12 Renaissance Figures Who Died Unusual Deaths

François Vatel was known for his service throughout France, joining the service of King Louis XIV's general Prince Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, among other elite members.He cooked for France, serving the general Prince Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, among other elite members, while working for King Louis XIV.François Vatel served throughout France, entering the service of King Louis XIV's general Prince Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, among other elite members.

In 1671, Vatel catered a banquet for the Grand Condé, as Prince Louis was known. The banquet honored King Louis himself.The banquet honored King Louis.Vatel died in a puddle of his own blood. The fish arrived soon after, a strange irony.Martin of Aragon ruled from 1394 to 1410.Martin also held Valencia, Sardinia, Corsica, and later, Sicily.His death in 1410 left a leadership void because he had no direct heirs.Details about how he died remain unclear. Some stories say overindulgence caused his death.

Martin ate too much goose. He lay groaning on his bed when his jester, Borra, entered, and the monarch asked where he came from.

As the ruler of Aragon from 1394 to 1410, Martin ruled Valencia, Sardinia, Corsica, and later, Sicily.George Plantagenet was the brother of King Edward IV and Richard III of England.Martin ruled Valencia, Sardinia, Corsica, and later, Sicily.Martin ruled Sicily.Martin's death in 1410 left a gap.George Plantagenet later stood trial for treason, appearing before Parliament in 1478.He was found guilty and sentenced to be beheaded. Law and custom suggested beheading, but George supposedly drowned in Malmsey wine.The story says he drowned because he once joked about dying that way if executed.Arthur Aston started military service fighting for Russia and Poland in the 1610s.Aston then served in Sweden and Germany until 1639.At that time, he returned to England. Three years later, he supported King Charles I during the English Civil War.

After Martin ate a goose too greedily, he lay groaning on his bed. His jester, Borra, skipped into the room with a merry air, and the monarch asked where he came from. Borra told a joke that made the King laugh hard.By the late 1640s, after Charles I was executed and Oliver Cromwell took control, Aston was in Ireland with loyal Royalists.Cromwell began taking control of Ireland, launching an attack at Drogheda in 1649.

George Plantagenet was the brother of King Edward IV and Richard III of England. George shifted between Yorkist and Lancastrian factions during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. He ultimately conspired against Edward in 1477. He faced treason charges and stayed in the Tower of London (while the other)Aston was appointed governor of Drogheda. Some accounts claim Aston refused to surrender.Some accounts indicate Aston negotiated with Cromwell after being chased to Millimount Fort.

Despite securing a promise of safety if they disarmed, Cromwell's men killed everyone. Aston's head took a blow from his own wooden leg.George was before Parliament in 1478.George was found guilty and sentenced to execution. Law and custom dictated beheading. George, however, supposedly drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine. This happened because he oncemade a jokeabout dying that way if he ever faced execution.

Arthur Aston began military service fighting for Russia and Poland during the 1610s. He then served in Sweden and Germany until 1639. At that point, he returned to England and provided support to King Charles I when theEnglish Civil WarArthur Aston fought Parliamentarian forces at the battles of Edgehill, Reading, Bristol, and Newbury during 1642 and 1643 as Charles I fought to hold the throne.

Aston went to war against Parliamentarian forces at Edgehill, Reading, Bristol, and Newbury during 1642 and 1643 as Charles I fought to hold the throne.

As Cromwell took control of the government after Charles I's execution in the late 1640s, Aston was in Ireland with fellow loyal Royalists.Cromwell attacked Drogheda in 1649.Aston was appointed governor there. Some accounts say Aston refused to surrender.Aston refused to surrender.There are indications.There are also indications.Aston negotiated with Cromwell after being chased to Millimount Fort. Despite securing a promise that he and his men would be safe if they disarmed, Cromwell's men massacred everyone.Cromwell's men bludgeoned Aston's head with his own wooden leg.The soldier tore away the leg believing he hid treasure inside.The loss happened during an accident..

John of Bohemia, also known as John the Blind.John the Blind.John lost his sight during a Crusade in the 1330s. When the Hundred Years' War started in 1336, he sided with King Philip VI of France against England.John sided with King Philip VI of France against England.King Philip VI of France fought England. John evenJohn joined French forces at the Battle of Crecy on August 26, 1346.John joined French forces at the Battle of Crecy on August 26, 1346.

Sources state:

Though nearly blind, John spoke to his men about the battlefield order, asking, "Where is the lord Charles, my son?" His men replied, "Sir, we cannot tell; we think he be fighting." Then John said, "Sirs, ye be my men, my companions and friends in this journey. I require you to bring me so far forward that I may strike one stroke with my sword."

John's men followed orders, escorting him into battle and tying their bridles together. As the fight favored the English, John's son Charles ran away. John, however, "was so far forward that he strake a stroke with his sword, yea, and more than four, and fought valiantly and so did his company."

The group kept moving forward.They fought until they were all killed. The next day, they found them near the king, with all their horses tied together.

The death of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe in 1601 puzzles observers. The story tells that he was at a banquet one night but thought it was rude to use the toilet.Tycho considered using the toilet at the event impolite.held his urine during the event. This might have ruptured his bladder; eleven days later, Brahe died fromBrahe died from a bladder infection..

Theories suggest poison caused Brahe's death. This might stem from murder or Brahe's interest in alchemy. In 2012, tests on his remains showed an insufficient amount of mercury, arsenic, cobalt, silver, or gold to cause death.Tests on Brahe's remains showed an insufficient amount of mercury.Tests on Brahe's remains showed an insufficient amount of arsenic, cobalt.Tests on Brahe's remains showed an insufficient amount of silver, or gold.These substances might have caused Brahe's death.

In 2018, researchers proposed a new theory about Brahe's death, suggesting multiple causes. Archaeologists at the University of Durham say he likely died from obesity, too much alcohol, and possibly diabetes. These conditions might have worsened by diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.Researchers proposed a theory about Brahe's death involving obesity, excessive alcohol, and possibly diabetes, which may have been worsened by diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis is a bone disorder that fuses vertebrae and limits movement; Brahe might have suffered from this.

The sudden death of Renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino ("Raphael") in 1520.Raphael died in 1520.Raphael's death has been linked to syphilis for a long time.Raphael's death has been attributed to syphilis.This happened largely because Giorgio Vasari's 16th-century work, "Lives of the Artists," described Raphael's very active sex life.Vasari wrote "Lives of the Artists" in the 16th century.Vasari stated Raphael:

Raphael kept secret love affairs and pursued pleasures without restraint. He went too far one time, returned home with a violent fever that doctors said was heat-stroke.

Raphael kept quiet about his nightly activities. His diagnosis led to bloodletting, which caused his death soon after.In 2021Researchers at the University of Milan-Bicocca asserted Raphael did not die from syphilis. He actually suffered from a type of pneumonia.a type of pneumonia.

Bloodletting was still a major factor. If Raphael had told his doctors about his "frequent night outings in the cold," they might have focused on his lungs and skipped treatment.

Born in 1508,Nasiruddin Humayun was the son of the Mughal Empire's founder,Babur the Great. Humayun ruled northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan from 1530 to 1540, and again from 1555 to 1556.

During Humayun's leadership struggles, he fought his brothers and surrounding lands. After forming an alliance with the Safavid Empire in 1555, Humayun regained his authority. This lasted little time. Early in 1556, Humayun was walking downa flight of stairsin his library. He stopped briefly when the call to prayers sounded, but he tookhis next step:

His blessed foot caught his robe's skirt... and his staff slipped. He lost his feet and fell on his head; his right temple took a hard blow, causing blood to drip from his right ear.

Unconscious but alive, Humayun lived only two days, dying on January 26, 1556.

Jean-Baptiste Lully was born in Italy but worked in France. He became one of the most successfulperformers and composersduring the 17th century. He became King Louis XIV's favorite and the Master of the King's Musicin 1661. Lully worked with playwright Molière until they separated in 1672.

Lully then headed the Royal Academy of Music. There, he produced and performed operas for the king. While rehearsing one of his works, Te Deum, Lully punctured his foot with the large, heavy staff he used to keep time.

When the wound became gangrenous, Lully refused to have his toe cut off—something thatmight have saved his life. The infection killed him on March 22, 1687.

As one of King Louis XIV's favorites, Molière foundgreat successin France during the mid-17th century as an actor and a comedic playwright. After performing hisLe Malade Imaginairein 1673, Molière collapsed. He likely had tuberculosis, an illness he had caught years earlier. Ironically, he played a hypochondriac in his final work.

Myths about Molière's death have grown over centuries. Some claim he suffered a pulmonary hemorrhage during the performance, but he managed tofinish the show. They took him home, and he died within a few hours.

Another unclear point about Molière's death is whether he received a Christian burial. As an actor, he might have beendenied burialMolière had not followed the rules. Actors had to give up their jobs and accept final rights before burial. Molière did neither. He rests at the cemetery of St-Eustache in Paris, but only after...His wife askedthe Archbishop of Parish and the King of France to make this happen.

Nanda Bayin became king of the Toungoo dynasty, which was based in Burma, now Myanmar.This happened in 1581.After his father, Bayinnaung, died, Nanda was ambitious. He launched five invasions of nearby Siam.All five attacks on Siam (Thailand) failed. During the final attack on Siam, Nanda supposedly choked to death while laughing.(Thailand), all of which failed. Nanda supposedly choked to death laughing during the final attack on Siam.

Gasparo Balbi, a Venetian merchant visiting his kingdom, told an account that retold the exchange.Gasparo Balbia Venetian merchant visiting his kingdom. An account attributed to BalbiInstead, that story became a legend.In other accounts,

[He] asked me what parts Venice was in and what King ruled it. I told him it was in the Kingdom of Italy, a Republic or free State, not ruled by any King. The King wondered greatly. He began to laugh so much he could not speak to his men because of the cough.

Balbi does not say NandaBy 1608, Caravaggio had been imprisoned several times. He killed one man in a fight and was disfigured by a victim of one of his own attacks.After bouncing around Italy many times, Caravaggio fled for safety. He was in Rome in 1610 and caught a fever. Doctors could not decide the cause of his sickness. People suggested he died from syphilis, was poisoned, or suffered an infection after a fight.The cause of his illness remains unknown.Nanda was murdered after he was taken prisoner on a campaign in 1599.

Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio acted like a rebel. His reputation for excess and danger fueled ideas about his 1610 death. Born in 1571, Caravaggio frequently had legal issues, including arrests for carrying a sword and getting into many fights. Rival Giovanni Baglione sued Caravaggio in 1603, causing Caravaggio to say Baglione's artonly had useto "wipe your arse with."

By 1608, Caravaggio had been in jail several times. He killed one man in a fight and was disfigured by the victim of one of his own attacks. Afterbouncing around Italy and having to flee for safety many times, Caravaggio was in Rome in 1610. He caught a fever then. No one knows why he got sick, but people guess he died from syphilis, poisoning, or an infection from a fight wound., many times having to flee for safety, Caravaggio was in Rome in 1610 when he came down with a fever. The cause of his illness was never determined, but people have theorized he succummed to syphilis, he was poisoned, or he'd been wounded in a fight and fell victim to an infection.