ROYAL NICKNAMES THAT STUCK IN TIME Mad Monarchers
Ivaylo, Tsar of Bulgaria – “The Cabbage”: The 13th-century emperor was originally a peasant who led a revolt, hence his moniker related to the vegetable, below. Prince Philip sometimes called the Queen “Cabbage”.
Alfonso IX – “The Slobberer”:
King of Leon in Spain during the
12th century got the name from his habit of foaming at the mouth when angry.
Henry IV – “The Impotent”:
The reputation of the 15thcentury ruler of Castile never recovered from failing to consummate his marriage.
Louis V – “Do Nothing”: King of part of France in the 10th century, he was known for his boring eight-year reign which ended when he died aged 20 in a hunting accident without any heirs.
Eystein Halfdansson – “The Fart”: No-one’s sure if the 8th-century Viking ruler had a wind problem, And his son was Halfdan, “The Bad Entertainer”.
Erik V – “The Short Changer”: The 13th-century Danish king was associated with clipping coins to
make them worth less.
Constantine V – “The Sh*t”: The 8th-century Byzantine emperor garnered his nickname from a legend that he’d done a poo in the baptismal font as a baby.
Wilfred – “The Hairy”: This 9th-century Catalan nobleman and Count of Barcelona was apparently “hairy in places not normally so in men”.
Charles II – “The Bald”: A ruler of the Carolingian Empire in the 9th century, this may have been an ironic nickname as portraits show him with lustrous locks.
Ethelred – “The Unready”: The 10th-century English king was constantly having problems with the Danes and his nickname comes from an old word meaning “poorly advised”.
Charles VI – “The Mad”: King of France in the 15th century, he was one of many monarchs mocked because of mental illness.
William I – “The Bastard”: Winner of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the Norman Duke only got his “Conqueror” tag in the 13th century. His earlier nickname referred to having been born illegitimately.
Queen Anne – “Brandy Nan”: The boozy Stuart queen’s fondness for brandy, apparently poured innocently from a teapot, got her this one. ★ ★
CUTE: Wills and wombat
George I – “Turnip Head”: When sceptical Brits got a German-born king in 1714, they dubbed him “Turnip Head” joking that the foodstuff, below, was the sole produce of his Hanover homeland.
George IV – “Prince of Whales”: The notoriously fat Prince Regent was so called because of his 54-inch waist. Other fat royals include Edward VII, dubbed “Tum Tum” by pals.
Prince William – “Wombat”: Princess Diana gave her eldest son this nickname when aged two, after the Aussie critter. He admitted it stuck with him into adulthood, saying: “I can’t get rid of it now.”