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: 50

History Tea Time
Podcast Episodes
Börte, Genghis Khan’s Beloved Empress [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:01
Genghis Khan is famous for launching the conquest of the largest contiguous empire the world has ever seen. And for fathering enough children that today nearly every person of Asian decent carries his DNA. But he might n…
10 Historic Royal Thrones from Around the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:25
If you want to be a monarch, you need three things: ultimate power over your domain, a brilliant gold crown to impress the peasantry, and the best seat in the palace. The idea of giving the most important person in a giv…
10 Historic Royal Crowns from Around the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:57
The Crown. The very symbols of power, wealth, majesty and royalty. It was a shining signal to the mud-caked peasantry that here was a person who was above them and blessed from above. You can’t be the King without the Bl…
Kings & Queens of Scotland 4/5: House of Stewart (1437–1567) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:10
Join me on a historic tour of Scotland, May 15th-21st, 2024: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/united-kingdom/united-kingdom-with-lindsay-holiday-may-2024 You can see the whole series now at: https://www.patreon.com/Lind…
Kings & Queens of Scotland 3/5: Wars of Independence (1286-1437) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:44
In this episode we’ll see Scotland go through it’s most tumultuous century, beginning with it’s first, tragic Queen Regnant; though the Wars of independence, where we’ll learn what Braveheart and Outlaw King got right an…
Kings & Queens of Scotland 2/5: House of Dunkeld (1034–1286) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:35
In this episode we’ll continue the bitter rivalry between branches of the royal family, learn how the Scots took advantage of the Norman invasion of 1066, meet the nation’s most famous Saint-Queen and find out what reall…
Kings & Queens of Scotland 1/5: The House of Alpin (848–1034) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:02
You can see the whole series now at: https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday Magnificent and roughed, Scotland has long been a country of fierce independence and brutal power struggles. From ancient warrior kings who foug…
Asexual Royals from History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:45
Throughout history, across cultures and in every walk of life, there have always been people with varied sexual attractions, or lack there of. Asexuality, in particular, has only been identified and studied since the ear…
Commoner Queens of England [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:19
The United Kingdom has a new Queen Consort, Camilla. She is the first Queen of England to have been born a commoner since Catherine Parr (1547). Since the Norman conquest in 1066, English and British Royals have almost e…