In the past, power was inherited. Although today we watch movies about royal families from small European countries and think that being a royal person is lovely, it turns out it is not true. History has shown that for some monarchs, the reign is a real burden that drives them crazy. And if they do not fully realize what is happening, then their madness becomes a fardel for the citizens. We at The Dope Lists have collected the Top 10 of the craziest rulers.
Henry VI of England
Even in his early childhood, it was noticeable that the heir to the throne behaved strangely. He was hesitant and refused to wear clothes that matched his background. Henry failed to take control of England when he ascended the throne and his entourage ruled it. As a result, the state was decentralized due to the constant change of winners of the temporary interest of the monarch.
When they informed him of the defeat in France and the loss of the province of Bordeaux, the king fell into a catatonic shock for more than a year, during which he missed the birth of his only son. He could not move, did not speak, and was inadequate.
Henry never fully recovered, and this ruined the prestige of the monarchy. The instability of the state provoked the War of the Roses between the York and Lancaster clans to determine the next king. Scientists believe that Henry suffered from severe schizophrenia or depression. He’s arguably one of the craziest rulers.
Zhengde Emperor
When he became emperor, everyone expected him to continue his father’s peaceful policy, thanks to which China prospered. They had no idea how wrong they were. Zhengde was not interested in state affairs and spent his time squandering money from the treasury to eat and satisfy his sexual appetite with many concubines.
In order to be able to do whatever he wanted, he left the management to one of the eunuchs. When they quarreled, Zhengde commanded to execute the eunuch by gradually cutting his body into pieces for three days. This was his favorite punishment.
A few years later an uprising broke out and the emperor gathered a powerful army, imagining the glory after the suppression of the revolt. However, it turned out there was nothing to suppress, as the situation had already been brought under control. Instead of rejoicing, Zhengde ordered the rebels released to revolt so he could defeat them himself. Of course, then he did not omit to punish everyone in his favorite horrifying way. You can see why we believe he was one of the craziest rulers in history.
Joanna of Castile
Juana fell madly in love with her husband, Philip the Fair, but it brought her more suffering than happiness. Her husband had the reputation of a womanizer, which provoked angry outbursts of jealousy from Juana. After such scenes, Philip punished her by not visiting her for days. This aggravated her depression.
When she became the heiress of Aragon and Castile, her parents realized the rumors about her madness were true. Her mother locked her in the castle, but that did not stop Juana from returning to her husband in Flanders. She came out half-naked in the cold, sat at the gates, and started screaming for 36 hours.
Juana’s proclamation as Queen of Castile made the situation worse. Her father and her husband competed for power, declaring her incapable of governing. Soon after, Philip died, and this completely ruined her psyche. Juana carried the coffin with her everywhere and periodically opened it to caress the decaying remains. Ten years later, Juana’s son ascended the throne, but for her, it meant another exile.
George III
He was the last British monarch to rule the thirteen American colonies. During his reign, England lost much of its possessions in the New World due to his mental instability and inability to handle government affairs.
The medics could not diagnose his illness, and the medications they used likely worsened his condition instead of improving it. The king suffered from severe paranoia and anxiety, insomnia, and nervous tics. He also often had delusions and hallucinations. Some of George’s servants were authorized to use even brute force to curb his madness.
The king’s condition deteriorated so much that his son had to take over the British Empire while his father was still alive. George could not speak fluently and communicate with other people.
Ludwig II of Bavaria
He became famous for his unusual obsession with building palaces. He was not interested in politics at all. There may be an explanation for the king’s strange hobby. Ludwig was called the “king of fairy tales” because he lived in a fictional kingdom for most of his reign.
His homosexuality and relationships with three men did not improve his fame. Although he was engaged, Ludwig did not marry and neglected one of the most important royal duties – to leave an heir. He confessed and wrote about the conflict between his sexual desires and the Catholic faith in his diary.
In 1870 he signed the treaty of Bavaria’s accession to United Germany. Fifteen years later, he was declared mentally ill without being examined. The government declared him incompetent, and he was arrested. The next day, it was reported that Ludwig had committed suicide by drowning.
Charles VI
French history is saturated with the madness of monarchs and their families. But undoubtedly, the king of madness is Charles VI. After falling ill with a mysterious disease, the king began to behave inappropriately.
He claimed that his name was George, nor did he remember his relatives, nor was he king of France. Sometimes he imagined he was a wolf and howled at people. The scariest thing was for anyone to touch him, Charles panicked because he thought he was made of glass and would break.
Subsequently, the king forbade changing his sheets and refusing to bathe, resulting in him developing skin problems. His wife stopped visiting his bedroom because she feared for her life. A few years later, Charles’ madness caused a civil war. Many people died because of him – one of the craziest rulers.
Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
He was a member of the Habsburg dynasty and was emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. His management is exceptionally passive, especially in his last years. The reason is his hereditary schizophrenia.
Rudolph did not marry and was left without an heir. This created a conflict between Rudolf and his brother Matthias because the inheritance issue had to be resolved without other representatives of the Habsburg dynasty. The problem was further complicated when the only brother Rudolf got along with died. The emperor intended to declare him heir because he did not trust any of his relatives, but his plans went awry.
Rudolf’s strange actions and his attempt to delay signing a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire caused widespread discontent. As a result, he ceded most of the titles to his brother Matthias. Rudolph no longer had real power, and the imperial title he retained until his death was simply honorary.
Carlota of Mexico
The first 20 years of Charlotte’s life were happy. Her marriage to Archduke Maximilian of Austria was filled with love. The young Belgian princess also enjoyed an understanding with her mother-in-law. The only thing that irritated Charlotte was her husband’s closeness to Empress Sisi. Soon, however, everything changed.
Napoleon III offered the archduke couple the titles of Emperor and Empress of Mexico. They agreed and sailed for the New World. However, their situation there was so precarious that Charlotte returned to Europe to seek the support of the states and the Pope. All her efforts were in vain, and this ruined her psyche.
A few months later, her husband was executed, and then the former empress was diagnosed as mentally ill. For the next 60 years, she lived under the illusion that she was still Empress of Mexico and that Maximilian was alive.
Peter III of Russia
As a child, Carl Peter thought he was destined to rule Sweden. However, this changed dramatically. His training was in line with his position as heir to the Swedish crown. Or rather, the state he would rule.
Peter was proclaimed heir to the Russian Empress Elisaveta Petrovna. He did not speak Russian fluently and was not familiar with Orthodox Christianity and Russian traditions. Peter tied the knot with Ekaterina Alekseevna, but the marriage was not successful. His wife described him as an idiot and a drunkard in her diary, interested only in playing soldiers. The couple had only one son, who was rumored not to be from Peter.
When he ascended the throne, he made several controversial decisions. The glass overflowed when he signed an unfavorable peace with Prussia instead of taking advantage of the victory. This led to the initiation of the conspiracy by his wife and her coronation as Empress Catherine II.
Charles II of Spain
From the birth of the long-awaited Spanish heir, it became clear that he had severe physical and mental problems. His severe injuries were the outcome of many close marriages in the Habsburg dynasty. It has been established that 11 of Carlos’ ancestors were the result of incestuous relationships.
Throughout Carlos’s reign, power was in the hands of regents, although he ruled for 34 years. The heir to the crown had limited mental capacity. But that seemed to be a minor problem. The king was lame, suffering from epilepsy, his speech was unintelligible, he had frequent kidney crises, and he refused to follow hygienic habits.
In his last years, the coffins of his predecessors were brought on his orders, and he spoke to their remains. The greatest misfortune he brought to Spain was that he could not leave an heir because of his sterility, and this provoked the War of the Spanish Succession.
For some of the craziest rulers rulers, insanity is hereditary. For others, it is the result of incestuous marriages, or their lives are endless suffering. Whatever the reason was, it is a fact that their imbalance has caused fear and pity in the citizens.