In modern times, it can be fun to follow the royalty, little girls dream of being princesses, and little boys dream of being kings. But, the reality of the Kings and Queens of history isn't always so pleasant. Here is a list of the top 10 WORST Kings and Queens in the history of the world!
Brought to you by Zero2Hero, this includes King John of England, Henry VIII, King Leopold II of Belgium, and more!
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For more on the Royal Families, find out how inbreeding created these genetic mutations!! https://youtu.be/J2hMHhDjCAk
Insanity, religious persecution, failed wars, tortures and failed domestic affairs… not all Kings and Queens are remembered for their good deeds. Stay tuned to number 1 to find out who is considered the worst King or Queen in history.
Number 10: King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
Ferdinand VII ruled Spain twice! Once between March 1808 and May 1808 when he was overthrown by Napoleon, and then again between 1813 and 1833, after Napoleon decided to hand the power back to him.
Upon his return to the throne in 1813, Ferdinand set about re-establishing an absolutist monarch and rejected the liberal constitution of 1812. So, it’s safe to say the liberals weren’t happy with this, and Ferdinand began to suppress the liberal press between 1814 and 1833, jailing many of the editors and writers. During his reign, independence movements swept through the American territories, and during this time, Spain lost nearly all of its American land holdings.
Upon his passing in 1833, he was succeeded by his infant daughter Isabella II, and the country was thrown into a Civil War soon after.
Number 9: Henry VIII of England.
I’m Henry the VIII I am. Henry the VIII I am, I am.
Although not the worst ruler in England’s history, Henry VIII is definitely a ruler that’s remembered – although not for the best reasons.
Ruling from 1509 to 1547, Henry the VIII is best known for his six marriages, albeit, some of the women were luckier than the others. In order they were:
1. Catherine of Aragon – who he divorced.
2. Anne Boleyn – who he had beheaded.
3. Jane Seymour – who tragically died as a result of giving birth to a son – Prince Edward who later became King Edward VI of England.
4. Anne of Cleves – who he divorced.
5. Catherine Howard – who he had beheaded.
6. Catherine Parr – who survived.
Over the course of his 6 marriages Henry took England on a roller-coaster ride. To get his annulment from his first wife, he separated the Church of England from papal authority and appointed himself as Supreme Head of the Church of England, in an act that would later be known as the English Reformation. The funny thing is - although he separated England from papal authority, it is believed Henry still remained a believer in the core Catholic theological teachings. Therefore, it appears he went through whole process of breaking away from papal authority just as an effort to divorce his first wife and marry the second – only to behead her some years later.
Number 8: Charles VI of France.
After taking power at the age of 21, his reign began relatively well and he improved the economic and political situations in France, resulting in him being called ‘the Beloved’. But, 11 years later, this would all change.
During his first episode of insanity the King killed four knights and attacked his brother and, from here it went downhill. Charles’ episodes of insanity became more frequent and lasted for longer, resulting in him being known as ‘Mad’ King Charles. Due to his mental incapacity and inability to make effective political decisions, the English were encouraged to resume the Hundred Year’s War. Nevertheless, Charles ruled France from 1380 until his passing in 1422.
Number 7: Ludwig II of Bavaria.
After inheriting the throne in 1864 at the age of 18, Ludwig had little interest in maintaining his country’s independence and two years after he became King the kingdom became a part of the larger German Empire. But Ludwig was still King of Bavaria, and set about emptying the royal treasury on a grand journey of artistic and architectural projects. Many of the great Bavaria landmarks today were created by him. Unfortunately, although tourists flock to them today, at the time, many people were not happy about his seemingly ridiculous and wasteful spending, and they used his projects to help remove him from power. In 1886, he was declared insane and removed from the throne – only to die a mysterious passing the very next day!
Number 6: King John of England.
Also known as Bad King John, he ruled England between April 1199 and October 1216. The youngest of five sons of King Henry II of England, he became his father’s favorite after a failed rebellion by his elder brothers between 1173 and 1174.
