20 Kings and Queens Who Have Disappeared from the History Books

Hatshepsut reigned as pharaoh during the 18th Dynasty and ruled successfully for more than two decades. After her death, many of her statues were destroyed and her name was erased from monuments. 

Smenkhkarê reigned briefly during the chaotic Amarna period. Very little is known about his reign, and even his identity remains a matter of debate. Later kings omitted him from the official lists of kings. His disappearance reflects the way in which unstable transitions were quietly erased. Gaps in the records make it difficult to date his reign precisely.

Neferneferuaten reigned toward the end of Akhenaten’s religious revolution. Scholars still debate whether this queen was Nefertiti or another woman of the royal family. The rulers who succeeded her erased the leaders of the Amarna period from the official records. This deliberate omission has shrouded Neferneferuaten in mystery. Only a few scattered inscriptions confirm her reign.

Akhenaten radically reformed Egyptian religion by promoting the worship of Aten. After his death, subsequent pharaohs branded him a heretic. His name was removed from the lists of kings and from monuments. For centuries, his reign was all but forgotten. The destruction was so complete that researchers initially had difficulty placing him in the chronology.

Ivan VI became emperor while still a child, in 1740. He was deposed less than a year later and imprisoned for life. His existence was kept secret to prevent any rebellion. Even uttering his name was dangerous during the subsequent reigns. He died in captivity at the age of only 23.

Wu Zetian reigned as China’s only female emperor during the Tang Dynasty. After her death, Confucian historians downplayed or criticized her reign. Official histories portrayed her reign as an aberration. 

Gwanghaegun ruled Korea during a period of reconstruction following the invasions. Although he stabilized the kingdom, he was deposed in a coup. He was stripped of his title of “king” and registered as a prince instead. This demotion altered the way history remembers him. The official chronicles reflect the bias of his successors.

Yeonsangun was deposed from the throne for tyranny and cruelty. After his deposition, he was denied a posthumous royal title. The official records avoided referring to him as a legitimate king. 

Lady Jane Grey reigned for only nine days in 1553. After her execution, Tudor historians downplayed her status as queen. She was often described as a pawn rather than a monarch. Her reign remained in a state of legal ambiguity for centuries. Parliament did not officially recognize her as queen until much later.

Edward V was one of the “Princes in the Tower.” He was never crowned and disappeared shortly after his uncle seized power. Subsequent kings avoided recognizing his reign, and his disappearance removed him from the line of succession. 

Sargon II ruled over a powerful Neo-Assyrian empire and significantly expanded its territory. His sudden death in battle was seen as a bad omen by his contemporaries. Subsequent kings minimized references to his reign in official texts. His legacy has survived primarily through archaeology. 

Sobekneferu was one of the first women to reign in Egypt. She reigned briefly at the end of the 12th Dynasty. Later kings omitted her from certain royal lists. Her reign has been preserved mainly through inscriptions. 

King Scorpion II reigned during the Predynastic Period in Egypt. Evidence of his reign comes primarily from ceremonial artifacts such as the Scorpion mace head. Later dynasties ignored early rulers like him. His name faded from history as historical records became more formalized, and archaeology remains the primary source confirming his existence.

Empress Jingū appears in early Japanese chronicles such as the Nihon Shoki. Many historians believe that her story was later mythologized or politically rewritten. She was removed from the official lists of emperors. 

This Tamar ruled Armenia in the early Middle Ages; she should not be confused with her Georgian namesake. Her reign is poorly documented in the surviving chronicles. Later historians focused on her male successors, and much of her reign is known only indirectly. 

Æthelred reigned during a turbulent period marked by internal strife and violence. Later chronicles downplayed his legitimacy after his overthrow. Eventually, his reign faded into obscurity. 

Liu He ruled the Western Han Dynasty for only 27 days in 74 B.C. He was deposed for alleged misconduct by powerful court officials. After his ouster, he was stripped of his imperial title and excluded from the official lists of emperors. 

Makeda, often associated with the Queen of Sheba, appears in Ethiopian tradition. Her historical existence remains a subject of controversy among scholars, which means that later historical accounts are a mixture of legends and historical records. 

Horemheb became pharaoh after Tutankhamun and asserted his legitimacy through reforms. He systematically erased the reigns of several of his immediate predecessors. Their names disappeared from monuments and lists of kings. 

Olaf II was later canonized as Saint Olaf, but the early years of his reign were deliberately rewritten by Church historians. Political failures were downplayed or omitted from the accounts, thus creating a selective and incomplete legacy.