When we talk about the 10 best kings in European history, we instantly picture towering figures whose deeds reshaped continents. From the mighty Byzantine emperors to the shrewd monarchs of England, Spain, and France, the crown was a heavy mantle—one that not every heir could bear. Some successors rose to the challenge, while others stumbled spectacularly, leaving a trail of disappointment that still echoes through the ages. Below, we count down ten illustrious rulers whose glorious reigns were followed by sons who simply couldn’t match the family name.
10 Edward II
Poor Edward II inherited a colossal pair of royal boots when his formidable father, Edward I—better known as Edward Longshanks—died abruptly in 1307. The elder Longshanks had cemented his reputation by crushing William Wallace’s rebellion, ordering the brutal execution of the Scottish hero, and pacifying Wales, even bestowing upon his son the inaugural title of Prince of Wales.
When Edward II ascended the throne that same year, expectations were sky‑high. His reign, however, quickly soured after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce outmaneuvered him and forced the English king to flee in disgrace. Adding insult to injury, Edward’s personal life—rumoured affairs with favourite courtiers—alienated both his council and his wife. Ultimately, he was compelled to abdicate in favour of his fourteen‑year‑old son, Edward III, and later met a grisly end under disputed circumstances while imprisoned. Historians often label Edward II as the sole failure of Edward I’s otherwise stellar legacy.
9 Napoleon II
Napoleon II never asked for the impossible, yet he was thrust into the shadow of a father whose name still reverberates through military academies worldwide. Napoleon Bonaparte—dubbed Napoleon I—was the first Emperor of France, a tactical genius who amassed victories across Europe during the Napoleonic Wars, and a figure whose very existence reshaped the continent’s political map.
The birth of his son was celebrated in Paris with a thunderous salute of one hundred cannon blasts. However, after Napoleon’s crushing defeat at Waterloo, the elder emperor was forced into exile and formally abdicated in favour of his infant son. Raised in Austria, the young Napoleon II never seized the French throne; instead, he entered Austrian service, despite lingering hopes among French loyalists that he might one day reclaim the empire. He died at the tender age of twenty‑one in 1832, a victim of tuberculosis, never having ruled and leaving no heirs to continue his line.
8 Edward VIII
Edward VIII inherited the throne from his father, George V, in January 1936 after a respectable 26‑year reign that saw Britain navigate World War I, the Russian Revolution, and a rapidly shifting domestic political landscape. George V was widely respected, yet his relationship with his eldest son was strained; Edward was notorious for a flamboyant social life and rumored liaisons with high‑profile women, causing the king to favour his second‑eldest son, Prince George, as a more suitable heir.
When Edward ascended in 1936, his reign was cut dramatically short by a scandal that still fuels tabloid headlines. His intention to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice‑divorced American socialite, sparked a constitutional crisis. Public opinion deemed the match unacceptable for a monarch, and amid whispers of pro‑Nazi sympathies and a controversial tour of Germany, Edward chose love over the crown, abdicating in favour of his brother, George VI. The rest of his life was spent largely outside Britain with Simpson, and his brief, tumultuous stint on the throne remains a footnote in British royal history.
7 Charles IV And Ferdinand VII
In this dual entry we examine both a son and a grandson who fell short of the towering legacy left by King Charles III of Spain. Charles III, who took the throne in 1759, presided over nearly three decades of progress: he modernized Spain’s infrastructure, introduced a national flag and anthem, and generally steered the nation toward a more prominent European role.
When Charles III died in 1788, his son Charles IV inherited the crown. Unlike his diligent father, Charles IV proved disinterested in active governance, delegating authority to a host of delegates. His vacillating allegiances—switching between France and Great Britain—eroded public trust, and his reign was marred by widespread unpopularity. The discontent grew so severe that his own son, Ferdinand VII, attempted a coup to unseat him.
Ferdinand VII eventually claimed the throne in 1808, only to be forced into abdication under Napoleon’s pressure before being restored in 1813. His rule oversaw the loss of Spain’s American colonies and earned him a reputation as one of the nation’s worst monarchs. Together, Charles IV and Ferdinand VII illustrate how a dynasty’s golden age can quickly descend into turmoil when heirs fail to match their predecessor’s vision.
6 Louis The Pious
Louis the Pious ruled the Franks and held the title of Holy Roman Emperor from 814 until his death in 840. He initially co‑ruled alongside his legendary father, Charlemagne, from 813, stepping into the sole emperorship after Charlemagne’s passing. Charlemagne had unified much of Western Europe, imposed Christianity across his realm, and is celebrated as the “father of Europe.”
Louis inherited a massive empire, but his tenure proved far more contentious than triumphant. While he managed to keep the Carolingian realm intact for 26 years, his decision to parcel the empire among his three sons sowed the seeds of civil war. The division sparked relentless infighting, leading to Louis’s temporary deposition and two public confessions where he was forced to atone for alleged sins. Though he eventually reclaimed his throne, his authority remained weakened, and his death reignited another wave of territorial disputes across Europe.
5 Edward VI
Edward VI succeeded his formidable father, Henry VIII, in 1547, stepping onto a throne that had been dramatically reshaped by his predecessor’s six‑marriage saga and sweeping religious reforms. Henry VIII, a larger‑than‑life figure, had broken with Rome, established the Church of England, and left a nation forever altered.
Often portrayed as a frail child, contemporary accounts suggest Edward was far from weak, yet he never truly governed. A regency council ran the kingdom throughout his brief reign, which was plagued by civil unrest and a costly war with Scotland that yielded little success. At the age of fifteen, Edward succumbed to a fever, dying in 1553 after a short, turbulent rule that starkly contrasted with his father’s robust legacy. His premature death left the throne to his half‑sister, Mary I, ending the short Tudor male line.
4 John, King Of England
John, the sole monarch of his name, reigned over England from 1199 to 1216, following in the illustrious footsteps of his brother, Richard the Lionheart. Though Richard had become a legendary crusader, John’s own father, Henry II, had forged a strong foundation for English law and expanded influence into Ireland.
John’s ascension was marred by familial betrayal; he turned against Richard during a bitter inheritance dispute and seized the crown in 1199. His reign quickly earned the moniker “John Lackland” as he lost significant territories—including Normandy, the ancestral heartland—while squandering the empire his father had built. Known for paranoia and a ruthless streak, John was implicated in the murder of his teenage nephew, Arthur of Brittany, allegedly acting in a drunken rage. His disastrous rule, marked by heavy taxation, failed military campaigns, and the sealing of the Magna Carta under duress, cemented his reputation as one of England’s most reviled kings.
3 Constantine III
Hercalius Novus Constantinus Augustus, better known as Constantine III, briefly ruled the Byzantine Empire for a mere four months in AD 641. He succeeded his father, Heraclius, a stalwart emperor who had commanded the empire for three decades, securing victories against Persian and Arab forces and officially shifting the empire’s official language from Latin to Greek.
Constantine III’s reign was a tangled affair of shared power with his half‑brother Heraklonas. In a scenario reminiscent of a “Game of Thrones” power struggle, the two co‑ruled until Constantine’s untimely death, reportedly from tuberculosis—though many suspect poisoning by Heraklonas’s mother, Martina. Following his demise, Heraklonas assumed sole control, only to be forced to abdicate later, highlighting the volatility of Byzantine succession and the fragility of an empire already under external pressure.
2 Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell never truly held the title of king, yet he served as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth after his father, Oliver Cromwell, passed away in 1658. Oliver had revolutionized English politics, leading the nation through the Civil War, overseeing the execution of King Charles I, and establishing a republican government that lasted five years.
When Oliver died, Richard was appointed his successor, but his tenure lasted less than a year. His rule was plagued by “underhanded working,” a lack of military experience, and an apparent preference for leisurely pursuits over governance. At one point, the army effectively placed him under house arrest at Whitehall Palace. In 1659, he resigned, fled into exile, and watched as Charles II was invited back to the throne, marking the abrupt end of the Cromwellian experiment and a swift return to monarchy.
1 George IV
George IV, often remembered as the Prince Regent, ascended the British throne after the death of his father, George III, who had reigned for nearly sixty years. George III is famed for agricultural reforms and, controversially, for his role as the monarch during the American Revolution, which led to the United States’ independence.
George IV’s reign was a stark contrast to his father’s steady governance. He lived a life of extravagance, fathering numerous illegitimate children, accumulating massive debts, and indulging in heavy drinking and gluttony. Rather than being celebrated for political achievements, his legacy is defined by hedonistic excess and a tarnished public image. Contemporary newspapers lamented his death, noting, “There never was an individual less regretted by his fellow‑creatures than this deceased king.” He left no direct heir, further underscoring the disappointment that followed his father’s long‑standing reign.
Why These 10 Best Kings Matter
The stories of these monarchs illustrate how dynastic pressure can both propel and cripple a lineage. While each of the ten featured rulers earned a place among the 10 best kings of Europe through military triumphs, cultural reforms, or political savvy, their descendants often struggled to live up to the towering legacies left behind. Understanding these contrasts offers a richer perspective on how personal choices, historical circumstance, and sheer luck intertwine in the tapestry of royal history.