Gay kings in history

Anne stayed above the fray, however, and remained popular through her death in He also created a scandal thanks to his young male lover. In the s, George became addicted to morphine and cocaine during an affair with American socialite Kiki Preston — known as the girl with the silver syringe.

And until the s, heterosexual meant an abnormal attraction to the opposite sex. Learn about the lives and loves of five LGBTQ+ monarchs from England and Scotland, from William II to Anne. And although Hadrian married around the year CE, he also had a male lover.

The last of the Stuart monarchs, Queen Anne of Great Britain maintained a long-term relationship with Sarah Churchill in the early s. LGBTQ nobility and royalty Throughout history, members of royal and noble houses have engaged in same-sex relationships.

During a whirlwind military campaign, Alexander toppled the Persian Empire and invaded India. When James I of England took the throne in after the death of Elizabeth, he had big shoes to fill. When Julius became pope two years later, he convinced his brother to adopt Innocenzo, and later named his alleged lover a cardinal.

Julius met Innocenzoa year-old beggar, inwhen Innocenzo was fighting with his pet ape on the street. Many kings and queens needed to keep their sexuality quiet, but others defended their lifestyle openly. The king chose not to marry and never fathered an heir.

13 LGBTQ British Royals :

Alexander the Great conquered enough land to rule one of the largest empires in ancient history. Ancient Greeks and Renaissance Florentines took both male and female lovers. It was only important what part a man played during sex:.

But before we talk about LGBTQ+ kings and queens, let's start with the history of sexual terms heterosexual and homosexual. Many also believe Alexander maintained a relationship with his companion Hephaestion. The ancient Greeks were very open-minded about homosexuality.

The future pope swept the boy away and named him a cathedral provost. And the Roman emperor Hadrian named a city after his male lover. Instead of having a queen by his side at his coronation, Richard invited his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, to play the role of his partner.

George died in in a tragic plane crash. Even though some societies embraced homosexualitymost refused to accept a gay monarch. Discover their secrets, scandals, and legacies in this article. When his lover drowned, Hadrian founded a city in Egypt and named it Antinopolis in his honor.

For much of history, LGBTQ+ royalty needed to hide their identities. King Edward II of England openly kissed his male lover on his wedding day. Richard the Lionheart became King of England in To others, though, Richard I is a gay icon.

Even though some societies embraced homosexuality, most refused to accept a gay monarch. But where did he fall on the spectrum of sexual identity? When Edward married Isabella of France, he showered kisses on Piers in front of the entire court.