Some say that history is written by the victors. And sometimes the victors get to brag about just how badly their enemies screwed up. For whatever reason, these 25 battles and campaigns turned into legendary disasters that are forever etched in stone by the winning side.
Isabella of France began her life as an innocent French maid, and ended it as one of the most ruthless monarchs England ever saw.
Born into one of the wealthiest families of the Gilded Age, John Jacob Astor IV got dealt the best hand one can receive. But this 19th-century Nepo baby soon proved he had the wit and cunning to compete with the big boys of the business world—until his life was cut short by a titanic symbol of the very decadence that defined his existence in the first place.
As the youngest son of William the Conqueror, Henry I was not likely to become king. Nevertheless, he outlived, outfought, or outwitted his older brothers to become the king of England in 1100 CE. Henry proved to be a master politician—but then his death plunged England into a civil war.
Anne Lister kept a diary where she divulged the dirty details of her scandalous lovemaking. To protect these sordid confessions from prying eyes, she invented a special code that wasn’t cracked for years.
Alexandra Feodorovna was a princess of Germany and an Empress of Russia, but none of this privilege saved her from a tragic fate. As one of the last Romanovs, she fell victim first to the dark charms of Rasputin, and then to the Russian Revolution.
Charles Stratton—or General Tom Thumb to his fans around the world—was an American showman legendary for his small stature and command of the stage. Charles isn’t just history’s most famous little person, he’s also one of the earliest American celebrities. While he was physically small, he lived a life of a hundred men.
A monster. A murderer. The Antichrist. People have called Cesare Borgia a lot of names over the years—but few know just how twisted his story really is. Cesare went from Renaissance heartthrob to public enemy #1 in just a few short years. His conniving and scandalous behavior paved the way for a legacy that would make anyone blush. And when his wild behavior finally caught up with him, he met a fate so disturbing, it’s impossible to forget.
Hope Cooke is a unique figure in American history—but hers was a fairy tale with a serious dark side.
As Henry VIII's sixth and final wife, it’s tempting to cast Catherine Parr as just a closing chapter on his story. After all, Catherine is continually defined in terms of others: her dead husbands before Henry, the stepchildren she reunited, and the king she helped “heal” to his end, etc. In reality, Catherine Parr’s life—before and after Henry—was a romantic saga in its own right.
Pocahontas lived only 21 years, but her impact was extraordinary. The Powhatan chief’s daughter befriended colonists, endured kidnapping, crossed oceans, and became an exotic "princess"—only to die mysteriously. This is the story of Pocahontas, a Native American icon.
Kaiser Wilhelm II was the last Emperor of Germany. His delicate ego, intense jealousies, and unpredictable temper led straight to the calamitous events of WWI and the fall of the House of Hohenzollern.
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