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Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi -

Qin Shi Huangdi was the first emperor of China more than 2,000 years ago. It's said that the emperor was obsessed with the idea of immortality.

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Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi -

Unfortunately, one experiment cut his mortality short. Historians believe that he consumed cinnabar, a form of mercury, thinking it might grant him eternal life. Of course, the mercury killed him instead.

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King George II of Great Britain and Ireland -

King George II lived to the ripe old age of 77, but his cause of death was a bit of an embarrassment.

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King George II of Great Britain and Ireland -

He went to his privy on the morning of October 25, 1760, and died "while straining on his close-stool," or toilet.

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Sigurd the Mighty -

Sigurd was a famous warrior who led the Norse people into Scotland. But he made an enemy of the local Scottish leader, Maelbrigd. They decided to bring 40 men each to meet in battle and end their feud.

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Sigurd the Mighty -

Sigurd did not honor the agreement, however, and brought 80 men. Naturally, he won the battle. He took his enemy's head as a sign of his victory and tied it to the saddle of his horse.

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Sigurd the Mighty -

On the ride home, Maelbrigd's head bounced off his leg, 'biting him.' Maelbrigd was taking his revenge from beyond the grave, as Sigurd died from the wound after it became infected. Well, at least that's what they say!

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King Alexander of Greece -

King Alexander of Greece was killed at the age of 27, not by an enemy soldier or a royal executioner, but by a monkey.

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King Alexander of Greece -

He was strolling through the grounds of his estate in Athens one day when suddenly a monkey attacked his German Shepherd, Fritz. He tried to pull the monkey off the dog, but was attacked by a second monkey who bit him several times. The bites became infected and he died within a month.

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King Béla I of Hungary -

Béla I was a warrior king praised for his success in protecting Hungary from the advances of the Holy Roman Empire. 

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King Béla I of Hungary -

Sadly, he was literally killed by his seat of power when his throne collapsed underneath him. He sustained injuries from the fall that quickly resulted in his death.

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Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI -

Charles VI held one of the most powerful leadership positions in the world, but nothing could save him in his final hours.

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Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI -

He ate the wrong kind of mushrooms while visiting Vienna and died of poisoning.

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King William II of England -

King William II died while out hunting for leisure. He was shot accidentally with an arrow by one of his own men.

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King William II of England -

There were rumors that it may have been an assassination ordered by his successor, King Henry I. However, hunting was a dangerous activity at that time and accidents were common. Large groups of men would ride through the woods firing off arrows, possibly while drunk!

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King Henry I of England -

Regardless, King Henry I took the throne. He ruled for 36 years before he met his bitter end. His cause of death was even worse than his predecessor's...

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King Henry I of England -

Henry had a fondness for lampreys, a slippery eel-like fish. Against the advice of his doctor, he ate a huge feast of lampreys, and later died of food poisoning.

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William Adelin -

Unfortunately Henry I's death caused havoc, as he didn't have a male heir, or at least one that was still alive. His son, William Adelin, also met an untimely death under strange circumstances.

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William Adelin -

Adelin embarked on a race back to England after a trip to Normandy. He and his crew became uproariously drunk before setting sail, and ultimately sailed their boat into a rock. It sank, and many of the passengers, including Adelin, couldn't be saved.

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King Adolf Frederick of Sweden -

King Adolf Frederick sat down for dinner on Shrove Tuesday in 1771. Traditionally a large, high-fat meal is eaten on Shrove Tuesday, and the King ate caviar, lobster, an array of meats, and drank Champagne.

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King Adolf Frederick of Sweden -

Still not satisfied, he chose a Nordic pastry called selma for dessert. Even though he had just consumed an enormous meal, he ate 14 selmas! That night, he complained of severe indigestion and died of digestive problems.

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King Charles VIII of France -

King Charles VIII had a reputation for being ungainly, and he certainly met an ungainly end.

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King Charles VIII of France -

He died after hitting his head on a wooden door frame while rushing to watch a game of tennis.

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King Charles II of Navarre -

Charles II of Navarre met a terrible accidental death while he was receiving a bizarre treatment for an unrelated disease. A physician recommended that he be wrapped in brandy soaked cloth from head to toe. A servant was responsible for sewing the linen closed so it fit snugly around his body.

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King Charles II of Navarre -

There was a loose thread but she didn't have a scissors to cut it, so she took a candle to burn it off. Naturally, the alcohol soaked cloth immediately caught on fire. King Charles was seriously burned and died shortly after. Well, at least that's one version of the story!

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King James II of Scotland -

King James II of Scotland died while sieging Roxburgh Castle to reclaim it from the English. He was fascinated with artillery and decided to fire off a cannon in celebration.

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King James II of Scotland -

Unfortunately, the cannon backfired and he was standing too close. Essentially he blew himself up.

See also: The most common ways to die in 1800s America

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