17 people in history who were unfairly branded "villains" (18 photos)

Injustice, evil tongues, slander and contradictions are always we were accompanied - from ancient times to the present. historical personalities and ordinary people from this collection have earned a controversial reputation - and some of them were branded as villains. Perhaps all we will never know the truth, but for now, we will learn a few alternative opinions about these individuals.





Ty Cobb



Baseball player Ty Cobb has been slandered for racism. The media announced that the guy got into a fight in a bar with three blacks, and wounded with a knife black waiter. But it was a lie - like the fact that he was in Ku Klux Klan. The three black men he got into a bar fight with actually actually were white. During his career, he participated in the opening of the stadium Negro Baseball League, and even supported blacks in baseball. According to one of the versions, he was slandered by a journalist for his own benefits and sales of your book.

Niccolo Machiavelli



Has long been associated with the Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli the term "Machiavellianism", which means a policy based on a cult brute force and disregard for moral standards. The philosopher received an unflattering reputation and was slandered and criticized for the ideas set forth in the book "Sovereign". But Machiavelli did not invent the idea of lying or manipulation. IN book, he only outlined his views on the principles of state devices, control methods, and also described the qualities of the "ideal" ruler.

Sinead O'Connor



The singer for many years tried to cover the problems of pedophilia in Vatican. Once she tore up a portrait of the Pope on live television - John Paul II, shouting "Fight the real enemy!" After that, her career went downhill. Her concerts were canceled, blacklisted, booed at performances, questioned her intelligence and sanity .. Until the moment they began to understand that in their she might be right in her judgment.

Captain Hazelwood



American sailor Joseph Hazelwood was a captain in an oil tanker "Exxon Valdez", which was scandalously wrecked in 1989 year. He was sued with the accusation that he was on a tanker was under the influence of alcohol. After the Hazelwood Incident became the target of jokes and TV shows where he was ridiculed and referred to as drunken captain.

How was it really? Navigation equipment the tanker was out of order more than a year ago before the crash. Owner company Exxon knew about it, but did nothing. Besides that day the team on duty was pretty tired, but the company refused to send shift team. By the captain's own admission, that night he really drank 2-3 glasses of vodka, but at the time of the crash he did not command and rested in his cabin. However, Exxon has done everything to to blame Hazelwood by bribing the media. As a result, he succeeded in proving his innocence on all charges of criminal crimes. But he was convicted of negligence, which resulted in a fine and 1000 community service hours.

Janet Jackson



During a Super Bowl performance in 2004, Justin Timberlake accidentally exposed Janet Jackson's breasts. After that, the whole flurry criticism fell on Janet. Many thought it was a deliberate part of a performance or a PR stunt - despite the fact that it really happened by accident. Justin publicly apologized and quickly "forgave" everything. But on the career of a singer who refused comment on the incident, literally put an end to it - her songs on for several years banned from the rotation of the largest channels and radio, and banned from performing at the Grammy Awards.

Cleopatra



The ruler of Egypt was also surrounded by evil tongues, conspiracies and ill-wishers - they believed that Cleopatra abused her position for her own interests, and called "whore on the throne." But Cleopatra was a wise ruler and brilliant economist. She wrote treatises on mathematics and fluently spoke nine languages. Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't even beauty - because of her small stature, hooked nose and protruding chin.

stella Liebeck



In 1994, 79-year-old American Stella Liebeck sued at McDonalds after spilling coffee on her lap and getting 3rd degree burns. She was hospitalized for 8 days and rehabilitation took two years. Initially, McDonald's refused to refund the damage. But thanks to the work of a lawyer and the persistence of a woman, she managed to sue McDonald's compensation of 640 thousand dollars (although at first Liebeck requested only 10 thousand dollars). Her lawsuit was called "one of the most ridiculous" in judicial history, and the old woman herself was criticized. However, the case became so loud that it significantly influenced the reform of fines for personal injury in the United States.

Herbert Hoover



Herbert Hoover was the 31st President of the United States from 1929 to 1933. Eight months after he took office, the country hit by the Great Depression. Hoover is still "accepted" to be criticized for that he did not act decisively enough to get out of the crisis, and ignored the problems sitting in the White House. Undoubtedly, in his administration there were mistakes, but many, in a fit of criticism and accusations, forget about his good deeds. For example, he helped the Belgian starving when Belgium was cut off from food imports; created a charitable foundation to help war-torn Europe; and also saved millions of our compatriots during the "Famine in the Volga region" in the 1920s.

Lorena Bobbitt



American Lorena Bobbitt in 1993 cut off the sexual member of her husband. The woman was accused of being "unprovoked" attacked her husband, and was generally too cruel. But it was the answer to domestic violence. According to Lorena's testimony in court, that day her husband raped her, and also repeatedly beat her, humiliated her morally, and forced to have an abortion. As a result, the court found her insane and acting in a state of passion - she was prescribed treatment. Both her and husband was acquitted. In 1995 they divorced.

Robert Bruce



Based on the 1995 film Braveheart, which is about Scottish struggle for independence against English domination, national defense organizer Robert Bruce "betrayed" the legendary national hero William Wallace. However, this did not happen - Bruce was faithful to Wallace to the end.

John Adams



John Adams, the second President of the United States, was criticized for the passage of the Aliens and Sedition Acts - they allegedly violated the freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights. However, today many Americans remember Adams's views on one of the most US topics - the enslavement of black Americans. Adams never bought slaves and, on principle, refused to use slave power. His the spouse was also actively opposed to slavery, and employed free blacks. Adams even opposed the use African Americans in the Revolutionary War.

William Morton



Dentist William Morton, who is considered the discoverer of general anesthesia, in 1846 held the first in the world anesthesia using diethyl ether. However, he never benefited from of his superiority. The doctor spent his last years in poverty and disputes with numerous competitors about their discovery.

Steve Bartman



Steve Bartman, Chicago Cubs fan who just wanted to catch the ball during an important match. Because of the guy did not catch the ball, and he fell to the podium, the team lost and did not was able to reach the final (and on that day such a chance appeared for the first time in many years). The fans and the team hated the guy - everyone believed that it was he guilty of a monstrous mistake, and was called a terrorist framed against the Cubs. Fans even found out the guy's address and started chasing him, because of which security was on duty near Steve's house.

Jack Kevorkian



Jack Kevorkian or "Doctor Death" is known for his fight for legalization of euthanasia. In the 90s, the doctor advocated euthanasia in those cases when the patient is no longer able to provide medical care. His ideas were vigorously condemned by the medical community and the US authorities. Because of this revoked his license to practice medicinesome practice. His practice before is still considered controversial, but it also has many supporters, who believe that sometimes letting a sick person die is more humane than leave him to slowly suffer from the disease.

Julius Caesar



It is believed that the assassination of Gaius Julius Caesar is primarily reaction to the dictatorship established in Rome. The Senate thus wished restore the Republic and eliminate the concentration of power in one hands. But there is an opinion that being a political reformer, Caesar wanted to tax wealthy landowners. The Senate has always been cruel in relation to the reformers, since for the most part it consisted of those wealthy landowners. This was one of the reasons for the conspiracy against Caesar and the subsequent assassination.

Richard Jewell



Richard Jewell - security guard at the 1996 Summer Olympics year in Atlanta, who was blamed for the bombing. He found a backpack with three pipe bombs, reported this to the police, and then actively helped evacuate people before the explosion. First he was hailed as a hero, and then - the villain who staged the whole terrorist attack. The man has been subjected to harassment in the media, and the FBI searched his house several times, interrogated colleagues and monitored him around the clock. In the end the man was fully acquitted, and Eric Rudolph was found guilty of the attacks. Shortly after the acquittal, Jewell sadly passed away.

William Murdoch



In the movie "Titanic" the character of William Murdoch, a member of the crew in rank of first officer, took a bribe, shot passengers, and in general made a negative impression. But actually William McMaster Murdoc was a real hero - and saved many lives. Besides, in The Titanic was shown that the officer committed suicide before the crash, although he died after the crash - from hypothermia. Officer's relatives were outraged by the inaccuracy. Vice President of Fox later went to Dalbeatty to personally apologize to the Murdoch family.