Before there were influencers and A-list actors with famous parents, there were monarchs, philosophers, and generals born into greatness. They had famous parents, powerful families, or dynastic blood in their veins, and some used their privilege to make history, while others simply rode the coattails. Here are 15 historical nepo babies who inherited legacies and left their own marks.
Alexander the Great
Born to King Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, a queen with claims of divine ancestry, Alexander the Great was groomed for greatness. He was tutored by Aristotle and inherited a powerful kingdom from his father; thus, it is safe to say he was groomed for greatness. His father laid the groundwork for Alexander’s rise with his conquests. Although Alexander went on to expand the empire far beyond his inheritance, we can’t deny that he started on the highest possible rung of the ancient world ladder.
Christopher Tolkien
Christopher Tolkien is the son of the legendary fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien, who grew up immersed in the world of Middle-earth. After the death of his father, he became the executor of the estate. He saw to the editing and publishing of his father’s unfinished works, like The History of Middle-Earth and The Silmarillion. The maps, annotations, and maps he drew were built on his father’s creations, continuing the creation he cherished and built.
Kim Jong-Un
As the grandson of North Korea’s founding leader, Kim Il-sung, and son of Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un’s rise to power was a textbook case of dynastic succession. He consequently inherited control over one of the most secretive regimes in the world, and despite limited public experience, his surname guaranteed him status and loyalty. His rule thus reflects the integration of inherited power with a carefully staged public image.
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius is remembered as a philosopher-king by most, but the access he had to the Roman throne was paved through family connections. Emperor Antoninus Pius was urged to adopt young Aurelius after Hadrian urged him to do so, giving him access to the imperial circle through his birth. Although he had a brilliant mind and wrote about far-reaching Stoic principles, his rise was hardly a humble one.
Louis XIV
Louis XIV, also known as the “Sun King,” was born into the royal family and was the son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. At the ripe age of five, he gained the crown, and while he could not yet make decisions of his own, his mother made them for him. However, later on, he would gain absolute power, building Versailles as a symbol of his divine kingship. So, although he built one of the most historically beautiful palaces in the world, we must remember that he already had all the luxuries one could hope for within his reach.
Winston Churchill
Before becoming the wartime bulldog of Britain, Winston Churchill was born into the Spencer-Churchill family, which has deep aristocratic ties. His father was a successful politician, while his mother was an American heiress. These connections allowed him to enter elite schools and eventually secure early political and military roles. Although he proved himself in a crisis, Churchill’s early rise was greased by elite pedigree and networks.
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was the daughter of the radical philosopher William Godwin and the feminist icon Mary Wollstonecraft. From her birth, Shelley was immersed in a progressive and literary background. After marrying the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, it only deepened the access she had to literary circles. Frankenstein was a groundbreaking book, although we have to understand that Mary’s connections, along with her education, allowed her to publish and then be taken seriously in an era where women seldom published any works.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the cousin of Theodore Roosevelt and came from a powerful family steeped in politics and wealth. During his upbringing, he attended elite schools, traveled, and networked with the right people at a young age. He successfully led the U.S. through the Great Depression as well as World War Two with exceptional leadership, but the path that led him to office was lined with financial backing and name recognition.
King Solomon
King Solomon was the son of the legendary King David, inheriting the throne of Israel and a united kingdom after his father’s reign. The kingdom was already solidified, with a firm identity, so when Solomon became leader, he received a stable foundation that he used to build his wisdom and wealth. His extensive writings and magnificent temple in Jerusalem remain iconic pieces of his reign, but we must understand that his rule wouldn’t have been realized if it weren’t for his father.
Julius Caesar
Born into the patrician gens Julia, an ancient Roman family claiming descent from Venus herself, was Julius Caesar. Even though the family name had declined in influence, Caesar’s noble name opened doors to military posts, priesthood, and political alliances. His social standing gave him the initial boost he needed to climb the brutal political ladder of Rome, but his brilliance and ambition were unmatched. Thus, before he ultimately conquered Gaul, he inherited a pedigree.
Napoleon II
The son of Napoleon Bonaparte and Marie Louise of Austria, Napoleon II was born an emperor and was given the title King of Rome at birth. Although he never ruled in practice, he became a symbolic heir to the Napoleonic legacy, and he was courted by both French Bonapartists and Austrian royalty. His identity was shaped entirely by who his parents were, living in the shadow of a palace.
Marie Antoinette
Born Archduchess of Austria, daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, Marie Antoinette was later married into the French monarchy at age 14, but her noble birth situated her as a perfect pawn in dynastic politics. Although she became a queen, her lavish lifestyle and perceived indifference were amplified by her royal upbringing. Her fate and fame were encapsulated in her birthright as a dramatic example of how privilege can elevate and devastate, or even lead to doom.
Henry VIII
Henry VIII wasn’t supposed to be the king. In fact, his older brother Arthur was the initial heir. However, after his death, Henry inherited the throne, as well as his widow, Catherine of Aragon. So, as the son of Henry VII, the one who founded the Tudor dynasty, he got to experience every advantage there was to royalty. Although Henry VIII is primarily known for his religious upheaval and six marriages, his rule was only possible because of a well-placed birth in a post-Wars-of-the-Roses royal family.
Zelda Fitzgerald
Zelda Fitzgerald was a southern beauty turned Jazz icon, whose father was a successful Alabama judge, and she simply married F. Scott Fitzgerald when he hit the height of his fame. A combination of her status, connections, and beauty is why so many remember her as the original American “flapper.” Although she also had creative talents, like painting and writing, her notoriety was overshadowed by her husband’s fame.
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the son of the second U.S. president, John Adams. From an early age, Quincy was groomed to lead the people of America, first serving as a translator, then ambassador and senator, becoming America’s sixth president. His strong advocacy for the abolition of slavery and love for science are both positive aspects of his character, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a perfect example of familial presidential succession.
