Royalty's Strangest Characters - Softcover

Tibballs, Geoff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1861058276 ISBN 13: 9781861058270

Publisher: Robson Books, 2005

Synopsis

Recounting over 2,000 years of daft despots, raving rulers and potty potentates, this unique look at the world's craziest kings and queens will leave you shocked, amazed - and often in fits of laughter. From the madness of ancient Rome, exemplified by the Emperor Caligula who wanted to appoint his horse to the consulate, we go on to meet Charles VI of France, convinced he was made of glass, Queen Juana of Spain, never separated from her late husband's coffin, and King Otto of Bavaria, who tried to ward off hereditary insanity by shooting a peasant a day. Throughout history, royalty and scandal have gone hand-in-hand like a Prince of Wales and his mistress - witness the pocket-picking Farouk I of Egypt, Augustus II of Poland, who fathered an estimated 355 children, only one of whom was legitimate, and, more recently, Britain's master of tact and diplomacy, Prince Philip. From kleptomania and incest to transvestism and even pigeon fancying, all these and many more colourful characters can be found in this revealing trawl of the world's royal families.

About this title

Synopsis:

Just as the monarchy has been hereditary in many countries, so insanity has been hereditary in many monarchs. 'Royalty's Strangest Characters' recalls over 2000 years of crazy kings and potty potentates, including such infamous characters as Caligula, Vlad the Impaler and George III, along with other less well-known but equally bizarre rulers.

About the Author:

Sports writer Geoff Tibballs is the author of several bestselling titles in the Strangest... series, on a range of sports including motor-racing and the Olympics. He also wrote Great Sporting Scandals published by Robson.

About this edition

• Publisher: Robson Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1861058276
• ISBN 13: 9781861058270
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 280