8. Maria the Mad, Queen Of Portugal, Had Royal Temper Tantrums
Maria I of Portugal, known as both Maria the Pious and Maria the Mad, was born into a long line of inbreeding. She went on to marry her uncle, and their son, Prince Joao, was also her cousin. Maria was known to be deeply religious all throughout her childhood, sometimes to the point of what might be considered manic. She was known to howl and shriek animalistic noises throughout the estate. When her confessor died in 1791, she would have raging temper tantrums in which she would scream and wail because of her assured damnation.
Dr. Francis Willis, who was also treating England’s insane king, George III, was brought to Portugal to attend to the queen. He diagnosed her as insane and imposed upon her horrifying treatments, including ice baths, blistering (in which blisters were intentionally created), and administering laxatives. Surprisingly, none of those treatments worked. The queen was eventually unable to attend to her royal duties and had to have a regent serve in her place.
Prince Joao, who also suffered from the genetic challenges created by inbreeding, was considered incompetent for the job of regent in 1799. When France invaded Portugal, the royal family fled to Brazil, where the queen died in 1816.
Age: 34 (1819-1853)
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil