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History Forgot To Tell You About The Bizarre Ends Of These Famous Figures

Peter Kinney — 2025-09-19T00:20:45+00:00

Odd Endings Remembered

Great lives don’t always mean great endings. Across time, leaders, thinkers, and artists found themselves undone in ways no one could have expected. These odd moments remind us how unpredictable life can really be.

Chrysippus

Ancient philosophy wasn't supposed to be this entertaining. Chrysippus witnessed his donkey eating fermented figs and found the sight absolutely hilarious. The situation became even more amusing when he instructed a slave to give the intoxicated animal some undiluted wine to wash down its snack.

Chrysippus (Cont.)

What happened next defied everything Stoicism taught about emotional control. Chrysippus laughed so violently and uncontrollably at the drunken donkey's antics that he collapsed and died from the exertion in 206 BC. His death reportedly devastated the Stoic community.

Attila The Hun

History's most feared barbarian conqueror met his end not on a battlefield, but in bed on his wedding night in 453 CE. Attila the Hun had just married his next wife, a young woman named Ildico, and the celebration involved heavy drinking.

Attila The Hun (Cont.)

During the night, he suffered a severe nosebleed that, combined with his intoxicated state, proved fatal. Unable to wake due to his drunken stupor, blood flowed down his throat and choked him to death. The "Scourge of God" was conquered by his own blood.

Aeschylus

Apparently, Eagles hunt by dropping tortoises onto rocks to crack their shells. In 455 BC, near Gela, Sicily, an eagle mistook playwright Aeschylus's bald head for a stone. The father of Greek tragedy, who had survived Marathon and written The Oresteia, was instantly killed by the falling reptile.

Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe was dining at Baron Peter von Rosenberg's estate in Prague when excessive drinking created a biological crisis. Rather than commit the social faux pas of leaving the table before dinner concluded, Brahe chose to endure increasingly painful bladder pressure throughout the evening.

Tycho Brahe (Cont.)

Eleven days after the banquet, Brahe died in agony from a burst bladder and resulting uremia. The man who had made the most accurate pre-telescopic astronomical observations in history, tracking planetary movements within two arcminutes of precision, was undone by 16th-century etiquette.

Jean-Baptiste Lully

French Baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Lully was conducting a Te Deum in 1687 to celebrate King Louis XIV's recovery from surgery when disaster struck. In that era, conductors didn't use delicate batons but heavy wooden staffs that they pounded on the floor to keep time with the orchestra.

Jean-Baptiste Lully (Cont.)

During the performance, Lully brought his staff down with such force that he struck his own foot instead of the ground. The resulting wound seemed minor at first, but it quickly got infected and developed into gangrene. The disease spread and killed him within months.

Video: The Radical Helen Keller

Sigurd Eysteinsson

What started as a victorious ride home from battle became one of history's most ironic deaths. Sigurd Eysteinsson, the 9th-century Earl of Orkney known as "the Mighty," had just defeated his enemy Mael Brigte in combat and decided to take a gruesome trophy.

Sigurd Eysteinsson (Cont.)

Following Viking tradition, he decapitated his fallen foe and tied the severed head to his horse's saddle as a symbol of triumph. As Sigurd rode away from the battlefield, Brigte's prominent tooth scratched against the Viking's leg. Due to the scratch, Sigurd passed away from sepsis.

Isadora Duncan

The mother of modern dance had always lived dramatically, so perhaps it's fitting that her demise was equally theatrical. On September 14, 1927, in France, Duncan was riding in an open-topped Amilcar CGSS sports car with a French-Italian mechanic, Falchetto, behind the wheel.

Isadora Duncan (Cont.)

A friend had urged her to wear a cape due to the cool evening temperature, but Duncan opted instead for her signature long silk scarf. As the car accelerated, Duncan's flowing scarf became entangled in the open-spoked rear wheel, instantly strangling her to death.

Duke Jing Of Jin

Ancient Chinese court life came with many hazards, and the royal bathroom was one of them. Duke Jing of Jin had recently consulted a shaman in 581 BC after experiencing disturbing dreams, only to be told he wouldn't live to see the new wheat harvest.

Duke Jing Of Jin (Cont.)

Defiant and convinced the prophecy was wrong, the duke had the shaman executed when the harvest time arrived. Just as he was about to enjoy a meal of fresh wheat, proving the shaman wrong, the duke felt an urgent need to visit the royal toilet.

Duke Jing Of Jin (Cont.)

Here, he fell through the latrine hole and drowned in the cesspool below. A brave servant dove in to retrieve the duke's body but was rewarded for his loyalty by being murdered and buried with his master to continue serving in the afterlife.

Adolf Frederick

Royal gluttony reached new heights in 18th-century Sweden, where dining was considered both art and sport. King Adolf Frederick's final meal in 1771 was a legendary feast consisting of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, kippers, and champagne. But the piece de resistance was his consumption of fourteen servings of semla.

Adolf Frederick (Cont.)

This extraordinary culinary excess proved fatal. Known as "the king who ate himself to death," his demise highlighted the dangerous excesses of royal court life. Although some consider the story a dramatic legend, it remains a popular and curious historical anecdote.

Clement Vallandigham

Ohio politician and attorney Clement Vallandigham was defending a murder suspect in 1871, arguing that the victim had shot himself by mistake while drawing his pistol. To prove his theory, Vallandigham decided to recreate the incident step-by-step in front of his fellow lawyers.

Clement Vallandigham (Cont.)

Unfortunately, the demonstration gun was still loaded, and Vallandigham accidentally shot himself while showing how the victim could have killed himself. He died from his wounds within 12 hours, but his sacrifice wasn't entirely in vain as his client was acquitted.

Martin Of Aragon

King Martin of Aragon was already suffering from severe indigestion in 1410 after consuming an entire goose when his court jester, Borra, entered the royal chamber. The timing couldn't have been worse. Martin was in considerable discomfort when the entertainer appeared to lighten his mood.

Martin Of Aragon (Cont.)

When Martin asked where Borra had been, the jester replied with a joke about spotting a deer in the vineyard. The quip struck the ailing king as so hilarious that he burst into uncontrollable laughter, which, combined with his digestive distress, killed him.

Alexander I Of Greece

Modern medicine wasn't advanced enough in 1920 to handle what should have been a minor injury. King Alexander I of Greece was walking through the gardens of his palace when he encountered a monkey, and the animal bit him.

Alexander I Of Greece (Cont.)

Despite receiving the best medical treatment available at the time, the bite became severely infected, and Alexander died from sepsis. His death had massive political ramifications as it led to the restoration of his father, Constantine I, to the throne.

Olive Oatman’s Real-Life Horror Story

Samantha Henman — 2025-09-04T18:11:04+00:00

Olive Oatman’s Real-Life Horror Story

Olive Oatman was one of the only survivors of a gruesome tragedy that destroyed her family. Captured by an Indigenous tribe, she witnessed the unthinkable. Sadly, her tragic losses created a twisted ripple effect—her memories haunting her right to the bitter end.

After her capture by the Yavapai tribe, Olive and her sister Mary Ann became the subject of a great furor during a trade between the Yavapai and the Mohave. The chief’s daughter, Topeka, was horrified at how the Oatman girls were being treated, and refused to leave without them. After completing a successful trade for the sisters, Topeka became their guardian angel.

Olive and Mary Ann assimilated into the Mohave and were given names and traditional facial tattoos. The Mohave people gave the sisters their very own plots of land and expected them to contribute just like everyone else. But most importantly, they weren’t captives—they were part of the community. They were given the option to leave at any time they wanted, but they opted to stay. Sadly, Mary Ann died during a great drought.

Unfortunately, Olive's whiteness and true identity would always be a threat to her community. If she was found, the tribe could be blamed and punished for harboring her. She just couldn't outrun her past—and eventually, it came knocking at her front door.

A messenger from Fort Yuma came, demanding the return of their so-called captive. He threatened the tribe with complete annihilation, until she agreed to go with him. Though she was heartbroken, there was a silver lining—she reunited with her only surviving sibling, Lorenzo.

The news of Olive’s capture, second life, and return drew a lot of attention—and sadly, she fell prey to a Svengali who dramatized her story, twisted it into an unrecognizable form, and turned it into a book. Olive was just along for the ride, although she thankfully eventually split from him.

After breaking ties, Olive became incredibly tight-lipped about her time with the Mohave people. Often seen wearing a veil to cover her face, she retreated into the shadows, shy and reserved. She married and did charity work with orphans, even adopting a daughter herself, until her passing.

Disturbing Historical Facts

Jane O'Shea — 2025-09-02T14:27:59+00:00

Disturbing Historical Facts

Here are some historical facts I found incredibly disturbing.

The earliest form of mouthwash was urine. In ancient Rome, bottled Portuguese urine was used to disinfect and whiten teeth.

The Pre-Raphaelites loved the paint color "mummy brown," but it was actually made with the remains of Egyptian mummies.

Trepanning was the earliest surgical procedure, where a hole was drilled into a patient's skull. It was used in many civilizations treating everything from headaches to mental illness.

Perhaps most infamously, Prince Philip of Orange had his head drilled 17 times.

It wasn't until the late 1980s that we accepted that babies feel pain. For a long time, operations on babies were done without anesthesia.

Allegedly, the Egyptian pharaoh Pepi II covered his servants in honey so that pesky flies would be attracted to them and not him.

Because women couldn't properly breathe in corsets, they were more likely to get pneumonia and tuberculosis. Corsets also caused serious muscle atrophy, so some women had to wear them just to remain upright.

History's Best-Kept Secrets: Revealed

Dancy Mason — 2025-09-02T14:26:14+00:00

History's Best-Kept Secrets: Revealed

These are history's best kept secrets.

The Kennedy family was powerful, but they were also cruel. When their eldest daughter, Rosemary, proved intellectually disabled and volatile, they kept it secret for years, and then gave her a botched lobotomy that left her unable to speak.

The Sound of Music is iconic, but it's also a lie. The real Maria von Trapp could be nasty and had an infamously bad temper, but Hollywood turned her into a loving figure to satisfy audiences.

Two of Queen Elizabeth II's cousins were presumed dead until 1987...when they were found in an insane asylum just because they were intellectually disabled. This wasn't even the first time this happened. Just a generation before, the family kept Prince John, who suffered from seizures, completely away from the public eye.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt likely didn't contract polio like most people assume. Instead, it was likely Guillain Barre syndrome. Either way, he kept his now famous paralysis completely secret from the public, even building a tunnel from Grand Central Station to the Astoria so no one would see him in a wheelchair.

The Roanoke colony famously disappeared, with the only trace being the word "Croatoan" carved into wood. It's a mystery for many, but experts believe the colony simply assimilated into the indigenous population.

The Last Empress Of China Had An Unbelievably Dark History

Penelope Singh — 2025-03-24T16:40:16+00:00

The Last Empress Of China Had An Unbelievably Dark History

When Wanrong became the Empress of China, she was already ruling over a ghost land. In a matter of months, her country abolished the monarchy, turning all Wanrong’s decadent pleasures into dust.

At first, when Wanrong became engaged to Emperor Puyi, people called it a fairy tale—but it was really a horror story. Puyi married two women on the very same day: Wanrong and his consort Wenxiu. But on the wedding night, he took one look at his brides and fled the bedroom. It was an ominous start to what became a horrible marriage.

Wanrong’s relationship was already on the rocks when a coup ousted she and her husband from the Forbidden City. As they fled from home to home, she became increasingly isolated. Bored and lonely, she struck up affairs with two of her husband’s aides.

Somehow, though, this was just the beginning of her tragic tale. By the end of her life, Wanrong would lose her crown, her child, and most infamously of all, her sanity.

History's Disappearing Woman

Samantha Henman — 2024-09-02T21:29:53+00:00

History's Disappearing Woman

The brave, iconoclastic Lee Miller was many things—model, muse, artist, and more. Yet the more she pushed herself, the higher the price she paid.

Miller was one of Vogue’s most stunning models, but fate had a twisted plan in store for her. She famously said, “I’d rather take a picture than be in one.” However, Miller’s decision to become a photographer led her down a chilling road.

During WWII, she ended up on the front lines, recording the tragic reality of the conflict as best she could. At the siege of St Malo, she witnessed and recorded the very first use of napalm, and was on the ground for the Battle of Alsace.

Around this time, Miller also witnessed one of the defining nightmares of the 20th century: The liberations of camps like Dachau and Buchenwald. After experiencing these conditions, she wrote to Vogue with an urgent message, along with photos, for people who denied the Germans were doing this to Jewish People: “I IMPLORE YOU TO BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE”.

Incredibly, despite her service to her country in recording WWII, Great Britain gave Miller very little thanks. In the 1940s and 1950s, when she was struggling mightily with her mental health—likely as a result of the horrors she’d suffered—MI5 even investigated her, believing she could be a Soviet spy.

Aristotle Onassis Couldn’t Escape The Kennedy Curse

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-28T12:45:03+00:00

Aristotle Onassis Couldn’t Escape The Kennedy Curse

The life of millionaire shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis is a riches to rags—and back to riches again—story. His underhanded business dealings were constantly under suspicion, and so was his unseemly pursuit of married women. Operating in some of the world’s most glamorous locations, Onassis manipulated his romantic and commercial life with a lethal combination of an ice cold heart and undeniable charm.

Onassis not only used that charm to woo the widowed Jackie Kennedy—he also used it to attract other women during their toxic marriage. However, one of the worst betrayals came when he decided to rekindle an old flame—and Jackie found out in the most brutal way imaginable.

While in America, she picked up a newspaper only to see her husband's infidelity splashed all over the front page. He'd been sighted in Paris, sharing a romantic dinner with his true love, Maria Callas.

Infuriated, Jackie raced across the pond and insisted that he have dinner with her as well—in the exact same restaurant. After all this, one thing was certainly clear: Onassis' insatiable appetite for women poisoned his personal life.

Wallis Simpson’s Fairy Tale Turned Into A Nightmare

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-26T14:48:23+00:00

Wallis Simpson’s Fairy Tale Turned Into A Nightmare

It’s hard for us to imagine now, but during a certain era, people thought of Wallis Simpson as the woman who nearly brought down the British monarchy single-handedly. Had Edward VIII not fallen for this scandalous American divorcée, the world would surely be a different place.

It came to be known as one of the great romances of the 20th century, but it’s impossible to pinpoint when exactly things turned romantic for Edward and Wallis, who ran in the same social circles during Edward’s wild youth. One thing is sure—Wallis made an unforgettable mark on the Prince. Edward recalled in his memoirs that when they met, she roasted him for always using the same line whenever he met an American woman.

He would ask them: “Do you miss central heating?”—real scintillating stuff. Wallis cheekily replied that she’d hoped for something more original. This simple rebuke ensured that the Prince would remember their meeting.

The American Princess With A Stunning End

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-22T12:57:46+00:00

The American Princess With A Stunning End

No one was as worshipped and no one was as doomed as Princess Lee Radziwill. The younger sister of Jackie Kennedy, Lee’s whole life seemed to be a battle with her sibling over who could be more glamorous, more scandalous, and finally, more tragic.

The sibling rivalry began in childhood. Their father cruelly preferred the elder Jackie, calling her “the most beautiful daughter a man ever had.” Later in life, Jackie happened to marry her sister Lee’s ex, Aristotle Onassis. And finally, Jackie actually cut her sister out of her will entirely, leaving her nothing.

Clearly, the relationship didn’t improve as the years went by—though a recent book has revealed the chilling betrayal that may explain why Lee was left out in the cold.

According to one of Jackie’s biographers, the former First Lady had a clear and justified vendetta against her little sister. That’s because—get this—Lee may have had an affair with John F. Kennedy right behind Jackie’s back. In which case, the whole “marry Aristotle Onassis and cut her completely out of my will” thing makes a whole lot more sense.

Eventually, even the lives of American Royalty calm down. Besides her divorce from Herbert Ross in 2001, Lee Radziwill lived out the rest of her years in relative quiet. When she passed in 2019 at the ripe old age of 85, she did it like a true East coast socialite, spending her final moments in her apartment on the Upper East Side in New York.

The Tragedy Of America's Lost Son

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-16T14:30:39+00:00

The Tragedy Of America's Lost Son

As the eldest son and namesake of one of America’s best-loved presidents, John F. Kennedy, Jr. spent his entire life in the public eye. He was just three years old when his father was assassinated, and became a living symbol of the hope, optimism, and vitality of the Kennedy administration.

Jacqueline Kennedy would later regret naming her son “John F. Kennedy, Jr.,” feeling it unfairly placed a burden of expectations upon him. His famous name put JFK Jr. even more in the public eye, and Jacqueline claimed that the stress and trauma drove her son to therapy for most of his life, as he struggled to cope with his father's legacy.

The pressure was immense—and many might have crumbled beneath it. But Kennedy did his best to claw his way out of the gilded cage he’d been raised in. All he had ever known was the public eye, and as he grew older, he started to try to give back to the community.

While studying law, Kennedy did charity work—but it wasn’t always a smooth ride. He contemplated a career in showbiz, something his mother disapproved of, before finally committing to law and taking the bar exam…which he failed. Twice.

In 1995, John F. Kennedy, Jr. turned over a new leaf and started a politics magazine he named George. He also gave up his bachelor lifestyle for the elegant Carolyn Bessette. He also pursued another passion, and learned to fly. Sadly, this was the beginning of the end.

On July 16, 1999, at approximately 9:40 pm Eastern time, John F. Kennedy, Jr.’s plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean nose first. In the first few desperate hours before officials found the airplane debris and black box, there were wild hopes that somehow John, Carolyn, or her sister Lauren had survived. Sadly, the Kennedy curse had struck again.

This American Princess Lived A Nightmare

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-14T13:32:14+00:00

This American Princess Lived A Nightmare

On the glittering surface, Consuelo Vanderbilt looked like she had it all. The beautiful heiress to the massive Vanderbilt wealth, her future had shone like a diamond from the moment she was born. But this American princess and “million dollar duchess” didn’t get a happy ending—she got an utter nightmare.

In certain echelons of New York society—the upper ones—the birth of Consuelo Vanderbilt in 1877 was akin to the coming of a messiah. The eldest child and only daughter of the main Vanderbilt heir William and his wife Alva, Consuelo was all the hopes of the Gilded Age of America rolled into one.

As such, the little heiress heralded a generation of beautiful creatures with pearls on their necks and gold in their veins; she was even named after her mother’s childhood best friend, the famous socialite Consuelo Yznaga. But all that glitters is very much not gold.

The sweet, stunning Consuelo was barely in her teen years when she began getting offers of marriage from almost every man who met her. But Consuelo was under her watchful mother Alva’s eye. She thought she could fool Alva, even clandestinely agreeing to marry the man who’d been secretly courting her—but she was so, so wrong.

Once Alva caught on to what was going on, she blocked the man from calling on Consuelo and even intercepted and destroyed letters from him. Heartbroken, Consuelo reluctantly went along with her mother’s plans for her to marry the Duke of Marlborough.

As she walked down the aisle, guests couldn’t help but notice the mournful sobs that emanated through the church. But if the wedding day was a nightmare, it was absolutely nothing compared to the honeymoon—when the Duke told her he was only marrying her for her money, and never intended to even try to form a relationship.

It was a crushing blow—yet still, was only the beginning of Consuelo’s heartbreaking story.

History’s Tragic Four-Legged Girl

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-12T14:44:53+00:00

History’s Tragic Four-Legged Girl

From the waist down, Myrtle Corbin was actually two women. Through a very rare birth defect, she’d grown two sets of everything in the lower half of her body. Though she was born healthy in every other way, it would be hard for Corbin to learn how to walk—but the hardest part of all, of course, would be dealing with the attention and judgment of others. And sometimes, the worst of it came from those closest to her.

Doctors—the figures who should’ve shown Corbin the most understanding—were often unkind and downright lewd. While one doctor called her a “living monstrosity,” others went into obscene detail about her anatomy. To her family, who were struggling to get by, this attention, negative as it was, still seemed like an opportunity.

What followed was a degrading career in circuses and freak shows, working with the notorious P.T. Barnum. Though Corbin was friendly and upbeat, living a life on display wore on her. She also had to watch as her sister got to grow up and live a normal life—going on dates, making friends, getting engaged.

Luckily, her looks, personality, and smarts made her quite the catch—which is not to mention the generous salary she was earning. Unfortunately, this also made her a target for some less-than-scrupulous men. Corbin knew she had to be picky with who she trusted, but she ended up meeting a doctor—of all people—through her sister’s husband.

They got married and had children—no easy feat for a woman with two pelvises—and lived “happily ever after,” despite suffering many painful losses in the process. Sadly, when Corbin was in her 50s, she fell ill and passed away suddenly.

To some, this may seem like where Corbin’s story ends—but for her family, their nightmare was just beginning. Strange offers came through from people calling themselves doctors and scientists who wanted to purchase her remains. To keep their beloved wife and mother safe from grave robbers, Corbin’s family had to have her remains entombed in cement.

Queen Jane Seymour Had A Chilling Dark Side

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-08T14:06:42+00:00

Queen Jane Seymour Had A Chilling Dark Side

The shadowy side of Queen Jane Seymour's history, a woman often depicted as the obedient wife who gave King Henry VIII his coveted son. However, beneath the surface, she harbored a hidden dark side, and her life was marked by chilling tragedies that history rarely reveals.

Jane’s family was a magnet for drama from the beginning. Her brothers, Edward and Thomas, were troublingly meddlesome from the start, and coached their naïve sister in the most cunning ways of statecraft and seducing powerful men.

During her first years in service of the court, Jane watched as Henry VIII threw his wife Catherine of Aragon aside for Anne Boleyn—and the inevitable dark end to that twisted love story. As his dissatisfaction with Anne grew, he started to notice Jane and flirt with her.

This is where Jane’s sweet, subservient image ends. Jane flaunted the gifts Henry had given her right in front of Anne, infuriating her. Some say Anne even experienced a miscarriage after walking into a room and finding Jane in Henry’s lap. The wildest part? Henry and Jane went on to get engaged just one day after Anne’s execution.

Jane was in bed with the devil. But Jane also knew her duty as queen was to satisfy King Henry in the bedroom and then the maternity ward, and half a year after her royal wedding, she was pregnant with Henry’s child.

Jane went into labor in early October of 1537, but nothing happened the way she expected it. It was a grueling 2 days and 3 nights. At 2:00 in the wee hours of the morning on October 12, 1537, Jane finally had her child—the son the king had wished for.

Jane Seymour was in grave danger after childbirth. Her health was up and down for days, until she died on October 24, just 12 days after giving birth.

Jane had given Henry VIII an heir, but never got to see her son grow up. Instead, her grave pays heartbreaking tribute to him. The inscription on her final resting place reads: “Here lies Jane, a phoenix / Who died in giving another phoenix birth. / Let her be mourned, for birds like these / Are rare indeed.”

The Last Emperor of Mexico

Samantha Henman — 2024-08-06T13:46:05+00:00

The Last Emperor of Mexico

Maximilian I was the very picture of European chivalry—but his story ended in greed, disgrace, and betrayal. Maximilian would do anything to gain power, and in order to inch closer and closer to a throne, he manipulated his loved ones, vied for court supremacy, and, on one occasion, dealt the ultimate betrayal to his own wife. Maximilian certainly tried to play the game of thrones…but he lost more brutally than any ruler before or since.

Though his older brother was destined to rule in their home of Austria, Maximilian had no guarantee to any throne—and it bothered him to no end. So, when Napoleon III offered him the position of Emperor of Mexico, he jumped at the opportunity.

Everyone thought Maximilian was crazy. France had just recently conquered Mexico and its hold over the region was far from stable. Maximilian and his wife Charlotte landed in Veracruz, which just so happened to be a notorious bastion for a free republic of Mexico. They were met with an icy greeting—and their reign only got worse from there.

For three stubborn years, Maximilian fought to stay on the throne against immeasurable odds—completely unaware of the disturbing fate that awaited him. Mexican forces led by Benito Juarez stripped him of his power and sentenced him to be executed. Then, as Maximilian faced his firing squad, he made the most heartbreaking request to the enemy soldiers.

When he met the men who were about to shoot him, he insisted on speaking Spanish to them, and then gave each of the soldiers a gold coin. As Maximilian placed the coins in the mens’ hands, he made it clear to them that this was payment in advance for not shooting him in the face when they aimed and took fire. Why? Because when his body made it back to Austria, he wanted his beloved mother Sophie to be able to look at his face and recognize him.

Edward VII Was England's Most Debaucherous King

Penelope Singh — 2024-08-02T13:46:25+00:00

Edward VII Was England's Most Debaucherous King

In public, the Victorians were some of the stuffiest, snobbiest, most repressed people in history. Behind closed doors, it was a different story. In private, Victorian England was rife with drink, debauchery, and scandal—and no one did it better than Queen Victoria's infamous son, King Edward VII.

What kind of king has a private room in a Parisian brothel, complete with a custom-made “love chair”? Edward VII, that’s who. “Dirty Bertie” did everything in his power to keep his constant affairs out of the public eye—but he was so prolific, it was nearly impossible to keep it all under wraps.

His bedroom escapades may have fueled the gossip mill for centuries and his mother may have been utterly ashamed of him, but more than anything, Edward VII knew how to be a royal with style.

The Queen Mother Has A Darker Legacy Than People Know

Penelope Singh — 2024-08-01T14:26:44+00:00

The Queen Mother Has A Darker Legacy Than People Know

Behind every great man, there’s a great woman—but this went double for "The Queen Mother". Not only did Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon rule through her husband King George VI, but she also oversaw multiple decades of the reign of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Yet before that, she’d already experienced a lifetime’s worth of royal scandal. From bedroom gossip that rocked the monarchy to Elizabeth’s high-class feuds, this seemingly stately Queen hid some very dirty laundry.

The Extraordinary Story Of Lavinia Warren

Penelope Singh — 2024-08-01T14:23:58+00:00

The Extraordinary Story Of Lavinia Warren

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 with General Tom Thumb, Warren did it all—but there was a twisted side to their stardom.

Most historians believe that Warren and Thumb’s baby didn’t even belong to them. A popular theory suggests that it was all a publicity stunt, and that the couple simply borrowed babies from local orphanages while on tour and then returned them. After all, Lavinia supposedly had a deep fear of having children herself.

Lavinia felt that her small stature wouldn’t be able to handle childbirth. However, when her sister Minnie became pregnant and carried the baby to term, it seemed that Lavinia’s fears were unfounded…that is, until Minnie went into labor—and the nightmare began.

The Stolen Princess In Queen Victoria’s Court

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-31T13:27:56+00:00

The Stolen Princess In Queen Victoria’s Court

Strong, intelligent, and best known as Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta led an extraordinary life. Her experiences, however, were far from idyllic.

Though history remembers her as “Sarah Forbes Bonetta,” that wasn't actually her name, at least not at her birth. Born in 1843 in Oke-Odan, a West African village in what is present-day Nigeria, her family originally called her "Omoba Aina," which roughly translates “Princess Aina” in English.

Unfortunately, this princess didn’t spend her early years living in the lap of luxury. Her situation was far more grim.

She was captured as a slave, and later raised as the queen’s ward in English high society. But if her time in England revealed anything, it’s that any cage, no matter how gilded, is still just a cage.

The Wild Baroness Rothschild

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-29T14:11:52+00:00

The Wild Baroness Rothschild

After hearing a singular piece of music, Baroness Nica de Koenigswarter, daughter of the Rothschild dynasty, abandoned her gilded cage and basically left her husband behind to become a patron saint to the High Priest of Jazz, Thelonious Monk, and a muse to countless other musicians.

More than just a groupie, she was a freedom fighter and a philanthropist who made headlines for kicking race and class norms in the shins. But just as quickly as she found her place in the world, she became embroiled in scandal when her old friend, jazz legend Charlie “Bird” Parker passed away in her hotel room.

It was a sad chapter in her life, and one that caused dark rumors to swirl. It all became a tragic reflection on all she’d done to support the musicians in her life, but ultimately, her legacy—which includes the 20+ songs written about her by some of jazz’s greatest figures—stands on its own.

Edward VIII's Reign Was Short, Brutal, And Full Of Secrets

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-23T13:28:10+00:00

Edward VIII's Reign Was Short, Brutal, And Full Of Secrets

He was born into a world of 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.

Edward was barely out of his teens when WWI broke out. While in France, he struck up an affair with high-class courtesan Marguerite Alibert—but this steamy relationship would come back to haunt him.

Although Edward and Marguerite flamed out after a year, she returned into the Prince’s life with a vengeance. 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.

When it comes to scandal, this was, of course, one of the first for Edward—but certainly not the last. For such a short-reigning king, he left behind no shortage of controversy.

The Twisted Tale Of China's Last Consort

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-19T14:11:13+00:00

The Twisted Tale Of China's Last Consort

When Wenxiu was born in 1909, it didn’t look like she would become the next Imperial Consort of China. Although she was part of a fairly respectable Mongolian clan, her family lived in genteel poverty, and Wenxiu often helped them make an income by selling goods. But then everything changed.

When she was just 11 years old, the current Emperor of China, Puyi, began looking for a bride. From there, her fate was sealed.

Puyi married two women on the very same day: his Empress Wanrong and his consort Wenxiu. It’s hard to say which woman had a worse time married to him—as each faced unspeakable horror. However, it was ultimately Wenxiu who was the first to stand up for herself.

After mistreating Wenxiu for years, Emperor Puyi was incensed when she divorced him, calling it “treason.” Within years, however, Puyi had a vicious fall from grace. Considering what he’d done to poor Wenxiu, his karma was both extremely gruesome and incredibly fitting.

Prince Philip's Hidden Life

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-17T13:52:44+00:00

Prince Philip's Hidden Life

Prince Philip wasn't just the longest sitting Prince Consort in British history, he had a lifetime full of more intrigue than most people can even imagine. From his dangerous beginnings as a royal fugitive to the secrets only palace aides know for sure, Philip's century-old story more than rivals that of his beloved wife, Elizabeth II.

Philip didn’t often show his vulnerable side, but when he did, you can bet he made the most of it. At Princess Diana’s funeral, Philip’s grandsons William and Harry were so young and apprehensive, Philip swooped in to help them. Philip reportedly told his eldest grandson, "If you don't walk, I think you'll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?" At the funeral, Philip, William, Harry, Charles, and Diana’s brother followed the bier.

History's Most Deranged Love Triangle

Jane O'Shea — 2024-07-17T00:33:46+00:00

History's Most Deranged Love Triangle

Evelyn Nesbit was a Gibson Girl model who got stuck in the middle of one of the most deranged love triangles.

As she rose to fame, she became a magnet for wealthy men, including the architect Stanford White, who was almost three times her age. She met him in 1901 when she was around 15 or 16, and according to her, he accosted her without her consent.

Still, they continued their relationship for a while longer, but his awful treatment of her would come back to haunt him. Enter multi millionaire Harry Thaw, who was also not a great catch. He had a reputation for being mentally unstable, and he was obsessed with Nesbit. He blamed Stanford White for taking Nesbit's virginity, and punished her brutally for her lack of chastity.

But he was rich, so she still married him in 1905. The very next year, all the players in this messed up love triangle attended the same musical review at Madison Square Garden, and during the finale, all hell broke loose. Harry Thaw approached Stanford White, drew his pistol, and shot him three times in the head and back.

Although reports vary, Thaw cried out something along the lines of, "I did it because he ruined my wife. He had it coming to him."

The Princess Who Nearly Destroyed The Monarchy

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-11T21:12:10+00:00

The Princess Who Nearly Destroyed The Monarchy

Princess Margaret might have grown up in the shadow of her older sister Queen Elizabeth II, but she didn’t stay that way.

By the time she was a teenager, the young, beautiful, and fashionable princess was the talk of the town…and not for the right reasons. There were rumors of secret romances taking place right under her father’s nose—and then, his death and her sister’s ascension sent everything into a tailspin. What happened from there was unforgettable.

From her scandalous love life to her tragic end, Margaret’s life was no fairy tale—and it was so much more compelling than what we saw on The Crown.

The Scandalous Life Of American Icon Pearl Bailey

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-05T19:49:00+00:00

The Scandalous Life Of American Icon Pearl Bailey

When it comes to American legend Pearl Bailey, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. Sure, she was a fantastic singer, but she was also a dancer, actor, “humorist,” humanitarian—and even with all that going on, she still had time for a scandal-filled personal life.

After winning an amateur contest at the famed Apollo Theater, Bailey’s career took off—and she never looked back. Sadly, there were many obstacles in her way, running the gamut from racial prejudice to love ‘em and leave ‘em womanizers. After years of hard work, she was finally recognized for her talents—but sadly, a dark fate was waiting around the corner.

Oppenheimer's True Story Was Darker Than The Movie

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-03T15:54:11+00:00

Oppenheimer's True Story Was Darker Than The Movie

Julius Robert Oppenheimer wasn’t just the father of the weapon that ended WWII and shifted the course of humanity. The super scientist hid love affairs, secrets, and scandals until his enemies publicly exposed and humiliated him.

Though one recent blockbuster movie told his story, there was so much more to Julius Oppenheimer than what was laid down on film. This is the tale of a man who gave his country the power to destroy the world—only for them to destroy him.

The Real Story Of Hollywood's Tough Guy

Penelope Singh — 2024-07-02T14:44:27+00:00

The Real Story Of Hollywood's Tough Guy

In the 1970s, Charles Bronson was the most famous man in Hollywood. While this iconic action star has gone down in cinema history for his devil-may-care quips and awe-inspiring stunts, his steely-eyed stare concealed an utterly brutal past.

Bronson was the strong silent type—but filming one scene in The Great Escape nearly made him break down. Bronson had a brutal childhood working in coal mines to support his family, so having to go into tight enclosed spaces as Danny the Tunnel Rat brought back harrowing memories.

Bronson developed horrible claustrophobia as a child, and as he filmed the classic movie, his fear came rushing back.

Queen Elizabeth's Grandmother Was Secretly Scandalous

Penelope Singh — 2024-06-27T15:00:27+00:00

Queen Elizabeth's Grandmother Was Secretly Scandalous

Born a rejected princess from an exiled family, Mary of Teck fought through tragedy and upheaval in her early life. When she married the future King George V, she was set on a path to become the Queen Consort of all Britain.

Sadly, their coronation wasn’t the “happily ever after” you’d expect it to be, and the crown only seemed to bring her more heartache. While she may not be well known now, the violent twists and turns of her life shaped our current reality. This is the story of Mary of Teck, the hidden queen.

The Untold Story Of Sacagawea

Penelope Singh — 2024-06-25T13:49:55+00:00

The Untold Story Of Sacagawea

Sacagawea was one tough lady. When she was just a young teenage mother, this Shoshone explorer tied her baby to her back and fearlessly traveled westward across America as part of Lewis and Clark’s famous expedition. For many people, that’s pretty much the beginning and end of Sacagawea’s story—but they’d be so, so wrong.

From her perilous childhood to her nightmare of a marriage, there’s a lot more to know about this Indigenous icon’s incredible and heartbreaking life.

The Woman Who Nearly Destroyed The Monarchy

Penelope Singh — 2024-06-21T13:26:01+00:00

The Woman Who Nearly Destroyed The Monarchy

Edward VIII’s marriage to Wallis Simpson is something straight out of a romance novel, but Simpson wasn’t the future king’s only famous mistress. That (extremely) dubious honor also goes to Thelma Furness, the aunt of the infamous Gloria Vanderbilt. The craziest part? Furness’s life is just as wild, if not wilder, than the lives of the famous figures around her.

When Edward ruthlessly dumped Furness in favor of Simpson, the repercussions poisoned the rest of Thelma’s life. At the time of her death, the jilted mistress was found with one of Edward’s “gifts” tucked into her handbag, and it revealed a secret so heartbreaking—it’s unforgettable.