Random Historical Leaders Who Were Conned by Their Closest Advisors (18 items)

• 

  (#14) Charles IX of France

  • Dec. at 24 (1550-1574)

  Charles IX was a mentally unstable sadist who demanded thousands of Protestants be murdered during his sister's wedding celebrations, in what became known as the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. He was prone to sores, weakness, and dementia. He was crowned at the age of 10, and his mother, Catherine de' Medici, controlled his rule obsessively. She took advantage of her mad son by managing all state decisions, reading all documents before he signed them, and never letting him be alone, even while sleeping. 
• 

  (#5) Ibrahim I

  • Dec. at 33 (1615-1648)

  Ibrahim I was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. Known as The Crazy One, he spent his childhood locked in a windowless building called The Cage. When he was set free in order to become Sultan, he went on a sex spree to make up for lost time, amassing a 280-woman harem, the members of which he later had drowned. Ibrahim was known for excessive violence and debauchery, and was enabled by his mother, who did the actual running of the empire while her son strutted about nailing virgins. Eventually, Ibrahim's supporters turned on him; he was put back in The Cage and executed. 
• 

  (#9) Ivan V of Russia

  • Dec. at 30 (1666-1696)

  Ivan was only 16 when made co-Czar of Russia with his half brother, Peter. He required a co-Czar on account of his mental and physical disabilities, which made it impossible for him to rule. His mother, Sophia, used him as a puppet, and had herself named regent. It was not long until Peter, who would become known as Peter the Great, and his supporters overthrew Ivan and mother dearest. 
• 

  (#10) Wladyslaw III of Poland

  Wladyslaw III of Poland was only 10 when he was crowned king, and during his 10 year reign virtually all decisions were made or manipulated by his advisor,  Zbigniew Oleśnicki, nobleman and bishop. Oleśnicki managed to install Wladyslaw as King of Hungary, and guided him through making peace with the Ottomans, only to break the accord days later. This breach led to Wladyslaw's death at the hands of the Turks, during the battle of Varna. 
• 

  (#11) Adolf Hitler

  • Dec. at 56 (1889-1945)

  The success of the critical Allied D-Day victory of WWII came down to Juan Pujol, a Spanish double agent who convinced the Nazis the Allies would attack Calais, not Normandy. This led to Hitler holding back for months after the D-Day landing, as he believed a million-man army would appear at Calais at any moment. Pujol was awarded an Iron Cross by the Germans for his outstanding spy work, while building a network of 30 double agents to feed them bad information. 
• 

  (#8) Christian VII of Denmark

  • Dec. at 59 (1749-1808)

  Christian VII was a frail, unstable, stupid, self-centered monarch, and universally disliked. As his physical and mental state declined, his doctor, Johann Friedrich Struensée, seized control of the country. Struensée got himself appointed Cabinet Secretary to the King and oversaw all official documents, while having a torrid affair with Christian's wife, Queen Caroline Mathilde, who bragged about their relationship to anyone who would listen. It's rumored Struensée fathered one of the royal children. 

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking