Loyalty to family can blur when succession requires the death of a close relative to gain power. Throughout history, there are numerous examples of power-hungry rulers reaching the top by wiping out members of their own bloodline. Furthermore, some rulers took the lives of their closest rivals as a precaution. And murdering siblings to secure the crown was commonplace in certain parts of the world. In fact, a surprising number of famous rulers were guilty of executing their own family members for their own gain. So, who were those guilty of familicide?
Click through the gallery to learn about these cruel and tragic circumstances.