Crazy Historical Figures

A lot of people have been obsessing over A Song of Ice and Fire (or, Game of Thrones), and with good reason (don't worry, no spoilers). The characters are three dimensional, the stories riveting, and, of course, the entire series is constantly coated with a fresh layer of hot, red blood. Characters are crazy and willing to do anything to get power.

History has its figures like this as well. Real actual people who existed! It's crazy!

One of these people was Theoderic the Great. Theoderic lived in the 5th century and was the leader of the Ostrogoths, a Germanic tribe that, at the time, was settled in the Byzantine empire. The Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, who's name escapes me, was having issues with a man named Odoacer, another leader of another Germanic tribe that had taken over Italy in 476, and was calling himself the King of Italy. Hoping to remove this threat, the Emperor asked Theoderic to lead an army into Italy and take it over for the Empire. Theoderic agreed, and marched out with his army.

However, Theoderic saw an opportunity. Instead of attacking Odoacer, he made a peace treaty with him. To honor their peace treaty, Odoacer threw a huge feast. At the feast, Theoderic up and stabs Odoacer to death, claiming himself to be King of Italy. He solidified his reign, but died a few years later. It wasn't the Emperor, however, who had him killed. Sometime during his reign, Theoderic had forced his wife to drink wine from the hollowed out skull of her father and subjected her to many cruelties. She, having had enough, hired an assassin and let him into Theoderic's chambers as he slept., and that was the end of Theoderic.

So, Theoderic has a crazy story, and there are tons more crazy happenings in history! What are some of your favorites?