Catherine de Medici

Diane de Poitiers was an infamous royal mistress—but one day in 1559, her golden life came crashing down in the most brutal way imaginable.

Nobody likes a bully, but as history proves, they're hard to escape. Wherever there's a chance to snatch power, tyrants come out of the woodwork, hoping to get a piece for themselves at any cost. From rulers who oppressed their subjects to warriors who let no one stand in their way, history has its fair share of bad guys—and none are worse than the ones here.

Diane de Poitiers was an infamous royal mistress—but one day in 1559, her golden life came crashing down in the most brutal way imaginable.

Diane de Poitiers was an infamous royal mistress—but one day in 1559, her golden life came crashing down in the most brutal way imaginable.

From the reign of Henry VIII to the conquests of Genghis Khan to the exploits of Bloody Mary, history's worst bullies take “brutal” to the next level.