The Forgotten Power Brokers: How 15 Eunuchs Silently Orchestrated History’s Greatest Dynasties

Chuvic - May 16, 2025

Most history books skip over these figures, but eunuchs often held more real power than the rulers they supposedly served. From navy admirals to kingmakers, these men without testicles wielded authority that would make modern politicians jealous. Their unique position outside normal social hierarchies let them access spaces and build connections others couldn’t. Here’s how 15 eunuchs changed the world while working in the shadows.

1. Zheng He: The Chinese Admiral Who Sailed to Africa

Zheng He lived from 1371 to 1433 during China’s Ming dynasty after being castrated as a war captive in his youth. He later commanded the world’s biggest fleet of his time, with ships four times longer than Columbus’s vessels. His seven massive voyages reached distant shores including East Africa, Indonesia, and Arabia, all decades before European “age of exploration” began. Many ships in his fleet carried exotic animals like giraffes back to the Chinese emperor.

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The Path Not Taken: How China Abandoned Global Exploration

Unlike European explorers, Zheng focused on diplomatic missions instead of conquest. His ships carried thousands of soldiers but used them for protection, not colonization. His voyages ended abruptly after his death, with records suppressed by officials who hated court eunuchs. Ships rotted in harbors, and China turned inward for centuries. Some historians think this single policy shift changed world history by ceding global exploration to European powers.

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2. Bagoas: The Persian Poison Master

Bagoas worked as chamberlain to King Artaxerxes III in the Achaemenid Empire during the 4th century BCE. Not content to serve, he killed his master with poison in 338 BCE. Then he put Artaxerxes’ son on the throne, only to kill him too when the new king showed independence. Finally, he installed Darius III, who would later face Alexander the Great. His unique position gave him access to the king’s food and drink, making him more dangerous than any general.

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A Deadly Sip: How the Master Poisoner Met His End

His murder streak ended when he tried to poison Darius III. The king knew about Bagoas’ habits and forced him to drink the poisoned wine himself. Later, someone else named Bagoas became Alexander the Great’s favorite after Persia fell. The name “Bagoas” now means someone who pulls political strings from behind curtains. His story shows how even kings feared the men who controlled their food and drink.

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3. Narses: The 80-Year-Old General

Narses lived from 478 to 573 CE and served the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I. He started as a palace official but became a military commander with no previous battle experience. At age 74, he led Byzantine armies against the Ostrogoths in Italy and won, defeating the much younger Gothic king Totila in 552 CE. Despite his advanced age, he showed tactical brilliance that surprised both allies and enemies, reclaiming territories that had been lost for decades.

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Defying Expectations: The Eunuch Who Outlived His Critics

Many doubted him when Justinian first gave him command. Even Empress Theodora questioned if a “eunuch who counts coins” could lead soldiers. Yet Narses lived to nearly 100, running Italy for 13 years after conquering it. Byzantine law blocked eunuchs from certain jobs, but skill and imperial favor could overcome these limits. Legend says when recalled from Italy, he invited Lombards to invade out of spite, though historians doubt this story.

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4. Wei Zhongxian: The Man Who Castrated Himself for Power

Wei Zhongxian stands out from other eunuchs because he chose castration as an adult in the late Ming dynasty (1568-1627). After piling up gambling debts, he cut off his own genitals to gain palace access. Under weak Emperor Tianqi, Wei ran the government, killed hundreds who opposed him, and built temples to himself across China. People called him “Nine Thousand Years,” just below the emperor’s “Ten Thousand Years” title. He created a secret police force that terrorized anyone who opposed his rule.

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The Fall of China’s Most Hated Eunuch

His fall came fast. When Emperor Tianqi died in 1627, the new Emperor Chongzhen immediately stripped Wei’s power. Facing execution, Wei hanged himself. Officials dug up his body, cut it into pieces, and displayed it publicly. His terrible reign made “evil eunuch” a lasting stereotype in Chinese culture. Books and plays for centuries after portrayed eunuchs as corrupt schemers who ruined China from within.

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5. Cai Lun: The Man Who Invented Paper

Cai Lun served as a court eunuch in China’s Eastern Han dynasty from 50-121 CE. Though simple forms of paper existed earlier, Cai created the first standardized papermaking process in 105 CE. He mixed materials like bark, hemp, rags, and fishing nets to make a writing surface far cheaper than silk or bamboo, the previous writing materials. His name appears in official imperial histories, one of the few times a eunuch received formal credit for technological innovation in ancient China.

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From Innovation to Suicide: The Inventor’s Tragic End

Eunuchs often focused on practical innovations since traditional power paths were closed to them. Cai’s invention spread slowly, taking hundreds of years to reach Europe. When his political patron, Empress Deng, died, court enemies turned against him. Rather than face execution, Cai bathed, dressed in fine clothes, and drank poison. Despite creating one of history’s most important inventions, he died knowing how fragile his position remained.

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6. Li Lianying: The Shadow Behind the Dragon Throne

Li Lianying started as a barber before becoming chief eunuch to Empress Dowager Cixi in China’s Qing dynasty (1848-1911). For nearly 30 years, he controlled who could speak to China’s most powerful woman. Foreign diplomats bribed him for access, and he ran her household while advising on state matters from behind screens. His influence extended to military appointments, government policy, and even which reports the Empress would see each morning.

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Secret Communication and Safe Retirement

Unlike other powerful eunuchs, Li knew not to overreach. He kept a humble appearance while collecting massive bribes and gifts. He developed hand signals to talk secretly with Cixi during public meetings. When photographers first entered the Forbidden City, Li appears in many pictures standing near Cixi. He retired peacefully after her death in 1908 and died naturally in 1911 as the dynasty collapsed. His former Beijing home still stands as a museum.

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7. Basil Lekapenos: The Emperor’s Neutered Brother

Basil Lekapenos occupied a strange position in the Byzantine Empire (925-985 CE). Born as Emperor Romanos I’s illegitimate son, he was castrated as a child to prevent him claiming the throne. Yet he rose to become parakoimomenos (“the one who sleeps beside the emperor”), effectively serving as chief minister to several emperors, including his nephew Basil II during his childhood. Despite castration meant to limit his ambitions, he became perhaps the most powerful court official of his era.

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Bridging Two Worlds: Royal Blood in a Eunuch’s Body

His dual status as both royal blood and eunuch helped him build power. He could claim imperial authority while working within the eunuch system that ran the Byzantine court. He grew incredibly rich, supported artists, and created a famous legal encyclopedia. Eventually he tried undermining Emperor Basil II once the boy grew up. The emperor, later known as “Bulgar-Slayer,” outmaneuvered his uncle and forced him into exile in 985 CE.

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8. Ibrahim Pasha: The Sultan’s Executed Best Friend

Ibrahim Pasha rose from a Christian slave boy to Ottoman Grand Vizier (1493-1536). Captured as a child and castrated, he became Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent’s closest friend and advisor. For 13 years, he led armies, dealt with European powers, and shaped policy during the Ottoman Empire’s peak years of power. He negotiated with European kings as an equal, lived in a palace that rivaled the Sultan’s, and married into the royal family despite his slave origins.

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A Promise Broken on a Technicality

The Ottoman system allowed shocking social mobility yet imposed brutal limits. Though born a Venetian fisherman’s son, Ibrahim received an excellent education alongside young prince Suleiman. Their bond grew so close that Suleiman promised never to execute him and let Ibrahim marry his sister. After showing increasing pride, including calling himself “Sultan of the Army,” Ibrahim was strangled in the palace. Suleiman reportedly found a loophole in his promise by having Ibrahim killed while sleeping.

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9. Sporus: Nero’s Boy Bride

Sporus became one of Rome’s strangest historical footnotes around 67 CE. Emperor Nero noticed the young man resembled his dead wife, Poppaea Sabina. Nero had Sporus castrated, then married him in public, with Sporus wearing the clothes of a Roman empress. Nero called him “Sabina” and took him to events where officials had to treat him like a real empress. Roman historians record the ceremony in detail, noting how Sporus received a dowry and wore a bridal veil just like a high-born Roman woman.

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From Imperial Consort to Gladiatorial Victim

After Nero killed himself in 68 CE, Sporus passed like property to the next emperor, Otho, then to Emperor Vitellius. When Vitellius planned to humiliate Sporus by forcing him to play a rape victim in a public gladiator show, Sporus killed himself in 69 CE. His two years in historical records show how Romans viewed gender and power. While Romans generally looked down on eunuchs, imperial whims could override cultural rules.

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10. Origen: The Scholar Who Cut Himself

Origen of Alexandria (184-253 CE) ranks among early Christianity’s greatest thinkers. His biblical interpretations still influence religious thought today. According to church historian Eusebius, young Origen took Matthew 19:12 (“some make themselves eunuchs for heaven’s kingdom”) literally and castrated himself to avoid temptation while teaching female students. He wrote hundreds of theological works, pioneered systematic biblical interpretation, and defended Christianity against pagan critics.

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From Self-Mutilation to Church Controversy

Whether he actually cut himself or enemies made up the story later, it shows early Christians’ complex views about bodies and sex. Despite Origen’s brilliance, controversy followed him throughout life. He died from torture during Emperor Decius’ persecution. Church councils later banned self-made eunuchs from priesthood, perhaps because of Origen’s example. Unlike Eastern court eunuchs who filled recognized roles, Western religious eunuchs faced much different treatment.

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11. Malik Kafur: The Thousand-Gold Slave General

Malik Kafur started as a Hindu slave in Gujarat before the Delhi Sultanate’s ruler Alauddin Khilji bought him for 1,000 gold coins around 1300 CE. This enormous price earned him the nickname “Thousand-Dinar Kafur.” After castration and conversion to Islam, Kafur’s military skills helped him rise quickly. He led armies deeper into southern India than any previous Muslim ruler, raiding wealthy Hindu temples. His campaigns brought back enormous wealth that helped fund the Sultanate’s ambitious building projects.

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Kingmaker Killed: Three Strikes Against a Brilliant Commander

Despite multiple disadvantages—Hindu-born, castrated, non-Turkish, and legally a slave—Kafur became Alauddin’s most trusted general. When Alauddin grew sick, Kafur effectively ran the Sultanate. After the Sultan died in 1316, Kafur briefly seized power by installing the Sultan’s six-year-old son as a puppet. Other nobles assassinated him after just 35 days of rule. They couldn’t accept being governed by someone they saw as inferior in three ways: slave, eunuch, and convert.

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12. Hadım Ali Pasha: The Albanian Who Held Egypt

Hadım Ali Pasha served as Ottoman Grand Vizier under Sultan Bayezid II in the early 1500s. His title “Hadım” means “eunuch” in Turkish. Originally from Albania, he grew up in the palace system before proving himself in government and military roles. His biggest moment came when Sultan Selim I sent him to govern Egypt after conquering the Mamluk Sultanate in 1517. He established the administrative systems that would govern Egypt for centuries under Ottoman rule.

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Military Eunuchs: Battlefield Commanders with Court Connections

The Ottomans often appointed eunuchs to govern newly conquered territories, especially places with complex politics needing careful management. When Mamluks tried retaking power in a 1522 revolt, Ali Pasha defended Cairo successfully but died from battle wounds. His work established Ottoman control in Egypt that lasted centuries. Unlike court eunuchs working behind scenes, Ali Pasha shows how some eunuchs in Islamic empires commanded armies and governed provinces.

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13. Hermias of Atarneus: The Philosopher-Ruler

Hermias of Atarneus began as a eunuch slave before becoming ruler of two cities in Asia Minor during the 4th century BCE. His master, a banker named Eubulus, noticed his intelligence and educated him. Hermias eventually took over from his former master and created a small philosophical community that attracted Aristotle. The famous philosopher lived with Hermias for three years and married his adopted daughter Pythias. Despite Greek prejudice against eunuchs as “incomplete men,” Hermias earned respect for his intellectual achievements.

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The Friendship That Inspired Aristotle’s Only Surviving Poem

His story shows a rare intersection of political power and philosophy. Under Hermias, his court became a center for learning, with Aristotle studying marine biology along the coast during his stay. Their friendship ran deep. When Persian forces captured and crucified Hermias in 341 BCE after he allied with Macedonia against Persia, Aristotle put up a statue honoring him at Delphi and wrote a poem for him—the only poem by Aristotle that survives today.

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14. Earinus: The Beautiful Boy Who Inspired Poetry

Earinus served Roman Emperor Domitian as a bedroom attendant in the late 1st century CE. Described as exceptionally beautiful and Greek, he held the position of cubicularius in the imperial household. What makes Earinus special among countless forgotten eunuchs is that his beauty inspired multiple poems by famous Roman writers Statius and Martial, who wanted the emperor’s favor. These poets compared him to mythological figures beloved by gods, describing him as almost divine in his perfect beauty.

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Hair Offerings and Imperial Favor: Glimpses of a Eunuch’s Life

These poems give us a rare insight into how Romans viewed eunuchs. Roman law banned castrating citizens, but importing eunuchs from Asia Minor or Persia became common in wealthy homes. The poems describe Earinus’ castration with euphemisms, saying it happened before puberty “to preserve his beauty.” One interesting story tells how Earinus sent his cut hair and a mirror as offerings to a temple in his hometown, Pergamon, suggesting he maintained connections to his birthplace despite serving the emperor.

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15. Kim Cheo-seon: Korea’s Unexpected War Hero

Kim Cheo-seon served as a palace eunuch during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty until Japan invaded in 1592. When Korean armies collapsed and the court fled north, Kim organized a volunteer fighting force from his home region. With no military training, he led successful guerrilla attacks against Japanese forces, helping protect his country when conventional defenses failed. His knowledge of court protocol, combined with regional connections, helped him mobilize resistance when the formal military structure collapsed.

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Social Status: How Korean Eunuchs Differed from Chinese Ones

Korean eunuchs differed from Chinese ones in important ways. Many came from yangban (aristocratic) families and kept their family connections after entering palace service. Korea’s eunuch system had its own hierarchy paralleling the regular government. Kim used his court knowledge and local influence to lead when the crisis hit, temporarily breaking rules that normally kept eunuchs from military roles. After the war, official histories recognized his contributions, rare for a eunuch, and he became one of the few eunuchs honored in Korean war memorials.

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The Last Word on Court Eunuchs

These 15 stories barely scratch the surface of eunuch history across civilizations. From Chinese paper inventors to Ottoman commanders, men who lost their testicles often gained unusual access to power. Their ambiguous gender status allowed them to move between worlds, closed to others. They served emperors in bedrooms and on battlefields alike. Most eunuchs remain nameless in history, but these exceptional few show how castration sometimes opened doors rather than closing them. ars.

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