October
07
/ 2022
What does Tutankhamun have in common with Cleopatra, Charles II of Spain, or even Queen Victoria? Besides being royalty in their distinct corners of the world, all of them were a product of inbreeding, and all of them suffered from genetic disorders caused by “keeping it in the family,” a custom which throughout the ages has been especially popular amongst royalty. The ancient Egyptians were no exception and Cleopatra is a famed example. The Ptolemaic dynasty wanted family members to marry due to their belief in a pure bloodline. The tradition was so far-reaching that while most people have 32 great-great grandparents, Cleopatra had just four. She herself married both of her younger brothers. Tutankhamun became part of popular consciousness
