When boundless wealth and power meets little to no consequence for actions, you can imagine the sort of bizarre behavior that might emerge. That’s why it’s not entirely surprising that nearly every royal dynasty has a history of odd behavior. Here are just a few examples of aristocrats participating in behavior that they average person could never do, at least not without consequence.
Countess Báthory‘s dark obsession
In the early 17th century, Countess Elizabeth Báthory of Hungary was accused of torturing and murdering more than 600 young women in her charge. Her tactics varied from covering victims in honey to be eaten alive by insects to forcing them into icy baths in the dead of winter. She was known to bite her courtiers at random on various parts of their bodies. Some accounts say she drained the blood of virgin victims and covered herself in it. She believed it had the power to restore her youth. Eventually, she killed so many young servants that she ran out and started to kill the daughters of noblemen that trained under her. When she was finally convicted, she was banished to a high tower in her castle where she lived out the remainder of her days in solitude. Her position exempt her from the punishment of death.1
King louis xIV’s fetish
If you’ve ever wondered why women give birth lying down, look no further than King Louis XIV. Before Louis, it was common practice for women to give birth standing, squatting, or kneeling. Gravity would naturally assist in these positions, and squatting actually opens the pelvis, allowing more room for the baby to exit. King Louis forced his wives to give birth lying down. Why? Because he liked to watch. He had a birthing fetish that ultimately led to a common practice in obstetrics. Today, although it is still standard to lie down in the hospital, we have the right to chose how we give birth, who is there, and who assists. You can opt to exclude the perverse gaze of creepy aristocrats.2
The earl’s dinner parties
Francis Egerton was England’s eighth Earl of Bridgewater. He was an animal lover and had a reputation for a bevy of eccentricities. Among them were his esteemed dinner parties. The only guests….his dogs. Francis would have his staff dress the dogs in fine leather boots and place them at the table in armchairs where they were provided with linen napkins and expected to behave with the best manners. Those who didn’t were politely asked to excuse themselves to dine alone. Francis never married and died in 1829 in the company of those he loved, all of whom walked on all fours.3
The end of the habsburgs
King Charles II of Spain was the final member of the Habsburg dynasty. He was said to be so ugly that his wife couldn’t bare to look at him. Most royal families have a history of inbreeding, but the Habsburgs took it to unprecedented levels. Uncles married nieces, and close cousins married each other. No one married outside the family. By the time Charles was born, his genetic makeup resembled that of a child born from brother and sister. One fourth of his genes were identical. His underbite was so severe that his teeth never touched, causing issues with eating and speech. His official portraits portray the Habsburg jaw, but painters were instructed to make him look healthier and younger. He was constantly plagued with illnesses and had a very frail form. Neither he nor his sister were ever able to produce an heir, for obvious reasons, and the Habsburg Dynasty died with him in 1700.4
The Duke’s Tunnels
William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, the 5th Duke of Portland gave a whole new meaning to “introvert.” Despite his position, Cavendish typically kept to himself and was never interested in politics. After returning from military service, he fell in love with an opera singer and proposed to her. She rejected him, and Cavendish, who was known to be very sensitive, never really recovered. He refused to be around other people, even his staff, who had to communicate with him via letterboxes outside his bedroom door. When he decided to find a new place to enjoy his solitude, he built 15 miles of underground tunnels beneath the Welbeck Abbey so he could go to and from there without meeting a single person. It is said that when he traveled by train he would have his carriage dismantled from the horses and lifted onto the train in order to avoid stepping outside where others could see him. Honestly, I can relate.5
The mad marquis
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “paint the town red,” but you may not know where it originated. Between 1837-1838, Londoners suffered a series of attacks by what they described as a fire-breathing boogeyman. While some blamed it on ghosts and other paranormal phenomena, others took a more rational approach and placed the blame on young aristocrats known for their wild behavior. Henry Beresford, 3rd Marquis of Waterford, was known to be an unruly partier, the modern equivalent of the obnoxious frat boy. One night, he and his friends (all drunk) harassed the people and police of a small town just for fun. Before leaving, they stole red paint and literally painted the town red. It is said that the boogeyman attacks stopped around the same time Beresford married and left London a changed man. Whether or not it was him remains unknown.6
Merman and priest
Robert Stephen Hawker wasn’t an aristocrat, but he was a member of nobility with an exception roster of bizarre behavior. He came from humble beginnings, following his father into service as a vicar. When funds for his Oxford education ran out, he married his wealthy godmother, a woman 22 years his senior. When he took a position as priest in the coastal town of Morwenstow, he decided to act out the local mermaid folklore dressing up as a merman swimming around rocks near the coast. The entire village reported seeing him at one time or another. He loved animals and owned nine cats. He even excommunicated one for hunting mice on Sunday. He’s rumored to have hung a mouse for crimes unknown. 7
Sources:
- Biography.com. “Elizabeth Bathory”
- IFL Science. “There’s a Really Creepy Reason Why Women Mainly Give Birth Lying Down.”
- Zippy Facts. “Why Did Francis Henry Egerton Throw Dinner Parties for His Dogs?”
- History Collection. “40 Odd Facts About the Inbred King Charles II of Spain.”
- The Vintage News. “The Eccentric Duke Who Adored Misanthropy, Built 15 Miles of Tunnels.”
- History Collection. “The Leaping Boogeyman Who Terrorized Victorian England.”
- Cornwall Live. “Eccentric Mermaid Priest Who Wrote Cornwall Anthem Trelawny and Hanged a Mouse.”
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