History TheEvilPrince / Literature

** Balekin and [[spoiler:Dain]] fit the trope quite well, willing to murder [[spoiler:family members]] for the throne. Balekin is an evil prince of the RoyalBrat variety, but despite his best attempts? is not necessarily a competent schemer. [[spoiler:Dain]] on the other hand, is a truly Machiavellian [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]].
** Cardan inverts this trope. While he’s bratty in the first book, he is never really evil. He’s completely uninterested in the throne and is very loyal to his oldest brother, despite Balekin’s abuse.

** Balekin and [[spoiler:Dain]] fit the trope quite well, willing to murder [[spoiler:family members]] for the throne. Balekin is an evil prince of the [[RoyalBrat]] variety, but is not necessarily a competent schemer. [[spoiler:Dain]] on the other hand, is a truly Machiavellian [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]]
** Cardan inverts this trope. While he’s bratty in the first book,

* Unsurprisingly, given the title of ''Literature/TheFolkoftheAir'' trilogy’s first book, ''Literature/TheCruelPrince''

* Unsurprisingly, given the title of ''Literature/The Folk of the Air'' trilogy’s first book, ''Literature/The Cruel Prince''

* ''Literature/OldKingdom'': The [[OurLichesAreDifferent Greater Dead Adept]] [[SdrawckabName Kerrigor]] was originally [[spoiler:Prince Rogir, son of the Queen, who became interested in necromancy and [[TheDarkSide Free Magic]], and decided to break the [[FunctionalMagic Charter]] (a backbone of the reality of the Old Kingdom) so he could do as he wished without interference. He had his sisters sacrificed to break two of the Great Charter Stones, murdered his mother, and would have killed his [[HeroicBastard half-brother]] had backup not arrived. He then spent the next two hundred years driving the Kingdom into anarchy, despite various Abhorsens' attempts to stop him, always able to come back thanks to his hidden SoulJar.]]

* ''Literature/OldKingdom'': The [[OurLichesAreDifferent Greater Dead Adept]] [[SdrawckabAlias Kerrigor]] was originally [[spoiler:Prince Rogir, son of the Queen, who became interested in necromancy and [[TheDarkSide Free Magic]], and decided to break the [[FunctionalMagic Charter]] (a backbone of the reality of the Old Kingdom) so he could do as he wished without interference. He had his sisters sacrificed to break two of the Great Charter Stones, murdered his mother, and would have killed his [[HeroicBastard half-brother]] had backup not arrived. He then spent the next two hundred years driving the Kingdom into anarchy, despite various Abhorsens' attempts to stop him, always able to come back thanks to his hidden SoulJar, before finally being defeated and imprisoned by Sabriel, the latest Abhorsen, and his half-brother Touchstone, who had been made a HumanPopsicle for the intervening time.]]

* Several of these in the Literature/{{Deryni}} works:

* Although based on ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'', given that he's the cousin of the king he murders, Duke Felmet of the Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'' likely counts.

* Creator/DavidEddings:
** In ''Literature/TheElenium'' trilogy, Prince Lycheas, BastardBastard cousin of Queen Ehlana, assumes the throne as Prince Regent while Ehlana is magically incapacitated. He's little more than a puppet of SinisterMinister [[SmugSnake Annias]] though, who is himself being jerked around by [[ManipulativeBastard Martel]] and [[GodOfEvil Azash]].
** In ''Literature/TheMalloreon'', it's revealed how the succession works in Ctholl Murgos: The eldest ''surviving'' prince is the heir, and his first royal act is to order the execution of all others. So, all princes are evil, and only the most clever one wins. For example, [[spoiler:The Drasnian bastard child]].
*** This was actually the rule in the Real Life Ottoman Empire, and was fine with the populace for several generations until the early death of a sultan resulted in the execution of several child princes. This was a bit much for Turkish sensibilities and after that reign sultans locked their brothers up instead. This proved convenient when the current ruler succumbed without providing an heir.

* [[spoiler:Prince Robert, the king's brother]] in ''Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone'', who [[spoiler:kills his sister -for whom he has a creepy attraction- in order to lure his brother into a trap. In which he gets killed, but manages to reappear as undead by a fluke]]

** Xizor was a prince to the Falleen, his own race, however the majority of his race, including his family, were accidentally killed by Vader. He secretly planned to murder the Emperor and Vader, though he suspected, and it was confirmed, that Palpatine was well aware of this and kept him around since he was useful and he felt that any of Xizor's plans would fail.

** Extremely rare female example in the ''Literature/TrickstersDuet''; Princess Imajane, the regent for the three-year-old king, arranges to [[spoiler:send a magical storm to kill his majesty and become queen.]] Her husband doesn't object, but he's mostly following her lead. Surprisingly, [[spoiler:it works. For a while.]]

* Prince John, from the most widely accepted modern version of the ''Literature/RobinHood'' stories (and, according to some, in RealLife, although the latter has been hotly contested among reputable historians on both sides). (''Please see the Discussion Page for further details.'')

* ''Literature/NightfallSeries'': Prince Vladimir is the BigBad, who has destroyed human civilization and breeds the surviving humans for vampire food.
* Wang Sau-Leian in Literature/ChungKuo has to wait for his father and three older brothers to die before ascending the throne - but why wait?
* ''Literature/TortallUniverse''
** While technically a duke, Roger from ''Literature/SongOfTheLioness'' enacts numerous {{Evil Plan}}s to get rid of his young cousin so that Roger can be first in line to the throne again. He tries everything from MysticalPlague to AnimalAssassin to a RealityChangingMiniature. And when [[spoiler:he comes back from the not-quite-dead]], he's a straight-up OmnicidalManiac.
** Extremely rare female example in ''Literature/DaughterOfTheLioness''; Princess Imajane, the regent for the three-year-old king, arranges to [[spoiler:send a magical storm to kill his majesty and become queen.]] Her husband doesn't object, but he's mostly following her lead. Surprisingly, [[spoiler:it works. For a while]].
** A minor example in ''Literature/ProvostsDog''. [[spoiler:Prince Baird is a {{Jerkass}} and willing participant in the plot against his brother, but he's really a pawn of Lord Halleburn and wouldn't have come up with the idea on his own.]]
* Prince John, from the most widely accepted modern version of the ''RobinHood'' stories (and, according to some, in RealLife, although the latter has been hotly contested among reputable historians on both sides). (''Please see the Discussion Page for further details.'')

* All the princes in ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'' (except possibly Primus), but especially Prince Septimus. Moreover, their father was himself an example of The Evil Prince made good, as were a number of other monarchs before him (it was a family tradition). Primus, while clearly ambitious, appears not to be evil (to stop Septimus, Primus bribes a soothsayer to lead his brother on a wild goose chase; to stop Primus, Septimus tries to ''poison him'').
** In the book, each of the three princes that survive their father (including Primus) had killed one of their brothers; Septimus had killed two. Before the book ends, Septimus had killed a third and was quite peeved that someone had Primus killed first as he now had to avenge his dead brother instead of kill him.
*** In the book, the father is quite peeved at the inadequacy of this generation: his father had been, properly, down to one son by the time of his death. He says as much in the movie as well and helps arrange for Septimus to off another one before he dies.
* Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'':
** Prince Rabadash in ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy''. It's mentioned that like other eldest sons of the [[TheEmperor [Tisrocs]], he is beginning to grow dangerous.
** Miraz from ''Literature/PrinceCaspian'' killed his brother, stole the throne, and plotted to kill his nephew when a son and heir of his own was unexpectedly born.
* In Tolkien's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' we have Ar-Pharazôn, last King of Númenor, who usurped the throne by the less usual method of marrying the rightful heiress (who was also [[KissingCousins his cousin]], despite it being illegal under Numenorean law) and then forcibly reducing her role to that of his consort. There's also the example of Maeglin, the nephew of King Turgon of Gondolin, who betrays the city to Morgoth partially to gain rulership over it, but mostly because he [[IncestIsRelative wants to marry his cousin]]. That she already has a husband and son doesn't stop him -- he just plans to off them first.

* Several Princes vying for Oberon's throne in ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfAmber'' by Creator/RogerZelazny. Describing the exact intentions of the Nine would spoil most of the intrigue, but be prepared that some "evil" guys will be redeemed and some "good" ones will reveal themselves evil to the core.

* Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'':
** In ''Literature/ShardsOfHonor'', Prince Serg was sufficiently nasty that his father was forced to [[OffingTheOffspring kill him]] rather than let him succeed to the throne.
** A subplot in ''Literature/ACivilCampaign'' deals with this on a lesser scale. Richars Vorrutyer had done everything up to and including possible murder to ensure his cousin Count Pierre died without issue and left him the heir apparent. He thought Pierre's younger sister Donna using an old rule to secure a three month stay on his confirmation and heading offplanet before the late Count was in the ground was of no consequence...and was rather put out when Pierre's [[GenderBender younger brother Dono]] returned to Barrayar to claim said seat by right of blood.
* Toyed with in Bujold's ''Literature/TheCurseOfChalion''. A bare bones description of Royse Teidez [[spoiler:slaughtering the sacred menagerie that was keeping the worst effects of the titular curse on Roya Orico's health at bay]] would seem to fit this trope perfectly, but the boy honestly thought he was eliminating the uncanny source of his older half-brother's illness. The EvilChancellor's Even More Evil brother, who put Teidez up to it, apparently knew better and was probably trying to supplant his elder brother by replacing the chancellor's puppet monarch with his own. [[spoiler:But he dies before his plan can come to fruition.]]
* Kalide from ''Literature/TheLegendsongSaga''. He’s particularly annoyed given that a) his brother is mad and b) the position of Holder (or mermod) is assigned by the soulweavers not inherited anyway. Coralyn's plots revolve mainly around bypassing these obstacles to put her preferred (and controllable) son on the throne.

* Prince Regal, from Robin Hobb's ''[[Literature/RealmOfTheElderlings Farseer]]'' trilogy fits this quite well. He's born the third son of the king. After Fitz appears and Prince Chivalry (the eldest) steps down, he bides his time for a while before sending Verity (the middle Prince) off on a suicidal mission (and sends some {{Mooks}} to make sure he doesn't return), and finally [[spoiler: offs the king right after being confirmed as the King-in-Waiting]].
* The ''Literature/PreludeToDune]]'' novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson ( if one acknowledges that they exist) have two examples:
## Shaddam Corrino IV poisons his father, Elrood IX, to get the throne.
## Glossu "Beast" Rabban kills his father Abulurd. Abulurd tells him: "You couldn't kill your own father. You are not such a beast." Glossu kills him and responds: "From now on you may call me Beast."
** In the original ''Dune'' novel, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is one part this to two parts BastardUnderstudy.
* Creator/DavidEddings:
** In ''Literature/TheElenium'' trilogy, Prince Lycheas, BastardBastard cousin of Queen Ehlana, assumes the throne as Prince Regent while Ehlana is magically incapacitated. He's little more than a puppet of SinisterMinister [[SmugSnake Annias]] though, who is himself being jerked around by [[ManipulativeBastard Martel]] and [[GodOfEvil Azash]].
** In ''Literature/TheMalloreon'', it's revealed how the succession works in Ctholl Murgos: The eldest ''surviving'' prince is the heir, and his first royal act is to order the execution of all others. So, all princes are evil, and only the most clever one wins. For example, [[spoiler:The Drasnian bastard child]].
*** This was actually the rule in the Real Life Ottoman Empire, and was fine with the populace for several generations until the early death of a sultan resulted in the execution of several child princes. This was a bit much for Turkish sensibilities and after that reign sultans locked their brothers up instead. This proved convenient when the current ruler succumbed without providing an heir.
* ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' has both Evil Princes and Evil Princesses. In ''Mossflower'' Tsarmina Greeneyes usurps the throne from her brother (displaying ultimate ignorance of point #3 in the EvilOverlordList), and in ''Marlfox'' various members of the seven offspring of the titular villainous royal family are constantly attempting to backstab their siblings and mother. Then there's Kurda, another female example, and her brother Bladd in ''Triss'', Pitru in ''High Rhulain'', Klitch in ''Salamandastron'' and possibly Veil in ''The Outcast Of Redwall''... though his father, Swartt, is a lord not a king.
* ''Literature/OneForTheMorningGlory'' Part of the backstory. The kingdom of Overhill was independent because a king had sent his brother packing to an unsettled corner of the kingdom, and he had declared it an independent kingdom.
* In Creator/DanAbnett's Literature/GauntsGhosts novel ''Necropolis'', part of Salvandor Sondar's BackStory; he killed his uncle to gain his place and still resents how much his uncle was loved.
* Dagnarus of the ''Literature/TheSovereignStone'' trilogy was second in line for the throne. He didn't hate his father or try to take the throne away from him, but he did both for his elder brother, Helmos.
* In Creator/DanAbnett's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''Literature/BrothersOfTheSnake'', when the Space Marine Priad is told that a queen was murdered, his immediate suspect is the new king. The Inquisitor, who told him, tells him that he is no detective.
* Literature/TheWheelOfTime:
** Luc apparently thought he was going to be the king of Andor, despite it only ever having ''Queens''. Luckily, he mysteriously disappeared before this could happen.
** This kind of succession seems to be standard in Seanchan. The Empress's children are expected to contend with each other, so only the fittest can inherit the throne. It's not clear whether the Empress herself is a target from this.
* Prince Xizor from the ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheEmpire'' multimedia project qualifies. Whether "Prince" might just be the title given to him for being the head of Black Sun, he sits at the Emperor's feet and has a bitter rivalry with Darth Vader for Palpatine's favor.
** Xizor was a prince to the Falleen, his own race, however the majority of his race, including his family, were accidentally killed by Vader. He secretly planned to murder the Emperor and Vader, though he suspected, and it was confirmed, that Palpatine was well aware of this and kept him around since he was useful and he felt that any of Xizor's plans would fail.
* [[spoiler:Prince Robert, the king's brother]] in "Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone", who [[spoiler: kills his sister -for whom he has a creepy attraction- in order to lure his brother into a trap. In which he gets killed, but manages to reappear as undead by a fluke]]
* ''Literature/ForgottenRealms'': A Red Wizardess of Thay once magically disguised herself as the queen and seduced Azoun IV, evidently intending to give birth to this trope and seize the throne of Cormyr in a SuccessionCrisis. [[spoiler: Subverted when her agents found out that Azoun had sown so many wild oats as a young man, their Evil Prince would have to get in line behind hundreds of older byblows.]]
* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'':
** In the first trilogy, [[spoiler:Prince Ancar of Hardorn arranged for his father's murder]] so that he could become king sooner. He went on to be a sadistic bastard, who tortured people for fun, drove his own country into ruin and then invaded his neighbors.
** When Prince Thanel of Rethwellan finds out that he can't be crowned king of Valdemar without first being Chosen to become a Herald (which requires being a [[NiceGuy genuinely nice person]]), he tries to murder his wife, Queen Selenay, so he can become Regent for their daughter Elspeth.
* ''Literature/RangersApprentice'' - [[spoiler:Halt]] is the older of a set of twins. His brother drove him from their native kingdom to take the throne for himself.

* In ''Literature/TheWitchlands'', Merik is convinced his sister is one, as he believes [[spoiler:she tried to have him killed to make sure she can get to the throne, and cares for nothing but her ambition. Eventually, it turns out she's just as devoted to Nubrevna as he is and has nothing to do with the assassination.]]

** Prince Rabadash in ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy''. It's mentioned that like other eldest sons of Tisrocs he is beginning to grow dangerous.
** Miraz from ''Literature/PrinceCaspian'' killed his brother, stole the throne, and plotted to kill his nephew as soon as his own son and heir was born.

** Stannis is seen as this by much of the Seven Kingdoms, who believe he is trying to usurp the IT from his brother's children and concocted the rumors [[spoiler:of their illegitimacy to justify this]]. In reality the rumors are true and Stannis doesn't want to [[ReluctantRuler be King]], but believes [[ResignedToTheCall it's his duty]] to become King as by the succession laws of the Seven Kingdoms he is Robert's heir. While still a bit of a jerk he does go through CharacterDevelopment after [[spoiler:he is defeated at the Blackwater) and starts becoming a more likable figure.

* In ''Literature/VampireAcademy'', [[spoiler:Victor Dashkov is a prince, the head of the royal Dashkov family. Formerly, heir to the throne - if it weren't for his health. He schemes to get the throne and does not care who gets hurt in the process]].

* ''Literature/NightfallSeries'': Prince Vladimir is the Big Bad, who has destroyed human civilization and breeds the surviving humans for vampire food.

* Prince Lycheas, BastardBastard cousin of Queen Ehlana in the David Eddings' ''Literature/{{Elenium}}'' trilogy, assumes the throne as Prince Regent while Ehlana is magically incapacitated. He's little more than a puppet of SinisterMinister [[SmugSnake Annias]] though, who is himself being jerked around by [[ManipulativeBastard Martel]] and [[GodOfEvil Azash]].
** And in the [[Literature/{{Belgariad}} Malloreon]], it's revealed how the succession works in Ctholl Murgos: The eldest ''surviving'' prince is the heir, and his first royal act is to order the execution of all others. So, all princes are evil, and only the most clever one wins. For example, [[spoiler:The Drasnian bastard child]].

** Daemon Blackfyre, a legitimized [[BastardBastard bastard]] of Aegon IV and [[KissingCousins his cousin]] Daena Targaryen, who tried to usurp his half-brother Daeron II. He may have been acting in accord with his father's wishes, though, as Aegon didn't get on with his only legitimate son, and may have begun the rumors Daeron was really the son of Aegon's brother Aemon so he could name one of his bastards as heir. Daemon's descendants continued during to usurp the Targaryen Kings for generations afterwards.

** The [[BigScrewedUpFamily Freys]], one of the most despised Houses in the series, possibly have a few. [[EvilOldFolks Lord Walder Frey]] has over a hundred descendants, and some of them are plotting to move their way up in the line of succession, meaning by the time the 91-year old Lord dies his House will collapse into war. One of Walder Frey's great-grandsons, "Black" Walder Frey, is suspected by his elder brother Edwyn Frey to be behind the death of [[spoiler:their father Raymund Frey, though in reality Raymund was hanged by outlaws]], moving Black Walder a step closer to inheriting the Twins. There's even a fan theory Black Walder was behind the death of his grandfather, Walder Frey's oldest son and heir Ser Stevron Frey. Walder Frey's ninth son, Merrett Frey, even thinks that the 12th son, his half-brother [[EvilCripple "Lame" Lothar Frey]], may be more dangerous then Edwyn and Black Walder.
** A grandson of Walder Frey and full nephew of Lothar, "Big" Walder Frey, is only nine years old but already seems to be becoming this, claiming he'll be Lord of the Crossing despite being low in the line of succession. [[spoiler:He is probably behind the murder of another of Walder Frey's grandsons, "Little" Walder Frey, who was 52 days younger then him. Big Walder still comes across as quite sympathetic, as his cousin was a bully who was becoming more sadistic while squiring for Ramsay, and shows a nicer side in regards to Theon. Says a lot about the Freys that a TokenGoodTeammate of theirs is a kinslayer.]]

* Creator/CSLewis's ''{{Narnia}}'': Prince Rabadash in ''The Horse and his Boy''. It's mentioned that like other eldest sons of Tisrocs he is beginning to grow dangerous. Miraz from ''Prince Caspian'' killed his brother, stole the throne, and plotted to kill his nephew as soon as his own son and heir was born.

* Prince Xizor from the ShadowsOfTheEmpire multimedia project qualifies. Whether "Prince" might just be the title given to him for being the head of Black Sun, he sits at the Emperor's feet and has a bitter rivalry with Darth Vader for Palpatine's favor.

* ForgottenRealms: A Red Wizardess of Thay once magically disguised herself as the queen and seduced Azoun IV, evidently intending to give birth to this trope and seize the throne of Cormyr in a SuccessionCrisis. [[spoiler: Subverted when her agents found out that Azoun had sown so many wild oats as a young man, their Evil Prince would have to get in line behind hundreds of older byblows.]]
* ''HeraldsOfValdemar'':

* In ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', evil and arrogant Viserys Targaryen fits this trope, if only because he believes himself the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms and behaves very much like one, despite not having a kingdom and being actively disliked by most if not all people who come into contact with him. It's pointed out his actions may be because spending most of his life in exile, basically as a beggar, has twisted him, as his sister Daenerys remembers he used to be nicer.

** [[BastardBastard Ramsay Snow]] plays aspects of this straight, though his father is a Lord, not a King. He poisoned his kind-hearted half-brother Domeric Bolton, [[spoiler:betrays the Northern forces, then betrays the Ironmen and sacks Winterfell]]. He's also a {{Sadist}} who delights in practicing the old Bolton custom of [[FlayingAlive flaying]]. His father Lord Roose Bolton, is quite evil himself, being a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who sired Ramsay [[ChildByRape through rape]], [[spoiler: and [[TheStarscream murdered his King Robb Stark]] at [[NastyParty The Red Wedding]],]] but Ramsay is much worse and less subtle about his evil. When Roose thinks Ramsay has died he says his trueborn children would never have been safe with Ramsay. He ends up legitimizing him to Ramsay Bolton but mentions that Ramsay will probably kill any future children that could threaten his claim.
** Renly Baratheon, the youngest of the Baratheon brothers. On Robert's death he forms the largest army of the various Kings, partially as he is Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and has married the daughter of Mace Tyrell, who rules the Reach and wants his daughter as Queen, then tries to usurp the Iron Throne from Joffrey, who is believed [[EvilUncle to be his nephew]]. Renly serves as a deconstruction of TheGoodKing and TheCharmer, claiming he would be better at ruling then those ahead of him and giving an image of being TheAce. However he shows himself to be [[BitchInSheepsClothing vain]] and unpleasant, showing basically no actual skills in knowing how to run a realm, with his claim basically just being he is going to [[TheUsurper take the IT]] by force. When his older brother Stannis claims he is the rightful King Renly claims "You may well have the better claim, but I have the [[MightMakesRight larger army]]", even turning down an offer from Stannis to join him and become their heir. [[spoiler:He ends up being killed before the battle by a shadow assassin conjured by [[CainAndAbel Stannis' sorceress Melisandre, though it is debatable if Stannis is aware of this and Renly clearly intended to kill Stannis.]] Ironically, due to the Tyrells joining the Lannisters and helping to defeat Stannis, with one of them disguising themselves as Renly's ghost, Renly undergoes a HistoricalHeroUpgrade and is remembered as a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity heroic Lord]] who came BackFromTheDead to defeat Stannis despite the fact he was trying to overthrow Joffrey.]]
** Stannis is seen as this by much of the Seven Kingdoms, who believe he is trying to usurp the IT from his brother's children and concocted the rumors [[spoiler:of their illegitimacy to justify this]]. In reality the rumors are true and Stannis doesn't want to [[ReluctantRuler be King]], but believes [[ResignedToTheCall it's his duty]] to become King as by the succession laws of the Seven Kingdoms he is Robert's heir.

** Prince Daemon, from over a century before the books, brother of Viserys I, known as "the Rogue Prince". He was a pirate and had an affair with his niece Rhaenyra, for which his brother exiled him. He finally married Rhaenyra, taking her side when she tried to take the throne from her half-brother Aegon II after her father's death and is thought of as TheCorrupter to her. When one of his stepsons was killed [[spoiler:he had one of Aegon's infant sons murdered.]] However, he never tried to usurp the Iron Throne and Rhaenyra had been named by Viserys as his heir, so the evil part is debatable. Aegon could be considered this trope, depending on who's telling the story, as he went against his fathers wishes in taking the Iron Throne himself, even though the laws of succession favored him. He did feed Rhaenyra to his dragon when he captured her and when the war turned against him tried to have her son Aegon killed out of spite, [[spoiler:but was poisoned before he could do so.]] Rhaenyra can be considered the rightful heir, but proved to be quite a tyrannical ruler herself, such as in her treatment of the dragonseed and imprisonment of her father-in-law Corlys Velaryon.

** Daeron's fourth son Maekar I is believed to be this by much of the Seven Kingdoms, [[spoiler:due to him killing his well-liked eldest brother Baelor in a trial by combat, though it was an accident and Maekar is genuinely upset about this. His youngest son Aegon even hears other squires saying Maekar means to murder both his other brothers and nephew. Ironically enough Maekar does end up as King, though unintentionally.]]

** Arnolf Karstark, Lord Rickard Karstark's uncle and Castellan of Karhold, declares for Stannis hoping Rickard's last son Harrion, a captive of the Iron Throne and [[spoiler:Lord of Karhold after his father's execution]], will be [[EvilUncle executed for this]], after which he intends to force Harrion's sister Alys to marry [[KissingCousins his son Cregan]], enabling his branch of the family to take control of Karhold. [[spoiler:Arnolf is also working with Lord Bolton to betray Stannis.]]

** A grandson of Walder Frey and full nephew of Lothar, "Big" Walder Frey, is only nine years old but already seems to be becoming this, claiming he'll be Lord of the Crossing despite being low in the line of succession. [[spoiler:He is probably behind the murder of another of Walder Frey's grandsons, "Little" Walder Frey, who was 52 days younger then him. Big Walder still comes across as quite sympathetic, as his cousin was a bully who was becoming more sadistic while squiring for Ramsay.]]

* Prince Lycheas, BastardBastard cousin of Queen Ehlana in the David Eddings ''{{Elenium}}'' trilogy, assumes the throne as Prince Regent while Ehlana is magically incapacitated. He's little more than a puppet of SinisterMinister [[SmugSnake Annias]] though, who is himself being jerked around by [[ManipulativeBastard Martel]] and [[GodOfEvil Azash]].
** And in the [[{{Belgariad}} Malloreon]], it's revealed how the succession works in Ctholl Murgos: The eldest ''surviving'' prince is the heir, and his first royal act is to order the execution of all others. So, all princes are evil, and only the most clever one wins. For example, [[spoiler:The Drasnian bastard child]].

** In ''Shards of Honor'', Prince Serg was sufficiently nasty that his father was forced to [[OffingTheOffspring kill him]] rather than let him succeed to the throne.
** A subplot in ''A Civil Campaign'' deals with this on a lesser scale. Richars Vorrutyer had done everything up to and including possible murder to ensure his cousin Count Pierre died without issue and left him the heir apparent. He thought Pierre's younger sister Donna using an old rule to secure a three month stay on his confirmation and heading offplanet before the late Count was in the ground was of no consequence...and was rather put out when Pierre's [[GenderBender younger brother Dono]] returned to Barrayar to claim said seat by right of blood.

* Several of these in the {{Deryni}} works:

* The novel ''{{The Prisoner of Zenda}}'' has an interesting example in the character of Black Michael, who plots to capture and kill his half-brother, the legitimate heir and take the throne for himself. Uniquely, he is [[VillainWithGoodPublicity much more popular than their true heir]], suggested to be their father's favorite and doesn't come across as that evil outside of this plan.
* Prince Serg of LoisMcMasterBujold's ''[[Literature/VorkosiganSaga Shards of Honor]]'' was sufficiently nasty that his father was forced to [[OffingTheOffspring kill him]] rather than let him succeed to the throne.
** A subplot in ''A Civil Campaign'' deals with this on a lesser scale. Richars Vorrutyer had done everything up to and including possible murder to insure his cousin Count Pierre died without issue and left him the heir apparent. He thought Pierre's younger sister Donna using an old rule to secure a three month stay on his confirmation and heading offplanet before the late Count was in the ground was of no consequence...and was rather put out when Pierre's [[GenderBender younger brother Dono]] returned to Barrayar to claim said seat by right of blood.
** Toyed with in the unrelated novel ''The Curse of Literature/{{Chalion}}''. A bare bones description of Royse Teidez [[spoiler: slaughtering the sacred menagerie that was keeping the worst effects of the titular curse on Roya Orico's health at bay]] would seem to fit this trope perfectly, but the boy honestly thought he was eliminating the uncanny source of his older half-brother's illness. The EvilChancellor's Even More Evil brother, who put Teidez up to it, apparently knew better and was probably trying to supplant his elder brother by replacing the chancellor's puppet monarch with his own. [[spoiler:But he dies before his plan can come to fruition.]]

** Renly Baratheon, the youngest of the Baratheon brothers. On Robert's death he forms the largest army of the various Kings, partially as he is Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and has married the daughter of Mace Tyrell, who rules the Reach and wants his daughter as Queen, then tries to usurp the Iron Throne from Joffrey, who is believed [[EvilUncle to be his nephew]]. Renly serves as a deconstruction of TheGoodKing and TheCharmer, claiming he would be better at ruling then those ahead of him and giving an image of being TheAce. However he shows himself to be [[BitchInSheepsClothing vain]] and unpleasant, showing basically no actual skills in knowing how to run a realm, with his claim basically just being he is going to [[TheUsurper take the IT]] by force. When his older brother Stannis claims he is the rightful King Renly claims "You may well have the better claim, but I have the [[MightMakesRight larger army]]", even turning down an offer from Stannis to join him and become their heir. [[spoiler:He ends up being killed before the battle by a shadow assassin conjured by [[CainAndAbel Stannis']] sorceress Melisandre. Ironically, due to the Tyrells joining the Lannisters and helping to defeat Stannis, with one of them disguising themselves as Renly's ghost, Renly undergoes a HistoricalHeroUpgrade and is remembered as a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity heroic Lord]] who came BackFromTheDead to defeat Stannis despite the fact he was trying to defeat the Lannisters.]]

** Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen, who Viserys takes after. He is cruel and pyschotic, and a BigBrotherBully to Aegon. He throws Aegon's cat down a well and threatens to castrate them. He attacks a Puppeteer just because their show has a dragon (the Targaryen sigil is a dragon) getting killed. Thankfully he predeceases his father Maekar by a year, meaning Aegon becomes King.
** Maegor the Cruel, considered the cruelest King to ever sit the Iron Throne. He beheaded the Grand Maester who pointed out his brother's son should succeed instead of Maegor, had two of his [[EvilUncle nephews killed]], and performed numerous atrocities in and out of his war with the Faith. When the realm united under his last nephew Jaehaerys, Maegor died mysteriously, possibly killing himself.
** Prince Daemon, from over a century before the books, brother of Viserys I, known as "the Rogue Prince". He was a pirate and had an affair with his niece Rhaenyra, for which his brother exiled him. He finally married Rhaenyra, taking her side when she tried to take the throne from her half-brother Aegon II after her father's death and is thought of as TheCorrupter to her. When one of his stepsons was killed [[spoiler:he had one of Aegon's sons murdered.]] However, he never tried to usurp the Iron Throne and Rhaenyra had been named by Viserys as his heir, so the evil part is debatable. Aegon could be considered this trope, depending on who's telling the story, as he went against his fathers wishes in taking the Iron Throne himself, even though the laws of succession favored him. He did feed Rhaenyra to his dragon when he captured her and when the war turned against him tried to have her son Aegon killed out of spite, [[spoiler:but was poisoned before he could do so.]]

** The [[BigScrewedUpFamily Freys]], one of the most despised Houses in the series, possibly have a few. [[EvilOldFolks Lord Walder Frey]] has over a hundred descendants, and some of them are plotting to move their way up in the line of succession, meaning by the time the 91-year old Lord dies his House will collapse into war. One of Walder Frey's great-grandsons, "Black" Walder Frey, is suspected by his elder brother Edwyn Frey to be behind the death of [[spoiler:their father Raymund Frey, though in reality Raymund was hanged by outlaws]], moving Black Walder a step closer to inheriting the Twins. There's even a fan theory Black Walder was behind the death of his grandfather, Walder Frey's oldest son and heir Ser Stevron Frey.

** [[BastardBastard Ramsay Snow]] plays aspects of this straight, though his father is a Lord, not a King. He poisoned his kind-hearted half-brother Domeric Bolton, [[spoiler:betrays the Northern forces, then betrays the Ironmen and sacks Winterfell]]. He's also a {{Sadist}} who delights in practicing the old Bolton custom of [[FlayingAlive flaying]]. His father Lord Roose Bolton, is quite evil himself, being a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who sired Ramsay [[ChildThroughRape through rape]], [[spoiler: and [[TheStarscream murdered his King Robb Stark]] at [[NastyParty The Red Wedding]],]] but Ramsay is much worse and less subtle about his evil. When Roose thinks Ramsay has died he says his trueborn children would never have been safe with Ramsay. He ends up legitimizing him to Ramsay Bolton but mentions that Ramsay will probably kill any future children that could threaten his claim.

** Stannis is seen as this by much of the Seven Kingdoms, who believe he is trying to usurp the IT from his brother's children and concocted the rumors [[spoiler:of their illegitimacy to justify this]]. In reality the rumors are true and Stannis doesn't want to [[ReluctantRoyalty be King]], but believes [[ResignedToTheCall it's his duty]] to become King as by the succession laws of the Seven Kingdoms he is Robert's heir.
** Euron "Crow's Eye" Greyjoy, who is suspected of [[spoiler:having his brother Balon Greyjoy assassinated so he could become ruler of the Iron Islands]] and is implied to have molested his youngest brother Aeron "Damphair", along with raping or seducing another brother Victarian's wife, meaning Balon exiled him from the Isles. [[spoiler:Aeron, a Priest of the Drowned God, calls a [[ElectiveMonarchy kingsmoot]] to try making sure Victarian becomes King, as Balon's sons are believed all dead and though Balon wanted Asha to succeed him Aeron doesn't think a woman can rule. Unfortunately Euron gets the support from the Kingsmoot to become King by revealing his plans to conquer the Seven Kingdoms.]]

** Daemon Blackfyre, a legitimized [[BastardBastard bastard]] of Aegon IV and [[KissingCousins his cousin]] Daena Targaryen, who tried to usurp his half-brother Daeron II. He may have been acting in accord with his father's wishes, though, as Aegon didn't get on with his legitimate son, and may have begun the rumors they were his brother Aemon's son so he could name one of his bastards as heir. His descendants continued during to usurp the Targaryen Kings for generations afterwards.

** Another of Aegon's bastards Brynden Rivers "Bloodraven" plays with this. He's a rather morally ambiguous character and kinslayer who is thought of as a sorcerer and EvilAdvisor who turned the Seven Kingdoms into a Police State with his network of spies. Eventually he was even [[ReassignedToAntarctica sent to the Wall]] for killing a Blackfyre after offering them safe conduct, showing even the Targaryens found his methods too extreme. However his killing of [[CainAndAbel Daemon Blackfyre]] and [[EvilUncle two of their sons]] helped win the battle of Redgrass Field and defeated the first Blackfyre rebellion. And though he certainly seems to have been a skinchanger many of his ruthless methods seem to have been necessary in preventing the very real threat of the Blackfyres.

** Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen, who Viserys takes after. He is cruel and pyschotic, and a BigBrotherBully to Aegon. He throws Aegon's cat down a well and threatens to castrate them. He attacks a Puppeteer just because their show has a dragon (the Targaryen sigil is a dragon) getting killed. Thankfully he predeceases his father by a year, meaning Aegon becomes King.

** Another of Aegon's bastards Brynden Rivers "Bloodraven" plays with this. He's a rather morally ambiguous character and kinslayer who is thought of as a sorcerer and EvilAdvisor who turned the Seven Kingdoms into a Police State with his network of spies. Eventually he was even [[ReassignedToAntarctica sent to the Wall]] for killing a Blackfyre after offering them safe conduct, showing even the Targaryens found his methofs too extreme. However his killing of [[CainAndAbel Daemon Blackfyre]] and [[EvilUncle two of their sons]] helped win the battle of Redgrass Field and defeated the first Blackfyre rebellion. And though he certainly seems to have been a skinchanger many of his ruthless methods seem to have been necessary in preventing the very real threat of the Blackfyres.
** A minor case is Ser Gerold Lannister, who is suspected of murdering [[EvilUncle his brother's daughter]] Cerelle Lannister so he could become Lord of Casterly Rock.

* In Tolkien's ''TheSilmarillion'' we have Ar-Pharazôn, last King of Númenor, who usurped the throne by the less usual method of marrying the rightful heiress (who was also [[KissingCousins his cousin]], despite it being illegal under Numenorean law) and then forcibly reducing her role to that of his consort. There's also the example of Maeglin, the nephew of King Turgon of Gondolin, who betrays the city to Morgoth partially to gain rulership over it, but mostly because he [[IncestIsRelative wants to marry his cousin]]. That she already has a husband and son doesn't stop him -- he just plans to off them first.

* Creator/CSLewis's ''{{Narnia}}'': Prince Rabadash in ''The Horse and his Boy''; Miraz from ''Prince Caspian'' killed his brother, stole the throne, and plotted to kill his nephew as soon as his own son and heir was born.