The glass kings and fragile minds
Bizarre court etiquette and royal rules
Posthumous rulers and phantom crowns
Animal royalty and sacred beasts
YOUR GOAL
Master of Mad kings and royal secrets
misslily Animal royalty and sacred beasts
Gourmand the Great Dane, / sitting in the council, / barking at the table!
misslily In historical Thailand, white elephants were considered sacred property of the king, leading to a legendary form of passive-aggressive punishment.
misslily King Alexander of Greece met an untimely end after a bizarre domestic incident involving a palace pet.
misslily Match bizarre pets to their mad rulers to discover history's strangest royal traditions.
White elephants: The term 'white elephant' today refers to a useless or troublesome possession, originating from the Siam royal gifting tradition.
A rare, light-colored Asian elephant that is traditionally venerated in Southeast Asia. Siamese monarchs gifted these venerated creatures to ruin court rivals with their immense upkeep costs.
Why was receiving a white elephant from the King of Siam considered a financial curse?
Which late 19th-century African king maintained a sacred herd of black cattle for rituals?
What political office did Roman Emperor Caligula reportedly plan to give his horse?
What modern-day country encompasses the historical territory of King Lobengula's Matabele Kingdom?