INSANE RULERS

EMPEROR JUSTIN II

As the Byzantine Emperor from 565 to 576 Justin reportedly

began to lose his mind near the end of his reign. He was

pushed around the palace on a wheelchair snapping at attendants

as he passed and even reportedly ate a few of them.

IBRAHIM OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

An Ottoman Sultan known to have an obsession with fat women

he had his agents track down the fattest one possible. He also had

280 of his concubines drowned in the ocean when he heard that they

had slept with another man and he would regularly feed

coins to fish in the palace pool.

KING CHARLES VI OF FRANCE

Before going mad he was apparently known as Charles the

Well Loved, afterwards he became Charles the Mad. Reportedly

killing his own knights after one of them dropped a spear, he also

refused to bathe and for a long time believed he was made of glass.

ANNA OF RUSSIA

Although she was placed on the throne by old nobles hoping that she

would be a figurehead, she not only assumed power by her wooing of

the imperial guards but she was found to love cruel jokes, especially

on the nobles who appointed her.

ERIK XIV OF SWEDEN

Known for being insanely paranoid, he was known to have people

executed simply for laughing in his presence. He even believed he

was his own brother for a while. Eventually though his worst fears

came true and he died of poisoning.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA AMALIE OF BAVARIA

She somehow became convinced that as a child she had

swallowed a glass piano. She also had an obsession with

cleanliness and would only wear white.

FERDINAND I OF AUSTRIA

A product of inbreeding, he was epileptic, encephalitic, and rarely talked.

In fact, it has been stated that the only words he ever said were

“I am the Emperor, and I want dumplings”.

THE ZHENGDE EMPEROR OF CHINA

As the Emperor of China in the beginning of the 16th Century

this guy was known for playing make believe in the royal gardens

and forcing everyone to play along with him.

FAROUK OF EGYPT

The last ruling king of Egypt, Farouk was known as a “stomach with a head”

after he grew to over 300 pounds. What was most bizarre though,

was his kleptomania. He even stole a watch from Winston Churchill once.

In his most famous act, however, he went to the zoo and shot all the

lions after having nightmares.