50 Things You Didn’t Know About Kings & Queens

Kings and queens have ruled throughout history, each bringing their unique stories and quirks to their reigns. Here are 50 fascinating facts about various monarchs that you might not know:

Ancient Monarchs

1. King Tutankhamun: Also known as King Tut, he ascended the Egyptian throne at the age of nine.

2. Cleopatra: The last Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra spoke at least nine languages.

3. Alexander the Great: He became king of Macedonia at 20 and built one of the largest empires in history by age 30.

4. King Cyrus the Great: Founder of the Persian Empire, he was known for his innovative approach to governance and human rights.

5. Queen Hatshepsut: One of the most successful pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, she often depicted herself as a male in statues and images.

Medieval Monarchs

6. Charlemagne: Crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD, he is often called the “Father of Europe.”

7. Queen Elizabeth I: The last of the Tudor monarchs, she never married and was known as the “Virgin Queen.”

8. King Richard the Lionheart: He spent only six months of his ten-year reign in England, spending most of his time in the Crusades.

9. Emperor Justinian I: Famous for his ambitious project, the “Codex Justinianus,” which compiled and reformed Roman law.

10. Queen Matilda: She was the first female ruler of England, though her reign was contested and short-lived.

Renaissance to Enlightenment

11. King Henry VIII: Known for his six marriages and the creation of the Church of England.

12. Queen Isabella I: Alongside her husband Ferdinand, she financed Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage.

13. King Louis XIV: The “Sun King” of France, he ruled for 72 years, the longest of any European monarch.

14. Queen Mary I: Also known as “Bloody Mary” for her persecution of Protestants during her reign.

15. Catherine the Great: Empress of Russia who expanded the empire and reformed its administration.

Modern Monarchs

16. Queen Victoria: Her reign of 63 years and 7 months, known as the Victorian Era, was longer than any previous British monarch.

17. King George VI: Overcame a severe stammer to lead Britain through World War II.

18. Queen Elizabeth II: As of her passing in 2022, she was the longest-reigning current monarch, with over 70 years on the throne.

19. King Juan Carlos I: Played a key role in Spain’s transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco.

20. King Bhumibol Adulyadej: The longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, serving for 70 years until his death in 2016.

Unique Traits and Achievements

21. King Solomon: Known for his wisdom, wealth, and building the First Temple in Jerusalem.

22. Queen Anne: The last monarch of the House of Stuart, she oversaw the unification of England and Scotland.

23. King Gustavus Adolphus: Swedish king who made significant contributions to military tactics and established Sweden as a great power.

24. Queen Christina: Abdicated the Swedish throne in 1654, converted to Catholicism, and moved to Rome.

25. King Harald V: The current king of Norway, an avid sailor who has competed in the Olympics.

Scandals and Controversies

26. King Ludwig II: Known as the “Mad King,” he commissioned extravagant castles in Bavaria, including Neuschwanstein.

27. Queen Marie Antoinette: Famously misattributed with saying, “Let them eat cake,” during a bread shortage.

28. King Edward VIII: Abdicated the British throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson.

29. Queen Caroline of Brunswick: Wife of King George IV, she was famously banned from his coronation.

30. King Farouk of Egypt: Notoriously extravagant, he was deposed in a military coup in 1952.

Unexpected Roles and Hobbies

31. King Albert I: The Belgian king who personally led his troops during World War I.

32. Queen Margrethe II: The current queen of Denmark, she is also a talented painter and illustrator.

33. King Willem-Alexander: The Dutch king is a qualified pilot and often flies commercial planes.

34. Queen Sofia: The former queen of Spain, she is an accomplished musician and humanitarian.

35. King Mswati III: The king of Eswatini, known for his many wives and lavish lifestyle.

Historical Milestones

36. King John: His signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 limited royal power and laid the foundation for modern democracy.

37. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert: Their marriage popularized the tradition of white wedding dresses.

38. King Louis XVI: The last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution.

39. Queen Liliuokalani: The last sovereign of Hawaii before it was annexed by the United States.

40. King Zog I: The only king of Albania, known for surviving numerous assassination attempts.

Influential Monarchs

41. Emperor Akihito: The first Japanese emperor to abdicate in over two centuries.

42. Queen Noor of Jordan: An American-born queen who has been active in humanitarian and environmental causes.

43. King Hussein of Jordan: Known for his efforts to seek peace in the Middle East.

44. Queen Salote Tupou III: The Tongan queen who won hearts at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation by riding in an open carriage despite the rain.

45. King Norodom Sihanouk: Ruled Cambodia through turbulent times, including independence and the Khmer Rouge regime.

Little-Known Facts

46. King Kamehameha I: Unified the Hawaiian Islands in 1810, establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii.

47. Queen Ranavalona I: The Malagasy queen known for her fierce resistance to European colonization.

48. King Sobhuza II: The longest-reigning monarch in Swazi history, ruling for 82 years.

49. Queen Victoria Eugenie: Granddaughter of Queen Victoria, she was the queen consort of Spain and survived an assassination attempt on her wedding day.

50. King George III: Known for losing the American colonies, he suffered from a mental illness later identified as porphyria.

These intriguing facts reveal the diverse and often surprising lives of kings and queens, showing that there’s much more to these figures than just their royal titles.