked The Trash Talk At one weigh-in, Rubin Carter tried to get his opponent riled up. His comment was, “You talk like a champ but you fight like a woman”. He also had his trademark soundbite: “You gotta pay the Hurricane". This kind of talk wouldn't go over well today, but it made Carter into a popular fighter.

Then he did something that would shock the boxing world.

]]> 9. They Thought He Didn’t Have A Chance When Carter stepped into the ring with world champion Emile Griffith, likely most thought he didn't have a chance. He stunned the boxing world by sending Griffith down to the mat in the first two rounds. This resulted in a technical knockout. He was now the number three contender for a world middleweight title against Joey Giardello.

This was going to be the fight of his life.

]]> 10. He Came In Strong On December 14, 1964, Rubin Carter stepped into the ring to face Joey Giardello in a 15-round championship. In round four, Carter managed to make a solid hit on Giardello’s head with his right arm. Giardello staggered, and it looked like it might be another early-round knockout. But that wasn’t true. Giardello came back in the fifth and dominated the fight. In the end, the judges gave it to Giardello. Carter had lost.

His career had taken a hit, and he had to find a way to recover.

]]> 11. He Experienced The Worst The loss to Giardello seemed to signify the beginning of a shift downward for Carter. Of his nine bouts in 1965, he only won five. His match against Dick Tiger was particularly brutal. Tiger sent Carter to the mat three times. Carter later said that it was "the worst beating that I took in my life".

He was also suffering outside the ring.

]]> 12. He Could Not Stay Out Of Trouble While Rubin Carter was in London, England, to fight Tiger, there was an incident. The details are sketchy, but we do know that someone fired a pistol in Carter’s hotel room. Clearly, Carter was hanging around with the wrong kind of people. He needed to concentrate on boxing to stay away from behavior that would send him back behind bars.

But his boxing career could not last forever.

]]> 13. He Fought For The Last Time Sadly, August 5, 1966, marked the day of Carter’s last boxing match. He was up against Juan Carlos Rivero and lost by the judge’s decision. Looking back, his record was impressive. He’d fought 40 times, and he’d won 27 of them, with eight knockouts and 11 technical knockouts. He’d lost only 12 times and had one draw.

Without a career in boxing, Carter’s life began to unravel. And it all happened extremely quickly.

]]> 14. He Was Driving By On June 17, 1966, Rubin Carter was in a rental car with his buddy John Artis and another man, John Royster. It was after 2:00 a.m., and they had been at a place called the Nite Spot. Officers pulled them over and wanted to talk to them. As it turned out, there’d been an altercation at a nearby restaurant. The officers recognized Carter—he had a reputation for trouble—but let the three men go.

But this fateful night wasn’t over yet.

]]> 15. They Opened Fire The altercation the officers were investigating was something very serious. Two men had entered the Lafayette Bar and Grill and opened fire. When the dust settled, a bartender and a customer had lost their lives. Two other customers, Hazel Tanis and Willie Marins, were on their way to the hospital. Only Marins would survive.

The same officers got a description of the getaway car used after the altercation. It matched the car Carter was in.

]]> 16. They Were Stopped Again The officers raced through the city in search of Carter once again. By the time they caught up with him, he and Artis had already dropped Royster at home. The officers instructed Carter and Artis to follow them to the station. When they got there, officers detained both of them as suspects in the Lafayette Bar and Grill incident.

Carter had no idea how much trouble he was in.

]]> 17. There Were Witnesses The description of the getaway car came from two individuals: Patricia Valentine and Alfred Bello. But Bello had a strange reason for being outside the Lafayette Bar and Grill. He was acting as a lookout while his buddy was robbing a warehouse. Bello wasn’t exactly the most reliable witness.

Especially when you consider what he said next.

]]> 18. He Didn’t Seem Reliable Bello said that he found the bodies in the Lafayette Bar and Grill when he went in to make a purchase. Instead of yelling for help, Bello took the money from the cash register. When he left the restaurant, two officers stopped him, and he told them he’d seen two armed Black men leave the bar. He said he ran away from them but managed to see them leave in a white car.

While Bello doesn't sound like the most reliable witness, there was also Valentine.

]]> 19. There Were More Witnesses The other witness, Patricia Valentine, lived above the Lafayette Bar and Grill. She’d heard loud bangs and looked out her window. Like Bello, she described a white vehicle making a speedy getaway with two Black men in the front seats. Both Valentine and Bello said that the white car had “a sort of a butterfly-type design in the back". A third witness, Ronald Ruggiero, said he saw the same thing.

It didn’t look good for Carter.

]]> 20. They Blamed A Lack Of Time The authorities never located the arms used to wreak havoc that night, but they did figure out what kind they were. For some reason, the lead detective didn’t ask for residue tests on Carter and Artis to see if they had any involvement in what happened at the Lafayette Bar and Grill. He later blamed a lack of time.

Next, they searched Carter’s rental car.

]]> 21. They Searched It Thoroughly For some reason, it took five days to search Carter’s rental car. They then announced that they’d found arms similar to the ones used at the Lafayette Bar and Grill. It seemed weird that it took them five days to search a car. Also strange was the fact that neither weapon matched the one used that night.

The facts weren't exactly lining up. But prosecutors were just getting started.

]]> 22. He Was Identified The witnesses had never fully described the men leaving the bar. Suddenly, Bello was saying that one of the men was definitely Artis. The other witness, Arthur Bradley, now said that the other man was Carter. Based on these new descriptions, authorities indicted both Carter and Artis.

Another witness, Patricia Valentina, also changed her story.

]]> 23. She Saw It Differently At the time of the incident, Patricia Valentina had said that the white car she saw fleeing the area had butterfly taillights. When she gave her testimony, she changed her story. She said that it wasn’t the taillights but an aluminum butterfly shape. This new description better matched Carter’s rental car. When asked about the change of testimony, the prosecution blamed it on a misreading of the court transcript.

Carter’s defense team had their work cut out for them.

]]> 24. He Had His Own Witnesses Carter’s defense team, with Raymond A Brown as the lead, drew the jury’s focus to the strange inconsistencies of the eye witnesses, and the fact that they seemed to change their stories. Brown also brought forward his own witnesses. They all swore that Carter and Artis were still at the bar the Nite Spot when the bloody incident took place.

It seemed that Rubin Carter would go free after all.

]]> 25. The Verdict Finally Arrived The jury consisted only of white people, and the verdict they delivered was not good for either Carter or Artis. They found them guilty, but recommended life behind bars instead of capital punishment. Carter got three life sentences, with the second and third being concurrent.

It looked like Carter’s life as a free man was over.

]]> 26. The Witnesses Changed Their Minds In 1974, eight years after the incident, both Bello and Bradley took back their positive identifications of Carter and Artis. Based on this, Carter's defense team asked for a new trial. The judge, Samuel Larner, declined the request, saying the eyewitnesses "lacked the ring of truth".

Sadly, Carter was still stuck behind bars.

]]> 27. He Told His Story Since he knew he was staying in lockup, Rubin Carter decided to spend his time wisely. He started writing a book. When he finished it, he titled it The Sixteenth Round. In it, he tells the horrific story of his rocky road from middle weight boxer to life as a convict. In 1974, Viking Press published his book.

Carter didn’t know it, but this book was going to change his life.

]]> 28. He Had Some High-Profile Backers Carter’s book brought his story to the public. George Lois, an advertising executive, started a campaign for Carter’s release. Then boxer Muhammad Ali got behind Carter as well. When Ali was on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, he mentioned Carter by name. Carter’s tragic story was becoming something people knew about.

Then a high-ranking member of the music industry stepped in.

]]> 29. He Had A Surprising Visitor While still incarcerated, Carter had a surprising visitor. Folk singer Bob Dylan had read his book and wanted to meet Carter face-to-face. After the meeting, Dylan sat down and wrote a song that chronicled Carter’s story. He called it “Hurricane” and in 1976, Dylan released it to the world.

This would surpass Carter’s book in impact.

]]> 30. His Story Was Powerful Dylan’s song about Rubin Carter made it to the 33rd spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The magazine said it was "probably the most powerful song Dylan has recorded in a decade”. It was also on Dylan’s list of most successful singles. In addition to being a boon for Dylan, the song also brought the public’s attention to Carter’s plight. In 1975, Dylan performed Hurricane at Trenton State, where Carter was temporarily incarcerated.

The real question was whether all this publicity could help Carter become a free man.

]]> 31. He Got A Second Chance In 1976, the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed to give Rubin Carter and his co-accused John Artis a retrial. They now had a tape where the detectives were making Bello promises in exchange for testimony that would help their case. The prosecution should have told the jury about these deals, so they could determine the credibility of the eyewitness.

Carter had a glimmer of hope for his future.

]]> 32. He Passed A Test Before this retrial, Bello took a polygraph regarding his identification of Carter. To Carter’s surprise, Bello passed it. But there were still inconsistencies about Bello’s statement. This mattered even more when he described where he was standing when he saw Carter. Despite this, prosecutor Humphreys made the conclusion that the court could trust Bello’s word.

This didn’t look good for Carter. And then it just got worse.

]]> 33. He Had A Brief Taste Of Freedom During the trial, Carolyn Kelley, a member of the group trying to free Carter, raised money to get Carter out on bail. Her efforts worked, and in March 1976, Carter got a taste of freedom. For the next while Carter and Kelley were often side by side. In fact, Kelley seemed to alienate the other members of the team. There was also a rumor that the two were romantically involved.

And then the worst thing happened.

]]> 34. She Accused Him It was around this time that a picture of Kelley appeared in a local paper. She was in the hospital, and someone had beaten her up. Unfortunately, the someone she accused was Rubin Carter. Kelley told the story that she and Carter had argued over a hotel bill in Maryland.

This story was bad enough. The fact that Carter was married to someone else made him look worse.

]]> 35. His Reputation Took A Hit Rubin Carter denied hitting Kelley and said that she was just angry because he had rejected her romantically. Even though Kelley refused to press charges, her story had already damaged Carter’s reputation. Because of it, many of the celebrities who were helping him turned their backs on him.

And then it came time for the verdict.

]]> 36. It Happened Again Even with all the uncertainties about the eyewitnesses, the retrial did not go in Carter’s favor. The jury took nine hours and found both Carter and Artis guilty again. The new judge, Judge Leopizzi, gave Carter and Artis the same sentences they already had. Also, with what had occurred with Kelley, Carter lost his temporary freedom.

Carter was exactly where he’d been before the retrial.

]]> 37. He Lost Her Rubin Carter was likely feeling horrible about being incarcerated again. Well, then things got a little worse. His wife, Mae Thelma basket, had stood by him. But then she found out that Carter had been having affairs with some of his supporters—even while incarcerated. Sadly, Basket had just recently given birth to their second child, but she decided to divorce Carter.

Carter had hit a low—but then something amazing happened.

]]> 38. He Got Help From A Surprising Place In 1980, a Canadian teenager named Lesra Martin came to visit Carter after reading his book. As it turned out, Martin lived with a group of people who worked on getting wrongly convicted people out from behind bars. Suddenly, Carter had a bunch of people working to get him free.

]]> 39. He Got A Break In 1985, Rubin Carter finally got a break. Prompted by Martin’s group, Judge H Lee Sarokin of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey acknowledged that prejudice had been an influence during Carter’s trial and retrial. Carter, who was now 48 years old, walked out of detention a free man.

It was an incredible turn of events. Now, what would Carter do with his newfound freedom?

]]> 40. He Went Far Away After almost two decades behind bars, Carter wanted to get as far away as he could. He ended up in Toronto, Canada, living in a commune with Martin and those who had advocated for him. He also decided to marry again—this time to Lisa Peters, who had also worked to get him free.

It seemed that Carter had everything he needed. But that wasn’t quite true.

]]> 41. It Wasn’t Perfect Rubin Carter later said that he loved his new wife…but he just didn’t like her very much. He also didn’t really like spending time with her. Making things worse, Carter said that the commune felt like he was incarcerated all over again. All he really wanted was his freedom.

He had to figure out a new way to live.

]]> 42. He Had To Get Out One Christmas Day, Carter loaded up his Jeep with everything he owned. He only had $125 to his name, but he decided to take a risk and left the commune. His life became nomadic at this time, as he had trouble settling in anywhere. This is not so surprising after spending so many years in a lonely cell.

Carter didn’t know where he wanted to live, but he did know what he wanted to do.

]]> 43. He Wanted To Help What Carter wanted to do was help other people who were in a similar situation to the one he had survived. He soon became the executive director of the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted (AIDWYC). He was instrumental in getting Canadian convict Guy Paul Morin released.

The boxing world hadn’t forgotten about Carter.

]]> 44. He Received A High Honor The boxing world still remembered Rubin Carter, and they wanted to acknowledge him. In 1993, they presented him with the World Boxing Council's honorary championship title belt. At the same ceremony, his old opponent Joey Giardello received the same honor. Years later, the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame added Carter to its membership.

Sadly, Carter still faced prejudice.

]]> 45. History Repeated Itself In 1996, officers pulled Carter over. It must have seemed just like that night in New Jersey so many years ago. The officers were sure that Carter was a man who had tried to make a drug sale to an undercover officer—but there was a caveat. The man they were looking for was 30 years old, and Carter was 59. The officers eventually realized their ridiculous mistake.

But not all of the attention Carter got was negative.

]]> 46. He Was A Graduate While Carter didn't have much time to attend to his education, he got degrees anyway. In October 2005, York University in Toronto gave him an honorary Doctorate of Law. Then Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, did the same. These were both in recognition of Carter's work with AIDWYC and the Innocence Project.

When he was in Australia, Carter was keeping a heartbreaking secret.

]]> 47. He Got Sick In 2012, Rubin Carter was in attendance at the International Justice Conference in Burswood, Western Australia when he took a moment to make a sad announcement. He had terminal prostate cancer. Sadly, his doctors had given him only three to six months to live. Carter had to think about the best way to use his final months.

]]> 48. He Kept Working Until The End In the months before his passing, Carter didn’t waste time on a bucket list. He kept working on behalf of wrongly accused people. Just two months before his last days, Carter had an opinion piece in the New York Daily News on behalf of David McCallum—he called his release his “dying wish”. McCallum received an exoneration on October 15, 2014, and it wasn’t a moment too soon.

Carter’s health had hit a low point. Luckily, he had a friend he could count on.

]]> 49. He Had A Good Friend In 1981, authorities released Carter’s co-accused, John Artis, on parole. Later on, Artis stepped up and offered to live with Carter and take care of his friend. On April 20, 2014, it was Artis who made the heartwrenching announcement. Carter had passed at the age of 76. After cremation, they scattered half of his ashes over Cape Cod and the rest on a farm in Kentucky.

Carter was gone, but we would not forget him.

]]> 50. He Helped A Winner In 1999, Norman Jewison released the film The Hurricane, which tells Carter’s tragic story. Carter got the chance to watch Wesley Snipes and read for the role. But it was Denzel Washington’s portrayal that moved Carter the most. With direct help from Carter, Washington’s incredible performance received a nod from the Academy and a win at the Golden Globes.

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]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=60996 <![CDATA[Abigail Masham inspired 2018’s The Favourite—but her true story is not for the faint of heart.]]> 2026-07-07T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-07T04:14:34+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/fact-abigail-masham David O'Shea People Abigail Masham Was No Stranger To Betrayal Abigail Masham and her family took a significant fall from grace early in her life. But luckily, she found a nepotistic way back up the ladder through her well-connected cousin, Sarah Jennings. That assistance would prove an ill-advised move for that cousin, however, and as Abigail rose in ranks (and quite possibly into a Queen’s pants), Sarah took a plummet from grace.

]]> 1. She Was A Merchant’s Daughter Abigail Hill was born in London around 1670. Her father was Francis Hill, who was a London merchant, a hopeful member of the rising mercantile class who were on the up as capitalism entered its nascent rise. In that way, then, Abigail had one foot in the new world through her father, and through her mother, one foot in the old.

]]> 2. Her Mother Had Name Recognition Abigail’s mother was Elizabeth Hill, whose maiden name was Jennings. The Jennings were a once-revered gentry family who had fallen on hard times and taken something of a tumble from grace. Still, Abigail’s association with the family name would come in handy later in life. But first, she had to take a lesson from the school of hard knocks.

]]> 3. Her Father Messed Up Unfortunately for her family, Abigail’s father was not a very good investor. When she was still young, Francis Hill made a series of terrible speculations, losing almost all his money and leaving the family destitute. And though he likely felt a deep shame at his failures, his next move was far from commendable.

]]> 4. She Faced Abandonment After Abigail’s father’s poor speculations left the family in poverty, he couldn’t face them anymore: Francis Hill up and left his wife and four young children. It was a devastating start to life for Abigail who, because of her relatively notable connections, should have had some advantages. But perhaps this experience instilled in her a work ethic…and a mind for strategic ladder climbing.

]]> 5. She Became A Servant Now struggling to put food on the table, every remaining member of the Hill household had to step up to provide for the family, and Abigail was no different. She soon took a job working as a servant for Sir John Rivers of Kent. In contrast to her “lowly” position, however, a relatively obscure relation of Abigail’s was on the rise.

]]> 6. She Had Family In Hight Places Abigail’s cousin was Sarah Jennings, who, unlike the impoverished merchant’s daughter, was moving up in the world. After marrying into the powerful Churchill family, becoming Lady Churchill, Sarah’s husband got rewarded with an Earlship, making her the Duchess of Marlborough. And although this article is about Abigail, her story is inextricably linked with Sarah’s…and with that of another powerful woman.

]]> 7. Her Cousin Had An In Abigail’s ladder-climbing cousin soon found herself in another unique position, close to the halls of power: Sarah had befriended a young Princess Anne, and by 1683, was appointed the Princess’s Lady of the Bedchamber. With Sarah’s royal friendship (and possibly more) firmly established, it was time for Abigail to enter the fray.

]]> 8. She Made An Important Friend While in service to Sir John Rivers of Kent, Abigail established contact with her well-positioned cousin. The women seemed to enjoy one another’s company, and a friendship quickly developed between the two—one that would pay off in dividends for the struggling Abigail, and spell disaster for Sarah. The foundations of the friendship, however, were questionable from the start.

]]> 9. She Was Pitiful Historians have speculated that Abigail’s and Sarah’s friendship may not have been as wholesome as it seemed. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that Sarah’s taking Abigail under her wing may have been more out of embarrassment at her cousin’s reduced stature than from any true friendship. Such was their difference in luck, in fact, that the existence of a poor cousin was a shock to Sarah.

]]> 10. She Was A Nobody One justification for Sarah’s embarrassment-based friendship was the fact that, before their association, she had not even been aware her cousin Abigail existed. It was understandable, in a way: the women’s mutual grandfather, Sir John Jennings, had sired an astonishing 22 children, meaning Sarah had a whole mess of first cousins, a flock that would be difficult to parse for anyone. And to her credit, once Sarah did learn of Abigail, she made sure she looked after her struggling cousin.

]]> 11. She Took Her First Step Up The Ladder With the pity (and humiliation) Sarah felt for Abigail, the well-to-do cousin had to get her beleaguered relative out of the way of prying eyes in Sir John Rivers’ house. To that end, Sarah offered her cousin a job, and with her acceptance, she and her husband took Abigail into their household at St Albans. It was a smooth ride on Sarah’s coattails from there.

]]> 12. She Ran In Royal Circles 1702 saw the ascension of Sarah’s royal friend to the throne as Queen Anne. With her concurrent rise in her role as Lady of the Bedchamber, Sarah set to work buttering the new Queen up to the idea of hiring Abigail too. After two years, Abigail finally received an appointment to the Queen’s household in 1704. It would come to represent the greatest regret of her cousin’s life.

]]> 13. Her Cousin Fell From Favor Perhaps the Queen’s agreeing to hire Abigail was already a rebuttal of Sarah; the Duchess of Marlborough was frequently absent from court, and Anne was a needy woman who had an unhealthy attachment to the Lady of her Bedchamber. Petulant at the scorn she perceived from Sarah, Anne reportedly grew tired of the Duchess. 

This was the first sign of a crack that Abigail would capitalize on.

]]> 14. Her Cousin Was Partisan There was another big reason for the falling out of Queen Anne and Abigail’s cousin: Sarah was a staunch supporter of the British Whig Party, while Anne was a dyed-in-the-wool Tory.

Sarah would constantly lecture the Queen on what she saw as her ill-advised political opinions, and the duchess often pestered Anne to appoint more Whig ministers (mostly for the political benefit of Sarah’s husband). Abigail quietly observed these quarrels, taking mental notes. But she probably saw something much more scandalous, too.

]]> 15. She Had Scandal At Her Back Though the nature of Sarah and Anne’s relationship is subject to interpretation, many believe the two women were physically intimate. This presented an advantage to Abigail’s cousin that the Queen bristled at: at one point, the Duchess of Marlborough blackmailed the Queen with the threat of revealing the contents of their correspondence, suggesting those contents were highly scandalous. All of this was enough to force the Queen’s hand.

]]> 16. Her Queen Whispered With all of Sarah’s transgressions, an opportunity soon presented itself to Abigail. With the blackmail and the political lectures coming from her “favorite," Queen Anne was getting annoyed.

Being a very pious monarch, she would not abandon the “Church Party”, as some called the Tories, and she found the blackmail attempt greatly insulting. Confiding in her Lord Treasurer, she expressed that she felt she could never be real friends with Sarah again. It was Abigail’s time to shine.

]]> 17. She Slid Into The Queen's Good Graces With Sarah out of her good books, a new spot had opened up to be Queen Anne’s “favorite”. Abigail jumped at the opportunity. She gradually grew much closer to the Queen, becoming her confidante and supplanting her cousin in the Queen’s favor. It wasn’t long before the Queen forgot all about Sarah.

]]> 18. She Became Number One By 1707, Abigail had fully taken over the role of the Queen’s favorite. She did everything Sarah had previously done, keeping Anne company constantly, spending days on end in her quarters. Again, it is up for historical debate, but it is quite possible that Abigail and Anne were physically involved too. Of course, they had to keep up appearances.

]]> 19. She Was Set Up To raise her stature (and perhaps throw others off the trail of their “intimate” relationship), Queen Anne privately arranged for Abigail to wed a gentleman of her household in the summer of 1707. That man was Samuel Masham, a courtier of relatively high stature, and with their marriage, Abigail became Lady Masham. This was enough to grab Sarah’s attention.

]]> 20. She Got Noticed All the while, Sarah had been away from court most of the time and was blissfully ignorant of her cousin’s supplanting her in the Queen’s favor. With Abigail’s marriage, however, she began to suspect something was afoot. After learning that the Queen herself had attended Abigail's wedding ceremony, the news suddenly tipped Sarah off to her protégée's growing favor with the monarch. As more details emerged, her fear only worsened.

]]> 21. She Shocked Her Cousin Sarah found herself baffled at this new knowledge of Abigail’s intimacy with the Queen, especially because no word had reached her in all this time. She soon learned that her cousin and Anne were considerably intimate, probably in the “way” that Sarah may have been with the Queen. And though Abigail’s motivations were unclear, Sarah was furious.

]]> 22. Her Cousin Felt Betrayed The emerging news of Abigail’s relationship with the Queen devastated Sarah. She felt her cousin had shown deep ingratitude—after all, it was Sarah who plucked her from her impoverished position and set her up nicely in the Queen’s inner circle. It is unclear if Sarah was correct in her assessment of Abigail, however, and there are a few schools of thought on her motivations…

]]> 23. She Was Innocent...Maybe Most historians believe that Abigail’s influence over the Queen was not a deliberate scheme. What is more likely is her contrasting personality to Sarah’s: While the Duchess had a hot temper and steadfast adherence to her politics that irked the Queen, Abigail was much more compliant, with a sweet character. Other historians, however, give her more credit.

]]> 24. She May Have Plotted In contrast to the innocent retellings of Abigail’s story, historian Anne Somerset believes other factors were at play. She posited that there is enough evidence to suggest the Queen’s new favorite was cunning and politically motivated. The proof of this is stronger than the more charitable historians would like to admit.

]]> 25. She Pulled Some Strings Abigail Masham did, in fact, use her newfound favor with the Queen to her and her family’s advantage. Her cousin was Robert Harley, a Whig-turned-Tory minister, and after he lost his position in office in 1708, Abigail helped the statesman continue his confidential correspondence with the Queen. This came with huge advantages.

]]> 26. She Secured Her Family Having a line to Abigail Masham and, thus, the Queen was as beneficial as one might expect. Stemming from his correspondence facilitated by Anne’s favorite, Robert Harley was named 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer in 1711, a direct result of his cousin’s string-pulling. A cousin was one thing, of course, but Abigail’s position became truly cemented with the next familial appointment.

]]> 27. She Rose To The Very Top No event signaled Abigail’s complete ascendancy and her supplanting of Sarah in the Queen’s favor more than the day Lord Marlborough, Sarah’s husband, received direct instruction from the monarch.

Anne compelled Marlborough to grant an important command position to Abigail’s brother, Colonel John Hill. Marlborough was furious at the instruction, but with his hands tied, he reluctantly agreed. With her influence over policy more evident than ever, Abigail made her next move.

]]> 28. She Played Politics As mentioned, the Queen had a partisan allegiance to the Tory party, and it appeared Abigail Masham shared her position. She began to push for her familial and political allies, and, under her favorite’s influence, Queen Anne dismissed a number of Whig ministers from office to make room for Abigail’s cousin, Robert Harley, and his collaborator, Viscount Bolingbroke. With her grip tightening on the halls of power, there was only one obstacle left in the favorite’s way.

]]> 29. She Watched Her Rival Fall From Grace 1711 saw the grim end of any hope Sarah had of regaining the Queen’s favor. Though it is uncertain whether Abigail Masham played any role, the Duchess of Marlborough, despite her position, was dismissed from the Queen’s court. It was a stunning fall from grace for the once-powerful Sarah, and things only got worse from there for Abigail’s embattled cousin.

]]> 30. Her Cousin Fled Again, it is unknown how involved Abigail Masham was in the events that followed, but at the very least, she kept quiet from the sidelines as she watched her cousin fall further still. Shortly after her dismissal from court, Sarah’s husband, the Duke of Marlborough, got charged with embezzlement.

Faced with impeachment from an unsympathetic court, the couple decided to flee the country, taking refuge in Germany. Despite the advantages the Jennings association had once brought Abigail, the name was now disgraced.

]]> 31. She Put Her Cousin In Danger It wasn’t just impeachment threats that caused Abigail’s cousin to flee Britain. A whole campaign of slander got launched against the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough—their reputations sullied by the press. Public opinion for Sarah and her husband tanked to the point where passersby began pelting stones at their windows. Her cousin’s safety was the price Abigail paid for her new position.

]]> 32. She Got A Promotion Upon Sarah’s exile, the duchess’s administrative position opened up, and Abigail Masham quickly filled that vacuum. From her humble origins as an impoverished servant, the Queen’s favorite had risen to the rank of Keeper of the Privy Purse. Now managing Anne’s finances as well as her moods, Abigail soon learned that a relationship with such a volatile Queen had its ups and downs…

]]> 33. She Was The Queen's Plaything With the help of his cousin Abigail’s position, the political machinations of Robert Harley continued. With Lord Marlborough’s exile, Harley sought to consolidate his position in the House of Lords and convinced the Queen to create 12 new peers in the government, known as Harley’s Dozen.

One of these was Abigail’s husband, Samuel Masham, who got raised to the position of Baron. This should have meant a promotion for Abigail too, but the limits of her stature began to show: Anne was a petulant and childish Queen and refused to raise Abigail to any position that would make her less available for the Queen’s amusement. By 1713, Abigail was still Woman of the Bedchamber, and if she felt frustrated by this, at least she had another cousin to take it out on.

]]> 34. She Turned On Allies Abigail’s cousin Harley had now risen to Lord Oxford and Mortimer, and there is a chance that Abigail began to resent his rise while she remained static in the Queen’s service. She began quarreling with her powerful lord cousin, and as she had possibly done with Sarah, made sure to manipulate the Queen’s opinion of him too.

]]> 35. She Encouraged A Rift Luckily for Abigail Masham, she did not have to work hard on cutting this cousin down to size. Queen Anne herself had already developed a growing distaste for Minister Harley, and in true savvy fashion, Abigail did everything she could to foster this deteriorating opinion. Political differences were also beginning to develop between the trio.

]]> 36. Her Politics Changed Concurrent with this conflict between Abigail Masham and Harley was a much larger one for the Kingdom: Queen Anne had no surviving heirs. None of her children had survived much further than infancy, and this issue of succession created a split in the House of Lords between the Jacobites and the adherents of the Hanoverian succession to the Crown.

While Harley wavered between these factions, Abigail began to favor the Jacobite party, led by two of her political allies. Harley’s vacillation only strengthened Abigail’s distaste for him, and the quarrel culminated in some dramatics at court.

]]> 37. She Got Scrappy By 1714, any previous allegiance Abigail Masham and Harley had shared had completely disintegrated. Things got so heated that the two got into an altercation—all in the presence of the aggrieved Queen Anne. Abigail was still the Queen’s favorite, however, and this meant that her cousin Harley’s options began drying up.

]]> 38. She Defeated Another Cousin Likely at Abigail’s encouragement, Queen Anne finally dismissed Harley, Lord Oxford and Mortimer, on July 27, 1714. The Crown stripped the minister of his position as Lord High Treasurer, and Abigail quietly declared herself the victor. For all her Machiavellian scheming and political acumen, however, not everyone got on Lady Masham’s bad side.

]]> 39. She Earned Respect In her time, Abigail Masham certainly had her admirers. The Anglo-Irish poet, Jonathan Swift, spoke very highly of her: he praised her character, clearly admiring the capabilities of the unassuming Lady of the Bedchamber. Tragedy would soon strike, however, and it would pose a devastating threat to Abigail’s comfort.

]]> 40. She Lost Her Lifeline On July 30, 1714, after a few years of ailing health, Queen Anne had a devastating stroke that left her completely mute. Abigail Masham, by her side the whole time, watched helplessly as the Queen’s condition rapidly deteriorated. On August 1, Queen Anne passed at the age of just 49. For Abigail, the vultures immediately began to circle.

]]> 41. She Got Evicted The incoming monarch naturally saw no more use for Abigail Masham at court; until that point, she and her husband had been living in a home at the royal palace, but they got promptly booted by King George I. Fortunately for the Mashams, however, their proximity to the Queen for so many years had made them considerably wealthy. Abigail’s exit from court was not nearly as dramatic as Sarah’s had been.

]]> 42. She Found Refuge Abigail Masham and her husband retired to a manor near Windsor. A short time later, Abigail’s father-in-law, Francis Masham, passed, and though the loss was sad, it presented a perfect opportunity for the younger Mashams: the evicted couple settled into Otes, the Masham home in Essex, to live out their remaining days peacefully. And that’s just what they did.

]]> 43. She Retired In Peace Abigail lived quietly for another 20 blissful years before finally passing at Otes in 1734. She was around 64 years of age, and her life post-court had been largely uneventful. Indeed, it seems she had gotten quite attached to her new surroundings.

]]> 44. She Found Her Resting Place Abigail’s remains rest in her adopted home, the village of High Laver in Essex, in the churchyard of All Saints' chapel, after a dramatic life of secret affairs and Machiavellian intrigue. But what of the woman who gave Abigail her chance in the first place?

]]> 45. Her Rival Cleared Her Name Abigail’s cousin Sarah, meanwhile, did not stay exiled indefinitely. After King George I came to power, the new monarch exonerated Lord Marlborough of the embezzlement charges (although the records are unclear whether he actually committed the crime—he might have!) and the couple was allowed to return to England. Sarah dismissed the whole affair as “a frivolous and groundless complaint," and she would later write much more about the ordeal.

]]> 46. Her Cousin Had The Last Laugh By sheer bitter persistence, Sarah got the last word on Abigail Masham. The Duchess of Marlborough lived to an impressive (especially for the time) 84 years of age, far outliving her betraying cousin, and she took full advantage of Abigail’s absence from this mortal plane: not long before her own passing, Sarah published her memoirs, which mercilessly smeared Abigail’s name and reputation. It was brutal.

]]> 47. She Got Raked Over The Coals Her cousin painted Abigail Masham as a monstrous traitor, and Sarah’s savage words are worth quoting at length. She condemned the Queen’s favorite as “instrumental in doing the greatest mischief that a nation can suffer, the reducing of it from the most flourishing to at least a very dangerous condition; & as acting the most ungratefully and injuriously to a person to whom she owes her very bread”. It wasn’t entirely inaccurate, and Abigail lost in the court of public opinion.

]]> 48. Her Reputation Got Damaged Sarah’s final move worked: for the longest time, historians largely remembered Abigail Masham as a traitorous wench. Sarah’s family, the Churchills, on the other hand, grew historically revered, and some of her most famous descendants include Winston Churchill and . Abigail could not compete with that, and she faded into historical obscurity…until an interesting Greek filmmaker revived her image…

]]> 49. She Made The Silver Screen In 2018, Greek writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos, known for his surreal and disturbing movies, produced The Favourite, a film depicting the love triangle between Abigail, Sarah, and Queen Anne. Portraying Abigail on-screen was actress Emma Stone, whose performance received critical acclaim; the film itself, too, got widely praised and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. The accuracy of the story, however, was questionable.

]]> 50. She Got Fictionalized Abigail’s story in itself made for a compelling plot, but Lanthimos was upfront about the historical accuracy of his film, stating bluntly that “Some of the things in the film are accurate and a lot aren't”. Still, the movie comes at this author’s personal recommendation—it’s a riot, with incredible performances, and an insight into the dynamics and intrigue of one of history’s allegedly queer relationships.

You May Also Like:

Frederick The Great Conquered Everything Except His Demons

Anastasia Romanovna: The Tragic Life Of Ivan The Terrible’s First Wife

The Romanov Family Was Cursed

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

]]> https://www.factinate.com?p=61191 <![CDATA[Long before Neil Armstrong took his famous first step, Gus Grissom seemed destined to make history himself. Then tragedy struck.]]> 2026-07-03T10:55:00+00:00 2026-07-02T18:28:10+00:00 https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-about-gus-grissom Nikolas C. People What Could Have Been Before NASA chose Neil Armstrong to be the first man on the Moon, there was another man who displayed all the qualities and qualifications America wanted in its representation to the stars. Gus Grissom was not only one of the best pilots of his age, but one of the smartest engineers the space program could ever hope for, with a willingness to face danger that many believed made him perfect for the lunar mission—until one fateful day.

]]> 1. They Lost Someone Not even the sky was the limit for someone like Gus Grissom, and had he not met an untimely end, it’s impossible to know how far he would have gone—but he wasn’t the only victim. Although his parents would eventually endure the grief of losing him, he unfortunately wasn’t their first child to perish, as his sister, Lena, had passed just a year before he came into this world in 1926.

This only made them cherish their other children even more and support Gus’s dreams—which he didn’t take long to figure out.

]]> 2. He Fell In Love Growing up in Indiana, Gus Grissom’s childhood wasn’t too different from anyone else’s, mostly consisting of school and friends. However, he had already discovered his passion. In his spare time, he would often buy and build model airplanes, and while this began as a hobby, it quickly led to an obsession with flying.

Clearly, he was already growing into the man he would become—right down to his name.

]]> 3. They Gave Him A Name “Gus Grissom” was a name many in NASA would come to respect forever, but the truth was, it wasn’t even his real name. Born Virgil Ivan Grissom, the change stemmed from his childhood, and one mistake in particular. While trying to read his surname upside-down, a friend of his accidentally said the name “Gus” instead, and the nickname stuck.

Throughout this time, he always managed to stand out from everyone, though not in a bad way.

]]> 4. He Loved The Outdoors Grissom had already fallen in love with flying, but it wasn’t the only interest he had, as he became quite the accomplished outdoorsman at an early age. Over the course of a few years, he developed another passion for hunting and fishing, largely due to his time in the Boy Scouts, where he earned the rank of Star Scout.

He was also determined to become an athlete—despite any disadvantages he had.

]]> 5. He Tried Something Else By the time Grissom entered high school, he had spent so much time outdoors and in physical activities that joining a sports team seemed like a no-brainer—but it wasn’t that easy. Initially, he wanted to be on the school’s basketball team, but he didn’t get far, as the coach told him he was too short. Advised by his father, Grissom pivoted to something more up his alley and joined the swim team instead.

No matter what, though, he always returned to the first love of his life.

]]> 6. He Took To The Skies Grissom’s fascination with aircraft never went away, and when he wasn’t studying or swimming, he would visit a small airport nearby to watch the planes and get more hands-on experience. Befriending an attorney from the area who loved flying himself, Grissom was ecstatic as the man took him under his wing and showed him the ropes, even taking the young Grissom up in a small plane he owned.

Little did he know that this was about to become much more than a hobby.

]]> 7. He Wanted To Join Although Gus Grissom had spent most of his childhood and teenage years living relatively carefree, something was coming that would uproot both his life and that of everyone he knew. WWII began in 1939, and although he was still only in high school, he couldn’t wait to serve his country. Most would have postponed enlisting until after graduation, but Grissom refused, signing up to be an aviation cadet in his final year.

While he was certainly eager to do his part, it wasn’t exactly what he expected.

]]> 8. He Didn’t Do Much Joining the US Air Force in 1944, Grissom had grand, romanticized ideas about soaring through the skies and getting into epic dogfights, but—whether or not this was a good thing—the reality was much more boring. Breezing through basic flight training, he was ready to take off, but found himself in a desk job as a clerk for the majority of his service.

While this may have been a disappointment to him, there was one silver lining to this period.

]]> 9. He Met Someone Although his service in the Air Force didn’t live up to his expectations, Grissom at least had something back home that he could look forward to—or more accurately, someone. As high school sweethearts, Grissom had maintained his relationship with Betty Moore even as he joined the Air Force. They stayed committed to each other, and while he was on leave in July 1945, they took the next step and married.

Of course, when the conflict was over, he had to settle for something much more mundane.

]]> 10. He Got To Work Without going much further than basic training, Grissom hadn’t achieved the experience as a pilot he was looking for before his discharge in 1945, so he had little choice but to find something else. Going home, he still needed to provide for himself and his new bride, so he began working at a bus manufacturing company.

At the same time, he always kept his eye on the career he truly wanted.

]]> 11. He Kept Studying Even though he hadn’t gotten exactly what he wanted out of his service in the Air Force, Gus Grissom still came away with a leg up, and wouldn’t give up on his dream so easily. Using the GI Bill to fund a portion of his tuition, he continued his studies at Purdue University, determined to have an aviation career no matter the cost.

Unfortunately, this meant he would once again be alone for a while.

]]> 12. They Were Separated Grissom was happily married by the time he began his college career, but sadly, he couldn’t see his wife as much as he would have liked during his first semester. In need of campus housing, Grissom had to take whatever the university had to offer, which wasn’t much. He couldn’t find accommodations for both him and Betty, so she had to live with her parents while he roomed at Purdue.

Luckily, they wouldn’t have to stay apart forever.

]]> 13. She Joined Him Gus and Betty Grissom likely felt as if it was forever before they could finally live together again, but in reality, it was only a semester that they spent apart. Nonetheless, as Grissom began his second semester, he switched to a one-bedroom apartment that allowed her to move in, and the two lived there for the rest of his college years.

Unfortunately, the GI Bill only covered so much—but he had someone to help him.

]]> 14. She Supported Him Gus did his best to provide for himself and Betty through any work he could find outside of school, but even then, his income wasn’t enough to put bread on the table and pay the rest of his tuition. Fortunately, he had Betty to lean on, and she took a job at the Indiana Bell Telephone Company to support them both. This all paid off, and in 1950, Gus graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Now that his studies were over, he knew exactly where he was going next.

]]> 15. He Enlisted Again Reaching the end of his time at Purdue, Grissom realized he hadn’t finished fighting for his country, and he went right back to the Air Force, this time determined to be a pilot. He would need to complete a Basic Training Program again at an Air Force base in Texas, but he wasn’t complaining, as long as he could touch the sky at last.

Finally, although it took longer than expected, he got what he wanted.

]]> 16. He Got His Wings After years of studying and hard work, during which he more than proved his aptitude for aviation, Grissom finally achieved what he had dreamt about since he was a young boy. He was a pilot, and after receiving his wings in early 1951, he accepted his commission as a second lieutenant and joined the 75th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.

He wasn’t a moment too early, as another fight had just begun.

]]> 17. He Joined The Fight Grissom had already lived through one major world conflict, but another was just around the corner, as America joined the war in Korea just a few months after he earned his wings. This time, Grissom wouldn’t be just sitting behind a desk, and over the course of six months, he flew in 100 combat missions.

Just like when he was young, he couldn’t help but excel at everything he did.

]]> 18. He Did Great Work Gus Grissom was one of the best pilots America had, but one incident in particular earned him even higher acclaim—and a promotion. While flying cover for a photo reconnaissance mission in March 1952, he demonstrated such courage and prowess that he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, having already earned the rank of first lieutenant shortly before.

Many would have been satisfied with these achievements, but not Grissom.

]]> 19. He Wanted To Stay The Air Force had only required him to fly 100 missions, but after completing his final one, Grissom was eager to get back out in the sky. In fact, rather than accept his discharge and return home, he requested that they grant him another 25 missions; however, the Air Force declined. Intending to remain a pilot, he instead took a job as a flight instructor in Bryan, Texas.

Still, while he was out of the fight, that didn’t mean the danger was behind him.

]]> 20. He Crash Landed If Grissom thought his job as a flight instructor would be any less exciting than his previous pilot work, he would have another thing coming on one specific day, when something went horribly wrong. While flying with a student of his, Grissom had to quickly take over when the cadet accidentally broke off one of their flaps. The plane started to roll, but thankfully, Grissom was able to stabilize and land it without any injuries or worse.

This didn’t stop him from flying, however, and he hadn’t finished studying either.

]]> 21. He Continued His Education While being a flight instructor was a good backup job for Gus Grissom, it wasn’t what he envisioned himself doing for the rest of his life. Luckily, he wouldn’t have to. Through a reassignment to the US Air Force Institute of Technology, he decided to continue his education and, after a year, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aeromechanics.

Although he may have had his own plans for the future, something else was brewing behind the scenes.

]]> 22. He Received A Secret Message While Grissom was trying to figure out how best to put his new degree to good use, America was busy putting its own plans in motion, which he would learn about soon enough. Opening his mail one day in 1959, he discovered a confidential message, urging him not to discuss its contents with anyone. While he wasn’t sure what it was about, he followed its orders without question, traveling to Washington, DC for a mysterious meeting.

Not only did he learn just what the US government was planning, he discovered just how special he was.

]]> 23. He Was Chosen Once he arrived at the address in the letter, dressed in civilian clothes as requested, he finally discovered what all the secrecy was about. Unknown to the general public, America had just established its space program, but this didn’t mean he was about to be an astronaut yet. In fact, this whole meeting was simply because, out of 508 possible servicemen, he was just one of the 110 test pilots that the government wanted to let in on the secret.

He had all the qualities they wanted in a pilot for NASA, but they still needed to check all the boxes.

]]> 24. They Tested Him Gus Grissom was a perfect candidate for the space program on paper, and he easily passed NASA’s initial screening, but they still had to be sure. Being a test pilot was about more than technical qualifications, especially with how mentally and physically demanding the job was, so he underwent several in-depth tests to determine the state of his body and psyche.

Ever the confident man, he likely thought this part would be a breeze—but he nearly lost it all.

]]> 25. He Almost Didn’t Make It Grissom had already served extensively as a pilot in Korea, so there was likely not a doubt in his mind that he would pass these exams with flying colors. But something was wrong. Everything seemed fine at first, but the doctors grew more hesitant when he revealed his predisposition for hay fever. Thankfully, after assuring him that he would be fine—since there was no pollen in space—they gave him their stamp of approval.

Finally, after waiting in unbelievable suspense, he got his answer.

]]> 26. He Was The Best Of The Best Grissom had already beaten out hundreds of other candidates just to join the space program, but in 1961, he had the opportunity to make history. Narrowing the pool even further, NASA only chose seven men to participate in Project Mercury, the first American program to send humans into space—and Gus Grissom was one of them.

Now that he had made it, it didn’t take him long to get comfortable.

]]> 27. He Gave It A Nickname After his initial training period, Grissom received his assignment to the second flight of Project Mercury, where he would pilot the craft on a sub-orbital journey and—with any luck—touch back down on Earth safely. In what would become tradition, he gave his spacecraft a nickname, settling on “Liberty Bell 7,” before drawing a crack on its exterior to match its namesake.

With everything in place, all he needed to do was take off—but not everything went according to plan.

]]> 28. He Went To Space While he wasn’t immune to the anxiety that came with such an operation, Grissom was ready to reach the stars, lifting off on July 21, 1961 and completing the 15-minute and 37-second flight. However, the trouble came once he returned to Earth, as after the craft splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean as planned, its hatch unexpectedly burst open, allowing the capsule to fill with seawater—but not before he managed to get out.

He had escaped certain doom for a second time, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet.

]]> 29. He Just Kept Swimming Thankfully, Grissom had the instinct and strength to swim out of the capsule before getting trapped inside, but that didn’t mean he was home free. His spacesuit wasn’t in the best shape, and with one of his air inlets exposed, staying above the surface only became more difficult. Still, he hadn’t thrown in the towel yet and would stay afloat until help arrived.

While they were able to get him out, they couldn’t save everything.

]]> 30. They Lost It Fighting against his own sinking spacesuit, Grissom managed to keep his head above water until the rescue helicopter arrived and lifted him to safety—but it wasn’t a complete recovery. Another helicopter had tried to salvage the rapidly sinking spacecraft, but as it was full of water, it was nearly impossible to lift. Ultimately, the helicopter had to release it, leaving it to sink to the ocean floor.

While there was no shortage of speculation after this, he knew where he stood.

]]> 31. He Wasn’t Responsible While the hatch’s explosive release was an intentional design, it certainly wasn’t meant to open unprompted like that, leaving everyone baffled at what had actually happened. For Grissom’s part, he remained adamant that the accidental burst was not directly caused by his actions, even if he had no definitive explanation otherwise.

Luckily, although he was the only witness, he had logic on his side.

]]> 32. They Believed Him As the crew of the Liberty Bell 7 consisted of Gus Grissom alone, he only had his own word to rely on to prove that he hadn’t caused the premature hatch release. Fortunately, the idea that he manually triggered the explosive release was much more ridiculous, as he would have needed to hit the switch with at least five pounds of force, likely giving him a nasty bruise. As he had no such mark, NASA saw no reason to blame him for the incident.

Fortunately, he would find it much easier to trust his next spacecraft—for one important reason.

]]> 33. He Was Very Involved Grissom wasn’t only an accomplished pilot, but he also had two degrees that made him an asset on the engineering side, and NASA wasn’t going to keep him on the sidelines. After his period with Project Mercury, Grissom moved on to the new Project Gemini, this time playing a much bigger role in the actual spacecraft’s development. In fact, he was such a driving force that the other astronauts often called the craft “the Gusmobile”.

As time passed, something made his work especially easy to recognize.

]]> 34. They Couldn’t Fit As an example of Grissom’s impact on the Gemini spacecraft’s design, there was one flaw that made the vessel perfect for him to pilot, but not for many others. When he was younger, his short stature had gotten in the way of his goals, but now he was the one setting the standard. As NASA discovered, the cockpit was just the right size for him, but most of the other astronauts were too big—a detail they fixed in later iterations.

This hadn’t been the only bit of humor around the spacecraft, especially since Grissom was quite the jokester himself.

]]> 35. They Didn’t Like It While his disastrous first mission had been terrifying at the time, Grissom had learned to laugh about it in retrospect, and even carried on the joke with the Gemini spacecraft. Referencing the Broadway show The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Grissom nicknamed his new vessel “Molly Brown,” hoping it would not meet the same watery fate. NASA wasn’t a big fan of drawing more attention to the embarrassing incident, so they demanded he change the name.

Seeing this reaction coming, Grissom had a second option ready to go—but somehow he knew he wouldn’t need it.

]]> 36. They Gave In Not one to give up on what he wanted so easily, Gus Grissom did exactly as his bosses asked and provided another choice for the spacecraft’s nickname—but they still weren’t happy. Sticking with the theme, Grissom offered the tongue-in-cheek option of “Titanic,” leaving the higher-ups to choose the lesser of two evils. In the end, they let him keep the nickname “Molly Brown,” even if they never used it officially.

He would get the chance to lead another mission—even if he wasn’t the first choice.

]]> 37. He Took The Helm After surviving his Mercury 4 mission, Grissom was ready to get back into orbit as soon as possible, but at first, his only assignment was as backup for the Gemini 3 crew. However, the mission commander, Alan Shepard, unfortunately developed Ménière's disease, so NASA brought in Grissom as his replacement.

Considering how his last mission went, Grissom may have had some nerves, but he had nothing to worry about.

]]> 38. He Made History Again Summoning enough courage for another space flight, Grissom launched with the rest of his crew on March 23, 1965, in what would be the first crewed flight of Project Gemini. Reaching the Earth’s orbit, they circled the planet three times for almost five hours before coming back down, making Gus Grissom the first human in history to fly to space twice.

Still, the program was far from over—and they had even loftier goals.

]]> 39. He Took Another Mission Gus Grissom had already done more than most humans in history had even imagined, but he hadn’t finished his work by a long shot, and he already had his next assignment as a backup for Gemini 6A. However, he would soon find himself in another command position, this time for the first crewed mission of the new Apollo Program, which aimed to put a man on the moon.

While he tried his best to trust in the machinery, it still wasn’t perfect.

]]> 40. He Was Annoyed As the Apollo Program was NASA’s most ambitious project, it required even more rigorous testing, but that didn’t mean the equipment was exactly cutting-edge. In fact, Grissom rarely went through a simulation without finding a technical flaw, and he became so bitter about it that others began calling him “Gruff Gus”.

Sadly, he wouldn’t discover just how right he was until it was too late.

]]> 41. He Was Testing It Growing ever closer to their planned launch date, Grissom and his crew became more and more concerned that they wouldn’t be ready, but they would soon have much worse things to worry about. On January 27, 1967, less than a month away from the launch, they were undergoing another simulation in the Command Module when Grissom suddenly screamed one word over the radio: “Fire!”

Before anyone knew what was going on, the test had failed—and Grissom’s luck had run out.

]]> 42. They Were Lost Gus Grissom had faced his end several times already and survived each encounter, but as a fire broke out in the Command Module and engulfed the cockpit, he wouldn’t be so fortunate. In a cruel twist of irony, neither he nor his two crew members had time to open the hatch before they all tragically perished from asphyxiation.

Unlike the Mercury 4 mission, NASA managed to figure out what went wrong.

]]> 43. They Found The Source Grissom had spent weeks complaining about all the issues he saw in the spacecraft, but many at NASA simply dismissed these concerns as just Gruff Gus being Gruff Gus. In the end, he had been right all along, as it was later discovered that the fire’s source was faulty wiring within the Command Module.

Technically, Grissom and his crew never had the chance to complete their mission—but they were no less deserving of the honor.

]]> 44. They Officially Named It Utterly rocked by this sudden and disastrous accident, those in charge at NASA still had to press forward with the rest of the Apollo Program, but they also weren’t about to minimize the impact of Grissom and his crew. Rather than invalidate the mission that never was, NASA officially designated it “Apollo 1”.

No matter how much time passed, this horrific incident was never forgotten.

]]> 45. They Put It On Display The horrible demise of Gus Grissom and the other Apollo 1 crew members went down in history as an unnecessary sacrifice on humanity’s road to the stars, and the US Astronaut Hall of Fame wanted to honor that. Opening in 1990, the museum asked Grissom’s family for several of his belongings for an exhibit, including the suit he wore for his Mercury 4 mission.

His family graciously agreed to hand it over—but not for long.

]]> 46. They Wanted It Back For a little over a decade, Grissom’s space suit sat on display at the Astronaut Hall of Fame for anyone to see, but it wouldn’t be there forever due to one common yet devastating problem—bankruptcy. It turns out the museum wasn’t as successful as some expected, and when it finally shut its doors, Grissom’s family expected it to return all his belongings.

Suddenly, they were regretting lending anything in the first place.

]]> 47. They Wouldn’t Give It Up Although Gus Grissom’s career with the space program had already caused his family no small measure of grief, those in charge saw no problem with adding to their pain. While they returned nearly all of the late astronaut’s possessions, they held onto his space suit, asserting that his family had no right to it.

The family had a clear story to back up their claim, but it wasn’t enough.

]]> 48. They Couldn’t Agree Astounded at NASA’s decision to keep Grissom’s space suit, his family countered their claim by contending that he had salvaged the suit and brought it home after NASA threw it out. The space program denied these events, arguing that Grissom had received permission to bring it to his son’s school to show the other children, but failed to give it back afterward.

Ultimately, only one side could have what they wanted—and it wouldn’t be his family.

]]> 49. They Showcased It Again It was the Grissom family’s word against that of the American Space Program, so while both sides may have been certain about their stories, it was clear that the space suit wasn’t going anywhere. This became especially evident when, in 2016, it joined another exhibit, this time at the Kennedy Space Center Hall of Fame.

Although Gus Grissom made it farther than most only dreamt of, he still could have flown higher.

]]> 50. He Would Have Been The First Only two years after Grissom’s untimely end, humanity would finally reach the Moon, and Neil Armstrong would be the first man to set foot on it. But this could have turned out completely different. There’s no telling what heights Gus Grissom would have reached if he hadn’t perished that day, but given his impressive record in the Air Force and engineering prowess, many believe he might have been right up there with Armstrong—or even in his place.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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