# Bizarre deaths **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 14, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232 "2003-03-14T01:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/1 "2003-03-14T01:50:31Z")
Being a student of history, my favorite “hobby”, if you will, is to collect bizarre, strange, and even humorous deaths. Macabre, I know, but I find it amusing. Some highlights from my collection include: \*George, Duke of Clarence (1449-1478), who was drowned in a “barell of Malmsey wine” on the orders of his elder brother, King Edward IV of England. \*Henri, Comte de Champagne (1150-1197), a nephew of King Richard the Lion-hearted. He fell out the window of his castle while attempting to find the privy in the dark of night. \*Sancho IV Garces, King of Navarre (1054- 1076). Shoved off a cliff by his brother Ramón and sister Urraca (who, by the way, were having an incestuous affair and wanted Sancho out of the way so they could rule Navarre together). \*Eva de Braose, who, after her husband was executed for schtupping the wife of Prince Llywelyn Fawr of Wales, became a nun at the Priory Church of St. Mary in Abergavenny. According to Octavius Morgan’s “Abergavenny Moments”: “the lady had a pet squirrel which escaped, and that she, in trying to recover it, overbalanced herself, and fell from the castle wall, and so lost her life.” \*Baydara (?-1293), a mamluk emir who was desposed by another emir who then _ate Baydara’s liver_. Ewwww. \*Alexander III, King of Scots (1241-1286), who, while on his way to see his wife, got disoriented during a storm and rode his horse off a cliff near Kinghorn. And my personal favorite… \*Francesco II Jacopo Gattilusio, Prince of Lesbos (?-1404), who was stung by a scorpion. He woke his entire household with his screams of terror, and so many people crammed into his room in an attempt to calm him that – wait for it – THE FLOOR CAVED IN and they were all killed by the fall. Anyone have any bizarre or unusual deaths they’d like to share? They don’t neccesarily have to be historical, though I would prefer they were, as I’d love to expand my collection. .:Nichol:. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/2 "2003-03-14T01:59:26Z")
Your favorite is mine too Nichol. That’s just too funny. I have none to share, but the post made me smile. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/3 "2003-03-14T02:25:56Z")
Jeff Porcaro (1954-1992), American musician (drumset) and member of Toto. He suffered a heart attack upon spraying his yard with a pesticide, unfortunately bringing to life the old Spinal Tap joke of “he died in a freak gardening accident”. [http://www.povlab.org/jeff.porcaro/jporcaro.php](http://www.povlab.org/jeff.porcaro/jporcaro.php) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/4 "2003-03-14T02:27:45Z")
[For your enjoyment…](http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin10.htm) I particularly like the one about the scuba diver in the forest fire. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/5 "2003-03-14T02:33:10Z")
William the Conqueror, who was very obese later in life, apparently died from internal injuries sustained from being thrown against the horn of his saddle. Later, it was recorded that his decomposing body exploded in church.:eek: ---
**Author:** ![MrO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@MrO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrO)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/6 "2003-03-14T03:00:35Z")
England’s King Edward II was executed in an unusual way. Apparently the order was to kill him without leaving any marks on his body, so according to [this site](http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~castles99/articles/medieval_kings_of_england_and_th.htm), he was “put to a grisly ‘end’ in the dungeons of Berkeley Castle by the insertion of a red hot poker from behind.” My former English History professor explained that the responsible party first inserted a metal funnel, to prevent the hot iron rod from visibly scorching the surrounding flesh. Those medievals had creative treatments for hemorrhoids, eh? Counts as a bizzare death to me. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/7 "2003-03-14T04:21:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boyo Jim \* > \*\*[For your enjoyment…](http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin10.htm) > > I particularly like the one about the scuba diver in the forest fire. \*\* Umm… [About that scuba diver…](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/scuba.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/8 "2003-03-14T04:31:31Z")
Well, there’s a bunch on that page that look entirely made up. I made no assertions of accuracy. Look at the attempted suicide one, the guy who tries to hang-poison-shoot himself, it’s gotta be pure bullshit. I made no assertions of accuracy. But they are surely bizarre and amusing. ---
**Author:** ![benrocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@benrocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benrocks)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/9 "2003-03-14T05:10:41Z")
I’m suprised no one posted Darwin Awards yet ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/10 "2003-03-14T07:26:36Z")
The would-be King George III was never crowned, due to him having been killed by a tennis ball several days prior. Yes, a tennis ball. Massive concussion that led to internal bleeding. I know I was not hallucinating when I learned this, but I can’t find a cite for this thing. It’s late, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/11 "2003-03-14T11:51:56Z")
The Chinese poet Li Po (aka Li Pai, Li T’ai-po, Li Bai, et cetera.) 701-762 A.D. drowned when he tried to embrace the reflection of the moonlight on a river (he was drunk at the moment). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/12 "2003-03-14T12:54:24Z")
A cow-orker of mine threw a lit cigar butt out his front car window. It came in through the back window and burned up the car, which set fire to him. He later died of his massive burns. If I didn’t have first-hand, personal knowledge of this (I was alone in the office when the cops came to tell us), I wouldn’t believe it either. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/13 "2003-03-14T12:56:10Z")
Just so as to spare the nerves of our **Eve** , the story about Lupe Velez’s death isn’t true. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/14 "2003-03-14T13:00:16Z")
There is a website called **Ain’t No Way To Go** that lists (in gruesome detail) bizarrely horribly deaths. I don’t recall it having any pictures at all, but haven’t linked it directly in case anyone finds the descriptions offensive. If you’re interested, just stick that title in any search engine and you’ll find it. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/15 "2003-03-14T13:15:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boyo Jim \* > \*\*Well, there’s a bunch on that page that look entirely made up. I made no assertions of accuracy. Look at the attempted suicide one, the guy who tries to hang-poison-shoot himself, it’s gotta be pure bullshit. I made no assertions of accuracy. > \*\* That one looks as if it was essentially copied from a French movie _Delcatessen_ in which one character tries various Wile E. Coyote schemes to kill herself. (It’s a dark comedy.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/16 "2003-03-14T13:18:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nichol\_storm \* > \***Baydara (?-1293), a mamluk emir who was desposed by another emir who then _ate Baydara’s liver_. Ewwww.** Quite understandable for the emir to eat Baydara’s liver, maybe Baydara didn’t like liver and exchanged it for the emir’s baked potato or something… ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/17 "2003-03-14T14:08:25Z")
“Just so as to spare the nerves of our Eve, the story about Lupe Velez’s death isn’t true.” —Thank you, dear, I was scanning nervously for that one . . . ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/18 "2003-03-14T14:18:45Z")
Sorta bizarre: President Garfield died from the _treatment_ of his bullet wound. An autopsy later showed that if the doctors had done _nothing_, he probably would have survived. (The bullet had lodged in some muscles in the back without doing any serious organ damage.) ---
**Author:** ![mallocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f4b2a3/32.png) [@mallocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mallocks)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/19 "2003-03-14T14:24:44Z")
one question about that page… “A circus act in Romania ended in tragedy on 23 January when fire-eater Vlad Cazacu, 43, belched in mid-performance and was blown to bits. Incredibly no one came to his rescue as stunned onlookers assumed this was part of an amazing illusion. Consequently this unfortunate man, who probably could have been saved, was allowed to just lie there and die.” how could he be saved is he has been ‘blown to bits’? ---
**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232/20 "2003-03-14T14:27:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nichol\_storm \* > \*\*\*Francesco II Jacopo Gattilusio, Prince of Lesbos (?-1404), who was stung by a scorpion. He woke his entire household with his screams of terror, and so many people crammed into his room in an attempt to calm him that – wait for it – THE FLOOR CAVED IN and they were all killed by the fall. \*\* Most amusing. But, what _I_ find most bizarre is that it was a _Prince_ of Lesbos. One wouldn’t expect to find a prince, on that isle. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-deaths/161232.md?page=2)