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Best known today as the creator of Frankenstein and its unforgettable monster, Mary Shelley’s private tragedies rivaled anything in her Gothic fiction. From her teenage rebellion to her tormented marriage and all the way up to the final, dark twist of her life, Shelley’s story has a dark magnetism you can’t look away from…even when you want to.

William Wallace may be the most famous Scottish freedom fighter in modern day, but another who outlived and even fought alongside him at one point was Robert the Bruce. Becoming an enemy of England and the law itself, he fought for Scotland’s independence and to claim his right to the Scottish throne. Facing impossible odds, Robert’s efforts would earn him the legacy of a national hero—even if he was a fugitive at the time.

Everywhere Mary Mallon went, death followed. Working as a cook in a wealthy household—and suddenly, sickness. Moving on to another house—in the blink of an eye, entire families down for the count. All the while, Mary was in perfect health. For decades, no one understood what was happening, least of all Mary herself. When they finally discovered the truth, the real nightmare began.

Maria Theresa of Spain, the wife of Louis XIV of France, is a queen whom history has sometimes overlooked. Known for her virtue and religious devotion, the Spanish royal never quite managed to fit in at the fashionable French court and was often outshone by her husband’s many mistresses. But behind her pious and long-suffering façade Maria Theresa was a fascinating woman—with some shocking secrets of her own.

Of all Truman Capote’s beautiful socialite “swans,” Gloria Guinness was the most scandalous. Called “the most elegant woman in the world,” by her admirers, Guinness nonetheless hid immense tragedy, infamy, and bitterness beneath her glittering façade—and dark rumors followed her to her immaculate grave. Pull back the curtain on this high society beauty.

There are plenty of reasons for Canadians to feel a sense of national pride. Maple syrup, bacon, beavers, and igloos might come to mind, but when the fireworks get going, look no further than the inspirational and heartbreaking story of Terry Fox to simultaneously pick you up and make you cry.

Lorenzo the Magnificent was a powerful statesman in Renaissance-era Florence. An enthusiastic patron of the arts, his money funded some of the best-known art of the era. But behind his generous and cultured façade lurked a cunning political and diplomatic mind…

Patricia Highsmith was most famous for her sharp thrillers like The Talented Mr Ripley, where rage and fear seethes on every page. Seemingly every relationship Highsmith ever had, from familial to romantic, was shot through with agony—and, sadly, Highsmith may have been the root of the problem.

From the moment of her birth, Margaret of Austria was in a position of great power. However, that power was not always her own. After years as a political pawn—bought and sold through marriage after marriage—Margaret saw the chance to embody her power and took it.

Some people believe that Edward de Vere was Queen Elizabeth I’s illegitimate son. Or her lover. Others speculate that he was the real author behind Shakespeare’s works. Well, if you can believe it, those rumors are actually the least interesting things about him. After all, who else has an entire Wikipedia section dedicated to “Quarrels, plots, and scandals?” No one did controversy and intrigue quite like Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford—and here’s the proof.

History portrays Edward VI as the feeble and ultimately doomed son of Henry VIII, but the truth is so much darker than that. Far from a weakling, even as a boy, Edward proved nearly as twisted as his rotund father—and his gruesome end was likely a blessing for England. Don't believe us? Dive in and find out for yourself.

We spent years knowing him as the Prince of Wales, but Charles now goes by the title of King Charles III of England—and his scandalous and tragic past rivals the messiest monarchs in Britain’s long history.