This is a list of famous historical figures diagnosed with or strongly suspected as having had syphilis at some time. Many people who acquired syphilis were treated and recovered; some died from it.
Many famous historical figures, including Charles VIII of France, Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés of Spain, Benito Mussolini, and Ivan the Terrible, were often alleged to have had syphilis or other sexually transmitted infections. Sometimes these allegations were false and formed part of a political whispering campaign. In other instances, retrospective diagnoses of suspected cases have been made in modern times. Mental illness caused by late-stage syphilis was once a common form of dementia. This was known as the general paresis of the insane.
+ Name DetailsCesare Borgia (1475–1507), Italian CardinalStrongly suspected of having syphilisGerard de Lairesse (1641–1711), Dutch painter and art theoristCongenital syphilisEdward Teach (1680–1718), West Indian pirateBetter known as Blackbeard. Died in battle against Robert MaynardFriedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz (1721–1773), Prussian cavalry lieutenant generalDied from syphilisLawley, Robert Neville (1852). General Seydlitz, a Military Biography. W. Clowes & Sons, pp 178–179.Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848), Italian opera composerNeurosyphilisCharles Baudelaire (1821–1867), French poetC. Pichois and J. Ziegler, Charles Baudelaire, new edition, Paris: Fayard, 2005, p. 224–229; M. Monnier, "La maladie de Baudelaire", in C. Pichois ed., Baudelaire: études et témoignages, Neuchâtel, 1976, p. 219–238.Lola Montez (1821–1861), Irish dancer, courtesan, mistress of Ludwig IDied from syphilisCannon, M. (1974). "Montez, Lola (1821–1861)". Montez, Lola (1818–1861). Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 5. Australian National University. https://web.archive.org/web/20121126203945/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/montez-lola-4226Leland Stanford (1824–1893), American politician & robber baronRetrospectively diagnosed or suspected to have died of syphilis.Camilo Castelo Branco (1825–1890), Portuguese writerDied by suicide on account of blindness caused by neurosyphilis.Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910), Russian writerSuspected to have had syphilisAlphonse Daudet (1840–1897), French novelistFriedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), German philosopherCause of death disputed, but syphilis or mercury poisoning from syphilis treatment are leading theories.Franz Schubert (1797–1828), Austrian composerCause of death disputed, but symptoms match to mercury poisoning from syphilis treatment. Robert Schumann (1810–1856), German composerAcquired syphilis from a prostitute at the age of 21. https://robertgreenbergmusic.com/music-history-monday-a-very-bad-ending/Bram Stoker (1847–1912), Irish authorCause of death listed as "Locomotor ataxia 6 months", presumed to be a reference to syphilis.Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893), French writerMaupassant died at age 43 of syphilis he had acquired 16 years previously. (Bruno Halioua, "Comment la syphilis emporta Maupassant", La revue du praticien, 30 June 2003.) When he first learned he had caught the disease Maupassant actually rejoiced, writing to a friend: "I have the pox! Finally! The big one! [J'ai la vérole! enfin! la vraie!] ... I have the pox [...] and I am proud of that by God! And I have the greatest contempt for the bourgeois." (Guy de Maupassant, Letter to Robert Pinchon aka LaToque, 2 March 1877.)Mikhail Vrubel (1856–1910), Russian painterFrederick Delius (1862–1934), English music composerDied from syphilisHenri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901), French painterEugen Sandow (1867–1925), German bodybuilderSuspected to have had syphilisVladimir Lenin (1870–1924), Soviet politicianRetrospectively diagnosed or suspected to have died of syphilis.Karen Blixen (1885–1962), Danish writerDonelson, Linda (1998). Out of Isak Dinesen in Africa. Coulsong. .Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), German dictatorSuspected to have had syphilisAl Capone (1899–1947), American gangsterDied from syphilisLavrentiy Beria (1899–1953), Soviet politician & serial rapistAdmitted before his execution he had been treated for syphilis.Alger "Texas" Alexander (1900–1954), American blues singerDied from syphilisHoward Hughes (1905–1976), American aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, investor, philanthropist and pilot.Diagnosed with neurosyphilis in 1932.Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 183–185Idi Amin (1928–2003), Ugandan dictatorIdi Amin The Guardian, Obituaries, 18 August 2003: "It's no secret that Amin is suffering from the advanced stages of syphilis, which has caused brain damage".
References
Bibliography Brown, Peter Harry and Pat H. Broeske. Howard Hughes: The Untold Story. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. .