Sibling Marriage

This article lists well-known individuals who had romantic or marital ties with their sibling(s) at any point in history. It does not include coupled siblings in works of fiction, although those from mythology and religion are included.

Terminology

There are many terms used to describe a romantic bond between siblings, including formal nomenclature such as '' adelphogamy'', specific hyponyms such '' twincest'', or slang terms like ''sibcest''. In a heterosexual context, a female partner in such a relationship may be referred as a ''sister-wife''. A similar incestuous arrangement which is non-monogamous can be referred as ''sister-swapping'' or ''brother-swapping'', although this should not be confused with '' berdel'', which describes the situation in which families exchange brides or bridegrooms.

History

Sibling marriage was historically practiced among royalty in ancient through Ptolemaic Egypt, in the pre-Columbian Inca Empire of Peru, in pre-colonial Hawaiʻi, sporadically throughout Eurasia, and in various other places.

While cousin marriage is legal in most countries today (less often with regard to first cousins), and avunculate marriage is legal in several, sexual relations between siblings are considered impermissibly incestuous almost universally. Sibling marriage is legally prohibited in most countries worldwide, with a partial exception being Sweden, where marriages between half-siblings are legally permitted.

Innate sexual aversion between siblings forms due to close association in childhood, in what is known as the Westermarck effect. Children who grow up together do not normally develop sexual attraction, even if they are unrelated, and conversely, siblings who were separated at a young age may develop sexual attraction. Thus, many cases of sibling incest, including accidental incest, concern siblings who were separated at birth or at a very young age.

List of coupled siblings

Religion, mythology, and legend

* Nüwa and her full brother Fuxi, in Chinese mythology
* Mashya and Mashyana in Zoroastrian mythology
* King Arthur and his half-sister Morgause

In Egyptian mythology

* Nut and her full brother Geb
* Shu and his full sister Tefnut
* Osiris and his full sister Isis
* Set and his full sister Nephthys

In Japanese mythology

* Izanami and her twin brother Izanagi
* Amaterasu and her full brother Tsukuyomi

In Greek mythology

* Cronus and his full sister Rhea.
* Phoebe and her full brother Coeus.
* Hyperion and his full sister Theia
* Oceanus and his full sister Tethys.
* Ceto and her full brother Phorcys
* Nyx and her full brother Erebus
* Zeus and his full sisters Hera and Demeter
* Demeter and her full brothers Zeus. and Poseidon
* Aphrodite and her half-brothers Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus
* Macareus (son of Aeolus) and his full sister Canace
* Heracles and his half-sister Hebe

Monarchs

In ancient Egypt

* Smenkhkare and his half-sister Meritaten
* Djet and his full sister Merneith
* Merneptah and his full sister Isetnofret II
* Menkaure and his full sister Khamerernebty II
* Seti II and his half-sister Twosret
* Ahmose I and his full sister Ahmose-Nefertari and his half-sister Ahmose-Henuttamehu
* Seqenenre Tao and his full sisters Ahhotep I and Sitdjehuti and his half-sister Ahmose Inhapy
* Amenhotep I. and his full sister Ahmose-Meritamun
* Thutmose I and his half-sister Ahmose
* Thutmose II and his half-sister Hatshepsut
* Akhenaten and an unnamed sister
* Tutankhamun and his half-sister Ankhesenamun
* Djoser and his half-sister Hetephernebti
* Djedefre and his full sister Hetepheres II, who was previously married to her half-brother Kawab
* Pepi II Neferkare and his half-sisters Iput II and Ankhesenpepi III
* Intef III and his half-sister Iah
* Mentuhotep II and his full sister Neferu II
* Senusret I and his half-sister Neferu III
* Senusret II and his sisters Khenemetneferhedjet I, Nofret II, Itaweret, and Khenmet
* Nubkhaes and her half-brother Sobekemsaf
* Ramesses III and his half-sister Tyti
* Ramesses IV and his half-sister Duatentopet
* Psusennes I and his full sister Mutnedjmet
* Pinedjem II and his full sister Isetemkheb D
* Takelot II and his half-sister Karomama II
* Alara of Kush and his half-sister Kasaqa
* Kashta and his full sister Pebatjma
* Tantamani and his full sisters Piankharty and Setemkheb H
* Apries and his full sister Ankhnesneferibre
* Piye and his half-sisters Peksater and Khensa
* Shebitku and his half-sister Arty

In other Near Eastern royal houses

* Amoashtart and her brother Tabnit
* Artemisia II of Caria and her full brother Mausolus
* Ada of Caria and her full brother Idrieus
* Arsinoe II and her full brother Ptolemy II Philadelphus and half-brother Ptolemy Ceraunus.
* Erato of Armenia and her half-brother Tigranes IV
* Boran and her full brother Kavad II
* Darius II and his half-sister, Parysatis
* Artaxerxes II and his full sister Amestris
* Cambyses II and two of his sisters, Atossa and Roxanne
* Mithridates IV of Pontus and his full sister Laodice
* Mithridates VI Eupator and his full sister Laodice
* Antiochus III of Commagene and his full sister Iotapa
* Antiochus IV of Commagene and his full sister Iotapa
* Ptolemy IV Philopator and his full sister Arsinoe III of Egypt.
* Cleopatra II and her full brothers Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra II, Ptolemy VI Philometor, and Ptolemy VIII Physcon:
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* Ptolemy IX Soter and his full sisters Cleopatra IV and Cleopatra Selene, who later married her other full brother Ptolemy X Alexander I.
* Ptolemy XI Alexander II and his possible half-sister Berenice III
* Ptolemy XII Auletes and his full sister Cleopatra V
* Cleopatra VII and her full brothers Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator and Ptolemy XIV Philopator
* Laodice IV and her full brothers Antiochus, Seleucus IV Philopator, and Antiochus IV Epiphanes
* Alexander II of Epirus and his half-sister Olympias II of Epirus

In Inca Peru

* Manco Cápac and his full sister Mama Ocllo.
* Sinchi Roca and his half-sister Mama Cura.
* Topa Inca Yupanqui and his full sister Mama Ocllo Coya.
* Sayri Túpac and his full sister Cusi Huarcay
* Cura Ocllo and her full brother Manco Inca Yupanqui
* Huayna Capac and his full sisters Kuya Kusi Rimay and Kuya Rahua Ocllo.
* Huáscar and his full sister Chuqui Huipa
* Atahualpa and his half-sister Coya Asarpay

In Japan

* Emperor Nintoku and his 2 half-sisters Princess Yata and Uji no Wakiiratsume
* Prince Kinashi no Karu and his full sister Princess Karu no Ōiratsume (5th century)
* Emperor Bidatsu and his half-sister Empress Suiko (6th century)
* Emperor Yōmei and his half-sister Anahobe no Hashihito (6th century)
* Emperor Kanmu and his half-sister Princess Sakahito (8th century)
* Emperor Heizei and 3 half-sisters
* Emperor Junna and his half-sister Princess Koshi (9th century)
* Emperor Saga and his half-sister Princess Takatsu
* Emperor Seiwa and his half-sister Minamoto no Seishi
* Emperor Kōkaku and his adopted sister/cousin Princess Yoshiko

In Korea

* Jeongjong of Goryeo (today Korea) and his half-sister (10th century).
* Gwangjong of Goryeo and his half-sister. Daemok (10th century)
* Deokjong of Goryeo and his half-sisters Gyeongseong and Hyosa (11th century)
* Munjong of Goryeo and his half-sister Inpyeong (11th century)

In Burma (Myanmar)

* Nyaungyan Min of Burma (today Myanmar) and his half-sister Khin Hpone Myint (16th century)
* Kyawswa of Pagan (Burma) and his half-sister Mi Saw U
* Uzana I of Pinya (Burma) and his half-sister Atula Maha Dhamma Dewi of Pinya
* Binnya E Law of Martaban (Burma) and his half-sister Sanda Min Hla
* Anaukpetlun of Burma and his 3 half-sisters

* Mindon Min of Burma and his half-sister Setkya Dewi
* Thibaw Min of Burma and his half-sisters Supayagyi, Supayalat, and Supayalay
* Prince Myo Tu, Prince of Mekkhaya (Burma) and his half-sister Pin

In other East and Southeast Asian royal houses

* Chulalongkorn of Siam (today Thailand) and his half-sisters Sunandha Kumariratana, Savang Vadhana, Saovabha Phongsri, Sukhumala Marasri, Daksinajar (19th century)

* Sisavang Vong of Laos and his half-sisters Khamphane and Khamtouan (20th century)
* Norodom Sutharot and his half-sister Norodom Phangangam, parents of Norodom Suramarit

In the Hawaiian Islands

* Kaumualii and his half-sister Kaapuwai Kapuaamohu
* Keliimaikai and his half-sister Kiilaweau
* Keōua and his half-sister Manono I
* Kalola Pupuka and her full brother Kamehamehanui Ailuau
* Lanakawai and his half-sister Kalohialiiokawai
* Laau and his full sister Kukamolimaulialoha
* Pilikaaiea and his full sister Hina-au-kekele
* Hinaauamai and her full brother Koa
* Kukohou and his half-sister Hineuki
* Kahaimoelea and his half-sister Kapoakauluhailaa.
* Kalaunuiohua and his half-sister Kaheka
* Kahoukapu and his full sister Hukulani.
* Keaweōpala and his half-sister Hākau
* Kauakahiakua and his full sister Kāneikapōleikauila
* Kalaninuiamamao and his half-sister Kekaulike-i-Kawekiuonalani
* Keaweīkekahialiiokamoku and his half-sister Kalanikauleleiaiwi.
* Kekuiapoiwa I and her half-brother Kekaulike
* Umi-a-Liloa and his half-sister Alii Kapukini-a-Liloa
* Kukailani and his half-sister Kaohukiokalani
* Keākealanikāne and his half-sisters, Alii Kealiiokalani and Kealiiokalani.
* Keākealaniwahine and her half-brother Chief Kane-i-Kauaiwilani
* Haae-a-Mahi and his half-sister Kekelakekeokalani.
* Keawepoepoe and his full sister Kanoena
* Kīwalaō and his half-sister Kekuiapoiwa Liliha.
* Kamehameha II and his half-sisters Kamāmalu, Kīnau, and Kekāuluohi
* Kamehameha III and his full sister Nahienaena

In medieval and early modern Europe

* John V of Armagnac and his full sister Isabelle of Armagnac (15th century)
* Brothers Philip, Thomas, and William Howard married their step-sisters, Anne, Mary, and Elizabeth Dacre respectively.
* Julien and Marguerite de Ravalet, full siblings (16th century)

Non-royalty/commoner sibling couples

* Patrick Stübing and his full sister Susan Karolewski
* George of Izla and his sister Maria

Suspected/disputed sibling couples

* Demetrius I Soter and his full sister Laodice V
* Caligula and his full sisters Julia Livilla, Drusilla, and Agrippina the Younger
* Herod Agrippa II and his full sister Berenice (daughter of Herod Agrippa)
* Lord Byron and his half-sister Augusta Leigh
* Lucrezia Borgia and her full brother Cesare Borgia.

See also

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* Consanguinity
** Consanguine marriage
* Avunculate marriage
* Cousin marriage
** List of coupled cousins
* Inbreeding
** Laws regarding incest

References

Bibliography

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{{Incest

coupled
Incest
Lists of couples