Survival and longevity of European rulers: geographical influences and exploring potential factors, including the Mediterranean diet — a historical analysis from 1354 to the twentieth century

Abstract

AbstractSignificant regional variability in lifespan in Europe is influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle behaviors, including diet. This study investigates the impact of geographical region on the lifespan of European rulers spanning from the fourteenth century to the present day. By analyzing historical records and literature, we aim to identify region-specific dietary patterns and lifestyle factors that may have contributed to longer lifespans among rulers. The hypothesis to be tested is that rulers from Southern European countries, where the traditional Mediterranean diet is consumed by the local people, may exhibit longer lifespans compared to rulers from other regions, due to the well-documented health benefits associated with this dietary pattern. We extracted comprehensive information for each ruler, encompassing their sex, birth and death dates, age, age of enthronement, duration of rulership, country, and cause of death (natural vs. non-natural). To determine their nationality, we coded rulers based on their hypothetical present-day residence (2023). Utilizing the EuroVoc Geographical classification, we categorized the countries into four regions: Northern, Western, Southern, Central and Eastern Europe. While Cox regression models did not find significant differences in survival rates among regions, further analysis stratified by time periods revealed intriguing trends. Contrary to our initial predictions, the Northern region displayed better survival rates compared to the Southern region between 1354 and 1499, whereas survival rates were similar across regions from 1500 to 1749. However, after 1750, all regions, except the Southern region, exhibited significantly improved survival rates, suggesting advancements in healthcare and lifestyle factors. These findings underscore the dynamic influence of both region and time period on health and longevity. Interestingly, despite the prevalence of the Mediterranean diet in the Southern region of Europe, rulers from this region did not demonstrate longer lifespans compared to their counterparts in other regions. This suggests that additional lifestyle factors may have played a more prominent role in their longevity. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the intricate relationship between region, time period, and lifespan among European rulers. Although the Mediterranean diet is often associated with health benefits, our findings indicate that it alone may not account for differences in ruler longevity across regions. Further research is warranted to explore the impact of other lifestyle factors on the health and lifespan of European rulers throughout history.