TEN MAD MONARCHS
Kings, queens and emperors wield great power, but this can be too much for some – discover ten leaders whose position was a detriment to their mental health,
1. HENRY VI - ENGLISH (1421-1471)
Henry VI of England may have inherited a genetic illnes from his grandfather, Charles VI of France, so the same condition might have caused civil war in two countries.
Henry became the king of England aged just nine months and grew up to be a shy, withdrawn and pious man, utterly unable to control the political and dynastic plotting rife in medieval England. A severe mental breakdown lasting a whole year was one of the many sparks of the Wars of the Roses, during which Henry was deposed by the Yorkists, won back his throne and was deposed a second time in 1455 when, after his forces had been defeated by the Yorkists the king was found hiding in a tanner's shop having suffered another mental breakdown Henry’s illness was episodic, so the Lancastrian cause relied heavily on his strong-willed wife, Margaret of Anjou. Henry eventually died in captivity – possibly at the hands of his enemies – and the Wars of the Roses would finally be brought to a close when Henry Tudor triumphed a the Battle of Bosworth, going on to become Henry VII.
2. IVAN IV - RUSSIAN (1530-1584)
Ivan IV was the first to crown himself tsar of Russia, but he is more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible. Although a strong leader who expanded Russian territory, he was known for his fits of rage, which many believe were a result of the poor treatment he received at the palace following the death of his mother when he was just seven. His terrifying acts of brutality frequently astonished his own people, such as when his army sacked Novgorod in 1570, in which up to 12,000 people died. His behaviour became increasingly erratic during his reign and one particularly violent outburst saw him kill his son with his own hands and beat his pregnant daughter-in-law.
3. CALIGULA - ROMAN (12-41 CE)
'Caligula’ was a nickname meaning ‘little boot’, given by soldiers while the young nobleman was on campaign in Germania.
Arguably the most debauched leader of the Roman Empire, Caligula became emperor at the age of 25. A moderate ruler for he first six months of his reign, he then became increasingly sadistic, as illustrated by the time he reportedly ordered a section of the Colosseum’s crowd to be thrown into the games arena and eaten by animals because he was bored. While there is no evidence that he actually made his horse consul, he frequently killed and tortured for amusement and behaved very erratically. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Caligula was the first Roman emperor to be assassinated, but plans to restore the old Republic out of the fledgling Empire failed and his uncle, Claudius, was soon named the next emperor.
4. JOANNA OF CASTILE - CASTILIAN (1479-1555)
It is suspected that Joanna's husband's death brought on many dormant symptoms of her mental illness.
Joanna succeeded to the thrones of Castile in 1504 and Aragon in 1516, uniting the two crowns, a crucial step toward the formation of modern Spain. However, she held little real power and was manipulated by both her father and husband before their deaths. Her son Charles was made co-monarch in 1517 and within three years had Joanna confined to a convent. Although she remained a titular queen, she was imprisoned for the rest of her life, during which time her condition deteriorated. ‘Joanna the Mad’ probably suffered from a severe clinical depression brought about by her 35-year confinement.
5. MUSTAFA I - OTTOMAN (1591-1639)
It was normal behaviour for Ottoman sultans to kill their brothers to prevent them from threatening their position of power. Young Mustafa was spared this fate, but was kept a prisoner under house arrest (a system known as the cage) for 14 years, which understandably affected his mental health. Mustafa became sultan in 1618, but his strange behaviour included pulling the beards of his ministers and giving coins to fishes, so he was deposed by his nephew and put back in the cage. He became sultan a second time in 1622, but his behaviour was little improved and he was deposed again in favour of a different nephew, Murad IV. Under house arrest yet again, this time permanently, he died 16 years later.
6. GEORGE III - BRITISH (1738-1820)
George III’s reign is most remembered for his delicate mental health. He sufferred at least three separate episodes of delusion, sparking a crisis over whether he was fit to rule - a predicamente captured in the film "The Madness Of King George". Stories of his mental eccentricity circulated such as one where George reportedly greeted a tree, thinking that it was the King of Prussia However, it is likely that many of these stories were exaggerated or made up by the supporters of the Prince of Wales, who was keen to establish himself as regent.
7. NEBUCHADNEZZAR II - BABYLONIAN 634-562 BCE
Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king responsible for the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. However, the Bible records that he suffered a seven-year bout of insanity as a punishment from God for his excessive pride, during which he lived like a savage in the wild and was restored to power upon his recovery. If the description in the Bible is true, it is possible he suffered from either a rare psychiatric disorder or syphilis.
8. ERIC XIV- SWEDISH (1533-1577)
Eric XIV became king in 1560, and his mental instability, combined with amassive inferiority complex, resulted in a bizarre and volatile time for his subjects. During his rule, arbitrary decisions and constant conflict with his own subjects reigned supreme, especially during the Northern Seven Years’ War, when he tried to expand Sweden into a world power. Eric tried, and failed, to woo pretty much every queen and princess inWestern Europe, including Queen Elizabeth I. He suspected almost every Swedish nobleman of plotting against him, but his paranoia boiled over when he killed several members of the powerful Sture family, convinced they were committing high treason. He was arrested by his brother and eventually poisoned to death in prison.
9. CHARLES VI - FRENCH (1368-1422)
Charles had been the king of France for 12 years when he suddenly suffered a psychotic episode while travelling with his army, during which he killed several knights and almost murdered his brother. From then on he suffered regular periods of mental illness, sometimes believing he was made of glass and taking steps to protect himself from shattering. The power vacuum led to civil war as his family members fought to seize control of the throne. After Charles died, his son secured the throne, despite the Treaty of Troyes promising it to Charles’s infant grandson, Henry VI of England.
10. JOSHUA ABRAHAM NORTON - ENGLISH (1819-1880)
He may not have held any actual real power, but that did not stop migrant Joshua Norton proclaiming himself Norton I, Emperor of the United States, after being declared bankrupt while living in San Francisco. He was humoured by those around him; currency issued in his name was accepted and the local press printed his decrees. When Norton was committed for involuntary psychiatric treatment, public protests successfully demanded his release. He died in poverty but 30 000 people attended his funeral.
Published in "All About History", UK, issue 19, December 2014, excerpts pp. 16-17. Adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa
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| HENRY VI OF ENGLAND |
1. HENRY VI - ENGLISH (1421-1471)
Henry VI of England may have inherited a genetic illnes from his grandfather, Charles VI of France, so the same condition might have caused civil war in two countries.
Henry became the king of England aged just nine months and grew up to be a shy, withdrawn and pious man, utterly unable to control the political and dynastic plotting rife in medieval England. A severe mental breakdown lasting a whole year was one of the many sparks of the Wars of the Roses, during which Henry was deposed by the Yorkists, won back his throne and was deposed a second time in 1455 when, after his forces had been defeated by the Yorkists the king was found hiding in a tanner's shop having suffered another mental breakdown Henry’s illness was episodic, so the Lancastrian cause relied heavily on his strong-willed wife, Margaret of Anjou. Henry eventually died in captivity – possibly at the hands of his enemies – and the Wars of the Roses would finally be brought to a close when Henry Tudor triumphed a the Battle of Bosworth, going on to become Henry VII.
 |
| IVAN, THE TERRIBLE |
2. IVAN IV - RUSSIAN (1530-1584)
Ivan IV was the first to crown himself tsar of Russia, but he is more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible. Although a strong leader who expanded Russian territory, he was known for his fits of rage, which many believe were a result of the poor treatment he received at the palace following the death of his mother when he was just seven. His terrifying acts of brutality frequently astonished his own people, such as when his army sacked Novgorod in 1570, in which up to 12,000 people died. His behaviour became increasingly erratic during his reign and one particularly violent outburst saw him kill his son with his own hands and beat his pregnant daughter-in-law.
3. CALIGULA - ROMAN (12-41 CE)
'Caligula’ was a nickname meaning ‘little boot’, given by soldiers while the young nobleman was on campaign in Germania.
Arguably the most debauched leader of the Roman Empire, Caligula became emperor at the age of 25. A moderate ruler for he first six months of his reign, he then became increasingly sadistic, as illustrated by the time he reportedly ordered a section of the Colosseum’s crowd to be thrown into the games arena and eaten by animals because he was bored. While there is no evidence that he actually made his horse consul, he frequently killed and tortured for amusement and behaved very erratically. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Caligula was the first Roman emperor to be assassinated, but plans to restore the old Republic out of the fledgling Empire failed and his uncle, Claudius, was soon named the next emperor.
 |
| JOANNA OF CATILE |
4. JOANNA OF CASTILE - CASTILIAN (1479-1555)
It is suspected that Joanna's husband's death brought on many dormant symptoms of her mental illness.
Joanna succeeded to the thrones of Castile in 1504 and Aragon in 1516, uniting the two crowns, a crucial step toward the formation of modern Spain. However, she held little real power and was manipulated by both her father and husband before their deaths. Her son Charles was made co-monarch in 1517 and within three years had Joanna confined to a convent. Although she remained a titular queen, she was imprisoned for the rest of her life, during which time her condition deteriorated. ‘Joanna the Mad’ probably suffered from a severe clinical depression brought about by her 35-year confinement.
 |
| MUSTAFA I |
5. MUSTAFA I - OTTOMAN (1591-1639)
It was normal behaviour for Ottoman sultans to kill their brothers to prevent them from threatening their position of power. Young Mustafa was spared this fate, but was kept a prisoner under house arrest (a system known as the cage) for 14 years, which understandably affected his mental health. Mustafa became sultan in 1618, but his strange behaviour included pulling the beards of his ministers and giving coins to fishes, so he was deposed by his nephew and put back in the cage. He became sultan a second time in 1622, but his behaviour was little improved and he was deposed again in favour of a different nephew, Murad IV. Under house arrest yet again, this time permanently, he died 16 years later.
 |
| GEORGE III OF ENGLAND |
6. GEORGE III - BRITISH (1738-1820)
George III’s reign is most remembered for his delicate mental health. He sufferred at least three separate episodes of delusion, sparking a crisis over whether he was fit to rule - a predicamente captured in the film "The Madness Of King George". Stories of his mental eccentricity circulated such as one where George reportedly greeted a tree, thinking that it was the King of Prussia However, it is likely that many of these stories were exaggerated or made up by the supporters of the Prince of Wales, who was keen to establish himself as regent.
 |
| NEBUCHADNEZZAR II - BABYLONIA |
7. NEBUCHADNEZZAR II - BABYLONIAN 634-562 BCE
Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king responsible for the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. However, the Bible records that he suffered a seven-year bout of insanity as a punishment from God for his excessive pride, during which he lived like a savage in the wild and was restored to power upon his recovery. If the description in the Bible is true, it is possible he suffered from either a rare psychiatric disorder or syphilis.
 |
| ERIC XIV OF SWEDEN |
8. ERIC XIV- SWEDISH (1533-1577)
Eric XIV became king in 1560, and his mental instability, combined with amassive inferiority complex, resulted in a bizarre and volatile time for his subjects. During his rule, arbitrary decisions and constant conflict with his own subjects reigned supreme, especially during the Northern Seven Years’ War, when he tried to expand Sweden into a world power. Eric tried, and failed, to woo pretty much every queen and princess inWestern Europe, including Queen Elizabeth I. He suspected almost every Swedish nobleman of plotting against him, but his paranoia boiled over when he killed several members of the powerful Sture family, convinced they were committing high treason. He was arrested by his brother and eventually poisoned to death in prison.
 |
| CHARLES VI OF FRANCE |
9. CHARLES VI - FRENCH (1368-1422)
Charles had been the king of France for 12 years when he suddenly suffered a psychotic episode while travelling with his army, during which he killed several knights and almost murdered his brother. From then on he suffered regular periods of mental illness, sometimes believing he was made of glass and taking steps to protect himself from shattering. The power vacuum led to civil war as his family members fought to seize control of the throne. After Charles died, his son secured the throne, despite the Treaty of Troyes promising it to Charles’s infant grandson, Henry VI of England.
 |
| JOSHUA ABRAHAM NORTON |
10. JOSHUA ABRAHAM NORTON - ENGLISH (1819-1880)
He may not have held any actual real power, but that did not stop migrant Joshua Norton proclaiming himself Norton I, Emperor of the United States, after being declared bankrupt while living in San Francisco. He was humoured by those around him; currency issued in his name was accepted and the local press printed his decrees. When Norton was committed for involuntary psychiatric treatment, public protests successfully demanded his release. He died in poverty but 30 000 people attended his funeral.
Published in "All About History", UK, issue 19, December 2014, excerpts pp. 16-17. Adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa
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