If you’re looking for a quintessential British scandal, the story of Margaret Campbell—the so-called “Dirty Duchess”—is hard to beat. Long before she wed the Duke of Argyll, her name was already circulating through the upper tiers of society. But it was the explosive fallout from their divorce that cemented her place in the nation’s gossip lore. One thing was certain: the Duchess had a secret lurking in her past that would shock everyone.
Julius Caesar was always going to be a tough act to follow, but Augustus didn’t just manage to outstrip his predecessor in power and become the first Emperor of Rome, he also outdid Caesar in pure scandal, violence, and vengeance. Behind his placid, imperial demeanor—the one every Roman citizen saw on their coins—Augustus hid dark, cunning secrets.
When it comes to royal mistresses, few lived the absolute roller-coaster ride that Jeanne Bécu, AKA Madame du Barry, did. From her bitter rivalry with Marie Antoinette to the scandal that nearly destroyed her to her brutal and dark end, Madame du Barry's lurid story is like something out of a twisted period drama—yet so few people know the dirty details.
Isabella was never supposed to be queen. But she schemed and fought her way to the throne. Then Isabella was never supposed to be an active queen. But she turned out to be the greatest. In the end, she changed history—but it wasn’t always for the better.
He might have been almost 9 feet tall, but Robert Wadlow was a gentle giant known for his quiet manner and easy smile. Unfortunately, the world isn’t made for people that tall and he often struggled with finding accommodations for his great height. Health issues plagued him from the start and he lived only 22 years—but he still managed to make the most of it.
While Spartacus remains one of the most well-known names in history, the story of his life is full of ambiguity and unknowns. What is certain is that, through his leadership and tactical prowess, he and his followers went from a handful of escaped slaves to one of Rome’s greatest threats. Not only that, but his legacy carried on to the modern day, inspiring the oppressed to rise against their oppressors—even if that wasn’t his intention.
Hailed now as a hero for his people, a fearless leader, and a good man, Crazy Horse lived and died as an enemy of the US government. His name is legendary, but what do you really know about the man behind the myth? There was more to his life than the history books want you to know. Let’s look back and discover why the name Crazy Horse means so much today.
Lord Mountbatten was a decorated British Royal Navy veteran, a great hero on the surface. But his privileged position and silver-spooned jumpstart on life may be more responsible for his success than his actual skills. Behind the façade was a bumbling man who hid some disturbingly dark secrets.
Before there was a Roman Empire, Carthage ruled the world. A seafaring, wealthy, and opulent Phoenecian metropolis situated in modern Tunisia, its power and influence preceded it—but then the small Roman Republic began edging in on its territory. What resulted was the so-called “Punic Wars,” which didn’t just change military history, but changed history.
King Charles II was the last hope of the Spanish Habsburg Dynasty, which had ruled an ever-expanding Spain for over a century—and he wasn’t much to hope for. A victim of decades of close inbreeding, from the day he was born Charles wasn’t expected to live. When his rule did come, it was bitter, brief, and doomed everything it touched.
There’s a long, bizarre history of unique people who have been exploited for the entertainment of others. But the story of the "Queen's dwarf," Jeffrey Hudson, might be the most extraordinary and sad tale of all.
History would be a much more boring place without Margaret Beaufort. Without her, we’d never have two of the most famous monarchs in history, King Henry VIII and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I. Those two often overshadow the royals who came before them—which is a shame, because Margaret Beaufort’s story is absolutely jaw-dropping.
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