📖 The Forgotten Prince: The Story of Alexander IV

Son of the man who conquered half the known world, Alexander IV often wondered, “Will I too command empires? Will the shadow of my father ever fade, or will I forever walk beneath it?” History promised him greatness, but fate had written a harsher truth. For in the ruthless game of power, crowns are heavy, and even a child of destiny can be crushed before his time.

When Alexander the Great died suddenly in Babylon in 323 BCE, the world was left in shock. He was only thirty-two, at the height of his power, with an empire stretching from Greece to India. But in all his glory, Alexander left one great question unanswered: Who would inherit his throne?

At the time of his death, his beloved wife Roxana was pregnant. The generals waited anxiously, for if she gave birth to a son, that child would be the rightful heir. Months later, a boy was born — Alexander IV, the child of Alexander the Great.

From the moment of his birth, the infant was declared king. His name alone carried weight — the son of the greatest conqueror the world had ever seen. But though he was called “king,” he never ruled a single day. Instead, he was surrounded by generals, guardians, and conspirators, each using his name to fight their own wars.

Roxana, proud but fearful, raised her son under constant watch. She told him stories of his father’s bravery, of Bucephalus the great horse, of battles won against impossible odds. “You are the son of Alexander,” she whispered, “and one day, you will sit on his throne.”

But outside the nursery, the world was tearing itself apart. Alexander’s generals — men like Ptolemy, Seleucus, and Cassander — carved the empire into pieces. Each claimed loyalty to the young prince, yet secretly, each one planned for power.

As a child, Alexander IV grew up under heavy guard. He was paraded as a symbol of legitimacy, but in truth, he was a prisoner. He never led armies, never felt the weight of a crown upon his head. His only inheritance was suspicion, betrayal, and the shadow of a father too great to replace.

By the time he reached his teenage years, the boy began asking questions. “Why do others sit on thrones while I am locked away? Why do they call me king, but give me no kingdom?” Roxana, knowing the danger, tried to silence him. “Patience, my son,” she said, though her own eyes were filled with fear.

The danger came at last from Cassander, one of the most ruthless of Alexander’s former generals. To him, as long as Alexander IV lived, there would always be those who would rally behind the boy and challenge his rule. Cassander could not risk that.

And so, the order was given.

One night in 310 BCE, soldiers came quietly to the boy and his mother. There was no trial, no ceremony, no dignity. Some say they were poisoned. Others say they were strangled in their sleep. However it happened, the young king — only 13 years old — died before he could even see manhood. His mother Roxana perished with him.

And with their deaths, the bloodline of Alexander the Great ended.

The boy who was meant to inherit the greatest empire on earth left no legacy but silence. His name was erased from official records, his memory buried under the weight of history. The generals who once swore loyalty to him became kings in their own lands, ruling in their own names.

Yet sometimes, in the quiet corners of history, whispers remain. Whispers of a boy who was called king but never ruled. A boy who carried the blood of greatness, but whose fate was sealed by envy and fear. A boy who never got the chance to grow into the shadow of his father — Alexander IV, the forgotten prince.

✨ Engaging Point: His story feels like a tragic play — the son of the greatest conqueror, born to rule the world, but killed as a child so that others could steal his throne.