17 Brutal Sibling Rivalries in History

17 Brutal Sibling Rivalries in History

D.G. Hewitt - November 21, 2018

17 Brutal Sibling Rivalries in History
Jackie and Lee had it all as young girls, but both wanted more than the other. The Rake.

1. Jackie Kennedy and Lee Radziwill had it all growing up, but the sisters were always determined to out-do one another, so while one married a President, the other bagged a Prince

Numerous biographies have been written on Jackie Kennedy, wife to first JFK and then the billionaire Aristotle Onassis. Several have even looked beyond her relationships with rich and powerful men and instead focused on her relationship with her own sister. While the exact truth of the siblings’ relationship may never be known, many have claimed that theirs was an intense rivalry. According to some scholars, Lee Radziwill grew to be jealous and resentful of her younger sister and may even have committed the ultimate sibling betrayal.

Lee and Jackie Bouvier enjoyed a highly privileged upbringing. But even from the beginning, there was tension between the two. While the father doted on Jackie – even naming her after himself – their mother made no secret of the fact that the younger sister was her favorite. Their mother also instilled in them that the acquisition of wealth and power, rather than anything so sentimental as love or loyalty, was the ultimate goal in life. As a result, both sisters continually tried to outdo one another. So, when Jackie ended up marrying up-and-coming political star John F. Kennedy, Lee herself snagged the Polish Prince Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill. One sister became First Lady, while the other became a Princess.

According to one recent biography, Lee may even have slept with JFK while the two married couples were on holiday one time. But did Jackie eventually get her own back? By 1964, Lee had moved on and was reputedly having an affair with the Greek shipping magnate Onassis, by far one of the wealthiest individuals in the whole world. Lee may even have been considering leaving her prince and taking Onassis as her second husband. In the end, however, it was Jackie who ended up married to Onassis, coming out on top in the socialite siblings’ rivalry once again.

Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

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“How the Feuding Kellogg Brothers Fought their Cereal Wars.” Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, September 2017.

“Did sibling rivalry cause Lincoln’s assassination?” Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Smithsonian Magazine – The Rise and Fall of Tudor England’s Scandalous Boleyn Family

History Extra – Henry VIII’s Mistresses: Who Else Did the Tudor King Sleep With?

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Medium – Ten Interesting Facts About Cleopatra Most People Don’t Know

Grunge – The Truth About Cleopatra and Julius Caesar’s Relationship

“Warfare between Henry I and Robert Curthose, according to Wace’s The Roman de Rou.” The Society for Medieval Military History, March 2014.

“Deadly Rivals: Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.” History Extra, July 2018.

“Cyrus the Younger.” Livius.org.

“Jackie Kennedy ‘got revenge’ on her sister for cheating with JFK” Daily Mail UK. September 2018.

Business Insider – Puma and Adidas’ Rivalry Has Divided a Small German Town For 70 Years

History Collection – 12 Rulers Who Executed Their Relatives

History Collection – Historical Rulers Who Murdered Members of Their Own Family

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