For all their glory and power, the men and women who ruled were only human.  Here are some interesting and little known stories about who they really were.

Image Source

The Japanese throne has been occupied by members of the same family since the sixth century.  That means that there has been no change in the blood lines for over 125 successions.

Image Source

Although royalty is not known for being very scientific, it turns out that Ferdinand II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, fashioned the first sealed thermometer in 1654.  It was the forerunner of the modern mercury thermometer.

King Louis XIV of France, known as the Sun King, was an avid dancer.  In fact, he performed in thirty three ballets before he became to old and obese to do so.

Image Source

Czar Peter II of Russia ruled for only six months, having been murdered by spies ordered by his wife Catherine in 1762.  What is really unusual is that he was not crowned until thirty five years after his death.  In fact, his coffin was opened expressly for that purpose.

Mohammad VI who became Sultan of Turkey in 1918 went from being a prisoner to occupying the throne in one day.  He had been a prisoner since the age of four.  He was held under house arrest for thiry three years.  This was not uncommon for members of the royal family.  This practice was observed in order to prevent plotting to take over the throne.

Image Source

The Plantagenet dynasty of English kings got it’s name from a sprig of broom, planta genista, which Geoffrey the Handsome of Anjou had reportedly worn on his helmet.

King George I ruled England from 1714 until 1727.  What is interesting is that he could not speak, read or write in English.  The German prince from Hanover was heir to the throne and succeeded Queen Anne at the age of fifty four.  He had no desire to learn the language of the country he ruled and made no attempt to do so.

Image Source

In the winter of 1724, while on an outing at sea, Peter the Great of Russia caught sight of a ship that was in danger of sinking.  He jumped into the water and helped in the rescue.  He caught a cold, suffered from a high temperature and died a few weeks later.  He hated the Kremlin intensely due to the fact that he witnessed the brutal torture and murder of his mother’s family in the Kremlin.  Because of this he never set foot in it and forbade the repair of even one stone of the building or the grounds around it.

Pepin the Short, was King of the Franks from 751 to 768 A.D.  He was all of four feet six inches tall.  Yet he carried a six foot sword and was a mighty warrior.  He hand his wife, known as Bertha of the Big Foot, were the parents of Charlemagne.

Image Source

King Louis IX was known as the Capetian Saint King.  He was an extremely devout Christian who was completely faithful to his wife, a practice that was then unheard of.  As a gesture of humility, Louis IX wore a hair shirt to keep his mind on virtuous thoughts, kiss lepers and invite poor people to dine with him on a regular basis.  He abolished trial by combat, insisting on using actual evidence to determine who was right and who was wrong.  He was canonized as St. Louis in 1297, twenty seven years after his death.

Other articles by Bren Parks include:

• Shot in the Foot: Bad Military Decisions Throughout History
• The Good Old Days, or Were They?
• Halls of Ivy: Unusual University Facts
• Average Citizens Who Made a Difference
• Slogans, Quotes and Political Statements Gone Awry
• Press Cover Ups: The White House
• The Not So Wild West
• Cures No Longer Recommended by the Medical Profession
• Shady Politics and Election Fixes in History
• Misconceptions Throughout History