Skip to main content

There are some notorious nutty people throughout the history of the world. Heck, some of them were even rulers. Some of them had a few eccentricities, while others were too ruthless to rule. Here are the most bizarre royals throughout history. (The “royal” on page 15 was alive only a couple centuries ago!)

1. King Charles VI of France

Portrait of King Charles VI of France | Photos.com/ Getty Images Plus

Meet “Charles the Mad” — just one of a couple characters on our list to be branded with such a nickname. Charles IV exhibited paranoid and delusional behavior even before his reign, including periods when he became convinced his body was made of glass and he could shatter at any moment. (The royal on page 9 suffered from a similar delusion.) It’s later been speculated these were signs Charles suffered from schizophrenia.

Next: One of the most eccentric rulers ever known …