20 Historical Figures Who Were Real Monsters in Private

Some might say that Elvis was a product of his time and that what he did wasn’t “that big of a deal.” But of course, they’d be wrong to think that, because dating minors is never acceptable. The rock star had plenty of access to fans of that age and took full advantage of it. Just remember that the singer, then 24 years old, met his wife Priscilla when she was only 14.

At first glance, Mother Teresa might seem like a saint, particularly because she ran numerous hospices for the poor and sick. However, she believed that suffering brought people closer to God and allowed most of these individuals to endure their pain. The volunteers were untrained, and her medical practices were, at best, substandard, resulting in a 40% mortality rate. In fact, when she herself fell ill, she chose to go to one of the best hospitals rather than to her own care center.

Let’s just say that Hitchcock and Weinstein have a lot in common. If the stars didn’t comply with his outrageous demands, he would actively try to ruin their careers—and often succeeded.

Coco Chanel is best known as a French fashion designer and businesswoman, and as the founder and promoter of the Chanel brand. It turns out that she was also a double agent working for the Nazis, having infiltrated their ranks to ensure the profitability of her perfume line.

Okay, fine, Albert isn’t all that bad, and he did accomplish many great things. But as with everyone on this list, it’s important to be aware of his flaws. First of all, Einstein treated his wife, Mileva Maric, very badly and even drew up a contract to turn her into a housekeeper. He also refused to acknowledge his children and even forced his wife to give one up for adoption. To make matters worse, he also encouraged the use of nuclear weapons, before claiming to regret it after World War II.

Steve Jobs undoubtedly left his mark on the world, and Apple continues to dominate the technology market. But, like many of the creative figures on this list, his innovative spirit was accompanied by a certain cruelty as a father, as he disowned his daughter. He also backdated Apple stock to enrich himself, but that may not be such a big deal.

The Wright brothers certainly played a crucial role in our understanding of aviation and flight, but that does not mean they were perfect. On the contrary, after their success, the brothers actively prevented anyone from entering the field of aviation, arguing that their work should be patented and protected. To remedy this situation, Franklin Delano Roosevelt created a patent pool that allowed aviators to share their technologies for a modest fee.

Queen Elizabeth is known for having stabilized and led England during a golden age. But like most monarchs of the time, she didn’t hesitate to get her hands dirty—through others, of course! She treated her prisoners appallingly and brutally suppressed the Irish.

Dr. Seuss is a beloved author, known for masterpieces such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat. Despite his success as a writer, he was a terrible husband. He practically ignored his wife and had an affair while she was struggling with health issues, which hastened her untimely death.

Best known for his roles in silent films, Charlie Chaplin was undoubtedly intoxicated by his power and influence. Not only did he court and marry very young women in a series of failed marriages, but he also ridiculed and harassed them.

If you don’t know why Christopher Columbus has a bad reputation, you’re in for a shock. Although he “discovered” the Americas, Christopher Columbus was also responsible for the enslavement and oppression of Indigenous peoples and the colonization of their lands.

If you’ve ever delved into John Lennon’s biographies, you’ll notice that the singer talks a lot about his difficult childhood. It turns out he did the same thing to his son, whom he had with Cynthia Powell, and then went even further by hurting his son and cheating on his wife with Yoko Ono.

Gandhi did remarkable work in advancing nonviolent resistance in India, but it turns out that his love for peace extended only to certain races. He made terrible remarks about people with darker skin and showed great hatred toward people of African descent.

By now, many people are aware of Thomas Edison’s reputation as a notorious patent thief. Far from having invented essential devices, he was a true tyrant who stole from and profited off the success of other inventors, notably Nikola Tesla, who was forced to work under his command for a time.

Even though Hollywood’s golden age has given way to a different era, some legendary actors are still adored by their fans. One of them, John Wayne, made some highly controversial remarks when he tried to take the stage at the 1973 Academy Awards. He verbally attacked Native American policy and publicly expressed his racist views.

Today, Picasso’s work is considered the pinnacle of art. But in his day, he was also known for his abhorrent behavior toward women. His violent tendencies, combined with his infidelity scandals and his propensity to disown his children, led him to ruin dozens of lives before the end of his life.

For Ford fans, it’s important to understand the legacy behind the car you drive. While Ford certainly revolutionized the automotive industry, he did not hesitate to voice his anti-Semitic views and his admiration for the Nazis.

Churchill is best known for leading the Allies to victory during World War II, but that may well be just a glimmer of hope in the midst of an ocean of darkness. On the one hand, he encouraged the use of chemical attacks against the Afghan people, whom he described as “uncivilized” tribes. On the other hand, while India was under his control in the 1940s, he refused to provide any aid during the famine, resulting in the deaths of three million people.

It’s hard to believe, but Charles Dickens was willing to do anything to run away with his teenage mistress. So much so that he tried to bribe doctors to diagnose his wife with a mental disorder and have her committed to an asylum.

Walt had his ups and downs, and perhaps deep down, he was trying to create something wholesome and accessible. Of course, we have to look at both the good and the bad sides of things, and Walt had many issues when hiring voice actresses like Mary Ford, and even used unacceptable terms to refer to the dwarfs in Snow White.