The story of the Princes in the Tower is not unique. Throughout medieval Europe, royal heirs and noble offspring were often imprisoned and eliminated to secure succession.

1. Charles, Duke of Orléans (France)

Captured during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, Charles was imprisoned in the Tower of London for 25 years. Though he survived, his imprisonment exemplifies how castles and towers were used to detain politically valuable prisoners. His lengthy confinement was a form of political neutralization.

2. John I, Count of Hainaut (Holy Roman Empire)

John I was imprisoned in a tower after a dynastic dispute and died under mysterious circumstances, rumored to have been murdered to prevent him from reclaiming his titles. While not as famous as English cases, such examples were common in continental Europe.

3. The Murder of Alfonso, Prince of Asturias (Spain)

In 1468, Alfonso, the heir to the Castilian throne, was allegedly imprisoned and murdered to advance the claim of rival factions during the Castilian civil wars. While not always literally in a tower, these imprisonments followed similar logic—isolating and eliminating threats to the throne. shutdown123