List of monarchs of the British Isles by cause of death

Last updated

Monarchs of the British Isles are listed here, grouped by the type of death and then ordered by the date of death. The monarchical status of some people is disputed, but they have been included here for completeness.

Contents

Natural causes

Those monarchs that are assumed to have died through natural causes (through disease).

NameHouseBornReignDeathNotes
Kenneth I House of Alpin (Scotland)after 800843–85813 February 858 Tumour
Constantine II House of Alpin (Scotland)before 879900–943952
Eadred West Saxons (England)c. 923946–95523 November 955
Edgar the Peaceable West Saxons (England)c. 943959–9758 July 975
Ethelred the Unready West Saxons (England)c. 968978–1013
1014–1016
23 April 1016
Edmund Ironside West Saxons (England)c. 988/993101630 November 1016
Sweyn Forkbeard Danish Kings (England)???1013–10143 February 1014
Malcolm II House of Alpin (Scotland)c. 9801005–103425 November 1034
Canute Danish Kings (England)c. 9951016–103512 November 1035
Harold Harefoot Danish Kings (England)c. 10151035–104017 March 1040
Harthacanute Danish Kings (England)10181040–10428 June 1042
St Edward the Confessor West Saxon Restoration (England)c. 10041042–10664 January 1066
Edgar House of Dunkeld (Scotland)10741097–11078 January 1107 [1]
Alexander I House of Dunkeld (Scotland)c. 10781107–112423 April 1124
Edgar the Atheling West Saxon Restoration (England)c. 10511066c. 1126Proclaimed by surviving English nobles, clerics and magnates, but never crowned, as the Normans approached after Hastings.
Henry I The Normans (England)c. 10681100–11351 December 1135Died of food poisoning from eating "a surfeit of lampreys"
David I House of Dunkeld (Scotland)10841124–115324 May 1153Died of illness.
Stephen House of Blois (England)c. 10961135–115425 October 1154 Stomach disease
Malcolm IV House of Dunkeld (Scotland)23 April/24 May 11411153–11659 December 1165His premature death may have been hastened by osteitis deformans. [2]
Matilda (Empress Maud) Angevins or Plantagenets (England)February 1102114110 September 1167
Henry II Angevins or Plantagenets (England)5 March 11331154–11896 July 1189He collapsed into shock and fever and eventually died.
William I House of Dunkeld (Scotland)c. 11431165–12144 December 1214Natural causes
John "Lackland"Monarchs of England and Ireland (England)24 December 11661199–121618/19 October 1216Retreating from the French invasion, John crossed the marshy area known as The Wash in East Anglia and eventually died from dysentery.
Alexander II House of Dunkeld (Scotland)24 August 11981214–12496 July 1249Died after suffering a fever at the Isle of Kerrera in the Inner Hebrides
Henry III Monarchs of England and Ireland (England)1 October 12071216–127216 November 1272Died of illness.
Margaret House of Sverre Dunkeld (Scotland)9 April 12831286–129026 September 1290 Food poisoning and sea sickness.
Edward I "Longshanks"House of Plantagenet (England)17/18 June 12391272–13077 July 1307 Dysentery (confirmed); cancer (possible)
John House of Balliol (Scotland)c. 12491292–1296c. November 1314Natural causes
Robert I House of Bruce (Scotland)11 July 12741306–13297 June 1329Suffered for some years from what some contemporary accounts describe as an "unclean ailment"; the traditional story is that he died of leprosy, but this is disputed. Other suggestions include syphilis, psoriasis, and a series of strokes.
Edward Balliol House of Balliol (Scotland)c. 12831332–1336c. 1364Natural causes
David II House of Bruce (Scotland)5 March 13241329–137122 February 1371Natural causes
Edward III Monarchs of England and Ireland (England)13 November 13121327–137721 June 1377Died of a stroke
Robert II House of Stuart (Scotland)2 March 13161371–139019 April 1390Died of old age aged 74.
Robert III House of Stuart (Scotland)c. 13401390–14064 April 1406Death said to have been caused by the shock of hearing that his son James (later King James I of Scotland) had been captured by the English.
Henry IV House of Lancaster (England)15 April 13671399–141320 March 1413Several years of ill health- some type of visible skin ailment. Leprosy is also rumoured to have been possible.
Henry V House of Lancaster (England)16 September 13861413–142231 August 1422Natural causes, probably dysentery
Edward IV House of York (England)28 April 14421461–1470
1471–1483
9 April 1483Unclear, possibly apoplexy brought on by excess.
Henry VII House of Tudor (England)28 January 14571485–150921 April 1509 Tuberculosis
James V House of Stuart (Scotland)10 April 15121513–154214 December 1542Died of ill health shortly after the Battle of Solway Moss
Henry VIII House of Tudor (England)28 June 14911509–154728 January 1547Suffered from gout and obesity. Obesity dates from a jousting accident in 1536 in which he suffered a leg wound. This prevented him from exercising and gradually became ulcerated. Also possibly suffered from syphilis and/or diabetes
Edward VI House of Tudor (England)12 October 15371547–15536 July 1553 Tuberculosis, arsenic poisoning, or congenital syphilis?
Mary I House of Tudor (England)18 February 15161553–155817 November 1558Possibly ovarian cancer
Philip House of Habsburg (England)21 May 15271554–155813 September 1598 Cancer
Elizabeth I House of Tudor (England)7 September 15331558–160324 March 1603Suffered from frailty and insomnia
James VI & I House of Stuart19 June 15661567–162527 March 1625Suffered from senility and died of 'tertian ague', probably brought on by kidney failure and a stroke
Oliver Cromwell (Interregnum)25 April 15991653-16583 September 1658Struck by a sudden bout of malarial fever, followed directly by an attack of urinary/kidney symptoms.
Charles II House of Stuart29 May 16301660–1685 England
1649–1651 and 1660–1685 Scotland
(1649–1685 de jure )
6 February 1685Died suddenly of uremia
James II & VII House of Stuart14 October 16331685–168816 September 1701 Stroke
Mary II House of Stuart30 April 16621689–169428 December 1694Died of smallpox at Kensington Palace
Richard Cromwell (Interregnum)4 October 16261658-165912 July 1712At 85 years, the longest-lived British head of state until Elizabeth II.
Anne House of Stuart6 February 16651702–17141 August 1714Died of suppressed gout, ending in erysipelas, an abscess and fever. Her 17 ill-fated pregnancies perhaps ravaged her body.
George I House of Hanover28 May 16601714–172711 June 1727 Stroke
George II House of Hanover10 November 16831727–176025 October 1760 Aortic dissection while on the toilet
George III House of Hanover4 June 17381760–182029 January 1820 Porphyria (disputed), a genetic disorder. Suffered bouts of mental illness from 1788 onwards.
George IV House of Hanover12 August 17621820–183026 June 1830 Upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by the rupture of gastric varices. Developed cataracts, alcoholism, opioid dependence, obesity, gout, oedema, arteriosclerosis and possibly porphyria and cancer.
William IV House of Hanover21 August 17651830–183720 June 1837 Congestive heart failure and bronchopneumonia.
Victoria House of Hanover24 May 18191837–190122 January 1901 Old age and heart failure
Edward VII House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha9 November 18411901–19106 May 1910Bed-ridden by bronchitis; died of a myocardial infarction
George VI House of Windsor14 December 18951936–19526 February 1952Had lung cancer and arteriosclerosis due to heavy cigarette smoking; died in his sleep of a coronary thrombosis
Edward VIII House of Windsor23 June 1894193628 May 1972 Throat cancer
Elizabeth II House of Windsor21 April 19261952–20228 September 2022 Old age; died in Balmoral Castle, Scotland

Killed

In battle

Those that died in battle either as the antagonist or otherwise.

NameHouseBornReignDeathNotes
Constantine I House of Alpin (Scotland)unknown862–877877Killed fighting the Viking army
Edward the Elder West Saxons (England)c. 874–877899–92417 July 924Died leading an army against a Cambro-Mercian rebellion at Farndon-Upon-Dee
Malcolm I House of Alpin (Scotland)before 900943–954954The Annals of Ulster merely note that he was killed in 954. Other sources place his death in Kincardineshire or at Blervie Castle. [3]
Indulf House of Alpin (Scotland)954–962962Killed fighting Vikings near Cullen
Constantine III House of Alpin (Scotland)before 971995–997997Killed in battle against other Scots near the River Almond (either in Perthshire or Lothian).
Kenneth III House of Alpin (Scotland)before 967997–10051005Killed in battle at Strathearn by Malcolm II
Duncan I House of Alpin (Scotland)unknown1034–104015 August 1040Killed by his own men led by Macbeth at Pitgaveny near Elgin
Macbeth House of Alpin (Scotland)c. 10051040–105715 August 1057Defeated and mortally wounded by Máel Coluim mac Donnchada at the Battle of Lumphanan, dying at Scone.
Harold Godwinson West Saxon Restoration (England)c. 1022106614 October 1066Killed at the Battle of Hastings
William I, the Conqueror The Normans (England)c. 10281066–10879 September 1087Died at the Convent of St Gervais, near Rouen, France, from abdominal injuries received from his saddle pommel when he fell off a horse at the Siege of Mantes.
Malcolm III House of Dunkeld (Scotland)c. 10311058–109313 November 1093Ambushed by Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumbria, near Alnwick
Richard I, the Lionheart Angevins or Plantagenets (England)8 September 11571189–11996 April 1199Died during a siege of the castle of Châlus-Charbrol in Limousin, France, facing a rebellion by the Viscount of Limoges and his half-brother, the Count of Angoulême
James II House of Stuart (Scotland)16 October 14301437–14603 August 1460An early-adopter of artillery, James was killed when a cannon exploded while attacking one of the last Scottish castles still held by the English after the Wars of Independence.
Richard III House of York (England)2 October 14521483–148522 August 1485Killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Last English king to be killed in battle.
James III House of Stuart (Scotland)10 July 1451/May 14521460–148811 June 1488Killed at the Battle of Sauchieburn while fighting an army raised by disaffected nobles, former councillors, and his son, the future James IV of Scotland.
James IV House of Stuart (Scotland)17 March 14731488–15139 September 1513Killed at the Battle of Flodden while attacking the English

Murdered, assassinated, executed or euthanised

Those that were murdered, assassinated, executed away from the battlefield, or euthanised by their doctors.

NameHouseBornReignDeathNotes
Áed House of Alpin (Scotland)unknown877–878878Killed by his successor, Giric
Edmund I West Saxons (England)c. 921939–94626 May 946Murdered at a party in Pucklechurch by Leofa, an exiled thief
Dub House of Alpin (Scotland)962–966967Killed in internal strife by Cuilén, possibly at Forres.
Cuilén House of Alpin (Scotland)966–971971Killed in Lothian when the hall he was in was burnt to the ground
Amlaíb House of Alpin (Scotland)?–977977Killed by Kenneth II
St Edward the Martyr West Saxons (England)c. 962975–97818 March 978Killed at Corfe Castle by his stepmother Ælfthryth or one of her party. Canonised as Saint Edward the Martyr in 1001.
Kenneth II House of Alpin (Scotland)971–?
977–995
995Assassinated; tradition states that he was killed at Fettercairn at the instigation of Fionnguala, daughter of Cuncar of Angus.
Lulach House of Alpin (Scotland)before 10331057–105817 March 1058Assassinated and succeeded by Malcolm III
Duncan II House of Dunkeld (Scotland)before 1069109412 November 1094Killed by Máel Petair of Mearns
Edward II Monarchs of England and Ireland (England)25 April 12841307–132721 September 1327Supposedly murdered in Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire after a metal tube (or, in some versions, a sawn-off ram's horn) and a red-hot poker were inserted into his anus. Allegedly by Sir John Maltravers of Dorset. No contemporary account survives to this effect, which is probably a later interpolation
James I House of Stuart (Scotland)c. 25 July 13941406–143721 February 1437A group of Scots led by Sir Robert Graham assassinated James at the Friars Preachers Monastery in Perth. He attempted to escape his assailants through a sewer but, three days earlier, he had had the other end of the drain blocked up because of its connection to the tennis court outside.
Henry VI House of Lancaster (England)6 December 14211422–1461
1470–1471
21 May 1471Imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he was murdered
Jane House of Tudor (England)c. October 1537155312 February 1554Executed (beheaded)
Mary I House of Stuart (Scotland)8 December 15421542–15678 February 1587Convicted of treason against the English Crown and beheaded at Fotheringay Castle, Northamptonshire
Charles I House of Stuart19 November 16001625–164930 January 1649Found guilty of high treason by 59 commissioners after the Second English Civil War and was beheaded
George V House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
House of Windsor
3 June 18651910–193620 January 1936 Drug overdose (Euthanasia lethal injection administered by his doctor)

Other

NameHouseBornReignDeathNotes
Richard II Angevins or Plantagenets (England)6 January 13671377–1399c. 14 February 1400Placed in Pontefract Castle, and probably murdered (or starved to death) there.
Edward V House of York (England)4 November 14701483c. 1483Imprisoned in the Tower of London along with his younger brother Richard, Duke of York; the date and cause of death of both Princes in the Tower remain unknown.

Accidental death

NameHouseBornReignDeathNotes
William II, Rufus The Normans (England)c. 10561087–11002 August 1100Killed by an arrow through the heart during a hunting trip
Alexander III House of Dunkeld (Scotland)4 September 12411249–128619 March 1286Fell from his horse in the dark while riding to visit the queen at Kinghorn in Fife. He had been separated from his guides and it is assumed that in the dark his horse lost its footing.
William III & II House of Orange14 November 16501689–17028 March 1702Died of pneumonia, a complication from a broken collarbone resulting from a fall off his horse. He was asthmatic.

Unknown

NameHouseBornReignDeathNotes
Donald I House of Alpin (Scotland)unknown858–86213 April 862According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba , died "at the palace of Cinnbelathoir", possibly near or at Scone, probably from natural causes
Eochaid House of Alpin (Scotland)878–889An obscure figure who disappears from historical records after 889.
Giric House of Alpin (Scotland)878–889An obscure figure who disappears from historical records after 889.
Alfred the Great West Saxons (England)c. 849871–89926 October 899Married to Ealhswith in 868.Father of Edward the Elder
Donald II House of Alpin (Scotland)889–900According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba killed in battle against Vikings at Dunnottar
Ælfweard West Saxons (England)9242 August 924Apparently natural causes
Athelstan West Saxons (England)c. 895924–93927 October 939Died at Gloucester, apparently natural causes
Edwy the Fair West Saxons (England)c. 941955–9591 October 959Presumed to be natural causes
Donald III House of Dunkeld (Scotland)before 10401093–1094
1094–1097
1097 or afterWilliam of Malmesbury states that he was "slain by the craftiness of David ... and by the strength of William [Rufus]". [4] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says of Domnall that he was expelled, [4] while the Annals of Tigernach have him blinded by his brother, for which we should read nephew. [5] John of Fordun, following the king-lists, writes that Domnall was "blinded, and doomed to eternal imprisonment" by Edgar, omitting that the place of his imprisonment was said to be Rescobie, by Forfar, in Angus. [6]

See also

Notes

  1. Duncan, p. 60
  2. Duncan, pp. 74–75.
  3. Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 5001286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. Pages 252–4. ISBN   1-871615-03-8
  4. 1 2 Scottish Annals, p. 119.
  5. Annals of Tigernach, s.a. 1097.
  6. Fordun, V, xxvi; Duncan, pp. 57–58; Oram, David I, pp. 47–48.

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References