20 Times the Wrong Person Ascended to the Throne

Harold was crowned in January 1066, immediately after the death of Edward the Confessor, despite rival claims by William of Normandy and Harald Hardrada. The disputed succession helped trigger invasions that same year, and Harold’s defeat at Hastings brought an end to Anglo-Saxon rule in England.

Henry I had designated his daughter, Empress Matilda, as his heir, but Stephen seized the throne in 1135 while she was away. His seizure of power led to a long civil war known as the Anarchy, which destabilized the kingdom for years.

After Richard I’s death in 1199, John ascended the throne, even though Arthur of Brittany had a strong hereditary claim based on strict principles of primogeniture. The dispute over legitimacy fueled the conflict with France and contributed to the political crisis that led to the Magna Carta.

Edward III became king in 1327 after Edward II was deposed, but real power remained in the hands of Isabella and Roger Mortimer for several years. Their reign was based on force and favoritism, and it came to an end when Edward III deposed Mortimer and reestablished his control.

Edward V inherited the throne in 1483, but his uncle Richard seized power and became king, while Edward V and his brother disappeared from public life. Richard’s claim remained contested, and his defeat at Bosworth in 1485 brought an end to the Plantagenet dynasty.

Jane was proclaimed queen in 1553 by a faction seeking to prevent Mary Tudor from succeeding to the throne after the death of Edward VI. She reigned for only a few days before Mary took power, and Jane was executed—a testament to how quickly an artificial succession can collapse.

Louis-Napoléon was elected president of the Second Republic, then staged a coup d’état in 1851 and proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon III. This change replaced a constitutional republic with an authoritarian regime, and France subsequently suffered a military defeat and another collapse of the regime in 1870.

Maximilian accepted a crown backed by French military intervention in the 1860s, opposing the Mexican Republic led by Benito Juárez. When French support ended, his regime fell and he was executed in 1867, leaving Mexico to rebuild itself after years of conflict.

Basiliscus seized the throne in 475 as Emperor Zeno fled Constantinople. His short reign was marred by political missteps and a loss of support, and Zeno returned to reclaim power less than two years later.

Phocas overthrew Emperor Maurice in 602 and seized the throne following a violent coup. His reign was marked by instability and repression, and the empire faced significant external pressures before Heraclius succeeded him.

Irene ruled as regent for her son Constantine VI, then deposed him and ruled alone. This seizure of power destabilized domestic politics and contributed to disputes over imperial legitimacy throughout the Christian world.

Ivan VI became emperor while still a child in 1740, but was overthrown in 1741 by Elizabeth Petrovna. He spent most of his life in prison, which perfectly illustrates how a child ruler could be viewed as a political threat.

Peter III reigned briefly in 1762 before a coup brought Catherine II to power. The loss of support from the elites and the army made his position untenable, and this transition reshaped Russia’s leadership for decades.

Shah Shujah was restored to the Afghan throne in 1839 with British support during the First Anglo-Afghan War. His reign lacked legitimacy, and the political fallout contributed to the conflict, including the disastrous retreat from Kabul and the assassination of Shah Shujah.

Marie became queen while still a child in 1542, and regents ruled on her behalf while various factions vied for influence. The gap between the title of monarch and actual control contributed to long-term instability and created conditions conducive to subsequent crises.

Henri seized the throne of Castile in the 1360s following a conflict with his half-brother, King Peter of Castile. This seizure of power transformed the dynasty and deepened internal divisions, with lasting effects on Castilian politics.

The rise of the Sui Dynasty led to the replacement of a regime that had been established during a period of fragmentation, with power consolidated through force and political maneuvering. The new dynasty succeeded in reunifying the country, but the transition period demonstrated the extent to which challenges to legitimacy can accompany a major regime change.

After the death of Charles II in 1700, who left no heir, rival claimants and foreign powers vied for the right to rule. This conflict demonstrated how a contested throne could escalate into an international war, upending the balance of power in Europe.

Rival branches of the royal family vied for the crown for decades, with kings being deposed and then restored to power. These repeated changes show that legal claims mattered less than the ability to secure armed support and stable alliances.

After Nero’s death in 68 AD, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian each claimed imperial power in turn. These successive changes were driven by military loyalty and political collapse, and demonstrated how quickly authority could crumble when the line of succession was not settled.