Even Kings Couldn't Escape Rejection
Being rich, powerful, or born into royalty didn't guarantee a man a happy marriage, especially when his wife wasn't particularly impressed with him. Throughout history, several rulers and noblemen endured unflattering descriptions of their appearances, humiliating romantic scandals, or wives who openly preferred someone else's company. Of course, there’s only so much we can glean from surviving accounts, but these 20 stories reveal how little protection a crown offered against personal embarrassment.
Fratelli D'Alessandri on Wikimedia
1. Ptolemy VIII of Egypt
Ancient writers were…unkind to Ptolemy VIII. He may have ruled Egypt during the second century BC, but those accomplishments didn’t prevent his nickname Physcon, meaning "Potbelly." His marriage to Cleopatra II also fell apart after he married her daughter, Cleopatra III, and by 131 BC, the scorned Cleopatra II had taken control of Alexandria and driven her husband out.
image taken by Mathiasrex, Maciej Szczepańczyk on Wikimedia
2. Emperor Tiberius
The Roman emperor Tiberius wasn't exactly known for his charm, and his marriage to Julia in 11 BC was unhappy from the jump. She enjoyed practically everything he didn’t: parties, attention, and spending time with other wealthy Romans. She reportedly had several affairs, too.
No machine-readable author provided. Cnyborg assumed (based on copyright claims). on Wikimedia
3. Emperor Claudius
Things were rough for Roman emperor Claudius. He had a noticeable limp, struggled with his speech, and experienced movements that other Romans sometimes cruelly mocked. Unfortunately, his wife Messalina wasn't too keen on sticking by his side and began seeing a senator named Gaius Silius. In 48 AD, she went so far as to marry him while Claudius was still alive, creating a giant scandal.
4. Emperor Romanos III Argyros
Romanos III was already around 60 when he married the Byzantine princess Zoe. Sure, he became emperor in 1028, but their relationship deteriorated, and Zoe began an affair with Michael the Paphlagonian, a hot shot courtier admired for his looks. Romanos then died under suspicious circumstances in 1034, and Zoe married Michael that very day. Allegations that she did it are unproven, but you can fill in the blanks.
Unknown, 13th-century author on Wikimedia
5. Sir Richard Worsley
Sir Richard Worsley became the subject of a humiliating public scandal when his wife, Seymour, ran away with Captain George Bisset in 1781. Though one affair is already bad enough, during the resulting adultery trial in 1782, more details emerged about her numerous relationships with other men, leaving Worsley's reputation further damaged.
6. Charles IV of France
Charles IV had the misfortune of finding out that his wife, Blanche of Burgundy, had also been accused of cheating during the same scandal involving his brother's marriage. Blanche was linked to a knight named Gautier d'Aunay, and she was imprisoned in 1314 after the allegations were made public. Charles had their marriage annulled in 1322, but not before the whole debacle caused considerable embarrassment.
7. Charles VI of France
Charles VI started experiencing severe mental illness in 1392, which was enough for his wife, Isabeau of Bavaria, to assume a more influential political position. Her closeness to the king's brother, Louis of Orléans, sparked rumors that they were lovers, but historians have questioned whether those whisperings were just politically motivated. Either way, the scandal damaged Charles's reputation.
Attributed to Mazarine Master on Wikimedia
8. Henry VI of England
Henry VI’s marriage to Margaret of Anjou in 1445 proved unusually difficult when the couple struggled for years to conceive an heir. But today’s historians actually found evidence that trusted courtiers sometimes entered the royal bedchamber to help them understand their marital duties. Political enemies then suggested Margaret had been unfaithful, but those allegations lack convincing evidence.
Poems and Romances (Shrewsbury book), illuminated by the MASTER OF JOHN TALBOT on Wikimedia
9. Henry VIII of England
By the time Henry VIII married Catherine Howard in 1540, the once-athletic king had gotten a little soft around the middle. He’d also suffered from chronic leg ulcers. Catherine, who was much younger, secretly met the courtier Thomas Culpeper in 1541, prompting an investigation into her conduct. Their relationship was exposed, and she was executed in 1542.
10. Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII married Anne of Austria in 1615, but it was the furthest thing from a happy union. If anything, their relationship was notoriously strained, including long periods of emotional and physical distance. Anne then caught George Villiers’s eye during his visit to France in 1625, creating a supposed romance that has fascinated historians for centuries.
Claudius Jacquand on Wikimedia
11. Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
When Philippe I married the English princess Henrietta in 1661, their marriage actually looked like it would go the distance, despite their clashing personalities. But, sure enough, Henrietta's flirtations with Louis XIV and her alleged relationship with the Count of Guiche soon caused arguments. He got so upset about his wife's behavior that he even complained to his mother, which only made their problems everyone's business.
12. George I of Great Britain
It’s unfair to call George I a romantic husband; he was hardly considered one, and his wife Sophia Dorothea reportedly referred to him as "pig snout." Things only continued to plummet after he pursued his mistress Melusine von der Schulenburg. Sophia Dorothea then developed a relationship with the handsome Swedish count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1694, and Sophia Dorothea spent the remaining 32 years of her life confined at Ahlden House.
Workshop of Godfrey Kneller on Wikimedia
13. Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was often portrayed as awkward and uncomfortable, sticking out like a sore thumb against his fashionable wife, Marie Antoinette. Their marriage, which began in 1770, endured years of difficulties, while Marie Antoinette later developed a close relationship with the Swedish count Axel von Fersen. Their secret letters showed considerable affection, but historians still disagree about whether their relationship ever evolved beyond the pen.
Antoine-François Callet on Wikimedia
14. Peter III of Russia
Peter III was up against it when he got married. He’d already been scarred by smallpox, and his wife, the future Catherine the Great, was pretty unhappy with their arranged marriage. She developed relationships with other men, including the officer Sergei Saltykov. That was the final nail in the coffin; in 1762, she helped overthrow Peter and take the throne for herself.
Lucas Conrad Pfandzelt on Wikimedia
15. Napoleon Bonaparte
Before he became emperor, Napoleon was described as thin, poorly dressed, and awkward around women, which was hardly the polished figure people might expect. Shortly after marrying Joséphine in 1796, he left for his Italian campaign while she became involved with a young officer named Hippolyte Charles. Napoleon caught wind of the affair and considered divorce, but the couple reconciled and remained married until 1810.
16. George IV of Great Britain
Online dating isn’t the only road to disappointment. Look at Caroline of Brunswick, for instance. When she met her future husband in 1795, she was not happy to see that the Prince of Wales looked far different in real life than in his portrait. Their marriage fell apart almost immediately, and Caroline eventually lived separately while pursuing her own social circle and facing allegations of improper relationships.
17. João VI of Portugal
João VI’s wife, Carlota Joaquina, openly disliked him. So much so that she preferred living separately and became involved in political conspiracies designed to undermine his authority. Rumors then started buzzing about the paternity of some of their children, although those accusations remain hard to prove.
Jean-Baptiste Debret on Wikimedia
18. Francis II of the Two Sicilies
Francis II married the beautiful Maria Sophie of Bavaria in 1859, which should’ve been a match made in heaven. However, their marriage was troubled by a medical condition that reportedly prevented them from having a normal intimate relationship. After Francis lost his kingdom in 1861, they went into exile, where Maria Sophie was rumored to have had an affair and given birth to another man's child.
Unknown photographer on Wikimedia
19. Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II married Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick in 1765, but his wife reportedly found him so ugly that she insulted him at every turn. She also started seeing other men, including a musician named Pietro, with whom she allegedly planned to run away to Italy in 1769. Their marriage ended in divorce that April, although Frederick William had also fooled around.
Johann Christoph Frisch on Wikimedia
20. Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV inherited the distinctive Habsburg features commonly associated with his dynasty, including a prominent lower jaw. His marriage to Elisabeth of France, arranged when they were only children, was frequently overshadowed by his affairs, but Elisabeth eventually became influential enough that she helped bring down Philip's powerful minister in 1643.
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