They Were Just Misunderstood

Your middle school history teacher probably made you memorize a list of historical villains, but those lessons might be missing some pretty important details. Turns out some of the most despised figures in history did remarkable things that never made it to the standard curriculum. Their complex personalities had goodness that got overshadowed by the controversies. So, here's a look at the noble side of history's most hated characters that nobody talks about.

Santi di Tito on Wikimedia

1. Marie Antoinette

Though she's blamed for saying, "Let them eat cake," historians found no record of Marie uttering those words. In reality, she supported peasant aid and even proposed court spending cuts. Her charity work rarely made headlines, but it reveals a queen far more complex than rumor allows.

After Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty on Wikimedia

2. Nero

As Rome smoldered after the great fire, Nero offered refuge within imperial walls and paid for reconstruction across affected districts. Grain became more accessible, and games filled the air with music and cheer. These efforts contrast sharply with the brutal legacy pinned to him. 

Adriaen Collaert / After Stradanus / Philip Galle on Wikimedia

3. Emperor Caligula

The start of Caligula's rule was marked by purpose. Reforms rolled out, roads got attention, and slave protections gained ground. Then came a mental illness that many believed rewired him. With few friendly historians, his legacy remains built on shadows and hearsay.

Philippe Alès on Wikimedia

4. Benedict Arnold

Before the betrayal ever happened, Benedict Arnold had already risked everything for American independence. His victories on the battlefield came with battle scars and personal sacrifice. When he felt abandoned and disrespected, his choices started shifting, shaped by more than just ego.

Thomas Hart on Wikimedia

5. Catherine de Medici

Amid political storms, Catherine poured her energy into culture. She commissioned grand buildings, backed talented artists, and offered space for poets to thrive. While some pinned violence on her, she spent much of her rule trying to raise beauty above chaos.

Attributed to Germain Le Mannier on Wikimedia

6. Richard III Of England

Beyond the twisted legends, Richard's reign introduced some surprisingly modern ideas. He made legal changes that benefited common people and pushed for fairer treatment in court. Whether or not he was behind the princes' disappearance, his good deeds deserve a mention.

anonymous  on Wikimedia

7. Cesare Borgia

The power plays were brutal, sure, but Cesare had a vision. He crushed corruption and rewarded competence over bloodlines. Renaissance political thinker Niccolò Machiavelli didn't admire cruelty for its own sake, but he acknowledged how Cesare brought structure when chaos ruled.

Altobello Melone on Wikimedia

8. Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin

No matter how wild the rumors got, Rasputin's connection to the Tsarevich stayed real. His healing approach of mixing prayer and presence eased Alexei's suffering again and again. While nobles sneered, peasants saw a man trying to keep a child alive.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

9. Niccolo Machiavelli

Beneath the misunderstood legacy of his book, The Prince, was someone who craved balance and order. Machiavelli studied power, but his heart stayed loyal to republican ideals. His work wasn't encouragement—it was observation, shaped by a messy political world he couldn't ignore.

Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio on Wikimedia

10. Henry VIII Of England

His marriages stole the spotlight, but most people don't know that Henry quietly invested in minds. He opened grammar schools and encouraged scholarship during the Reformation. So, behind all those bold decisions stood a ruler who left a cultural footprint beyond the throne.

Hans Holbein the Younger on Wikimedia

11. Genghis Khan

Genghis brought tribes together through law and strategy. He welcomed all faiths and allowed ideas to travel freely across his vast network. Much of what's believed today came from the pens of those who feared his success.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

12. Thomas Cromwell

While power plays shaped how he's remembered, Cromwell quietly backed reform. He helped bring the Bible into English and expanded education beyond elite circles. His fall was driven more by political rivalry than by cruelty.

Hans Holbein the Younger on Wikimedia

13. Mary I Of England

History painted her in harsh tones, yet her reign held moments of compassion. She worked to mend religious divides and funded welfare programs. Beneath the distorted royal image, there was a woman shaped by grief and spiritual devotion.

After Antonis Mor on Wikimedia

14. Empress Dowager Cixi

Change came through Cixi's unexpected transportation channels. She championed railroads and education while pushing back against foot-binding. Though reformers challenged her, much of China's modernization moved forward under her careful control.

Yu Xunling (court photographer). on Wikimedia

15. Saladin (Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb)

Rather than rule through vengeance, Saladin earned respect through fairness. Captured Crusaders were treated with care, and Jerusalem's return was peaceful. His leadership united fractured factions. Even opponents couldn't ignore the grace in his victories.

Cristofano dell'Altissimo on Wikimedia

16. Oliver Cromwell

Seen by some as a tyrant and others as a reformer, Cromwell led England through civil war into a short-lived republic. His rule brought order. He abolished the monarchy and advanced religious freedom for Jews. Centuries later, debate over his legacy still rages.

After Samuel Cooper on Wikimedia

17. Tiberius

The throne never pulled him in—it was pushed onto him. Tiberius led the Roman Empire with fairness and calm, then withdrew into seclusion as betrayals deepened. Much of what's known today came from records shaped by his rivals.

J. Paul Getty Museum on Wikimedia

18. Aaron Burr

The 1804 duel that killed Alexander Hamilton made Burr infamous—but as vice president, he supported women's legal rights, welcomed newcomers through policy, and backed abolition in New York. His ideals often faded behind the incident, though they shaped real progress.

John Vanderlyn on Wikimedia

19. Thomas Paine

Vilified for challenging organized religion, Paine died nearly forgotten. He ignited revolutions with words. Common Sense pushed Americans toward independence, while The Rights of Man defended the French Revolution. He condemned slavery and proposed income support for the poor.

Auguste Millière / After George Romney / After William Sharp on Wikimedia

20. Jefferson Davis

Long before leading the Confederacy, Davis urged unity to avoid war. Yet when Mississippi seceded, he followed, becoming president of the Confederate States during the Civil War. After the defeat, he supported veterans and national healing. History remembers the war, but his legacy began before it.

Mathew Benjamin Brady on Wikimedia