The saying goes “Well-behaved women rarely make history,” but the opposite is true as well. Some women live lives so filled with scandal and tragedy that history does its best to erase them. Luckily, it’s hard to keep a good story hidden—and these stories are absolutely filled with controversy, intrigue, and devastating twists and turns. From royal mistresses to freedom fighters, these are the stories of history’s lost women.

1. Mata Hari Was A Spy With A Brazen Side

Mata Hari’s execution took place on October 15, 1917. According to the testimony of journalist Henry Wales, Hari refused to be blindfolded as she faced the firing squad who were about to take her life. She did not flinch as the men opened fire, and even after she’d been struck, her face did not change expression. She also blew a kiss to her executioners in her final moments. 

When it comes to bold moments though, the notorious royal mistress Nell Gwyn had a few of her own…

2. Nell Gwyn Was Desperate—And Smart

Though King Charles II’s mistress Nell Gwyn ended up wealthy and popular, it was a long road to get there. She did everything in her power to catch his eye, and she ended up being his chief mistress for many years—but few knew the dark grip that she held on him behind closed doors. Once, Gwyn was upset that her eldest son with the King was illegitimate. Fed up with her royal lover, the courtesan committed an utterly disturbing act.

3. She Knew Exactly How To Manipulate Him

According to some sources, Gwyn grabbed her young son, also named Charles, and dangled him out of a high window, threatening to throw him out of it if the King didn’t give him an official title. A terrified Charles II blurted out, “God save the Earl of Burford!” anointing his son as an Earl, and saving his life at the same time.

Desperate times call for desperate measures! If only the Duchess of Berry had handled herself as well when it came to her lovers…

4. The Duchess Of Berry Was The Most Scandalous Woman In France

Louise Élisabeth was the most scandalous duchess in France. The tabloids couldn’t get enough of this debaucherous royal who lived only to throw parties and add notches to her bedpost—with devastating results. Affair after affair led to a constant series of miscarriages, and her wild lifestyle slowly ate away at her once youthful and vibrant frame.

At 22 years old, she became pregnant for the sixth time, and her body simply couldn’t hold together any longer.

5. She Paid The Price For Her Lifestyle

After miscarrying once more, she never fully recovered. She died in agony not long after. The Duchess of Berry was just 23 years old. However, there was one final twist to this tragic tale. Doctors performed an autopsy on the deceased duchess—and they made a discovery that sent shockwaves through 18th-century France. Louise Élisabeth was a full two weeks pregnant at the time of her demise. It’s unknown who the father was.

Despite all the tragedy, the Duchess’s life was a walk in the park compared to the story of Queen Olympias…

6. Olympias’ Methods Were Truly Disturbing

When Queen Olympias had captured her wayward stepson Arrhidaeus and his ambitious wife, she was not merciful in her victory. She executed Arrhidaeus in a straightforward manner in order to be rid of him—but Adea Eurydice suffered a much darker fate. Olympias famously sent her a cup of poison, a noose, and a sword, telling her to choose how she would die. According to the histories, Adea Eurydice chose to hang herself, though she cursed Olympias to the very end of her life.

That’s just how they settled things back then—and while things in 20th century England were less violent, there was a different kind of brutality lurking in high society…

7. Thelma Furness Was A Mistress Betrayed

We all know about the massive scandal that Edward VII caused when he abdicated the English throne to marry his American divorcee paramour, Wallis Simpson. But few remember the woman who came before her: Thelma Furness. And sadly, the repercussions of her affair with the royal and the heartbreak and controversy that ensued would haunt her for the rest of her life.

8. She Made A Grave Mistake

When Thelma Furness collided with Edward, it wasn’t love at first sight. But as they began to spend more time together, she fell hard. They began to spend long weekends together, despite the fact that Thelma was married. They spent many happy months together, but the arrival of another infamous woman abruptly ended her joy. In fact, Thelma claimed that she was actually the one to introduce Edward to Wallis Simpson.

Although she didn’t know it at the time, she’d doomed herself.

9. She Made A Drastic Decision

When Thelma decided to leave her Husband, she told Edward. The two were incredibly joyful—but there was also an undercurrent of sadness. Edward would, one day, be the king, and would bear an incredible amount of responsibility along with the title. Obviously, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—marry her. In the moment, though, she was just happy to be with someone who loved her and whom she trusted.

Unfortunately for Thelma, she trusted Edward perhaps a little too much.

10. He Broke Her Heart

In January 1934, Thelma’s twin sister invited her to California for a visit. The trip would take roughly five or six weeks. She immediately prepared for the trip, but Edward was less than happy to be away from her for so long. That’s when Thelma had a stroke of genius: she asked her good friend Wallis Simpson to keep Edward company.

Well, when she came back, it didn’t take Thelma long to realize that her lover and her friend had betrayed her. And although Thelma put on a brave face, there’s evidence that her heartbreak reverberated through the years…

11. She Never Forgot Him

On January 29, 1970, at the age of 65, Furness’s life came to an end while she was on the way to see her doctor. According to her niece, Gloria Vanderbilt, “In [Thelma’s] bag was this miniature teddy bear that the Prince of Wales had given her, years before, when she came to be with my mother at the custody trial, and it was worn down to the nub.” Her grave is next to her twin’s in Culver City, California.

See, she still had a soft spot for him—something our next subject could relate to.

12. Marita Lorenzo Was A Beautiful Weapon

In 1960, the CIA pressured Fidel Castro’s mistress into killing him. According to the plan, the woman, Marita Lorenzo, would proffer Castro poison pills that she had hidden in her jar of face lotion. Unfortunately, the pills dissolved in the cream—and then things got even worse: Castro got wise to her plot. But there was a surprising twist. 

It appeared that Castro was more heartbroken than mad, as he offered Lorenzo his own gun and told her to finish him off herself. She still loved him and couldn’t do it. They ended on good enough terms for her to visit one last time in 1961. That’s love, folks!

13. The Stolen Princess In Queen Victoria’s Court

Strong, intelligent, and best known as Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta led an extraordinary life. Her experiences, however, were far from idyllic. Born an African princess and captured as a slave,she was later raised as the queen’s ward in English high society, But if her time in England revealed anything, it’s that any cage, no matter how gilded, is still just a cage, especially when Queen Victoria is in charge…

14. She Wasn’t Given A Choice

Queen Victoria acted like she’d saved Sarah Forbes Bonetta, but she also forced her into countless uncomfortable situations. However, one was worse than the others. When Sarah was just 19 years old, her 31-year-old former classmate, James, expressed his desire to marry her. She was not interested—but he went over her head and asked Queen Victoria. Despite Sarah’s protestations, Victoria acquiesced.

Given no other choice, Sarah went along with it. While they did go on to have three children, Victoria somehow still had mixed feelings for her goddaughter’s husband…

15. She Had An Evac Plan

Oddly, despite the fact that it was the queen who urged Sarah to marry a man whom she presumably knew resided in Lagos, Queen Victoria feared that her goddaughter might not actually be safe there. So much so that she felt compelled to arrange an emergency escape plan for Sarah via the Royal Navy, which allegedly had standing instructions to rescue her in the event of anything bad happening (like, say, a political uprising). Um, thanks?

However, Sarah’s inevitable return to England wasn’t motivated by the fear of losing her life—although unbeknownst to her, her life would soon be in jeopardy for an entirely different reason.

16. She Couldn’t Make It

Sarah Forbes Bonetta discovered she had tuberculosis, but did everything in her power to treat it. Sadly, she passed on August 15, 1880, in Funchal, Madeira Island. She was only 37 years old. Her godmother Queen Victoria mourned her in public—but one passage from the queen’s private diary reveals the darker truth. She (at least in part) blamed Sarah’s widower, James, for her untimely passing. There’s meddling, and then there’s Queen Victoria…

Sadly, Sarah Forbes Bonetta had to go through life on the Queen’s terms. Wu Zetian, however, did things her way at all times.

17. Wu Zetian Kept It All In The Family

You don’t become China’s only ruling empress by playing by the rules. Wu Zetian was the favorite concubine of Emperor Taizong, and she refused to just retire when he died. Instead, Wu hooked up with her dead lover’s son, the new Emperor Gaozong, stayed in power, and even claimed China for herself upon his death.

Living by her own rules is something that Veronica Franco could relate to—though she didn’t quite get the happy ending she wanted.

18. This Courtesan Lived By Her Own Rules

History hasn’t always been kind to strong, intelligent women, and Veronica Franco was no exception. In 16th century Venice, most courtesans were trained by their mothers, themselves retired courtesans, and Franco was no exception. Despite the odds against her, she managed to carve out a half-decent existence on her own terms. But she wasn’t just a courtesan.

A poet, a feminist, a witch…these are just a few of the hats that Franco wore during her time on earth. And her story isn’t for the faint of heart.

19. She Almost Faded Into Obscurity

Franco married young—and to a respectable doctor, at that—but hey, if her story ended there, we wouldn’t be talking about her right now. After an affair with a merchant, Franco got pregnant, but instead of just passing it off, she told her husband the truth and asked for a divorce. Since he didn’t return her dowry, she had to support herself—and you can take a guess about what career path she took…

20. She Enjoyed The Freedom

You may think “courtesan” was a fancy word for sex worker, but you’d be gravely mistaken. Venetian courtesans, or cortigianas, were at the top of their career ladder. The word “cortigiana” came from “courtier,” and so these women had to be worthy to keep the company of wealthy and powerful men. They could own property, get an education, learn about science, art, and politics, and mingle with writers, artists, and learned men.

And that’s exactly what Franco did…

21. People Turned On Her

Franco was an extremely popular courtesan. She had affairs with the likes of King Henry III of France, and in her spare time, became a prolific poet and published her works. But the world is rarely kind to successful women, and Franco faced the wrath of several Venetian prudes and detractors. One even came from within her own household. After she caught one of her son’s tutors stealing, he shifted the blame by accusing Franco of witchcraft.

Unfortunately, people took this kind of thing pretty seriously in Venice…

22. History Nearly Erased Her

When Franco went to court to defend her name against accusations that she was a witch, she had a confident answer for each question the inquisitor asked of her. Eventually, Franco won her case—but then she made a devastating discovery. The verdict may have been in her favor, but the damage to her reputation was already done. By the time she passed at the age of 45, it seemed like history would forget Veronica Franco—but luckily, her legacy burned bright.

Her writings resurfaced in the 18th century and she became the subject of a book and movie in the 1990s. And as good as they are, my vote for “best potential biopic subject” might go to Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen…

23. The Winter Queen’s Fate Was Dire

Coming into the world as the daughter of King James VI, the beautiful Elizabeth Stuart was the pride and joy of her noble family. So how did it all go so very wrong? Elizabeth may have started as her county’s precious crown jewel, but her life ended in bitterness and brutality. Here are just a few tidbits from the twisted life of the so-called “Winter Queen.”

24. A Scandalous Rumor Started About Her

On June 20, 1646, Elizabeth’s son Prince Philip slew the notorious French lover Colonel Jacques de l’Epinay in a duel, and his reasons were scandalous. According to rumor, l’Epinay had provoked Philip by claiming he had not only slept with his sister Princess Louise, but also with his mother, Elizabeth herself. Man, I really hope that rumor isn’t true.

Though Philip was quick to step up, Elizabeth actually ended up estranged from most of her children. That is, the ones who survived. Her issue did not have great luck—but neither did Elizabeth.

25. She Was “The Winter Queen”

Because her reign with Frederick in Bohemia lasted just one year, Elizabeth Stuart is famous today as “The Winter Queen,” alongside Frederick’s “Winter King” moniker. This lasting yet ignominious claim to fame hardly could have pleased the ambitious Elizabeth. Ironically, though, it was winter that felled the exiled queen at last.

26. She Met A Bloody End

In the bitter early months of 1662, Elizabeth had only been back in England for mere weeks when her health took a violent downturn. The aging queen caught a nasty case of pneumonia, and on February 10, she succumbed to a hemorrhaged lung and passed. All the glories of her life were long gone, yet there was one final indignity at her end. Only one of her sons, Rupert, showed up to carry her coffin into her final resting place of Westminster Abbey.

Elizabeth’s “Winter Queen” moniker didn’t come because of her icy beauty, but instead because of her brutally brief reign. But when it comes to short and eventful reigns, it’s an entirely different Elizabeth who may just take the cake…

27. Elizabeth Woodville Played A Dangerous Game Of Thrones

Cross Game of Thrones with Cinderella, and you’ll get Elizabeth Woodville’s life story. Despite her lowborn roots, she used her beauty to catch the eye of King Edward IV and become the first common-born Queen of England. Unfortunately, her marriage royally ticked off one of the king’s advisors, who then turned on him and put his enemy on the throne.

In a matter of months, Elizabeth went from the queen of England to desperate, pregnant, and alone. But just because she was down didn’t mean she was out…

28. Her Fortunes Changed

In May of 1471, King Edward staged a legendary comeback. With her husband back as king, Elizabeth Woodville re-entered the real-life game of thrones. But peace never lasted long in Wars of the Roses-era England, of course. After a few tussles for power, Elizabeth’s husband passed under ambiguous circumstances at just 40 years old. Some say that he had “a chill”; others insist that his debauched ways had finally caught up to him.

No matter what caused the king to keep over, his demise left Elizabeth Woodville a widow and single mother to the future king. During the turbulent 1400s, this was a very dangerous position to be in. Elizabeth knew that to ensure her safety—and the safety of her family—she’d have to act fast.

29. They Both Made Huge Mistakes

Before he passed, King Edward IV had appointed his brother Richard as Lord Protector of Prince Edward, Elizabeth’s son and the heir to the throne. However, Elizabeth smelled his bad intentions from a mile away. She hid at an abbey with Edward and her other son, but Richard eventually cornered her and forced her to give him the boys. Big mistake. 

See, while we may not have heard about Elizabeth Woodville in the history books, it’s likely you’ve heard about her sons.

30. She Lost Her Sons

Despite all his promises to the contrary, Richard imprisoned Elizabeth’s beloved sons, Prince Edward and his little brother, in the Tower of London. Yup, they were the infamous “Princes in the Tower.” Richard claimed that Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville’s marriage was illegitimate, deposed their son, and essentially disappeared the two boys. No one knows for sure what happened to them, but for centuries, people have believed that Richard executed the brothers.

Even when the Tudor King Henry VII defeated Richard, the drama didn’t stop for Elizabeth.

31. Her Funeral Was Insulting

After 55 years of nonstop drama, Elizabeth Woodville breathed her last breaths. The royal family said goodbye to their mother and prepared for her funeral at Windsor Castle. But when they arrived at the ceremony, their jaws dropped. Her funeral was downright shabby. A mere five attendants carried Elizabeth’s coffin, the bells did not toll in her honor, and she didn’t even receive the traditional funerary rights. Her coffin was basically buried as soon as humanly possible.

This was a huge slap in the deceased queen’s face—but why?

32. Her Burial Stunned Historians

Some people took the drabness of Woodville’s 1492 funeral as evidence that the new Tudor dynasty really hated her. But, in 2019, a historian uncovered a letter that confirmed that Woodville had perished of the strange plague often called the “sweating sickness.” In an effort to avoid spreading the disease, the royal family decided to bury the Dowager Queen as quickly as possible and get the heck outta there.

As endings go, it’s pretty twisted—and Queen Barbara of Poland’s was just as disturbing.

33. This Upstart Queen Met A Brutal End

Queen Barbara of Poland’s sweeping tale is supposed to be a “love conquers all” romance—but few people know her whole, heartbreaking story. This cunning queen used her wits to gain power, had a passionate affair with a king, and feuded with a vicious mother-in-law, with all her efforts culminating in an utterly brutal end. Hold onto that crown and strap in for a wild royal ride: Queen Barbara’s life was no fairy tale.

34. Her Husband Met A Swift And Brutal End

By December of 1542, Barbara had fully settled into her life as an attentive wife—then tragedy swooped in. After a short but ravaging illness, her husband Stanislovas perished. Oh, but that wasn’t all: Since she was now a childless widow, all of Barbara’s wealth went to the King of Poland, Sigismund the Old.  It sounds like rock bottom for our girl Barbara, but when one door closes, another one opens.

35. She Had A Steamy Affair

In October 1543, the King sent his son Prince Sigismund to Barbara’s home so he could claim the estate and rip it out of Barbara’s hands. Instead, it was a date with destiny. The young heir and the beautiful widow fell passionately in love with each other on this very trip, beginning a tryst that would lead to infamy and legend. There was just one problem…the Prince was already married.

Not only did the Prince not seem to care about that, but he was also extremely heartless when it came to his wife’s epilepsy. When it took her life at just 18, his mourning period was…brutally short.

36. She Committed A Royal Sin

The Prince’s mother was, understandably, extremely mad about her son’s dalliance with a widow. She did everything in her power to break them up, but the pair couldn’t be discouraged. Barbara and Prince Sigismund walked to very the edge of reason. It wasn’t long before they did something supremely rash. Around the summer of 1547, the passionate lovebirds wed in a ceremony so secret that no one even knows exactly when or where it happened.

His family was apoplectic, and on top of that, Sigismund was supposed to have got the Polish parliament’s permission to marry. And it was about to get even more complicated.

37. She Became Queen—For A Price

On April 1, 1548, Sigismund’s father passed, making him the new King of Poland and Barbara the presumptive Queen Consort. It should have been a happy moment—but Barbara’s elation quickly turned to terror. Now that she was actually set to be queen, the Polish parliament threatened to start a full-blown revolt so that Barbara couldn’t take the throne. Sigismund was having none of it. For three years, he stood his ground, and eventually, got his wish.

Barbara became Queen of Poland…but it wasn’t exactly happily ever after.

38. She Had A Swift Downfall

Finally, Queen Barbara had it all: Her man, her crown, her country. Yet she was doomed to a heartbreaking end. Practically the minute the Archbishop placed the crown on her head, Barbara’s always-frail health took a turn for the worse. Her stomach pains became searing, she developed a fever, and she lost all her appetite. But before long, it got much worse than that. One of the most chilling symptoms of Barbara’s sickness happened where almost no one could see.

Confined to her bed, attendants discovered that a lump was slowly growing on the soft skin of the queen’s stomach, and that the monstrosity was filled with pus. It was the first true sign that the end was coming, and that it wasn’t going to be pretty.

39. Her Husband Couldn’t Let Her Go

On May 8, 1551, just five months after her coronation, Barbara succumbed to her mysterious illness and passed at the tender age of 30. King Sigismund was more than just beside himself; the mourning lover followed Barbara’s coffin on foot the entire journey to her final resting place. But there was still the mystery of what had taken her life…

40. The Truth Behind Her Story Is Tragic

Strangers and relatives alike thought Barbara’s illness had something to do with her reproductive organs, and they weren’t that far off from reality. Modern historians now believe that Barbara likely passed from cervical or ovarian cancer. People didn’t understand these diseases well at the time, but they could explain the series of painful miscarriages that Barbara had suffered.

Barbara went against convention to find happiness—just as Queen Victoria’s daughter Louise would, centuries later.

41. Princess Louise Was A Victorian Rebel

Born on the eve of Europe’s first wave of Revolutions, Queen Victoria knew that her daughter Princess Louise was bound to be special. And special she was. Princess Louise was a precocious child who matured into a controversial, mysterious revolutionary. Grab a cup of tea and prepare to learn about the scandalous woman that the British royals have tried to hide.

42. She Had A Love Child

In the 1860s, Queen Victoria’s doctor adopted a little boy named Henry Locock. It sounds like a dull fact—but nothing could be further from the truth. Throughout his life, Henry claimed that he was no regular adoptee, but the illegitimate son of Princess Louise and her lover Walter Stirling. To this day, no one knows if Locock was telling the truth because the royal family has barred two of the family’s attempts to get DNA tested.

That wasn’t the only scandalous rumor involving an affair…

43. She Had A Twisted Affair

Louise didn’t care what people thought about her, and she didn’t care much for appearances. So, when she struck up a close friendship with her sister’s husband Prince Henry of Battenberg, she didn’t try and hide it. Since their bond was out in the open, rumors abounded that they were lovers. No one knows the truth about their potential love affair, but when Henry passed in 1896, Louise remarked that “he was almost the greatest friend I had—I, too, miss him more than I can say.”

44. She Had Intense Sibling Rivalries

Because of the rumors that Louise was secretly romancing her own sister’s husband, it’s not hard to believe that Princess Beatrice would get angry and lash out. According to Louise, her sister got revenge by spreading a dark rumor. Beatrice claimed that Louise was romantically involved with Queen Victoria’s private secretary, Arthur Bigge. Louise struck back by spreading a rumor of her own. She said that Beatrice made the whole thing up because she was jealous. And then Louise poured salt in the wound.

45. She Had A Mean Side

After Princess Beatrice’s handsome husband (and Princess Louise’s rumored boy toy) Prince Henry passed, Louise claimed that she and Henry were much closer than Henry and Beatrice. She even went so far as to say that Beatrice “meant nothing” to her husband. Ouch. But what about Princess Louise’s husband? Well, he was getting into trouble himself…

46. Her Marriage Was In Trouble

What helped the rumors about Louise and Henry was that Louise was not getting along well with her husband. They often lived separately for long periods, and Louise preferred the company of other men. What went wrong between Louise and the husband that she specifically chose? Strap in.

47. Her Husband Had A Secret

One of the most circulated rumors about Louise was that her husband was in fact gay. Louise didn’t seem to mind her husband’s bedroom preferences, many of these royal marriages are of convenience anyway. What she did mind, however, was his night prowling. Apparently, Louise tried to stop Campbell from going cruising during the nights by closing off the windows to their apartment. However, he wasn’t the only one stepping out…

48. She Fell In Love With A Scandalous Man

Louise spent a lot of time away from her husband, who was growing ever more eccentric and believed that he had second sight. This gave her space to live her life on her own terms and engage in affairs that fulfilled her. While living in Canada, she had a love affair with an Indigenous man who was modeling for her art. To say this caused a great deal of gossip would be an understatement.

If you thought Queen Victoria was overly concerned with morals and appearances before, just imagine what she’d have thought about this.

49. The Mystery Continues

Princess Louise left a lasting impact on Britain and the royal family. How much so, however, we may never know. Over the years, the royal family has rescinded, locked away, or destroyed many of Louise’s papers and files. The estate has even kept prize-winning biographers in the dark and straight-up ignored their requests to research the life of Prince Louise.

When they made Princess Louise, they broke the mold—but there have definitely been other British nobles who became just as scandalous as she did, if not more…

50. Edwina Mountbatten Was A High Society Rebel

Edwina Mountbatten knew better than anyone that behind the glittering, softly lit ballrooms of high society, there were dark, twisting corridors full of secrets—after all, behind closed doors, Edwina had more than a few secrets of her own. From her scandalous marriage to her tragic twist ending, this beautiful socialite lived ten lives in one.

51. She Fell In Love With A Royal

When Edwina was just 19 years old, she met Lord Louis Mountbatten, a relative of the current British Royal Family and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria in his own right. Translation: He was one heck of a catch. Lucky for Edwina, Louis—nicknamed “Dickie” by his family—only had eyes for her, and they struck up a whirlwind romance. It seemed like a fairy tale, but soon after their lavish wedding, the cracks started to show.

52. She Betrayed Her Husband

After the birth of her daughter Patricia, Edwina Mountbatten went off the deep end. One day while Louis was away in the Navy, she packed up her babe with a nanny and sent her off to the coast so she could have some Mommy alone time. Only, she wasn’t so alone. Edwina proceeded to spark up a string of affairs with society’s most eligible bachelors. And somehow, this wasn’t the most scandalous detail.

53. She Had Several Lovers At Once

Once Edwina decided to jump the Good Ship Fidelity, she really went for it. She not only took lovers, she took them near-simultaneously, hopping around town with a Lord Molyneux in the morning, the dashing polo player Laddie Sandford in the afternoon, and newspaper editor Mike Wardell in the evening. It wasn’t long before it got messy.

54. She Broke Her Husband’s Heart

When Louis first realized the extent of Edwina’s double life, he was “devastated,” but he also had to think practically. As a member of the royal family, he could hardly divorce her without causing an uproar. So instead, they came to a scandalous and very secret agreement: They would have an open marriage. You know, some would say this wasn’t the best idea.

55. She Had “Extremely Low Morals”

As she reached late middle age, Edwina had completed her transformation into a stalwart symbol of Britain. Yet few knew her biggest secret—and it’s contained in an FBI file. Dating from 1944, the file deems the Mountbattens “persons of extremely low morals.” See, although the affairs of their younger days shocked polite society, there were more dangerous proclivities that they kept locked very, very tight…

56.  The FBI Kept Her Secrets

In the government files, there is evidence that both Edwina and Louis Mountbatten were bisexual—a boudoir taste that was considered utterly depraved for their time. Indeed, there are suggestions that the husband and wife would have threesomes together with their clandestine lovers. Sadly, though, there are much darker allegations.

57. Her Husband Had A Double Life

The final blow of these documents are the harrowing—and infamous—accusations against Edwina’s husband. Although there’s no evidence she was involved, sources now claim that Louis Mountbatten sought out the company of young boys in some of his affairs. It’s a black mark on the scandalous Mountbattens that no amount of today’s progressive morals can erase.

Still, as twisted as their story is, it’s almost tame compared to that of Rebekah Harkness, whose dark end is as disturbing as it is unforgettable…

58. Rebekah Harkness Was The Last Great American Heiress

For a time in the 1950s, socialite Rebekah Harkness was true American royalty. Wealthy, elegant, and beautiful, Harkness seemed to have it all—from her oil baron husband to her notoriously raucous parties. Harkness was the extravagant woman who inspired Taylor Swift’s song “the last great american dynasty.” But behind her perfect façade lies a chilling history.

59. She Was The Height Of Fashion

Rebekah had always been well-off as a child—as you might guess from the string of nannies who raised her—but marrying William Harkness thrust her into an entirely different tier of high society. By 1956, she had even snagged a photo spread in Vogue, appearing in a neat, black Mainbocher dress with a white satin apron at her back. In a matter of years, her life would go from classy to just plain messy.

60. She Took Dangerous Injections

As she aged, Rebekah started to live off of “champagne and injections,” including testosterone and an assortment of pain medications. This had devastating consequences. People reported that Harkness’s lavish marble bathrooms were often splattered with blood, and that her muscles had begun to calcify. The train wreck was now chugging along, and it wouldn’t stop until Harkness took her last breath.

61. Nobody Mourned Her

The end came swift, fast, and brutal for Harkness. Though her children Edith and Terry rushed to her bedside, the scene was anything but heart-warming. According to Bobby Scevers, her much younger lover, ”It was complete chaos…everybody running around signing wills and trying on different wigs.” And when Rebekah actually died on June 17, 1982, things only got weirder from there.

62. She Made Herself A Monument

Harkness had to do everything in style—even when it came to moving on to the next life. Before she passed, the socialite spent $250,000 to commission a bedazzled urn from none other than Salvador Dali. Ironically nicknamed “The Chalice of Life,” the morbid monument stood right at the intersection between tacky and lavish, just like Rebekah herself. And when the time came to put Harkness into the Chalice of Life, the plot thickened.

63. Her End Was Embarrassing

Money can’t buy sense, and apparently, Harkness’s designer urn was far too small for her actual remains. As Rebekah’s friend said, “Just a leg is in there, or maybe half of her head, and an arm.” So instead of giving her mother a dignified end, Rebekah’s daughter Terry had to carry the rest of her ashes home, bound up loosely in a humble supermarket bag. What an unseemly end for the last great American dynasty.

Of course, long before Harkness, a socialite of a different sort made waves for all the wrong reasons…

64. The Countess Of Castiglione: The Beauty With A Cruel Side

Virginia Oldoini—known better to history as the Countess of Castiglione—was mad, bad, and dangerous to know. The Italian aristocrat’s legendary beauty and photographic misadventures turned her into the world’s first model, but that’s not what made her INfamous. From her bedroom exploits to her tragic downfall, the Countess of Castiglione is one historical figure worth knowing.

65. She Was A Child Bride

When Virginia was just 17 years old, her parents rushed to marry her off to Francesco Verasis, the Count of Castiglione. The count was 12 years older than the girl, and not much of a looker. There was one, and just exactly one, bright spot in Virginia’s marriage to her fuddy-duddy count: Their son together, Giorgio.

Oldoini doted on the boy as only a rich mommy can, pouring all her own frustrated hopes and dreams into him. Giorgio, in turn, adored her. Which makes the countess’ infamous act of revenge all the more savage.

66. Her Husband Tried to Punish Her

The Countess famously had a high-profile affair with Emperor Napoleon III of France. Between that and other unpleasantries in their marriage, her husband eventually initiated a split. And then, during her separation proceedings, the Countess of Castiglione’s estranged husband decided to ramp up the bitterness and do something truly horrific.

He tried to claim custody of their only son Giorgio, using his wife’s lavish lifestyle as proof of her bad mothering. The countess’s response was swift and brutal.

67. She Gave a Cruel Payback

When Francesco tried to claim custody of her only beloved son Giorgio, the Countess of Castiglione didn’t take it lying down. Instead, she sent her ex a “present” in the mail. When he opened it, he was horrified. It was a seemingly innocent photograph of the beautiful countess dressed up in a luxurious gown—but when the count looked closer, his blood ran cold.

68. She Threatened Her Ex

Oldoini’s photograph was a warning shot to her estranged husband: In the portrait, the well-dressed countess was also holding a knife in her hand, half-hidden in the folds of her dress. The best part? She titled the photo “La Venegance,” just to make her message extra clear. Wouldn’t you know, she got custody of Giorgio for the rest of his life.

Pretty ruthless,