6 Historical Figures Who Died in Bizarre Ways

Not every historical figure has a cinematic or heroic ending. Sometimes fate brings stranger things. Whether it was an ill-advised fashion accessory, an encounter with an unfriendly monkey, or an ill-timed seafood meal, the endings to the lives of these historical figures were far less poetic than anyone imagined.

Here are six historical figures who died in mysterious ways.

Aeschylus

Although the playwright Aeschylus gained notoriety as one of the most famous tragedians of ancient Greece, he met a rather comedic end when his own time came. The famous Greek playwright was killed while visiting the city of Gela in Sicily around 456 BC. According to legend,OresteiaA writer died when an eagle dropped a turtle on his head. Some historians, who apparently mistook the playwright’s bald head for a stone used to crack open a turtle’s shell, have questioned the authenticity of the legend, suggesting it may have been made up by contemporary comedy writers.

Although Aeschylus is said to have written some 90 plays during his storied career, only seven complete works have survived to this day, the most famous of which isOresteia,PersianandSeven against Thebes.

Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan, born in San Francisco in 1877, was a renowned dancer and choreographer widely credited with promoting the contemporary dance movement. After fleeing to Europe in his early twenties, Duncan opened dance schools in cities such as Berlin and New York, eschewing the rigidity of ballet in favor of the more fluid, natural movements associated with today’s modern dance.

In September 1927, Duncan was killed while traveling in Nice, France, when her long, flowing scarf got wrapped around the wheels of her convertible, strangling her. When novelist Gertrude Stein learned of Duncan’s death, she famously quipped: “Emotions can be dangerous.”

Henry I of England

Henry I was the son of the Norman king William the Conqueror and served as King of England from 1100 to 1135. The youngest of four sons of William the Conqueror and Matilda, Queen of Flanders, Henry I was not initially expected to inherit any land. However, he was eventually able to defeat his brothers (both politically and militarily) and seize the throne for himself.

King Henry I reportedly died after eating a large amount of lamprey (a fat, jawless, eel-like fish) while traveling in Normandy, against the advice of his doctors. Before his death, Henry I controversially named his daughter, Queen Matilda, as his heir after the death of his only legitimate son, William Adeline. white ship The disaster of 1120.

After Henry’s death, Queen Matilda’s cousin Stephen of Blois seized the throne, and England fell into an 18-year civil war known as “anarchy.” The war did not end until nearly 20 years later, when Stephen agreed to remain king but named Matilda’s son Henry II as heir.

Sigurd the Great

Sigurd Eysteinsson, better known as Sigurd the Mighty, was a Viking conqueror and second lord of Orkney, an archipelago in northern Scotland. Sigurd was a prominent leader of the Viking invasions of northern Scotland and ruled from AD 875 until his death in AD 892 during a battle with a rival chieftain and warlord, Mel Brigte. After Sigurd and his men defeated Britt in battle, Sigurd took the defeated chieftain’s head as a trophy.

While riding with Brigitte’s head fixed in the saddle, Sigurd’s leg was cut by one of Brigitte’s teeth, causing an infection. Shortly after his return, the mighty Sigurd succumbed to the infection brought on by his terrible symbol of victory.

greek king alexander

In October 1920, King Alexander of Greece was bitten by a domestic monkey while strolling in the vast grounds of the royal palace of Tatoi in northern Athens. Despite prompt dressing and cleaning of the wound, the Greek king’s wound soon became infected and suppurated. As doctors debated whether to amputate the king’s leg, the infection continued to spread, and a few weeks later the young Greek king died.

Alexander was only 27 when he died, leaving no heirs, which created a huge power vacuum in the increasingly unstable Greek monarchy. After elections and a referendum, Alexander’s father, the previously deposed King Constantine, was restored to the throne before abdicating again in 1922 following Greece’s defeat in the Greco-Turkish War.

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Jean-Baptiste Lully, born Giovanni Battista Lulli in 1632, was an Italian-French composer remembered for his key role in defining the French Baroque musical style. Although Lully’s composition and conducting ultimately defined his life, it also led to his demise.

In 1653, Lully caught the attention of King Louis XIV of France in a ballet, and he courted the young ruler and later served as maestro to the French royal family. In 1687, Lully accidentally stabbed himself in the foot with his baton while conducting an opera celebrating Louis’ recent recovery from surgery. Due largely to the poor hygiene practices of the time, the wound quickly became infected. After Lully refused to have his toe amputated, the infection turned into gangrene and spread, eventually killing him.

Learn more about strange deaths throughout history:

This article was originally published on www.mentalfloss.com with the title 6 Historical Figures Who Died in Strange Ways.