8 Kings And Queens Who Weren't Even Double-Digits When They Ascended The Throne

They placed a crown on his mother’s pregnant belly to name their leader: Shah Shapur II of Persia. Despite the disasters that befell his elder brothers who were next in line – like murder and blinding – Shah Shapur II became a great king of the Persian Dynasty when he came of age. He raided enemy forces as retaliation, led an expedition through Britain to defeat strong Arab forces, and, after Constantine I died, he retook Armenia. He was known as a strong military leader, though a tyrant to Roman forces. When he died in 379 CE, he left his Persian country stronger than he inherited it, as well as still holding control of Armenia.  

The Queen of Scots, Mary Stuart, was pronounced Queen at six days old in 1542 CE. Since she was too young to take the throne, several regents – including her mother, the French Mary of Guise – would rule in her stead until she reached adulthood. At the age of five, she was initially betrothed to her great uncle’s son, Prince Edward of England. However, Scotland didn’t approve of the betrothal, and Mary was kept hidden in safe houses to avoid being taken away and forced into the marriage, which is now known as “The Rough Wooing.” Instead, she was sent to France to be raised and educated, and she became betrothed to Prince Francis, the son of the French King Henry II and Catherine de Medicis. Eventually, Mary did become Queen of France for a brief period; however, her rule was short lived, lasting only two years.

Mary returned to Scotland in 1561, and, although the once Catholic country was now staunchly Protestant, Mary was able to rule and create an atmosphere of religious tolerance. She had six years of (mostly) peaceful rule before she was – for a number of complicated political reasons that included an injudicious marriage – imprisoned for 18 years for an assassination attempt on England's Queen Elizabeth I, for which she was eventually put to death.

In 88 CE, at the tender age of nine, Liu Zhao – who would become Emperor Hedi, known as the “Harmonious Emperor” – became the fourth Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. Given his age at the time of his ascension to power, Liu Zhao's grandmother and her brother, his great-uncle, controlled the Empire for much of his youth. It was under the direction of these two regents, in fact, that Emperor Hedi helped his people survive several natural disasters including droughts, reoccurring floods, and locusts. At the same time, Hedi, again with help from his elders, lessened taxes in order to alleviate the common people's stress. He also gave them permission to hunt on the his lands, and he opened government-only grain stores to give to the hungry people.

However, as he grew up, Emperor Hedi became resentful of his grandmother and great-uncle and had them removed (some say murdered) by his loyal courtier eunuchs. From there, following on his father’s original promise to the eunuchs, Hedi gave them land and hereditary titles, which they could pass onto adopted sons, thereby remaining a part of history despite their impotence. Regardless of the fact that he potentially had his own grandmother killed, Emperor Hedi is fondly remembered for all the good things that happened during his reign.

In 1995 – upon the death of his father – King Oyo of Toro succeeded the throne at a mere three years old. Uganda is broken up into four historical kingdoms, Bunyoro, Buganda, Ankole, and Toro; King Oyo's ancestral territory is the last of these. After receiving the throne in his toddler years, Oyo's aunt, mother, and Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya (Ugandan President Museveni) all served as regents to help him rule until he came of age. As ruler, King Oyo has lobbied for donations to be used for social welfare and economic projects. He’s focused heavily on education, health, and culture. Moreover, as a young king, he’s received support and mentoring from other leaders. Plus, the people of his kingdom really like King Oyo, since he’s young and willing to do things and try strategies that older, more established Kings won’t.  

Imagine a tiny four-month-old baby receiving the title of king and keeping it for the next 80 years. That’s what happened to Sobhuza II, an African ruler who accomplished many positive changes for his people, which included: winning independence from Britain and helping write a constitution for Swaziland. Sobhuza II was beloved by his people, and he often appeared at festivities and rituals and practiced traditional medicine. In this way, he was particularly good at bridging traditional Swazi practices and traditions with new ways of governance. Despite unclear records, it’s said that Sobhuza had over 70 wives, around 210 children, and over 1,000 grandchildren. He also married into high-class Swazi families, assuring stronger ties to keep his family and country resilient.  

Assuming the throne while in utero, Alfonso XIII was crowned King immediately after his birth on May 17, 1886. His mother served as his regent until he was 16. Considered a "beloved" young King, Alfonso did some pretty cool things for his country during the early years of his rule. He remained neutral throughout World War I, providing a safe haven for prisoners of war, no matter which side approached his country for aid. During his marriage ceremony, he and his wife survived an assassination attempt, which would be the first of many as Spain made its way to a second phase as a republic. He also survived what’s now known as the Spanish Flu. Later, he was ousted from the throne due to the formation of the Second Republic. He died in exile in Rome in 1941.