🚫🤴 The 13 WORST Kings in History: You Won’t Believe the Horrible Things These Men Did
Absolute power doesn’t just corrupt absolutly, as they famous quote goes; absolute power destroys men’s souls.
For every “wise” or “great” king in the history books, there’s a tyrant who ruled through fear, blood, and unthinkable cruelty.
From Europe to Africa to Asia, these men used their crowns not to lead, but to terrorize.
Below is a list of the 13 WORST kings in history, as well as the shocking (sometimes downright disturbing things 😳) they did while in power.
1. King John of England (1166-1216)
King John’s Early Life
Born in Oxford in 1166, John was the youngest son of the legendary Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Nicknamed “Lackland” because he wasn’t expected to inherit much, John lucked into the throne after all his older brothers rebelled or died (including Richard I, aka Richard the Lionheart).
Why King John Was So Horrible
In total honesty, John was the poster child for royal incompetence, and is a worthy contender for the title of Worst King in History.
He taxed his people into poverty, extorted money from nobles, lost almost all of England’s lands in France, and may have murdered his own nephew, Prince Arthur, to eliminate a rival.
His cruelty sparked a rebellion that forced him to sign the Magna Carta, the first time English nobles basically said, “We’re done with your tyranny.”
2. King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909)
King Leopold II’s Early Life
Born in Brussels to Belgium’s first monarch, Leopold I, young Leopold grew up obsessed with power.
When he became king in 1865, he wanted colonies like Britain and France had, but Belgium itself was too small.
Why King Leopold II Was So Horrible
Leopold turned the Congo Free State, a monarchy in Central Africa, into his personal slave camp.
His soldiers cut off hands, murdered entire villages, and tortured people to increase rubber production.
Historians estimate that 10 million Congolese died under his rule.
The kicker? Leopold pocketed the profits personally while pretending it was a humanitarian mission.
3. Emperor Nero of Rome (37-68 CE)
Nero’s Early Life
Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, the son of a scheming noblewoman named Agrippina the Younger.
Thanks to her political maneuvering, Nero was adopted by Emperor Claudius and became ruler of Rome at just 17.
Why Nero Was So Horrible
Nero burned through Rome’s treasury spending frivolously on chariot races, golden palaces, and elaborate “adult parties” that don’t require clothing 👀
When the Great Fire of Rome broke out in on July 19th in 64 AD, he blamed Christians and ordered them brutally executed.
He killed his own mother, kicked his pregnant wife to death, and reportedly said, “What an artist dies in me!” before committing suicide. Talk about delusional 🙄
4. Ivan IV aka Ivan the Terrible of Russia (1530-1584)
Ivan the Terrible’s Early Life
Born into Russian royalty in 1530, Ivan had a miserable childhood.
After his father died, noble families abused and neglected him, fueling his lifelong paranoia.
He crowned himself the first Tsar of Russia at just 16. (👑 Fun Fact: The youngest Russian tsar was Ivan VI, crowned at just two months old in 1740.)
Why Ivan the Terrible Was So Horrible
At first, Ivan made smart reforms. Then he went completely off the rails.
Among other atrocities, he created the Oprichnina, the Russian secret police force that tortured and executed thousands.
He burned cities, slaughtered families, and in one rage-filled moment, even killed his own son, Ivan Ivanovich, in 1581.
What’s worse? When Ivan the Terrible died, the en tire country of Russia was left in chaos and economic ruin.
5. King Henry VIII of England (1491-1547)
King Henry VIII’s Early Life
The second son of Henry VII, young Henry wasn’t supposed to be king. However, after his brother Arthur died, he took the throne in 1509.
Charismatic and athletic, he was England’s golden boy — but only for about five minutes ⏳
Why King Henry VIII Was So Horrible
Henry VIII is infamous for his six wives, and his creative ways of getting rid of them.
When the Pope refused his divorce, Henry literally created a new religion called the Church of England so that he could marry again.
He had two wives beheaded, dissolved monasteries for cash, and executed anyone who disagreed with him.
6. King Herod the Great (73-4 BCE)
King Herod’s Early Life
Born in Idumea, south of Judea, Herod rose to power thanks to his alliance with the Roman Empire.
They went on to make Herod King of Judea in 37 BCE — a position he protected with paranoia and blood.
Why King Herod Was So Horrible
He might have been a building genius (Herod’s Second Temple aka Second Temple of Jerusalem), but he was a total monster in his personal life.
He murdered his wife, his three sons, and several relatives out of jealousy.
The Bible even accuses him of ordering the Massacre of the Innocents, killing baby boys in Bethlehem to eliminate the newborn Jesus.
Real or not, the so-called Butcher of Bethlehem’s reputation for cruelty was legendary.
7. King Shaka Zulu of South Africa (1787-1828)
King Shaka’s Early Life
The illegitimate son of a Zulu chief and a servant woman, Shaka kaSenzangakhona (aka Shaka Zulu) spent his early years as an outcast.
After joining the army of a neighboring tribe, he rose through military genius and brutality, eventually becoming the most powerful Zulu leader in history.
Why King Shaka Was So Horrible
Shaka revolutionized African warfare, but his reign was drenched in blood.
He imposed insane discipline on his warriors, killing those who showed weakness.
After his mother died, he went into such grief-driven madness that he banned planting crops, banned milk, and ordered thousands executed for not mourning “properly.”
Shaka Zulu’s own guards ultimately assassinated him in 1828.
8. King Charles VI of France (1368-1422)
King Charles VI’s Early Life
Charles VI, also called “Charles the Beloved,” was born into the powerful Valois dynasty.
He became king at just 11 years old, and initially showed promise, but unfortunately, Charles developed a terrifying mental illness.
Why King Charles VI Was So Horrible
Though doctors tried to treat him, Charles believed he was made of glass, ran through palaces killing servants, and would often forgot who he was.
This insanity sparked civil wars and weakened France during the Hundred Years’ War, nearly handing the country to England.
His nickname changed from “King Charles the Beloved” to “King Charles the Mad.”
9. Emperor Yang of Sui (569-618 CE)
Emperor Yang’s Early Life
Born Yang Guang in modern-day China, he was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui.
Ambitious and cunning, Yang reportedly killed his own brother, Yang Yong, to become heir.
Why Emperor Yang Was So Horrible
Yang built The Grand Canal, one of China’s greatest engineering feats — but at a horrifying cost, as millions of peasants died under forced labor and starvation.
He lived in obscene luxury, threw massive parties, and launched disastrous wars against Korea that drained the empire’s treasury.
Eventually, his own generals revolted and strangled him to death. (Can you say “karma?!” ☸️)
10. King Richard III of England (1452-1485)
King Richard III’s Early Life
Born into the royal House of York, Richard became king after the mysterious disappearance of his two young nephews (who were the rightful heirs).
Why King Richard III Was So Horrible
The “Princes in the Tower” vanished shortly after Richard took power, and most historians believe he had them killed.
Add to that his ruthless executions and backstabbing politics during the Wars of the Roses, and it’s no wonder Shakespeare portrayed him as a deformed villain in his play titled Richard III.
In it, Richard is portrayed as the deformed villain who famously declares, “Now is the winter of our discontent,” at the beginning of the play.
Richard’s reign ended when he died in battle, screaming for a horse.
11. King Ashoka of India (304-232 BCE)
King Ashoka’s Early Life
Ashoka was born a Mauryan prince in ancient India, the son of Emperor Bindusara.
After a bloody family power struggle, he fought his way to the throne (the operative word being “fought” 💥).
Why King Ashoka Was So Horrible
Before he became the “good guy” of Buddhist legend, Ashoka was known as “Ashoka the Fierce.”
His conquest of the Kalinga region was one of the bloodiest in Indian history, killing over 100,000 people and displacing many more.
The carnage of the Kalinga War haunted him so deeply that he later converted to Buddhism and promoted peace.
However, this massacre remains one of ancient Asia’s greatest tragedies.
12. King Mwanga II of Buganda (1868-1903)
King Mwanga II’s Early Life
Born into the Buganda royal family (in what’s now Uganda), Mwanga II took the throne at just 16.
At first, he ruled over a prosperous and independent kingdom — but things quickly went downhill as the tend to do with the worst kings in history.
Why King Mwanga II Was So Horrible
Mwanga’s paranoia led him to turn violently against his own people, and when Christian missionaries began converting locals, he saw it as rebellion.
In 1886, Mwanga ordered the execution of 45 Christian pages. Known today as the Uganda Martyrs, they were burned alive.
These inhumane actions sparked rebellions, eventually paving the way for the British colonization of Uganda in the late-1800s.
In the end, Mwanga’s cruelty didn’t just destroy lives — it also cost his kingdom its independence.
13. Emperor Caligula of Rome (12-41 CE)
Caligula’s Early Life
Caligula (real name: Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus) was the son of the popular Roman general, Germanicus. He was the nephew of Emperor Tiberius.
Adored as a child mascot by soldiers, he earned his nickname Caligula, meaning “little boots” in Latin.
When Emperor Tiberius died, Caligula inherited one of the most powerful empires in history.
Why Caligula Was So Horrible
At first, Rome thought Caligula was a blessing. Within months, he turned into an unhinged maniac.
He went on to declare himself a god, demanded worship, ordered random executions for entertainment, and wanted to make his horse a consul 🐎
He also slept with his sisters, and as a true sadist, laughed while watching people being tortured and executed.
His own guards finally had enough, and they stabbed Caligula to death after just four years on the throne.
Our Final Thoughts on the Worst Kings in History: Proof That Crowns and Conscience Rarely Mix
The 13 terrible kings on this list prove that giving one man total control of anything (especially a country) is never going to end well.
From Europe’s paranoid monarchs to Asia’s despots and Africa’s warlords, the pattern’s the same:
Power goes unchecked → egos go wild → innocent people pay the price.
So the next time someone romanticizes “the good old days of kings and queens,” remember this list — and be thankful modern leaders (generally) have to win elections.