The Strangest Deaths in History

Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe was one of the greatest astronomers of the Renaissance. He was also the man who allegedly died because he was too polite to use the toilet.

According to the popular story, Brahe attended a lavish banquet where social etiquette dictated that leaving the table before the host would have been incredibly rude.

Unfortunately, Tycho apparently took these rules very seriously. Rather than excusing himself, he remained seated for hours.

The result was a severe bladder problem that may have contributed to his death shortly afterwards.

Modern historians continue to debate exactly what happened.

Regardless, dying because you didn’t want to offend your host is certainly one of the stranger possibilities.

King Adolf Frederick of Sweden

King Adolf Frederick is largely remembered for allegedly eating himself to death.

In 1771, the Swedish king reportedly consumed an enormous meal consisting of seafood, meat, sauerkraut, champagne and multiple servings of semla, a traditional Swedish cream-filled pastry.

The meal was so excessive that it is said to have caused his death.

Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang became obsessed with finding an elixir that would allow him to live forever. Unfortunately, many of the remedies offered to him by alchemists contained mercury.

Which, as it turns out, is not particularly good for your health.

Historians believe mercury poisoning may have contributed to his death.

It’s difficult to think of a more ironic ending than dying while trying to become immortal.

Hans Steininger

Hans Steininger is remembered for having one of the longest beards in history. Unfortunately, that beard also contributed to his death.

In 1567, a fire broke out in his town. While fleeing the emergency, Steininger reportedly tripped over his own beard, fell and suffered a fatal injury.

His beard measured over four feet in length.

Chrysippus

Ancient Greek philosopher Chrysippus supposedly died from laughing too hard.

According to one account, he watched a donkey eating figs and jokingly suggested that the animal should be given wine to wash them down. For reasons nobody fully understands, this amused him so much that he laughed uncontrollably and reportedly died.

Historians aren’t entirely sure how accurate the story is.

But if true, it would make him one of the very few people in history whose official cause of death was essentially finding something too funny.

Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan revolutionised modern dance. She also suffered one of the most unusual deaths in history.

Known for wearing long flowing scarves, Duncan was travelling in an open-top car in 1927 when her scarf became entangled in one of the vehicle’s wheels.

The sudden force pulled her from the vehicle and killed her instantly.