Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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You know the old trope in historical dramas were everything is lovely, and then a beloved character coughs blood into a handkerchief and you know everything is about to get very sad? Well that was mostly tuberculosis. While reading John Green’s engrossing book, Everything Is Tuberculosis, I got to thinking about how many royals have succumbed to this dreadful disease. And there have been a lot! I had to skip over a few dozen unfortunate minor royals to keep the list manageable for one episode. And there are some big names on the ill-fated roaster, including 5 Emperors, 6 Kings, 6 Queens and 5 Heirs who never got to rule thanks to microscopic bacteria. Let’s meet 30 royals who died from Tuberculosis and take a closer look at how the most deadly infectious disease ever known has changed the course of history.
Nefertiti, Pharaoh of Egypt, 1330 BC
Leo IV the Khazar, Byzantine Emperor, 780
Jacqueline of Bavaria, Countess of Hainaut, 1436
Isabella of Bourbon, Countess of Charolai, 1465
Anne Neville, Queen of England, 1485
Henry VII, King of England, 1509
Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond & Somerset, 1536
Edward VI, King of England, 1553
Madeleine of Valois, Queen of Scots, 1537
Louis XIII, King of France, 1643
Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain, 1714
Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain, 1760
Shah Jahan II, Mughal Emperor, 1719
Yongqi, Prince Rong of China, 1766
Louis Joseph Xavier of France, Duke of Burgundy, 1761
Louis, Dauphin of France, 1765
Sophie of France, 1787
Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France, 1789
Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France “Louis XVII”, 1795
Amelia, Princess of the UK, 1810
Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este, Empress of Austria, 1816
Napoleon II, King of Rome, “Emperor of France”, 1832
Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil, 1834
Maria Amélia, Princess of Brazil, 1853
Lunalilo, King of Hawaii, 1874
Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo, Queen of Spain, 1876
Alfonso XII, King of Spain, 1885
George Alexandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1899
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, 1953
Khải Định, Emperor of Vietnam 1925
Check out the History Tea Time Podcast:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/7iW8gOI5wb5TNFAIhBd9Om?si=46aeeacd64214ac0
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-tea-time/id1619978406
Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503
Instagram: instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday
Music: Danse macabre by Saint-Saëns
For business inquiries, please contact LindsayHoliday@ellify.com
Please consider supporting me at patreon.com/LindsayHoliday
You know the old trope in historical dramas were everything is lovely, and then a beloved character coughs blood into a handkerchief and you know everything is about to get very sad? Well that was mostly tuberculosis. While reading John Green’s engrossing book, Everything Is Tuberculosis, I got to thinking about how many royals have succumbed to this dreadful disease. And there have been a lot! I had to skip over a few dozen unfortunate minor royals to keep the list manageable for one episode. And there are some big names on the ill-fated roaster, including 5 Emperors, 6 Kings, 6 Queens and 5 Heirs who never got to rule thanks to microscopic bacteria. Let’s meet 30 royals who died from Tuberculosis and take a closer look at how the most deadly infectious disease ever known has changed the course of history.
Nefertiti, Pharaoh of Egypt, 1330 BC
Leo IV the Khazar, Byzantine Emperor, 780
Jacqueline of Bavaria, Countess of Hainaut, 1436
Isabella of Bourbon, Countess of Charolai, 1465
Anne Neville, Queen of England, 1485
Henry VII, King of England, 1509
Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond & Somerset, 1536
Edward VI, King of England, 1553
Madeleine of Valois, Queen of Scots, 1537
Louis XIII, King of France, 1643
Maria Luisa of Savoy, Queen of Spain, 1714
Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain, 1760
Shah Jahan II, Mughal Emperor, 1719
Yongqi, Prince Rong of China, 1766
Louis Joseph Xavier of France, Duke of Burgundy, 1761
Louis, Dauphin of France, 1765
Sophie of France, 1787
Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France, 1789
Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France “Louis XVII”, 1795
Amelia, Princess of the UK, 1810
Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este, Empress of Austria, 1816
Napoleon II, King of Rome, “Emperor of France”, 1832
Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil, 1834
Maria Amélia, Princess of Brazil, 1853
Lunalilo, King of Hawaii, 1874
Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo, Queen of Spain, 1876
Alfonso XII, King of Spain, 1885
George Alexandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1899
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, 1953
Khải Định, Emperor of Vietnam 1925
Check out the History Tea Time Podcast:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/7iW8gOI5wb5TNFAIhBd9Om?si=46aeeacd64214ac0
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-tea-time/id1619978406
Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503
Instagram: instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday
Music: Danse macabre by Saint-Saëns
For business inquiries, please contact LindsayHoliday@ellify.com
