Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is a recent addition to this list, having taken over in June after his father’s peaceful abdication. The al-Thani family is known for ostentatious wealth and for working aggressively to expand their country’s regional, oil-funded influence. They’ve ruled Qatar since 1825 and underwent a series of forced abdications in the 20th century, typically instigated by sons or nephews eager to take the throne.
Hamid Reza Pahlavi, brother of the deposed Shah of Iran sits in his cell in Evin Prison, Tehran, 10th February 1986. He was arrested after the revolution and jailed in Evin. (Photo by Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)
