11 Historical Figures Whose Bloodlines Have Stopped Cold
![11 Historical Figures Whose Bloodlines Have Stopped Cold](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/9/3/900793_320x180.jpg)
It is said that history is written by the victors, and this is certainly true when it comes to the stories of powerful families throughout the centuries. From the Romanovs to the Medicis, these families have had a major influence on the world and their legacy is still felt today. However, their stories are not all rosy. Many of these families have seen their dynasties come to an abrupt end, often due to inbreeding, political upheaval, or simply the lack of an heir.
In this list, we look at 11 powerful families and their stories of glory, tragedy, and ultimate demise. From Katrin Himmler's attempts to avoid her family's legacy to the death of Caesarion, the last pharaoh of Egypt, we explore the stories behind some of the most famous families in history. We also look at the end of the Tudor dynasty and the House of Stuart, and the demise of the Spanish Habsburgs due to inbreeding. Finally, we look at the last direct descendant of George Washington, and the extinction of the Washington family line.
So, without further ado, let's dive into the stories of these 11 powerful families and their eventual fall from grace.
Click right here to get the best of Cracked sent to your inbox.
No more Goerings.
![CRACKED THE GOERINGS Bettina Goering and her brother, the great-niece and grand-nephew of Hermann Goering, decided to get sterilized so that their family's line would end and no more kids would be born in the future.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/9/9/900799.jpg)
The Lincoln dynasty has come to an end.
![CRACKED THE LINCOLNS Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, the last direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln, passed away in 1985 at the age of 81. This marked the end of the famous Lincoln family line that started with the 16th President and his wife, Mary Todd.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/3/900803.jpg)
End of a dynasty.
![CRACKED THE ROMANOVS On July 16, 1918, the Romanov family, which had been ruling Russia for 300 years, was killed by Bolshevik forces in Yekaterinburg. Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and their five children were all executed, bringing an end to the dynasty.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/0/900800.jpg)
End of an era: Caesarion's death.
![CRACKED CLEOPATRA'S BLOODLINE Caesarion was the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, and he was the last pharaoh of Egypt. Unfortunately, he was killed when he was only 17, which marked the end of Cleopatra's Ptolemaic dynasty.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/4/900804.jpg)
Inbreeding leads to downfall.
![CRACKED THE SPANISH HABSBURGS The Spanish Habsburg dynasty, which had been in power for centuries, ended with the death of Charles II of Spain in 1700. This was caused by 16 generations of inbreeding, which had caused a lot of health issues and infertility in the royal family.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/9/6/900796.jpg)
End of an era.
![CRACKED THE PLANTAGENETS The Plantagenet family ruled England from 1154 to 1485, with 14 kings in total. The last of the Plantagenet line was Edward, earl of Warwick. Unfortunately, he was executed in 1499, which marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/9/5/900795.jpg)
Medici Dynasty: Over.
![CRACKED THE MEDICIS Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, the last of the Medici family, couldn't have kids because she had syphilis, which she supposedly got from her husband. This meant that the famous Medici bloodline ended with her.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/1/900801.jpg)
Tudor dynasty ends, Stuart era begins.
![CRACKED THE TUDORS Queen Elizabeth I died on 24 March 1603 without choosing someone to take her place, which marked the end of the Tudor dynasty and the start of the Stuart era.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/9/8/900798.jpg)
Ming Dynasty: Too big, too expensive.
![CRACKED THE MING DYNASTY During the Ming Dynasty, the royal family got too big and it was too expensive to support them all, which caused financial problems and eventually led to their downfall. In 1644, the last emperor of the dynasty, Chóngzhēn, took his own life.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/9/7/900797.jpg)
Royal House of Stuart: gone, but not forgotten.
![CRACKED THE STUARTS The Royal House of Stuart ended with the death of Henry IX in 1807. Since then, the senior descent of the Royal House has been passed down through the House of Savoy, Modena-Este, and finally the House of Wittelsbach (Bavaria).](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/5/900805.jpg)
Washington Family: Done.
![CRACKED THE WASHINGTONS George Washington Parke Custis was the last person in the Washington family. Не was the grandson of Martha Washington and was adopted by George Washington. Unfortunately, he didn't have any kids, so the Washington family line ended with him.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/2/900802.jpg)