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 Kennedys – America's 'Royal' Families [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:51
Correction: JFK was assasinated on 11/22/1963 Ever since the United States rejected hereditary Monarchy, Americans have had a fascination with political dynasties. The Adamses, the Roosevelts, and the Bushes have all bec…
Diana, Princess of Wales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:47
Lady Diana Spencer was the daughter of an Earl and was hand picked at 19 to become the bride of heir to the throne, Charles, Prince of Wales. But he was already in love with another woman and the fairytale marriage soon…
Caroline Astor, The Queen of Gilded Age New York [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:00
Caroline was born into old money, and married into the richest new money family in the world. She became the ultimate Queen bee, determining who was and was NOT part of the illustrious 400, the high society of gilded age…
LGBTQ Rulers of the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:12
Sexuality and gender politics have differed from culture to culture and age to age throughout history. The concept of homosexuality as an identity only emerged in the 20th century. Prior to that gay and lesbian relations…
The Modern Queens & Consorts of The United Kingdom 8/8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:49
The Queens and Consorts of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and later the Windsor Dynasty reined over the United Kingdom and the British Empire. They sometimes spurred on and sometimes resisted the modernization of the world. T…
The Hanoverian Queens & Consorts of The United Kingdom 7/8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:09
The German Hanoverian Queens of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom had some of the most epic royal matrimonial brawls in history. One brought enlightenment thinking to court. One was dear friends with Marie Antoi…
The Stuart Queens & Consorts of England 6/8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:10
The Stuart Queens and consorts of England and later Great Britain indulged in art, theater and culture. One lost her crown when her husband lost his head. And most had to look the other way while their spouses carried on…
The Tudor Queens & Consorts of England 5/8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:24
The first Tudor Queen of England helped to end the Wars of the Roses. Her son, Henry VIII took six Queens during his reign and beheaded two of them. Lady Jane Grey and Mary I both had husbands who claimed the title of Ki…
The Wars of the Roses Queens & Consorts of England 4/8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
The Queens of England who were tangled in the brambles of the Wars of the Roses fought tooth and nail for their rights and the rights of their families. The Queens consort of the Wars of the Roses were: Anne of Bohemia I…
The Plantagenet Queens & Consorts of England 3/8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:31
The Plantagenet Queens of England reigned over the middle ages. Some went on crusade, some marched to battle alongside their kings and one overthrew her husband and took control of England herself. The Plantagenet Queens…