Illegitimate Yet Impossible To Forget

History often celebrates the crowned and the brilliant, yet behind many familiar names lies a beginning marked by illegitimacy. For centuries, birth outside marriage carried a heavy stigma, but it did not always define the limits of ambition. Some rose to rule kingdoms, others shaped thought or commanded armies. Their lives remind us that legacy is not bound by circumstance. Here are 20 figures whose impact remains undeniable despite the shadows cast at their birth.

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1. William The Conqueror

Mocked as an illegitimate child, he was the son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and Herleva. Still, in 1066, he seized the English throne. Enemies used his birth against him, and his Battle of Hastings victory altered England’s culture and law.

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2. Alexander Hamilton

Born out of wedlock in Nevis to James Hamilton and Rachel Faucette, he carried the label of illegitimacy. Political rivals exploited it, yet he is remembered as a Founding Father. Hamilton founded the nation’s financial system and created the national bank.

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3. Leonardo Da Vinci

Illegitimacy defined Leonardo’s beginning as the child of notary Piero da Vinci and a peasant woman named Caterina. Barred from formal classical study, he still rose as one of the Renaissance’s greatest figures. He painted both the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Formerly attributed to Leonardo da Vinci on Wikimedia

4. Don Juan Of Austria

For much of Don Juan’s youth, his birth was kept secret until his father acknowledged him. The son of Barbara Blomberg, a burgher’s daughter, and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, he became one of the sixteenth century’s celebrated military leaders.

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5. James Scott, Duke Of Monmouth

The son of Lucy Walter and King Charles II of England, James Scott sought the throne through the Monmouth Rebellion. That attempt failed, ending in his defeat and execution at only thirty-six. Nevertheless, he remained a romantic figure in English folklore.

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6. James Stewart, 1st Earl Of Moray

Illegitimacy did not stop James Stewart, the son of James V of Scotland, from seizing power. When Mary, Queen of Scots, abdicated, he became Regent of Scotland. He crushed her supporters at Langside but later became the first head of government assassinated with a firearm.

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7. John Of Gloucester

Richard III of England’s son, John of Gloucester, rose to the post of Captain of Calais. After Richard’s death, Henry VII imprisoned him. Some sources say he was executed, and his uncertain fate highlights the fragile lives of Tudor royal illegitimate children.

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8. John I Of Portugal

John, the illegitimate son of King Peter I and Teresa Lourenço, became King of Portugal in 1385. He founded the Avis dynasty and secured independence during the 1383–1385 crisis. His reign marked the beginning of Portugal’s rise as a maritime power.

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9. Charles Martel

Known as “the Hammer,” Charles Martel was born to Pepin of Herstal and Alpaida, his concubine. Illegitimacy did not prevent him from becoming the ruler of the Frankish Kingdom and the grandfather of Charlemagne. At Tours in 732, he defeated the Umayyad army.

Arnaud 25 on Wikimedia

10. Geoffrey Plantagenet (Archbishop Of York)

The son of Henry II of England and his mistress Ykenai, Geoffrey rose to great influence and was the Archbishop of York. Often clashing with half-brother King John, his career proved that royal illegitimate children could rise into church offices of immense authority.

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11. Erasmus Of Rotterdam

Born to Roger Gerard, a priest, and Margaret Rogers, Erasmus was restricted from some church roles. He became one of Europe’s famous scholars and humanists, producing a Greek New Testament edition. Admired by kings and popes, he avoided firm ties during the Reformation.

Hans Holbein the Younger on Wikimedia

12. Sigismondo Malatesta

Illegitimacy did not stop Sigismondo Malatesta, son of Pandolfo Malatesta, from ruling Rimini as a Renaissance warlord. Tempio Malatestiano, a church filled with pagan-inspired art, was built by him, and he was excommunicated by Pope Pius II for his violent and scandalous life.

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13. Henry II Of Castile

Born to Alfonso XI and Eleanor de Guzmán, Henry II fought his half-brother, Peter the Cruel. Killing his brother earned him the name “Henry the Fratricide.” Crowned King of Castile, he founded the House of Trastámara, and his ambition was driven by his illegitimacy.

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14. Bartolomeo Colleoni

Bartolomeo Colleoni, illegitimate son of soldier Paolo Colleoni, became one of Italy’s most celebrated condottieri. He commanded armies for Venice, Milan, and other states, and left his fortune to Venice, which honored him with a bold equestrian statue.

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15. Antipope John XXIII (Baldassare Cossa)

Illegitimate by birth to a noble family in Naples, Baldassare Cossa rose to become Antipope John XXIII. Accusations of piracy and simony surrounded him. In 1415, the Council of Constance deposed him. Despite disgrace, he was buried in Florence with a tomb designed by Donatello.

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16. John Beaufort, 1st Earl Of Somerset

Born to John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford, John Beaufort was later legitimized and founded the Beaufort line. His descendants produced the Tudor dynasty, and his influence reached into the Wars of the Roses. Beaufort’s career proves that illegitimate children could become dynastic powerbrokers.

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17. William Longsword, Earl Of Salisbury

The son of Henry II of England and Ida de Tosny, William Longsword rose to prominence as Earl of Salisbury. He fought beside Richard the Lionheart in France and supported King John during baronial unrest. Loyalty to the Plantagenet cause brought him wealth.

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18. Jean De Dunois

He was the illegitimate son of Louis, Duke of Orléans, and his nickname became a mark of pride. Jean de Dunois became a top commander in the Hundred Years’ War. Fighting with Joan of Arc, he helped lift the siege of Orléans.

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19. Bohemond I Of Antioch

Bohemond, the son of Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia, became Prince of Antioch during the First Crusade. He led Norman forces through the Eastern Mediterranean. Determined to carve out a Levantine kingdom, his exploits grew legendary.

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20. Henry FitzRoy, Duke Of Richmond And Somerset

Granted the titles Duke of Richmond and Somerset, Henry FitzRoy was Henry VIII and Elizabeth Blount’s son. His father considered him a potential heir, but he died, likely of tuberculosis, at seventeen, leaving historians to imagine what might have been.

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