False Royal Heritage Claims
- Anna Anderson, who may have really believed she was the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia, daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.
- Bardiya, ancient ruler of Persia, widely regarded as an impostor but may have been genuine.
- Alexis Brimeyer, a Belgian who claimed connection to various European royal houses.
- Bhawal case, concerning a "resurrected" Indian prince who may have been genuinely who he was claimed to be.
- Mary Carleton who was, amongst other things, a false princess and bigamist.
- Count Dante is the real name of John Keehan. In his campaign to promote his system of martial arts, he also claimed victories in various secret deathmatches in Asia, and mercenary activity in Cuba, none of which carried documented proof.
- False Dmitriy I, False Dmitriy II and False Dmitriy III, who all impersonated the son of Ivan the Terrible.
- Harry Domela, who pretended to be an heir to the German throne.
- Tile Kolup, also known as Dietrich Holzschuh, was an impostor who in 1284 began to pretend to be the Emperor Frederick II.
- Eugenio Lascorz who claimed connection to the royal house of the Byzantine Empire.
- Terence Francis MacCarthy, styled himself MacCarthy Mór and "Prince of Desmond"
- False Margaret, who impersonated the Maid of Norway.
- Pierre Plantard, the mastermind behind the Priory of Sion hoax who claimed to be Merovingian, a pretender to the throne of France.
- Frederick Rolfe, who is better known as Baron Corvo.
- Lambert Simnel, a pretender to the throne of England.
- Eugenia Smith, another woman who claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia.
- Charles Stopford, an American man who has claimed to be an English nobleman since 1983 using the name of a dead infant.
- Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the throne of England.
- Yemelyan Pugachev, who claimed to be Peter III of Russia.
Read more about this topic: Impostor, Notable Impostors
Famous quotes containing the words false, royal, heritage and/or claims:
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 6:24-26.
“The captain sat in a commodore’s hat
And dined in a royal way
On toasted pigs and pickles and figs
And gummery bread each day.”
—Charles Edward Carryl (1841–1920)
“The heritage of the American Revolution is forgotten, and the American government, for better and for worse, has entered into the heritage of Europe as though it were its patrimony—unaware, alas, of the fact that Europe’s declining power was preceded and accompanied by political bankruptcy, the bankruptcy of the nation-state and its concept of sovereignty.”
—Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)
“Who claims that the heathen’s view of the world is incorrect? Life gives you nothing! It is ruled by false gods! Nothing remains true to you but your own self; provided you remain true to it.”
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)