Murdered, Assassinated, Suspicious Death

Cardozo, Abraham

Cardozo was a member of a Portuguese Marrano family. (The Marranos are the Jews of Spain and Portugal who involuntarily converted to Christianity in the 14th century and later, many of whom... [more]

Childebert III Adoptivus

Childebert is usually reckoned to be the natural son of Grimoald I, the mayor of the palace of King Sigibert III of Austriasia (the region of present-day France around Metz), who adopted hi... [more]

Chosroes II

Chosroes was the son of King Hormizd IV, in whose overthrow and assassination in 590 he participated. After his father's death he escaped to the Byzantine Empire and was adopted by Emperor ... [more]

Clitus Niger

According to some sources, Clitus Niger was the older foster-brother of Alexander the Great. Others describe him as Alexander's friend. He was his cavalry leader, and from his name almost c... [more]

CuChulain

Setana was the son of the god Lugh and the mortal Dechtire, wife of Sualtam. He had seven pupils in each eye and 14 fingers and toes. He was sent to be fostered by the best men in Ulster, a... [more]

Gaius Caligula (under Roman Empire)

Ancient Roman society institutionalized the adoption of adults. It was relatively common for a wealthy Roman couple to adopt an adult man, even a slave, as heir if they did not have any son... [more]

Germanicus Julius Caesar (under Roman Empire)

Ancient Roman society institutionalized the adoption of adults. It was relatively common for a wealthy Roman couple to adopt an adult man, even a slave, as heir if they did not have any son... [more]

Jumping Bull

Jumping Bull was an Assiniboine boy, captured by Sitting Bull during a battle. Sitting Bull adopted the child as his brother (thereby saving his life) and named him Hohay (Jumping Bull). Ho... [more]

Lennon, John Winston

Lennon's parents, Alfred (who was orphaned age nine and raised in an orphanage) and Julia Lennon, separated when he was three. From the age of five, after a failed attempt by his father to ... [more]

Magnus of Orkney (under Norwegian Ruling Families)

In the Middle Ages fostering was practiced between the great families of Norway, possibly as a means of cementing interfamily alliances or demonstrating reciprocal status relationships. Acc... [more]