10 Bizarre Royal Deaths from History

10 Bizarre Royal Deaths from History

Author: Lindsay Holiday October 28, 2025 Duration: 31:45
With so much money and power, royals were able to invent some pretty unique and creative ways to slay their enemies, or accidentally seal their own doom. From a Chinese Emperor’s deadly elixir of life to a steamy Roman romance that got a little too scalding hot. From a court jester so hilarious he made a Spanish king litrally die laughing, to a Swedish King’s massive last meal of caviar, champagne and cream puffs. Let’s dig up 10 truly bizarre royal deaths. 1. Hatshepsut, Pharaoh of Egypt 1507–1458 BC, Toxic Lotion 2. Qin Shi Huangdi, Emperor of China 259 - 210 BC, Deadly Elixir of Life 3. Valerian, Roman Emperor 199 – 264, Forced to Drink Molten Gold 4. Fausta, Roman Empress 326, Boiled in the Bath 5. Henry I, King of England, 1068 – 1135, Over indulged in lampreys 6. Phillippe, Prince of France, 1116-1131, Horse tripped by a pig 7. Martin, King of Aragon & Sicily 1356 – 1410, Laughed to death 8. Charles II, King of Navarre 1332 – 1387, Soaked in brandy, caught fire 9. Adolf Frederick King of Sweden 1710 – 1771, Ate himself to death 10. Alexander King of Greece 1893 – 1920, bite by monkey Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Public Domain, Performed by Kevin MacLeod #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, Lindsay Holiday pours a fresh cup and settles in to share the fascinating, often overlooked tales from our past. History Tea Time is built on the idea that history is best served with a generous helping of personality and a focus on the compelling narratives that textbooks tend to skip. Lindsay’s approach feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend who has a real knack for digging up the juiciest details. While you’ll often find episodes delving into the lives of queens and royalty from across the globe, there’s a consistent spotlight on women’s history, bringing forward the stories of figures who shaped the world from behind the throne or beyond the traditional spotlight. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering a secret side of the past, one where the human drama, ambitions, and scandals are given center stage. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific story, told with clarity and a genuine enthusiasm that makes even the most complex historical moments accessible and utterly engaging. If you’ve ever wanted the real, unvarnished, and truly interesting stories behind the names and dates, this is your weekly invitation to listen in.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

History Tea Time
Podcast Episodes
The Windsor Beauties - 10 Women of the Restoration Court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:03
I'm at Hampton Court Palace in the Communication Gallery to look at a very special collection of paintings, the Windsor Beauties. These portraits immortalize 10 woman said to be the most stunning members of the restorati…
Historic Royals with Tattoos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:51
Tattoos have a long and colorful history across the world, and are an important part of many cultures. While 1 in 3 Americans have at least 1 tattoo today, western culture still sees the art form as counter culture, risq…
Who was Queen Mary & Why did Queen Camilla wear her Crown? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:22
Originally published on Youtube in 2023. Buckingham Palace recently announced that Queen Consort Camilla as selected from the crown jewels the Crown of Queen Mary to wear at her own coronation on May 6th, 2023. Mary of T…
Queens of the Bible [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:48
From Bathsheba to the Queen of Sheba, from Jezebel to Esther, the Queens of the bible have been referenced in art, music and pop culture for thousands of years. But who were these ancient women? What were their stories a…
A History of Scottish Clans, Tartan & Kilts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:20
While getting swept away in the latest season of Outlander, or researching your own highland heritage, you might wonder about these key elements of Scottish culture and history. What was a clan and how did they work? Doe…
Guinness Family - Ireland's Dark Beer Dynasty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:01
When the Guinness family saw the turmoil and scandals of other great historic dynasties, they literally said, hold our beer, and proceeded to top them all. The new series, The House of Guinness dramatizes just one genera…
Madame Jeanne du Barry - The Last Great Royal Mistress of France [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:34
Jeanne Bécu, Jeanne du Barry, Madame du Barry, clawed her way up from the illegitimate daughter of a single mother, to one of the most celebrated courtesans in Paris, to the final royal mistress of King Louis XV. Her cap…
Which Nations have had the most Queens Regnant? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:11
Through most of history, male monarchs have been the norm. Their wives held the title of Queen or Empress, but were merely consorts, with little real power. Many monarchies, like France, The Ottoman Empire and Bhutan hav…
Elizabeth I vs. Catherine de Medici: Great Rivalries in History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:47
For most of history, men ruled the world. But for 3 decades in the late 1500s two powerful women dominated Europe. Catherine de Medici was Queen of France and Elizabeth I was Queen of England. Neither one was expected to…
A History of Bras & Corsets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:16
Ever wonder what women of the past wore to give them that ample bustline? Let’s explore the bra, corset and various garments that have been there to support women through the centuries and the many fashions that have com…