20 kings who were literally stabbed in the back

By the time of his assassination in 336 B.C., Philip II had turned Macedonia into a major power. He was killed during a public festival by Pausanias, one of his own bodyguards. Following his assassination, the throne passed to his son, Alexander, who would soon become one of the most famous rulers in history.

Darius III was not killed by Alexander the Great, even though Alexander had defeated him. He was assassinated by Bessus, one of his own satraps, when the Persians’ situation had become desperate. Bessus then attempted to seize power.

Xerxes I weathered the pressures of governing a vast empire, but he was ultimately assassinated within his own court. Artabanus, a high-ranking official close to the royal family, assassinated him and attempted to influence the course of events that followed. His death demonstrated just how dangerous court politics could be.

Sennacherib was one of the most powerful kings of Assyria. In 681 B.C., he was attacked and killed by several of his own sons right inside the royal citadel. After years of wars and conquests, the threat that ended his life came from his own family.

Sigebert I had just gained the upper hand over his rival Chilperic when he was assassinated. As he was being hailed by Chilperic’s subjects, two assailants in the pay of Frédegonde killed him. His death came just when his position seemed strongest.

Chilperic I reigned during a period marked by violent political strife within the Merovingian dynasty. In 584, as he was returning from a hunting trip near Chelles, an unknown assailant stabbed him to death. The identity of the assassin has never been formally established.

Childeric II had made enemies among the nobility, particularly after punishing a nobleman named Bodilo. This punishment helped spark a plot against him. He was assassinated during a hunting party, along with his wife and young son.

Alboin’s death has become one of the most famous episodes in Lombard history. According to tradition, his wife Rosamunde is said to have helped orchestrate his assassination after his sword had been taken from him or rendered unusable. He was killed in his own bedroom, far from the battlefield.

Edmund I was assassinated in 946 at Pucklechurch. According to tradition, he was trying to protect a servant from an outlaw named Leofa when he was stabbed. His death was sudden and of a personal nature, rather than the result of an official rebellion.

Edward the Martyr was still only a teenager when he was killed in 978. Tradition holds that he was murdered near Corfe Castle, likely as part of a succession dispute. His brief reign came to an end before he had truly had the opportunity to rule according to his own principles.

Canut IV attempted to strengthen royal authority and support the Church, but these efforts met with fierce opposition. In 1086, rebels attacked him in the church in Odense, where he had taken refuge. He was killed there during the uprising.

Sancho II was laying siege to Zamora when he was assassinated. A man known as Bellido Dolfos managed to gain his trust under false pretenses and killed him before fleeing toward the city. This murder was closely linked to the legend and the political stakes of that siege.

Conrad of Montferrat had just been elected King of Jerusalem when he was assassinated in 1192. He was stabbed to death on a street in Acre by assassins. The question of who ordered the killing remains part of the vast political mystery surrounding his death.

Philip of Swabia was King of Germany during a period marked by a fierce struggle for power. In 1208, he was assassinated in Bamberg by Otto of Wittelsbach. His assassination shook the Empire and changed the course of the succession conflict.

Mindaugas was the first crowned king of Lithuania. In 1263, he was assassinated by political rivals, including his nephew Treniota and Duke Daumantas of Pskov. His death brought an end to his attempt to maintain royal authority in a deeply divided political landscape.

Eric V of Denmark was murdered in 1286 following a hunting trip. According to tradition, assassins disguised as monks tracked him down in a barn in Finderup and stabbed him several times. This murder has become one of Denmark’s most infamous royal assassinations.

Przemysł II had barely been crowned king of Poland when he was attacked in 1296. His enemies first tried to kidnap him, but their attempt failed. He was then assassinated, which shows just how fragile his newly restored kingship still was.

Wenceslas III was preparing to lead a campaign in Poland when he was assassinated in 1306. He was stabbed in Olomouc by an assassin whose identity has never been clearly established. His death marked the end of the Přemyslid dynasty.

James I of Scotland was assassinated in Perth in 1437. Conspirators stormed the Dominican monastery where he was staying, and he tried to hide under the floor. They found him and stabbed him to death.

Henry III of France was assassinated in 1589 by Jacques Clément, a Dominican friar. Clément managed to get close to the king by presenting him with some letters, then stabbed him at point-blank range. This murder had major consequences for the succession to the French throne.