The Nun's Lover
John V of Portugal, 1689 - 1750
It might be fair to say that European royals of history are more notable when they didn’t have a plethora of mistresses and affairs, but few can claim to have such a distinctive preference in paramours to earn the nickname the nun’s lover. So it was for John V who had a series of affairs with nuns, one lasting around a decade. It doesn’t seem as if he was too fussy though as other affairs were also chronicled.
The Elbow-High
Władysław I Łokietek, King Of Poland, c.1260 - 1333
It should be fairly obvious where Władysław I, a celebrated king who managed to consolidate provinces into the single Polish nation, got his name from… he was short. Or we thought he was. Recent research has put his height at 152-155cm (5’0”-5’1”). Legend had claimed that he was a diminutive 120cm (3’11”). As it happens, the average male height would have been about 165-167cm (5’5”-5’6”) at the time. Instead some experts believe it was intended as an insulting name when he was a lowly prince of limited influence.
