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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.

Sacagawea was one tough lady. When she was a teenage mom, this Shoshone explorer tied her baby to her back and fearlessly travelled westward across America as part of Lewis and Clark’s famous expedition. For most people, that’s pretty much the beginning and end of Sacagawea’s story—but they’d be wrong. From her perilous childhood to her nightmare of a marriage, there’s so much more to know about this Indigenous icon.

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.

Few people outside of experienced English history buffs are familiar with the name Henry II. Despite rising to power through blood and conflict, and then proceeding to reign in the same manner as he had started, many people forget Henry II. His ruthlessness expanded England’s power well into France’s borders, and it caused Henry problems when he passed that same trait on to his power-hungry sons. Henry II shaped not just England but Wales, Scotland, Brittany, and Ireland. He became the man with a plan—and only his sons could stop his rampage across Europe.

Christopher Columbus has a legacy full of the highs and lows of over five hundred years of history. Yet for all his fame and infamy, few people still know the whole story, or just how dark it gets. This explorer didn’t just controversially put America on his map, he also suffered through a myriad of personal tragedies and disturbing vices—and made others suffer in their turn.

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.