Rulers killing their subjects isn’t new, but neither is rulers killing their own children. The most powerful people of their realms had little control over their own children and, at times, their own tempers.

These monarchs didn’t settle for a time-out or a slap on the wrist when they felt that their children were misbehaving. Being the child of a monarch could prove to be deadly as these royal kids found out the hard way. Here are 10 monarchs who felt that crowns were thicker than blood.

10 Ivan IV Of Russia And Ivan Ivanovich

Ivan IV of Russia (aka Ivan the Terrible) had a son, Ivan Ivanovich, with his first wife, Anastasia Romanovna. Ivan the Terrible enjoyed literature and music. He also tortured small animals as a boy.

As an adult, he defeated the Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan, uniting them with Russia. Like a worse version of Henry VIII, Ivan had eight wives. Each wife was found dead under mysterious circumstances, was murdered, or was sent to a convent. He transformed Russia from a medieval state into an empire.

He beat his pregnant daughter-in-law, who was not properly dressed, and caused her to miscarry her child. His son confronted him. In a fit of rage, Ivan the Terrible struck his own son on the head with a pointed staff and killed him. This murder was immortalized by Russian realist artist Ilya Repin in one of the most haunting paintings ever created.^[1]

Among all the horrendous things Ivan the Terrible did in his life, his killing of his own son still stands out as one of the worst. There was no line Ivan the Terrible would not cross. Even worse, Ivan Ivanovich was his only capable son.

9 Herod The Great And His Sons, Alexander And Aristobulus

The Christian Bible has painted Herod the Great in a negative light and blamed him for the “slaughter of the innocents” as recounted in the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew. As the king of Judea, Herod supposedly ordered the deaths of all male children aged two and younger in the vicinity of Bethlehem. He was born to a high-ranking Roman officer named Antipater the Idumaean. Herod the Great rebuilt Jerusalem, including the temple, and promoted Hellenistic culture.

He was not a complete monster, but he wouldn’t win father of the year. Besides murdering other people’s kids, Herod the Great killed his own children. Antipater II deftly incited the aging king’s anger with rumors of his favored brothers’ disloyalty. Herod became paranoid by this and acted swiftly.^[2]

Herod the Great ordered that Aristobulus and Alexander be strangled to death on charges of treason in 7 BC. (Some sources say 8 BC.)

8 Empress Irene And Constantine VI

On January 14, 771, Irene gave birth to a son named Constantine VI before she became the first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire. She came from a noble family in Athens.

Irene became regent in her son’s place when he was given control of the land. Unpopular for his military defeats, Constantine VI would soon be betrayed by his mother.^[3]

She had Constantine blinded and imprisoned in 797. Irene organized her own rebellion and eventually killed her son, thereby claiming sole rulership over the empire as empress. Nobody got in her way of seizing power, not even the child to whom she had given birth. Irene’s reputation did not stop her from becoming a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

7 Constantine The Great And Crispus

Emperor Constantine converted the Roman Empire to Christianity, ending the abuse of Christians and the worship of Roman gods. He lived most of his life as a pagan and converted to the once-hated religion on his deathbed. He signed the Edict of Milan which said that Christians should be free to practice their faith as they pleased.

Like many emperors, Constantine produced an heir named Crispus. Loved by his soldiers, Crispus was the leader in victorious military operations against the Franks and the Alamanni. Receiving his education from the Christian writer Lactantius, Crispus was married to a young woman called Helena, who bore Crispus a son.

Constantine was proud of his son’s accomplishments and very pleased to become a grandfather. Being a married man with an heir and military victories would make any father proud.

However, Constantine’s second wife, Fausta, reportedly accused Crispus of trying to seduce her.^[4] Constantine killed Crispus in a fit of rage. Later, Constantine discovered the charge to be false and had Fausta suffocated in her bath. Christian forgiveness had its limits.

6 Abbas I Of Persia And Mohammad Baqer Mirza

Abbas I was considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty, one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. He was a military genius who saved his country from the brink of collapse, built prosperous cities, and welcomed Christians to his country. He was willing to learn from people in foreign nations, especially Europeans.^[5]

Mohammad Baqer Mirza, the crown prince of the Safavid dynasty during Abbas’s reign, was born to one of his Christian Circassian wives. Unfortunately, Mohammad was caught in one of the intrigues of the court and conspired with Circassians. Abbas I had his heir apparent killed and handed the throne to his grandson instead.

5 Pharasmanes I Of Iberia And Rhadamistus

Pharasmanes I was a king of Iberia during the first century. His son Rhadamistus had ambition, extraordinary strength, tall stature, and good looks. But he did not have patience. He waited in frustration for his father to meet his maker, so Rhadamistus could become the next king.

The Iberian prince reigned over the Kingdom of Armenia but was considered a usurper. The Romans demanded that Pharasmanes withdraw from Armenian territory and remove his son.

Rhadamistus was overthrown and forced to flee for his life. His pregnant wife feared capture and convinced Rhadamistus to kill her. He stabbed her, murdering her and their unborn child. Then he threw her into the Aras River and decided to return home.

Pharasmanes wanted to prove his loyalty to Emperor Nero of Rome, so he executed Rhadamistus as a traitor. The king of Iberia did not live long after that himself and was succeeded by his son Mihrdat.^[6]

4 Vitellius And Petronianus

Vitellius was the son of Lucius Vitellius, a consul and former governor of Syria, and a noblewoman, Sextilia. Vitellius was a Roman emperor for eight months. He won the favor of three emperors: Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.

Caligula was impressed with Vitellius’s chariot racing. Claudius admired how well Vitellius played dice. Finally, Vitellius caught the eye of Nero due to both talents. After Nero’s death, Rome was plunged into chaos. Galba and Otho became Roman emperors but were viciously deposed. Vitellius did not fare better.

He was said to eat three or four heavy meals a day, usually followed by a drinking party. He had a bad relationship with astrologers. He banned them from Rome and executed any astrologers he came across.

The new emperor had a son named Petronianus who was blind in one eye and emancipated from his father’s control as a result of being named his mother’s heir. It is not surprising that someone who was close to Nero would poison his own son to get his son’s inheritance.

Vitellius tried to escape Rome disguised in dirty clothes.^[7] However, he was captured by Vespasian’s men. While pleading for his life, the half-naked emperor was dragged through the streets, tortured, killed, and thrown into the Tiber. Vespasian was named the new emperor.

3 Philip II Of Spain And Don Carlos

Maria Manuela of Portugal, the wife of Philip II of Spain, died after giving birth to his heir. The child, Don Carlos, had one shorter leg and shoulders of different height. He also had mental deficiencies.

For example, Don Carlos enjoyed riding his horses to death and beating little girls. He also thought that diamonds were poisonous. He was going to inherit his father’s throne by birthright, but it was clear that Don Carlos was not fit to be king.^[8]

In 1568, Don Carlos was pronounced dead—rumored to have been poisoned by his own father.

2 King Yeongjo And Prince Sado

Prince Sado was a royal Korean crown prince who was sealed in a rice chest and starved to death by his father, King Yeongjo. The king was a hard man to please. So when his son, Sado, grew up to be a disturbed young man, it made things worse.

It got so bad that after speaking a few words to his son, the king would always rinse out his mouth, wash his ears, and change into a fresh robe. Prince Sado idolized his father but never earned King Yeongjo’s approval.

Sado was accused of holding the severed head of a eunuch he had killed as well as assaulting and raping many ladies-in-waiting. Being unloved and frowned upon by his father, Sado descended into madness.

The tragic relationship between father and son was destined have a bitter end. The crown prince was stripped of his royal title and ordered to get into a cramped, wooden rice box. He spent his last eight days screaming for mercy from the king. He was only 27 years old.^[9]

1 Peter I And Alexei

Peter the Great was named after Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. Peter the Great’s goal was to make Russia into a superpower and modernize the country. For example, he was the first Russian ruler to promote secular education and numerous secular schools were opened during his reign.

Although he continued to achieve his goals, his role as a father was also a challenge. Peter’s tsarina, Eudoxia, was a conservative who was uneducated and disliked foreigners. Naturally, she deeply opposed Peter’s reforms and even took a lover outside of their marriage. Peter also found himself in the arms of a woman who wasn’t his wife.^[10]

Their son shared his mother’s traditional views. Eudoxia made sure that Alexei’s education was restricted to Bible readings and other religious lessons. Peter I did not spend too much time with Alexei due to his bad relationship with Eudoxia.

Alexei held no love for Peter the Great and saw him as a threat. His brief defection to Austria scandalized the Russian government. Under his father’s orders, Alexei was tortured. Peter the Great eventually had his son executed.

Summer Gallardo was named after Summer Sanders. She enjoys comic books, history, math, and making lists.

Many kings of Europe have existed who were absolutely essential to the development of the continent. From Byzantine emperors to kings of countries such as England, Spain, and France, being a ruler must have been a mantle which not everyone was ready to live up to. Some rose to the challenge; others didn’t fare so well.

Some of the best kings in history have been followed by completely underwhelming and sorry reigns from their own bloodline. It’s a narrative that has been told in many forms: trying to live up to a father’s legacy. Read on to find ten of the best kings to have been followed by their completely disappointing sons.

10 Edward II

Poor Edward II had big shoes to fill when his father, King Edward I of England, died suddenly in 1307. Edward I, known as Edward Longshanks, was a formidable king of England who is most famous for crushing William Wallace’s rebellion and having him hanged, drawn, and quartered. Edward I was also credited with staving off a rebellion from Wales, too, eventually naming his son, Edward II, as the first-ever English prince of Wales.

When Edward II was crowned monarch in 1307, the expectations were high for the young king. His reign was marred by the loss at the Battle of Bannockburn, when he was defeated by Robert the Bruce of Scotland, eventually having to flee back to England humiliated. Edward II also alienated himself from his advisors and his own wife by reportedly having relationships with men who were his “favorites.” Ultimately, he was forced to abdicate in favor of his 14-year-old son, Edward III, and would later be executed under disputed circumstances after being imprisoned. Edward II has been described as Edward I’s only failure.^[1]

9 Napoleon II

Napoleon II did nothing wrong in his attempt to live up to the gigantic footsteps left by his father, Napoleon Bonaparte (aka Napoleon I), but his life ended very early, and he never lived up to the potential expectations set for him. His father had been possibly the most decorated leader in French history and was the very first emperor of France. He had won multiple battles during the Napoleonic Wars, is still held in high esteem for his military tactics, and was responsible for making the First French Empire one of the greatest in the world during his reign.

The birth of Napoleon’s son was announced to Paris with a “salvo of one hundred cannon shots.” However, after Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo, he was exiled and abdicated his throne to his young son. Napoleon II never took the throne and was raised in Austria. Despite fears that he would grow up and try to retake the French Empire, as he still had supporters who held him as the rightful emperor of France, he would end up serving in the Austrian military. He died aged 21 in 1832 of tuberculosis, without ever reigning over the French and without leaving an heir.^[2]

8 Edward VIII

Edward VIII succeeded his father, George V, in 1936 after George had ruled the British Empire for 26 successful years. King George V had grown to become an adored king of England who had navigated his country through World War I, through other countries’ revolutions (see Russia), and through a changing political landscape in England. George had a strained relationship with his eldest son Edward, who was rumored to have a wild social life which included affairs with high-profile women. Edward was deemed untraditional and unpredictable, with George preferring his second-eldest son, Prince George.

When George V died in January 1936, Prince Edward became King Edward VIII. However, before the year was done, he would no longer be king. Edward caused a crisis when he proposed to Wallis Simpson, a divorced US woman who was deemed socially unacceptable to be married to the king of England.^[3] Edward VIII abdicated his throne to marry Simpson, causing huge public sensation. He was also rumored to harbor pro-Nazi views and even toured Germany prior to World War II breaking out. He spent most of his remaining life with Simpson outside of England and is barely remembered in the annals of the British monarchy.

7 Charles IV And Ferdinand VII

In this instance, we have both a son and grandson who failed to live up to the giant footsteps left by King Charles III of Spain. Charles III ascended to the throne in 1759 and ruled for just under 30 successful years, during which Spain made large strides in its overall identity. His consistent and intelligent leadership saw the country emerge as a contributing nation to Europe, and it was Charles III who was instrumental in creating a flag and a national anthem and spending money on the country’s infrastructure.

When Charles III died in 1788, his son, Charles IV (left above), became king of Spain. Charles IV was unlike his father in the sense that he did not take an active role in politics; he instead deferred the running of Spain to delegates. He was also guilty of making mistakes in switching allegiances between France and Great Britain, which devalued his trustworthiness. He was so disliked by the public that his own son, Ferdinand, attempted a coup to overthrow him.^[4]

Ferdinand VII (right above) would eventually take the throne of Spain in 1808. However, he would abdicate under the powerful influence of Napoleon I, only to be reinstalled as monarch in 1813. He would reign until 1833 but would oversee Spain losing many of its territories in America and is largely considered to be one of the worst monarchs to lead the country. It is safe to say that both the son and grandson of Charles III could not live up to the high standard set by him.

6 Louis The Pious

Louis the Pious was king of the Franks and Holy Roman emperor from 814 to 840. He was initially co-emperor with his father, the inimitable Charlemagne, from 813 until the latter’s death in 814. Charlemagne had united many of the areas in Western Europe and enforced Christianity on them, and he is commonly remembered as being the “father of Europe.” When he died, he left behind a continent that had been united under his leadership, and his son took the throne, destined to continue the greatness his late father had forged in the family.

Louis’s own reign lasted 26 years, and whether it was successful depends on how you look at it. He did successfully hold together the Carolingian Empire that his father had created, but he led it directly into civil war. Louis had three sons and divided the empire between them in a succession plan, but this ultimately led to infighting between them. Louis at one point was deposed as ruler and was twice made to publicly confess and atone for sins he had committed.^[5] Despite regaining his throne, his authority was consistently undermined, and when he died, Europe erupted into another civil war for the territories.

5 Edward VI

Edward VI followed his father, Henry VIII, to the throne of England and Ireland in 1547, attempting to live up to one of the most famous monarchs in history. Henry VIII was large in stature and legacy, and his reign had completely torn up the rule books. Henry had also gone through six wives in his lifetime in his effort to sire a male heir to his throne, with Edward being the son of his third wife, Jane Seymour.

Edward VI is often said to have been a sickly boy; however, more contemporary accounts say this is not true. He was too young to rule when Henry VIII died, so the country was run by a regency council during Edward VI’s entire reign. The reign suffered from civil unrest and continued war with Scotland, which did not go well. Ultimately, Edward VI’s tenure was short-lived; he developed a fever and would eventually succumb to the illness at only 15 years old.^[6] He was said to have shocked onlookers when looking out of his window weeks before his death, as he was gaunt and frail. This is in direct contrast to the might and strength of his father, who he could unfortunately never live up to.

4 John, King Of England

John, the only of his name, was king of England from 1199 to 1216 and followed in the footsteps of one of the most famous kings of England in history—Richard the Lionheart. In this case, John was actually Richard’s younger brother, but John’s father, Henry II, had also been a successful king of England. Henry had laid the foundations for what is now the Common Law in England, and he had successfully established English dominance in Ireland.

John had turned on Richard during one of many family disputes over inheritance and would become king of England in 1199. John’s would be one of the most miserable reigns in English history. His nickname, John Lackland, comes from the fact that he lost many of his father’s lands, including Normandy, which was the original home of the family. John was also said to be paranoid and murderous, with many people perishing at his demand. He was linked with the murder of his 16-year-old nephew, Arthur of Brittany; it is said John killed Arthur in a drunken rage.^[7] It goes without saying that John is badly remembered in the history books compared to his father and brother.

3 Constantine III

Hercalius Novus Constantinus Augustus, otherwise known as Constantine III, ruled the Byzantine Empire for just four months in AD 641. He had succeeded his father Heraclius, who had ruled steadfastly for roughly 30 years and had developed his people’s standing in the world. Heraclius had won battles against threatening forces such as the Persians and the Arabs, and he had been responsible for officially designating Greek as the language of the empire, instead of Latin. His legacy was assured when he died in 641.

Constantine III, in contrast, took the throne in a shared arrangement with his half-brother Heraklonas. In what sounds suspiciously like a Game of Thrones battle for who would be truly king, Constantine would be dead within four months, leaving Heraklonas as the sole emperor. Constantine also had to deal with a general who wanted payment for loyalty, which he was all but obliged to send. His suspicious death by “tuberculosis” was rumored to actually have been poisoning by Heraklonas’s mother Martina, so Heraklonas was forced to abdicate.^[8]

2 Richard Cromwell

Richard Cromwell was never truly a recognized king in the purest sense, but he still held office as the lord protector of the commonwealth for a time after his father, Oliver Cromwell, died in 1658. Oliver Cromwell had revolutionized the country like no other leader before during the English Civil War, deposing and signing the death warrant of King Charles I and serving as the first-ever lord protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He successfully navigated his reign as lord protector for five years before his death.

Richard was appointed Oliver’s successor upon his death yet would last less than a year before standing down. His reign was dominated by “much underhand working,” and his lack of authority and presence was seen by many as an opportunity to end the commonwealth.^[9] He was known to be lacking in military experience and was said to have been more interested in leisurely pursuits. At one point during his reign, Richard was effectively under house arrest at Whitehall Palace by the army. He was deposed in 1659 and later fled to exile when Charles II was invited back to the throne. He would never see power again, and his reign ended the Cromwell stewardship over Great Britain as swiftly as his father had arranged it.

1 George IV

George IV, commonly remembered as the prince regent, ruled over the United Kingdom for ten years after the death of his father, George III. George III had ruled for just under 60 years and is remembered for his advancement of the agriculture of his country but also infamously as the “tyrant” who ruled over what would become the United States prior to the Declaration of Independence. Nevertheless, his son would be undeniably a disappointment and would completely push any lingering doubts people had about the monarchy to the breaking point.

George’s lifestyle was lavish; he fathered many illegitimate children, he racked up debts, he was obese, and he drank heavily. He is remembered for his hedonistic ways rather than the advances the country made under his reign, as his negligible contributions were outweighed by his poor public perception.^[10] A British newspaper would write, “There never was an individual less regretted by his fellow-creatures than this deceased king,” when he died. This sums up the reign of George IV, who died leaving no heir to his throne.

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