Maria Theresa ruled the Habsburg Empire for 40 years. Her reign began timidly, and she opted to defer to the supposed expertise of the men around her. But it was only when she began to reject the advice of these men, instead trusting her own intuition, that she came into her own as a powerful and capable leader. Today, she’s hailed as the last great Habsburg monarch—but few remember the dark deeds she committed on her path to greatness.
For most people, the Hilton family gained global fame in the early 2000s when Paris Hilton emerged as a celebrated socialite and minor celebrity. However, the Hiltons’ wealth and prestige extend far beyond Paris and her little purse-bound chihuahua. The story of the Hiltons spans generations and is marked by shocking twists and turns. So, buckle up, settle in, and let’s discover where the Hiltons came from, how they rose to power, and what secrets they have buried in their closets.
Whether drawing his story from the Bible or examining the more secular sources on his life, it’s clear that a significant part of Herod the Great’s legacy stems from his insecurities as king. Thrust into power, he was willing to stop at nothing to safeguard his rule, including either the appeasement or execution of anyone who disagreed with him. This desire to constantly improve his reputation remained with him—right up to his grisly end.
Countless accounts from the mid-6th century describe a world plunged into darkness, with famine, plague, and despair spreading across continents. For a long time, historians dismissed them as dramatic exaggerations. But new evidence suggests 536 AD may not just have been bad—it might have been the worst time in history to be alive.
During his years revolutionizing the automotive industry, Henry Ford became a symbol of American work ethic and ingenuity. But underneath his polished image are rusted out insides: Vindictive and demanding, Ford terrorized those within his own company, played controlling and vicious inheritance games with his family—and took one horrific belief to his grave.
George of Denmark never gets talked about today, even though he was technically the King of England. Subtle, unshakeable, and happy to let his wife Queen Anne take the reins, George was a natural-born consort in a time where men were supposed to hold all the power—but that doesn’t mean his life was ordinary. Beneath his placid exterior, George lived through family backstabbing, political intrigue, and unimaginable tragedy.
Life in the 1940s was already difficult enough, but it was even worse for anyone who was openly gay, especially if they were in the spotlight. Nevertheless, Truman Capote resolved never to change himself for anyone, and possibly without even intending to, became an early icon for the gay community. Whether or not it angered the public, he freely expressed his eccentric attitude and style—but it only took one publication to spark his tragic fall from grace.
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy went from 1990s fashion icon to American royalty when she married John F Kennedy Jr. Sadly, this golden couple would fall prey to the Kennedy family curse. Carolyn went from being the coolest girl in her circle to a high-society recluse—and her story is truly devastating.
When the executioner raised King Charles I’s head before the crowd of onlookers, they let out a moan unlike anything the country had ever heard, before or since. The King of England had been killed by his own people. How did Charles I go from an absolute monarch to a head lying at the foot of the chopping block? What went wrong? Dive into the dark history of Charles I, the doomed king.
Rosemary Kennedy’s life is one of the Kennedy family’s most devastating, least-told stories. Born into a dynasty built on ambition and public success, she was expected to fit the polished image—but she struggled behind the scenes. And one fateful medical decision, made without her true consent, would permanently alter her future and silence her for decades.
You know Alexander the Great, but he wouldn't be anything without his dear old dad, King Philip of Macedon. Born into the bloodthirsty Macedonian royal family, Philip survived the game of thrones to turn his backwater kingdom into the greatest power in Greece. But fortunes could turn quickly in Ancient Greece, and just as Philip was on top of the world, it all came tumbling down.
Most Americans are taught that Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover North America. However, the story of Leif Erikson proves that’s a lie. This hard-living Viking came from a long line of explorers before setting foot in what he called “Vinland”—and he left a trail of mysteries and tragedies in his wake.
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