Biggest Rivalries of All Time

Throughout history, many notable figures have gotten into major feuds! From inventors that stole from one another, to competitors that made dark decisions, here are 20 cases of intense rivalries.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

1. Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison

The rivalry between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison is one that gets debated even today. Tesla worked with Edison for a brief period of time, during which he alerted Edison’s employer of the limitations of direct current while suggesting that alternating currents are more broad. After Tesla quit, he sold his patents to Westinghouse, making Edison jealous to the point of belittling and even lying about Tesla’s work.

Marija Zaric on Unsplash

2. Charles Darwin and Richard Owen

The theory of evolution is something that Charles Darwin is known for across the world. It turned out that this was not his own idea entirely, as his fellow scientist, Richard Owen, was one of the people during Darwin’s Beagle expedition who worked on some of the specimens and helped solidify the theory. Owen was so upset by the lack of credit given to him that he went under a false name to write bad reviews about Darwin and his work.

Elliott & Fry on Wikimedia

3. Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots

The feud between Elizabeth I and her French cousin has almost been forgotten in the history books. Luckily, the bitterness of this relationship has been brought back to the public in the form of a film in 2018, showing how Elizabeth was denounced as an illegitimate queen by the Catholics who preferred Mary. While the two queens never met in their lifetime, they did correspond with one another over several decades, ending the conflict only after Mary had passed away.

Unidentified painter on Wikimedia

4. Hamilton and Burr

A rivalry so strong and significant, it was taken to stage as an award-winning musical, Hamilton. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton argued over Burr’s failed presidential runs, which were hindered by Hamilton and his influence over the Federalist Party. After Burr was called despicable by Hamilton, they inevitably had a duel on July 11, 1804, resulting in Hamilton’s demise.

Sirozha on Wikimedia

5. Hatfields and McCoys

One of the most famous American family feuds was one between the Hatfields and the McCoys. As silly as it sounds right now, the whole conflict started over a pig, or more specifically, the theft of a pig. This epic vendetta between the two clans lasted for around 10 years, and while it has fizzled out, the extensive media coverage keeps this feud alive in the eyes of the public.

Dan Renco on Unsplash

6. Van Gogh and Gauguin

One of the most famous painters in history, Vincent van Gogh, is famous for more than just his art. It has long been thought that Van Gogh cut his own ear off in response to his inner demons, with some historians claiming this is a fact. Recent research may have uncovered a long-lasting love-hate relationship between Van Gogh and his fellow artist Paul Gauguin, who is now thought to have severed Van Gogh’s ear with a sword during one of their arguments.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

7. Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur

While 1996 seems like it was recent, it has been nearly 30 years since the tragic demise of the rap artist Tupac Shakur. The first time there was an attempt on Tupac’s life, he survived and blamed the assault on a fellow rapper, Biggie Smalls. After the incident, Shakur moved to Los Angeles and recorded one of his most famous records, stirring up the already big feud between the East and West Coast in the hip-hop community. Tupac Shakur met an unfortunate fate in 1996, with Biggie Smalls meeting a similar fate the following year, with both of these instances going unsolved to this day.

State of California DMV on Wikimedia

8. David Bowie and Lou Reed

After a gig at London Hammersmith Odeon in 1979, Lou Reed and David Bowie had dinner along with some of their friends. Reed was so excited to have an opportunity to dine with Bowie, that he took a chance and asked if Bowie could produce his next record. David Bowie agreed under the condition that Reed stop drinking and cleans up his act, to which Reed responded by physically assaulting Bowie multiple times to the point where he had to be dragged out of the restaurant.

Adam Bielawski on Wikimedia

9. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

While most people know of the feud between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, not many know that the two tech titans started their relationship on a friendly note. While that was the case at first, after Jobs and Apple showed interest in Gates and his software, Gates was not too impressed with the product or Jobs’ work in the field. Years later, Jobs left Apple; he still continued to harshly critique Gates and his work, but despite their rivalry, the two put their feud behind them before Jobs passed away in 2011.

Matthew Yohe (talk) on Wikimedia

10. Derek Freeman and Margaret Mead

The disagreements between anthropologists Derek Freeman and Margaret Mead were seemingly nonexistent during Mead’s lifetime. While there was lots of scientific and professional tension between them, things started to escalate fast right after Mead passed away. Freeman showed his findings in the field of puberty research, which revealed that Mead used sloppy and inaccurate methods, discrediting her work right after her lifetime.

Edward Lynch, World-Telegram staff photographer on Wikimedia

11. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier are legendary names when it comes to the world of boxing. While the two boxers were undefeated in their brackets, they eventually squared off against each other in a best out of three matches. The first victory went to Frazier, while the second and third were rightfully earned by Ali, which led to Frazier being filled with negative emotions and refusing to reconcile with Ali.

Bernard Gotfryd on Wikimedia

12. Sterling and Stephen Clark

The two Clark brothers were passionate art collectors and heirs to the Singer sewing machine fortune. Sterling married a French actress in 1923, which is when the relationship between the brothers started to crumble. The final drop was the physical confrontation they had after Sterling demanded that the trust fund extend to his new bride and her daughter from the previous marriage, which made Stephen eternally resentful and bitter.

Annie Spratt on Unsplash

13. Adolf and Rudolf Dassler

Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, also known as Adi and Rudi, were brothers with dreams and aspirations for making shoes. While they had a small local business they ran from their mother’s basement, their footwear sales skyrocketed after one of the Olympic medalists wore their shoes in the 1936 Olympics. The incredible increase in sales and popularity broke the relationship between the two brothers and led to each of them starting their own shoe brands, Adidas and Puma.

Ethan Wilkinson on Unsplash

14. Brian Wilson and Mike Love

The Beach Boys shaped the music scene and inspired other musicians with their music for the longest time, but there was resentment brewing within the band for a long time. Mike Love and Brian Wilson have argued if they should preserve the band’s wholesome California image or push the band in a new direction. This ultimately led to Wilson leaving the band and a lawsuit between Love and Wilson over credits for co-written songs.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

15. Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer

Gore Vidal was no stranger to feuds and disputes with other writers, and one of the most public ones was with Norman Mailer. Right before a joint appearance on The Dick Cavett Show in 1971, Mailer got so upset over Vidal’s comments on his work that he headbutted Vidal. Years later the feud continued, as Mailer physically assaulted Vidal’s face at a party, to which Vidal replied “Once again, words fail him,” making Mailer even more furious and heated.

Carl Van Vechten on Wikimedia

16. Roger Waters and David Gilmour

Tensions within the world-famous band Pink Floyd were rising as artistic differences kept being more prominent between Roger Waters and David Gilmour. During the recording of The Wall in 1989, the band was not aware that this would be the last album the original four members would all be a part of. During the tour that took place right after the release of this album, Waters and Gilmour had disagreements, during which Waters stated to the band that he is the creative force that is keeping all of them in the business. Waters kept a distance from the band after this, which led to him leaving the band right after the tour to pursue a solo career.

Daigo Oliva on Wikimedia

17. Kenny Baker and Anthony Daniels

Anthony Daniels was very reluctant to take on the role of C-3PO in the world-famous Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope. While he was eventually convinced by his agent to accept the part, he never really felt comfortable doing this kind of acting, as he was a classically trained actor and thought much more highly of himself. When he was introduced to Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2, Daniels did not hesitate to point out that they are not in the same league, as Baker started out as a circus performer, while Daniels is a professional classical actor.

Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash

18. Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan

Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding were fierce ice figure skaters, which the press took advantage of, making headline after headline with their names. In 1994, Kerrigan was a victim of an attack, having her knee assaulted with a baton by an assailant hired by Harding’s husband. While Harding claimed she was not involved in the attack, her husband testified otherwise, leading to Tonya Harding getting her National Champion title stripped from her, accompanied with a lifetime ban from the sport.

Andrew Parodi on Wikimedia

19. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford

Hollywood is full of feuds and drama, but one of the more notable ones is the career-ending feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The two actresses already had a past of detesting each other when it comes to auditioning for roles or competing over men for over 30 years. The final straw was pulled during the shoot of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, when the two actresses got into such a heated argument that it led to Davis kicking Crawford in the head with incredible force, leaving Crawford with stitches.

Alexander Kahle (1886–1968) for RKO Radio on Wikimedia

20. Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall

The HBO series Sex and the City took over the world between 1998 and 2004, but not everything went smoothly on set. Money seemed to have been the determining factor in the demise of Cattrall’s relationship with the rest of the cast. When Parker received a salary increase after being given the executive producer credit on the show, Cattrall refused to be near the rest of the cast, especially Parker, which was evidently shown during the 2004 Emmy Awards where Cattrall sat alone.

Library of Congress Life on Wikimedia