I dimly recall some story about a historical (or perhaps mythical, or maybe fictional) ruler who was so feared by his subjects and courtiers that when he died, they did not dare approach him for some period of time (days?), and only gathered the courage to do so once the effects of decomposition began to show.
What am I recalling here?
Might it have been Stalin?
In the movie “Death of Stalin” everyone around him pretty much refuses to believe he might actually be dead, knowing that he had no obvious successor and whoever dares proclaim himself such will instantly be a marked man.
It was played for laughs, but I can imagine the galloping paranoia of anyone in that room.
Thanks, but I don’t think so - I think it was a king or an emperor, possibly having died whilst seated on his throne (but my imagination might have added that detail)
I tried to find something but couldn’t come up with anything quite like that apart from the death of Stalin.
Yes, Stalin’s death. First a French comic book and after an American film.
Basically, he went to bed and didn’t appear the following morning. His personal guard broke the door and found him lying on the floor. Since Stalin was planning to purge some of the ministers, they took their time to bring medical aid ( 24 h) and he died of the aftermaths of a cerebral attack.
The story I am thinking of is definitely not Stalin. It was a Chinese emperor, or Babylonian king, or something like that.
Perhaps Qin Shi Huang?
Getting closer (and that’s an interesting one I hadn’t heard of), but the story I am recalling was of a ruler who was feared for (something like) a habit of disproportionately punishing those who disturbed his rest, and so when he died, his servants feared he might only be asleep, and would not go near him for fear of the possible punishment. Only when decay set in were they confident enough to check.
There is also Queen Sunandha of Thailand, who drowned in front of all her court, since touching her was taboo…