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Artículos mejor valorados en esta lista según la votación de los lectores de talkKs
- El rey Carlos y su esposa : 2 votes
- El Rey de España : 1 vote
La realeza se ha asociado durante mucho tiempo con el poder, la riqueza y el prestigio. A lo largo de la historia, las familias reales se han casado entre sí para fortalecer alianzas, preservar los linajes y consolidar sus reinados. Sin embargo, esta práctica de matrimonios consanguíneos también ha llevado a una consecuencia menos conocida: el aumento de los niveles de endogamia dentro de los linajes reales. La endogamia, el acto de aparearse entre parientes cercanos, puede resultar en un mayor riesgo de trastornos genéticos y complicaciones de salud.
Una perspectiva histórica de los matrimonios reales
Mirando hacia atrás en la historia, los matrimonios mixtos reales eran una práctica común impulsada por el deseo de mantener el poder y la riqueza dentro de un grupo selecto. Los reyes y reinas a menudo se casaban con otras familias poderosas como una forma de fortalecer sus posiciones políticas o preservar su estatus social. Esto a menudo resultaba en matrimonios entre parientes cercanos, como primos o incluso tíos y sobrinas.
European royal families, in particular, were known for engaging in these practices. The Habsburgo, a powerful dynasty that ruled over various countries, including Spain, took intermarriage to an extreme. Their goal of keeping power within their own bloodline eventually led to fertility issues and the eventual disappearance of the Spanish branch of the family.
La mandíbula de los Habsburgo, también conocida como prognatismo mandibular, es una afección física caracterizada por una mandíbula inferior extendida, resultado de la práctica común de los matrimonios mixtos entre los Habsburgo. Este trastorno genético, transmitido de generación en generación, se convirtió en una característica distintiva de los Habsburgo y es un ejemplo clásico de las posibles consecuencias de la endogamia.
Similarly, the British Royal Family also had its share of cousin marriages throughout history. Queen Victoria, for example, married her first cousin, Prince Albert, and King George V married his cousin, Princess Mary of Teck. These unions were seen as a way to maintain bloodline purity and strengthen family ties.
Endogamia extrema entre la población del Reino Unido
Un estudio reciente highlighting the prevalence of extreme inbreeding in the UK population adds another layer of understanding to the historical phenomenon of inbreeding among royal families and early European society at large. The study’s findings of thousands of individuals in the UK being the result of extreme inbreeding between close relatives echo the patterns observed within royal lineages. This has led some individuals to form derogatory stereotypes such as “Britain is a nation full of inbreds”. Please note that this harmful overgeneralization lacks substantial factual backing.
This research analyzed DNA samples stored in the UK Biobank and found evidence that a fraction of the participants had been conceived by parents who were either first or second-degree relatives. First-degree relatives share 50% of an individual’s genes, such as parents or children, while second-degree relatives share 25% of the same DNA, including uncles, grandparents, and half-siblings. Extrapolating these findings to the wider population in England and Wales suggests an estimate of 13,200 individuals born as a result of inbreeding, although the researchers cautioned that the actual figure could be even higher.
Subsequently, the researchers analyzed the medical records of those individuals and drew comparisons with the broader population. Their findings indicate that these individuals faced a slightly elevated risk of experiencing various health effects. On average, they exhibited a slight decrease in height, lower cognitive abilities, and reduced fertility. Additionally, they had a higher likelihood of encountering lung function issues and contracting diseases compared to the average person.
Modern times have witnessed a shift away from such marriages and an increased focus on understanding and mitigating genetic risks. As society continues to evolve and genetic research advances, it is crucial that we remain cognizant of our history while striving for healthier futures for all families – royal or otherwise.
Consecuencias genéticas de la endogamia
Cuando los parientes cercanos tienen hijos juntos, existe un mayor riesgo de que su descendencia herede dos copias de un gen recesivo asociado con problemas de salud o trastornos genéticos. Esto sucede cuando ambos padres son portadores de un gen mutado y, debido a que están estrechamente relacionados, existe una mayor probabilidad de que compartan antepasados comunes que también portaron estos genes.
Consanguineous marriages, where the spouses are closely related, have been linked to several well-known genetic disorders. Some examples include hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and Tay-Sachs disease. Hemophilia, a rare genetic condition that affects the blood’s ability to clot properly, in particular, was quite common among European royalty and earned the nickname “the Royal Disease”. Queen Victoria, a carrier of the hemophilia gene, passed it on to several of her descendants, resulting in them suffering from the disorder. Her son Prince Leopold and her grandson Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert (later known as Kaiser Wilhelm II), were among those affected. The prevalence of hemophilia among European royalty can be attributed to these marriages within the family. Even the recently deceased Queen Elizabeth II suffered from this disease.
Otros riesgos para la salud
Además de los trastornos genéticos, la endogamia también puede dar lugar a tasas de fertilidad más bajas. El aumento de la probabilidad de anomalías congénitas o defectos genéticos en los individuos endogámicos puede afectar negativamente su capacidad para reproducirse.
Furthermore, inbred offspring may have weakened immune systems, making them more susceptible to infections and diseases. Their compromised immune systems are a result of inheriting multiple harmful genes from closely related parents.
Los casos extremos de endogamia pueden incluso provocar deformidades físicas. Por ejemplo, Carlos II de España, una figura histórica, exhibió una mandíbula pronunciada de los Habsburgo, que es una mandíbula inferior que sobresale. Esta deformidad física fue el resultado de generaciones de matrimonios mixtos reales dentro de su familia.
However, modern awareness of the potential risks of inbreeding has led to a decline in consanguineous relationships among royalty. The British Royal Family, for instance, is now more diverse than its predecessors. Members of the royal family marry partners from various backgrounds without any family connections, reducing the likelihood of inbreeding.
Moreover, advances in genetic screening and counseling have provided couples who are related with the knowledge to make informed decisions about having children. This has significantly decreased the prevalence of inherited disorders caused by consanguinity, as couples can now understand and manage the potential risks associated with their genetic background.
En este artículo, nos adentramos en el intrigante mundo de la realeza y exploramos los miembros de la realeza más endogámicos a lo largo de la historia. Desde las monarquías europeas hasta los reinos insulares del Pacífico, estos individuos llevan la carga de un linaje caracterizado por estrechas relaciones de sangre.
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1El rey Carlos y su esposa
Es probable que el príncipe Carlos y Camilla sean primos segundos. La bisabuela de Camilla, Alice Keppel, fue la amante de Eduardo VII de Inglaterra, y juntos tuvieron una hija, Sonia. Camilla, la actual esposa del príncipe Carlos, es la nieta de Sonia. Carlos y Camilla son primos segundos una vez separados, por lo que son el producto de un matrimonio de primos segundos.
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2El Rey de España
La familia real de España es un buen ejemplo de endogamia. Los padres del actual rey, Juan Carlos y Sofía de Grecia, tienen problemas con la endogamia. Del lado de Juan Carlos, vemos los restos de la hemofilia transmitida debido a los matrimonios mixtos narrados por la reina Victoria. Los tíos de Juan Carlos, Alfonso y Gonzalo, murieron por falta de coagulación de la sangre que se cree que fue causada por su endogamia leve.
Podría decirse que la madre del rey, Sofía, tiene uno de los peores casos de endogamia moderna. Dos de sus bisabuelos eran hermano y hermana, y lo que es aún peor es el hecho de que sus bisabuelos también son sus tatarabuelos porque la familia real alemana se casó entre sí.
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3Príncipe Felipe
El príncipe Felipe, esposo de la difunta reina Isabel, también es producto de la endogamia real. El príncipe Felipe, al igual que la reina, es el desafortunado producto de los matrimonios mixtos que envolvieron los matrimonios reales europeos en el siglo XIX.
Para profundizar en los detalles, los bisabuelos maternos del príncipe Felipe fueron la reina Victoria del Reino Unido y el príncipe Alberto de Sajonia-Coburgo y Gotha. Eran primos hermanos, compartiendo el mismo conjunto de abuelos. Esta estrecha relación familiar pone de relieve la práctica de los matrimonios mixtos dentro de la época victoriana y su impacto en las generaciones posteriores.
Additionally, both of Prince Philip's great-grandfathers played roles in perpetuating the pattern of inbreeding. His maternal great-grandfather, King Christian IX of Denmark, was a prominent figure in European royal circles. King Christian's daughter, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, married Queen Victoria's son, Edward VII, further consolidating the interconnections between royal families.
Prince Philip's other great-grandfather was Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse and by Rhine. He married Queen Victoria's second daughter, Princess Alice, making them Prince Philip's maternal great-grandparents. What makes this connection particularly notable is that Grand Duke Louis IV was the uncle of Prince Philip's paternal great-grandfather, Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse and by Rhine. The marriage of Prince Philip's great-grandparents, Princess Alice and Grand Duke Louis IV, effectively made their children both first cousins and second cousins.
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4Rey y reina de Grecia
El rey y la reina de Grecia, Constantino II y Ana María de Dinamarca, son primos por partida doble, al igual que la reina Isabel II y el príncipe Felipe. Ambos son descendientes de la reina Victoria y del rey Cristián, IX de Dinamarca. Sin embargo, a diferencia de la Reina y el Príncipe de Inglaterra, el Rey y la Reina de Grecia están triplemente relacionados. Comparten exactamente el mismo coeficiente de consanguinidad, lo que significa exactamente la misma cantidad de endogamia.
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5Emperatriz Napoleón
Empress Napoleon, also known as Mary Louise of Austria, was part of an incredibly inbred family. When Napoleon struggled to provide an heir with his first wife, Josephine, he forced Josephine's daughter to marry his brother. This meant that his stepson was also his brother. However, the most inbred member of the Napoleonic family was Napoleon's second wife, Empress Napoleon. Born as Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha Lucia, Mary Louise hailed from the House of Habsburg, a family known for its extensive history of intermarriage and consanguinity. In the case of Mary Louise, her parents were double first cousins, intensifying the level of shared ancestry within her immediate family.
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6 Alfonso, the Prince of Spain
Alfonso, the Prince of Spain, was the heir to the Spanish throne in the 1920s, during a highly unstable time in Spanish politics. Like Edward VIII of England, Alfonso renounced his rights to the Spanish throne to marry a commoner. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1938 due to a car accident. His hemophilia, a condition that prevents blood clotting, caused him to bleed to death. Inbreeding within the Spanish royal family played a role in the occurrence of recessive genes inherited by Alfonso. As the great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, who carried hemophilia in her family, Alfonso faced increased risk. The Spanish royal family has a history of marrying close relatives, as mentioned before. Ultimately, Alfonso suffered due to the inbreeding of his ancestors and Queen Victoria's ambition to solidify her reputation as the grandmother of Europe.
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7Archiduquesa Gizella de Austria
Archduchess Gizella of Austria, daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth, is a lesser-known figure in history. She was the neglected daughter of her parents, who were first cousins. The intense strain caused by their inbreeding affected their children's health. For example, their eldest daughter Sophie died in infancy, likely due to the effects of inbreeding. Another child, Rudolf, suffered from genetic abnormalities and chronic depression, eventually taking his own life. Recent studies have shown a common occurrence of depression within the Habsburg dynasty, suggesting a genetic link. Gizella herself became a figurehead for the consequences of Habsburg inbreeding. She was forced to marry her own cousin at the request of her mother, resulting in physical and emotional suffering for her children. Among her four children, all of them shared eight great-grandparents, who, unfortunately, were not genetically diverse. This situation further compounded the issues caused by inbreeding. -
8 Ludwig, the Mad King of Bavaria
Ludwig II, the Mad King of Bavaria, was a beloved cousin of Empress Elizabeth of Austria. He had a strong appreciation for the arts and commissioned the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle in the 1800s. However, Ludwig suffered from intense feelings of depression, and his inbreeding is believed to be a significant contributing factor to his mental health struggles. Despite his artistic achievements, Ludwig was eventually dethroned, with his counselors claiming he was insane. Modern studies suggest that Ludwig's depression stemmed from intense guilt over his homosexuality. Nevertheless, inbreeding likely played a role in the intensity of his depression. Interestingly, Ludwig's successor was even more mentally unstable than he was.
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9Reina Liliuokalani de Hawái
La reina Liliuokalani de Hawái, la última monarca reinante de Hawái, también tenía un alto grado de endogamia en su ascendencia. Es importante tener en cuenta que existe un desafortunado estereotipo sobre la endogamia desenfrenada de Hawái, lo que no era necesariamente cierto en el período moderno. Sin embargo, la familia de Liliuokalani tenía estrechas relaciones de sangre. Su abuelo, el Gran Jefe Kamehameha, fue su bisabuelo dos veces porque sus dos abuelos eran hermanos.
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10Rey Harald V de Noruega
King Harald V of Norway holds the distinction of being one of the most inbred royals currently alive. His parents were first cousins, which significantly limited the number of unique great-grandparents he had. While most people have eight unique great-grandparents, Harald only has six. His grandmother and grandfather were not only siblings but also first cousins to each other. Further back in his ancestry, his great-grandmother, who appears twice, was the niece of his great-grandfather. This extensive inbreeding within Harald's lineage makes him the most inbred royal of the present time.
