Royal Deaths from Syphilis

compiled by Susan Flantzer

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria. It may also be transmitted from mother to baby during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis. Today syphilis can be effectively treated with antibiotics but before antibiotics, many with syphilis died.

Of course, without modern medical diagnostic tools, it was impossible to accurately diagnose illnesses and so this does not purport to be a complete list. Until the development of antibiotics and other drugs, it was impossible to successfully treat many infectious diseases. Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist, physician, microbiologist, and pharmacologist, developed Penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic in 1928. Antibiotics are only effective against diseases caused by bacteria. They are not effective against diseases caused by viruses.

All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

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Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino

  • Born: September 12, 1492 in Florence, Republic of Florence, now in Italy
  • Parents: Piero di Lorenzo de’ Medici and Alfonsina Orsini
  • Married: Madeleine de La Tour d’Auvergne
  • Died: May 4, 1519, aged 26, in Careggi, Republic of Florence, now in Italy
  • Buried: In a tomb designed by Michaelangelo at Medici Chapel in Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence, Republic of Florence, now in Italy
  • Wikipedia: Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino

Worn out by disease and excesses, Lorenzo died from syphilis just twenty-one days after the birth of his daughter Catherine de’ Medici who became Queen of France by marrying King Henri II of France.

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Friedrich Karl, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental

  • Born: September 12, 1652 in Stuttgart, Duchy of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  • Parents: Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg and Anna Katharina of Salm-Kyrburg
  • Married: Eleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-Ansbach in 1682
  • Died: December 20, 1697, aged 45 in Stuttgart, Duchy of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  • Buried: Stiftskirche Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Duchy of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  • Wikipedia: Friedrich Karl, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental

Friedrich Karl began to suffer from symptoms of syphilis in 1696 and died at the end of the next year.

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Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany

  • Born: August 9, 1663 at Pitti Palace in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
  • Parents: Cosimo de’ Medici III, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Marguerite Louise d’Orléans
  • Married: Violante Beatrice of Bavaria in 1689
  • Died: October 31, 1713, aged 50, at Pitti Palace in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
  • Buried: Medici Chapel at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy
  • Wikipedia: Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany

Passionate about theater, music and fine arts, Ferdinando was an excellent musician. He attracted the best musicians to Florence and made it an important musical center. Known for his pleasure-seeking life and having affairs with both men and women, Ferdinando contracted syphilis during a visit to the pre-Lenten Carnival of Venice in 1696. By 1710, his health and mental ability began to fail and he died three years later.

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Archduke Otto of Austria

  • Born: April 21, 1865 in Graz, Austria
  • Parents: Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
  • Married: Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony in 1886
  • Died: November 1, 1906, aged 41, in Vienna, Austria
  • Buried: Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria
  • Wikipedia: Archduke Otto of Austria

Otto’s father was the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, whose assassination sparked the beginning of World War I was Otto’s older brother. Otto was the father of Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria. Otto’s life was full of scandals that alienated him from the Austrian court and his family, and finally his wife.

Around 1900, Otto became ill with syphilis. He had to replace his nose with a rubber prosthetic due to facial deformity from syphilis. During the last two years of his life, Otto was seriously ill and in agonizing pain. He was nursed by his last mistress, opera singer Luise Robinson and by his stepmother Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal, Archduchess of Austria.

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