Family Drama 

History often remembers famous figures for their victories, and there’s a good reason for that—their private lives were often far less admirable. Many powerful parents treated their children not as people to protect, but as rivals, disappointments, or threats to be controlled. Before you think your parents are bad, come with us as we explore 20 households you definitely wouldn’t have wanted to be a part of. 

Alexander Litovchenko on Wikimedia

1. Peter the Great

Peter the Great wanted a modern, hard-driving Russia, but his son Alexei was much more drawn to old religious and conservative circles. When Alexei fled abroad, Peter treated it as betrayal, dragged him back, and had him interrogated in a treason investigation. Alexei was then condemned to death and died in the Peter and Paul Fortress after being tortured. 

Attributed to Jean-Marc Nattier on Wikimedia

2. Ivan the Terrible

Ivan the Terrible had a long reputation for turning suspicion into bloodshed, and that temper eventually trickled into his own family. In 1581, he struck his son Ivan Ivanovich during a violent confrontation, and the blow became fatal. Ilya Repin painted the aftermath, which only helped it become an even more memorable story. 

Unknown author on Wikimedia

3. Constantine the Great

Constantine the Great is often remembered for reshaping the Roman Empire, but his family record has a grim entry that doesn’t always share the spotlight. His eldest son, Crispus, was a successful commander and imperial heir, yet Constantine had him executed in 326 under circumstances that, to this day, remain murky.

Byzantine mosaicist, ca. 1000 on Wikimedia

4. Herod the Great

Herod the Great was so suspicious that even his children weren’t safe from his paranoia. He ordered the deaths of his sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, after court intrigue convinced him they were plotting against him, and if that wasn’t bad enough, he also later had another son, Antipater, executed as well. 

Unknown author on Wikimedia

5. Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman the Magnificent had one of the most impressive reigns in Ottoman history, but his treatment of his son, Mustafa, left a permanent stain on that record. In 1553, Mustafa entered his father’s tent during a military campaign and was strangled by executioners after being suspected of rebellion. To be fair, contemporaries think that Mustafa might have been framed, but that doesn’t change the outcome.

Circle of Titian on Wikimedia

6. Philip II of Spain

Philip II of Spain had a son, Don Carlos, who wasn’t exactly trusted by his father, and his political recklessness also made him a frightening problem for the monarchy. So, in 1568, Philip had him arrested and confined after learning of his plans and contacts with opponents in the Low Countries. Don Carlos died in confinement months later.

Titian on Wikimedia

7. Augustus 

Augustus built his public image around a lot of things: order, morality, and family values. That all sounds good until you remember what it meant for his daughter, Julia, who refused to behave like propaganda.

After scandals involving adultery and politics, he banished her to the island of Pandataria in 2 BC, where she later died in exile.

Joel Bellviure on Wikimedia

8. Frederick William I

Frederick William I of Prussia wanted a tough soldier-son, but life doesn’t always give you what you want; young Frederick preferred music, books, French culture—a life with fewer drills. That didn’t fly with William I; he insulted his son, beat him, publicly humiliated him, and treated his interests as personal offenses. 

Workshop of Antoine Pesne on Wikimedia

9. Mithridates VI of Pontus

Mithridates VI did a lot more than simply end his son’s life. Yes, he killed Xiphares after Xiphares’s mother, Stratonice, surrendered a fortress and treasure to Pompey. However, he also took Xiphares’s life while Stratonice watched, then left the body unburied just to hurt her. 

Marie-Lan Nguyen on Wikimedia

10. Empress Irene of Athens

Irene didn’t just sideline her son Constantine VI; she had him overthrown, blinded, and removed from power in 797. Why, you may ask? So she could rule the Byzantine Empire alone. Her plan worked; after Constantine was blinded in the royal palace, he eventually died from his injuries.

kladcat on Wikimedia

11. Sultan Mehmed III

Mehmed III had his son Şehzade Mahmud imprisoned, beaten, and then strangled in 1603 after suspicions grew that he might become a rival for the throne. Mehmed even waited outside while it happened, and then walked in the room to confirm his son was dead.

Ottoman miniature painting on Wikimedia

12. Lord Byron

Lord Byron expected a son and was a little disappointed when he got a daughter instead. So disappointed, in fact, that she barely stayed long enough to become a memory. Ada Lovelace was only weeks old when her mother left Byron, and he made no serious effort to claim custody afterward. 

Unknown author on Wikimedia

13. King Yeongjo

King Yeongjo of Korea faced a terrible problem with Crown Prince Sado, whose violent behavior had terrified the court. In 1762, Yeongjo ordered his son into a wooden rice chest, where Sado stayed trapped for days until he died. 

Chae Yong-sin / Jo Seokjin on Wikimedia

14. Shah Abbas I

Shah Abbas I of Persia’s paranoia turned his dynasty into a danger zone, one that affected just about every potential incomer. He had his eldest son, Safi Mirza, killed and later had other sons or grandsons blinded so they couldn’t rule. Of course, while the strategy protected Abbas from imagined rivals, it also left the empire with a damaged succession.

Unnamed Italian painter on Wikimedia

15. Ptolemy VIII Physcon

Ptolemy VIII’s son, Ptolemy Memphites, became a victim of the civil war between Ptolemy and Cleopatra II. Records show that Memphites, the son of Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra II, was murdered by his father around 130 BC, with the “why” being chalked up to dynastic revenge and political terror.

Mark Landon (user:Choliamb) on Wikimedia

16. Emperor Wu of Han

Emperor Wu of Han once had a promising heir in Crown Prince Liu Ju, but palace paranoia and witchcraft accusations shattered that relationship.

Liu Ju rose against forces tied to his father’s court, and Emperor Wu sent soldiers to hunt him down. The prince died by suicide, and the emperor later showed regret, but regret is a thin comfort after the heir has been destroyed.

Unknown author on Wikimedia

17. Henry VIII

Henry VIII didn’t need to kill his daughters to make their lives miserable. Mary was declared illegitimate after Henry broke with Catherine of Aragon. Elizabeth lost her royal status after Anne Boleyn’s execution. Sure, both eventually became queens, but that didn’t exactly make their upbringings any easier.

Unknown author on Wikimedia

18. Jahangir 

The Mughal emperor Jahangir faced a rebellion from his eldest son Khusrau shortly after taking power. After Khusrau was captured, he was imprisoned and partially blinded, removing him as a serious contender for the throne. The only quasi-silver lining is that Jahangir later showed signs of guilt, though that didn’t change anything.

anonymous  on Wikimedia

19. George II

After years of hostility, George II banished his son Frederick, Prince of Wales, and his family from court. The whole thing created a bitter rift within the Hanoverian household, and Frederick actually died before he could even inherit the throne.

Studio of Charles Jervas on Wikimedia

20. Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great’s relationship with her son Paul was…strained, to put it lightly. She kept Paul away from real power for decades, surrounded herself with favorites he despised, and left him convinced she had robbed him of his rightful place.

That said, Paul did eventually become emperor after her death.

After Alexander Roslin on Wikimedia