From the bizarre, to the disgusting, to the downright horrifying, prepare for a look at the secret lives of ten history class staples you thought you knew. 10 Charles Dickens Iconic English author Charles Dickens is probably the only Victorian figure most people can name.

History is full of intriguing characters whose lives are anything but ordinary. From mystics to emperors, these figures left behind tales that continue to captivate our imaginations. Here are some of the most unusual historical figures and the unique lives they led.

As George Orwell poignantly noted in his legendary novel 1984: “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” History is littered with failed attempts at secrecy; from the attempted cover-up of Watergate to the Gunpowder Plot, but what about those that were successful? Not all secrets are designed to be kept forever ...

Many historical icons led secretive double lives filled with scandal, obsession, and complexity, contrasting their public personas. Figures like Queen Victoria, Shakespeare, Franklin, and Stalin reveal unexpected dimensions to their legacies.

How did people’s private business work in years gone by? If someone had an awkward secret, was it easy to keep? And if that secret wasn’t just awkward but appalling, what happened to the individual in question? Check out these historical figures with dark and dirty secrets…