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(#9) Edward IV of England
- Dec. at 41 (1442-1483)
Royal Title: King of England
Relative Killed:
His brother, George, Duke of Clarence. An ambitious younger son, George conspired against his big brother multiple times, allying with the influential Earl of Warwick to oust Edward. When that didn't work, George and Warwick ran away to France for a time. The family reconciled, but when Edward foiled George's marriage plans, the little prince began to plot again and was thrown into prison. In 1478, Edward announced the charges he was filing against his brother, then ordered his brother to be quietly killed.
Legend has it that Edward didn't demand his brother's execution, but instead had the drunkard drowned in a cask of Malmsey wine.
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(#4) Henry VIII of England
- Dec. at 56 (1491-1547)
Royal Title: King of England
Relatives Killed:
Any royal rivals, including his first cousin once removed, Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. One of the most important nobles in the kingdom and of royal descent several times over, Stafford may have had monarchical ambitions, but Henry nipped that in the bud by executing the duke for treason in 1521.
His brother-in-law (husband of his sister Margaret), James IV of Scotland. The two monarchs were allied for some time until war broke out and Henry's forces defeated - and killed - James at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
Henry also bumped off many other royal cousins who posed a threat to his throne, including Edmund de la Pole in 1513.
Longtime family friend and cousin Margaret Pole, who was hacked to death at an old age.
Two of Henry's wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, who were his eighth cousins. Both were beheaded after being charged with adultery.
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(#13) James II of England
- Dec. at 68 (1633-1701)
Royal Title: King of England
Relative Killed:
His nephew, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. James II's brother, King Charles II, had at least fourteen illegitimate children, but it was his eldest, James, that was a big thorn in his side. Given the title Duke of Monmouth, the handsome and charming James became a court favorite once the Stuarts resumed the throne after the English Civil War.
England was mostly Protestant by that point, as was Charles II. But Charles's immediate heir, his brother, James, Duke of York, was a Catholic. Charles died in 1685, at which time James II took over the throne. Soon after, the Protestant Monmouth initiated a rebellion and proclaimed himself rightful king of England. Needless to say, that didn't go over well; his uncle the King proclaimed his nephew a traitor and executed Monmouth that same year.
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(#5) Agrippina the Younger
- Dec. at 44 (15-59)
Royal Title: Empress of Rome
Relatives Killed:
Allegedly, her uncle and husband Claudius. Agrippina was his fourth wife, and she started jockeying for power soon after their marriage. She started pushing her own son, Nero, to be Claudius's heir, rather than his own son Britannicus; Claudius adopted little Nero and betrothed him to his own daughter.
In 54 CE, Claudius died following a big feast. Rumor had it that Agrippina convinced Claudius's eunuch, who tasted all the imperial food before his master, to poison Claudius's mushroom dish. Other versions of the tale have Agrippina more directly poisoning her husband.
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(#7) Augustus
- Dec. at 76 (62 BC-14)
Royal Title: Augustus
Relatives Killed:
Indirectly, his own daughter, Julia the Elder. His only biological child, Julia married several men and gave Augustus many grandchildren, but she didn't agree with her father's moral reforms. She had a number of extramarital affairs, in direct defiance of the strict family laws her father was imposing, so Augustus made an example of her. He exiled Julia to an island off the coast of Italy, where she died from malnutrition.
His granddaughter (Julia the Elder's daughter), aptly named Julia the Younger. Just like her mother, Julia the Younger wasn't too fond of Augustus's strict marital laws. He exiled Julia for sexual licentiousness less than 10 years after her mother suffered the same punishment.
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(#6) John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy
- Dec. at 48 (1371-1419)
Royal Title: Duke of Burgundy
Relative Killed: His cousin, Louis, Duke of Orleans. When Charles VI, King of France, went mad, his little brother, Louis, took a great deal of power into his own hands. So did the dukes of Anjou, Berry, and Burgundy, but it was Burgundy - Duke John the Fearless - who emerged as the number-one rival to Orleans.
Orleans and Burgundy began a tug-of-war over control of France. Orleans even went so far as to allegedly seduce his sister-in-law, Queen Isabeau. Burgundy in turn kidnapped the heir to the French throne, and it's believed Orleans may have then tried to assault Burgundy's wife. This didn't end well - Burgundy hired a gang of assassins to murder his cousin Orleans on the streets of Paris. They ultimately beat the dead duke to a pulp. Burgundy later claimed he did it because Orleans was trying to kill his brother, the king, by using black magic.
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About This Tool
Historical facts tell us that not all rulers in real life are the handsome, strong, and benevolent kings described in fairy tales. Most rulers in history have carried out cruel executions to consolidate their status and maintain the rule of the royal family. Many royal families Members have also been cruelly treated because of the strengthening of the imperial power, such as Peter the Great, who once cruelly executed many people, including his son Alexei for treason.
Regardless of whether these cruel rulers were born like this, or the lofty status that drove them to do some despicable things, their actions have more or less promoted the course of history. The random tool introduced 13 historical rulers who killed their own relatives.
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