12 rulers of the past who had nicknames that were more like funny name-calling (13 photos)

In ancient times, courtiers (and others) could not resist discussing the rulers behind their backs. Monarchs, like all other people, had habits, appearance and character traits that not everyone liked. Therefore, it is not surprising that over time, rather strange and sometimes offensive nicknames stuck to them.





Many of them have become entrenched in history, thanks to which they have survived to this day. Now you and I have the opportunity to find out what additional “titles” the kings had to wear, although perhaps they did not want this at all.

Harald I Bluetooth (King of Denmark and Norway)



Harald occupied the throne in the 10th century. At that time, he, like many other people, suffered from disgusting dental conditions, because the dental industry was virtually non-existent. It was for his unattractive smile that he was nicknamed Blue-Toothed.

Harold I Harefoot (King of England)





The English king of the 11th century loved hunting and was also distinguished by his ability to run very quickly. Observant citizens noticed these features of the ruler, giving him a funny nickname.

Pepin the Short (King of France)



The king reigned from 752-768. He received his nickname because of his short stature, which nevertheless did not prevent him from achieving outstanding military victories.

Constantine V Navoznik (Emperor of the Byzantine Empire)



Constantine V took the throne in the middle of the 8th century. He is remembered in history as a fanatical iconoclast who constantly raided monasteries and tried to destroy all existing religious symbols. However, at the same time, Constantine was an absolutely pious person. He simply considered all church relics to be nonsense that had nothing to do with God.

There is a myth that in infancy, during baptism, the ruler shit himself right in the font, which is why they came up with such a strange nickname for him.

Frederick I the Bitten (Count Palatine of Saxony)



The ruler did absolutely nothing to get his nickname. His parents tried. The fact is that Albert II the Worthy and Margaret of Sicily were in a rather toxic relationship, so the woman decided to run away from her tyrant husband. However, the mother did not want to part with her son so much that during goodbye she bit him on the cheek, leaving a scar on his face as a souvenir.

Harald I Fairhair (King of Norway)



The ruler of Norway is an odious and famous person. He became famous for his many conquests and campaigns. When Harald decided to become king, he promised himself that until he achieved his goal, he would not wash, cut or comb his hair. After receiving the crown, the warrior, of course, put his hair in order, thanks to which they began to call him Fair-haired.

Edmund Ironside (King of England)



Edmund spent most of his life in battle, which is why people almost never saw him without armor. For this reason, the ruler received the nickname Ironside.

Richard I Yes-and-No (King of England)



The ruler of England received not the most noble nickname because of his compliance. According to historians, the king could often be persuaded in one direction or the other, which his ill-wishers did not hesitate to take advantage of.

Louis II the Stutterer or the Tongue-Tied (King of Aquitaine)



The ruler did not receive his nicknames out of the blue. Since childhood, he had a severe stutter, which prevented him from speaking in public. This played a serious role during his reign, weakening his authority.

John the Landless, Soft Sword (King of England)



John was considered one of the weakest rulers of England. He regularly got involved in wars, which he lost, and also almost lost his throne due to the rebellion of his own subjects. Since he was the youngest son, he did not inherit almost any lands, which had an extremely negative impact on his image. After his reign, monarchs stopped giving their heirs the name John, as it began to be considered unlucky.

Sven I Forkbeard (King of Denmark, Norway and Denmark)



The ruler got his nickname not because of the shape of his beard, as you might think, but because of the unusual shape of his mustache.

Alfonso IX Wetbeard (King of Leon and Galicia)



The king did not have any outstanding victories, but he became famous in history for his... slobbering. Yes, yes, the ruler lost control of himself during fits of anger, which is why he sprayed saliva in all directions and, of course, dropped it on his beard. The subjects could not resist the temptation to come up with an offensive nickname for the monarch.