Most Notable Royal Inbreeding Throughout History and the Craziness that Ensued

A recent study claimed that inbreeding might have caused the extinction of the Neanderthals.

Due to the demographic problems, specifically small population, ancient people had practiced creating procreation even to the closely related individuals in the hope of salvaging the diminishing number. However, it backfired as the newer generation suffered from multiple disabilities, including lower reproductive fitness. This caused the death of the Neanderthals.

It is no secret that this practice of incestuous reproduction is generally unaccepted in modern social norms, especially with the current age of information when people can easily research on its negative effect. Unfortunately, our ancestors are unaware of it.

Below is the list of notable cases of crazy disabilities and illnesses caused by series of inbreeding.

1. The tragic story of the Habsburg

In medical terms, the Habsburg jaw is known as mandibular prognathism, a facial deformity that involves an extended chin and a terrible crossbite.

The condition was named after the House of Habsburg, one of the most influential noble houses in Europe from the 15th to 18th century. The family is said to be practicing inbreeding because of the belief that their children should only marry someone with equal rank.

Charles II of Spain is probably the most popular example of people who suffered from this condition. Along with the excessive drooling due to his deformed jaws and enlarged tongue, history claimed that the prince suffered from hallucinations caused by two centuries of continuous inbreeding.

Inbreeding is also the reason why the Habsburg became "extinct" in 1740, as the last line suffered from infertility.

2. Hemophilia

Hemophilia is a rare condition where the blood does not clot. Although this is not a mutation caused by inbreeding, it is a hereditary disorder.

Hemophilia is quite common among British monarchs, which granted it a nickname of "disease of royalty". Historians believe that Queen Victoria is the culprit of this trend. After all, both Queen Victoria and her first cousin whom she married, Prince Albert, carry the deadly disease, which guaranteed that her descendants will inherit it.

Her son, Prince Leopold, along with most of her grandsons and great-grandsons, died from hemophilia.

3. Insanity

Like Charles II of Spain who was mentioned earlier, some British monarch that are products of inbreeding suffered from madness.

Take Maria I of Portugal for example. Although she was considered as a good ruler by many, history has remembered her for her madness. After the death of her husband (who was her uncle) and some children, the queen's mental deterioration started. She would become hysterical and violent while screaming that the devil has gotten into her.

It is also said that her sister, Mariana, also suffered from madness.

4. Alien-like skulls

If you have seen the sarcophagus of former Egyptian pharaohs, you might notice that the head looks elongated. That is the actual shape of their skull, and according to scientists, it is a deformity caused by inbreeding.

Ancient Egyptian royals have practiced marrying their own family, usually, brother-to-sister, but parent-to-child and cousin-to-cousin have also occurred.

King Tutankhamun, who is probably the most popular Pharoah next to Cleopatra, also has a deformed skull. But his misery did not end there as he also has a cleft palate, club feet, missing bones, and scoliosis.