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: 218

History Tea Time
Podcast Episodes
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…
Royal Couples who were really in LOVE ❤️ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:04
Through most of history, royals were stuck in unhappy, arranged marriages. But, sometimes, after getting through the awkward wedding night, royal brides and grooms found they had a lot in common and formed intimate, pass…
Black Aristocrats & Celebrities of the Victorian Era [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
Popular historic dramas like Bridgerton, Little Dorrit and year of the Rabbit sometimes receive criticism that their diverse casts are historically inaccurate. But in fact there have been people of color in Britain since…
The Astors – America's "Royal" Families [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:58
The Astors... Chances are you’ve hear the name of this prominent and obscenely wealthy dynasty of gilded age America. You may have been to a hotel, library, subway station or town that bares their name; vaguely remember…
Ahilyabai Holkar, Maharani of Indore, India [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:28
Ahilyabai was born a commoner but was chosen as the bride of a prince at the age of 8. When her Husband was killed in battle she was convinced not to commit sati by throwing herself on his funeral pyre. She instead becam…