NEBUCHADNEZZAR
II OF BABYLON
(604–562 BCE)
In the Old Testament, Babylonian
ruler King Nebuchadnezzar
famously recounts his descent into
madness. According to the stor y,
the conceited royal was punished
for his disbelief in the Hebrew
god, and was exiled to the wild
to live like an animal, where he
descended into howling insanity.
This biblical stor y accounts for how
royal insanity was measured in
Judeo-Christian times.THE ZHENGDE EMPEROR
OF CHINA (1491–1521)
Known for his malice and irrationality, this
emperor of the Ming Dynasty had a penchant
for embarking on impulsive militar y crusades
that cost a for tune. He was also flanked by
one General Zhu Shou, who was a complete
figment of his imagination. After he and his
head of state af fairs, Liu Jin, had a falling
out, the emperor repor tedly sentenced
the unfor tunate eunuch to three days of
unspeakable tor ture.
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