An interactive infographic for exploring  the myriad interconnections of Europe’s royal dynasties. To wit:

Royal and aristocratic families are known for their fondness of marrying within their own clique. Restraining aggression between two families, creating a stronger front towards a third family, increasing territorial acquisitions, legal claim to a foreign throne through inheritance are some of the most common reasons. This leads to very interesting and entangled family trees which the visual tries to convey. It shows how all 10 of the current hereditary royal leaders of Europe can be connected to each other through their ancestors. We don’t have to look very far back. Even the most distant royal relatives have their shared forebears born after the year 1700.

Explore it here.

kottke