Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Had a Castle Full of Curiosities
So far on this list, we see that even people who grew up in a wealthy home or succeed in business could still be capable of becoming hoarders. It only makes sense, then, that a political leader would also be bitten by the collecting bug. In the 1500’s, the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II hoarded a massive collection of “arms and armor, coins, books and manuscripts, portraits, and masterpieces of fine craftsmanship.” He also collected taxidermy animals, tusks, bones, and other scientific pieces. His uncle, Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria, was also an avid collector. These two men competed with one another as to who could have the larger collection of curiosities.
At one point, Rudolf’s collecting reached a point of mania during a time in his life when he felt very depressed and bored. He bought so many things that he ran out of money. Over time, he became more and more reclusive, and rarely left his private apartment in the castle. At a certain point, he ceased to function at his job as the Holy Roman Emperor. Like most hoarders, he was clearly suffering from some sort of mental illness. However, he wasn’t holding onto trash like most hoarders out there. Many of the pieces he collected were stunning works of art, and many of the pieces are still on display at The Met to this day.