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Don’t Be A Richard
Throughout history, some of the most notorious men have been named Richard. Now that’s not to say that all men named Richard are inherently corrupt. However, a few have lived up to their phalically-monickered nickname.
Richard the Lionheart
Most people think of Richard I, a.k.a. Richard the Lionheart, as the king who ruled England during the time of the legendary Robin Hood. He ruled England from 1189 to 1199 AD. Most people think of him as one of the most just rulers of the British Empire. The truth was that he was an asshole.
Though he was born in England, he moved to France at a very young age. From that point on, he probably spent less than a year total in the country he ruled. Among his “noble” deeds, he is credited with trying to overthrow his father, King Henry II, had nearly the entire Jewish population of England wiped out, and raped and pillaged his way across 2 continents. What a guy!
Richard III
Though he only ruled England for 2 years (1483–1485), Richard III has become known as one of the biggest Richard’s in English history. He was so reviled that William Shakespeare wrote a play about him and made him out to basically be the devil incarnate.
Richard III was also not meant to be king. He was the younger brother of King Edward IV, who died under mysterious circumstances and left his 12 year old son, Edward V, as heir to the throne. But because of the boy’s age, his uncle Richard was named as Lord Protector. Richard had the boys deemed illegitimate and had himself crowned king. Furthermore, he had Edward V and his younger brother locked up in the Tower of London (for their protection, you see), and they were never seen alive again. In an ironic twist of fate, Richard’s remains were discovered some 500+ years later under a parking lot. Gotta love karma.
Richard Loeb
Richard Loeb was a highly intelligent teenager, born to an affluent family in Chicago just after the turn of the 20th century. He and his partner in crime, Nathan Leopold, came the conclusion that they were smarter than anyone else and were above the law. To prove it, they…
