5 Historical Figures Who Were Assassinated in The Lavatory

 When a person is on the toilet, having a bowel movement, he is in a particularly vulnerable state. They are exposing parts of their body that are usually covered, leaving them vulnerable to harm. Especially in ancient times, sitting down while performing this physical task could leave individuals defenseless and alert, making them easy targets for attacks. No wonder, many killers chose to attack when their victims were in this particular helpless state. Let's take a look at some famous murders of the past that were committed in toilets.

Edmund Ironside

Edmund Ironside was the son of King Æthelred II of the English. When King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark invaded England in 1013, King Æthelred fled to Normandy, abandoning Edmund and his two elder brothers. Sweyn died in February 1014 and his son Cnut was proclaimed the new king. Sensing the opportunity, Æthelred returned to England and launched a surprise attack that defeated the Vikings and forced Cnut to flee England.

After regaining the throne, the royal family started strengthening its hold on the country. Those who sided with the Danes were punished and some were executed. Edmund married Ealdgyth, widow of Sigefirth, chief of the "Seven Burghs", which also gave him considerable political advantage, as she was a member of one of the strongest families in the Midlands.

Æthelred died in 1016 and Edmund became king. At the same time Cnut launched a new invasion of England and within a few months completely plundered the country. Edmund fought bravely, and after several inconclusive battles against the Danes, a peace was negotiated, dividing the country between them. Edmund gained Wessex while Cnut gained Mercia and possibly Northumbria.

On 30 November 1016, Edmund was in London, and while going into the privy to relieve himself, he was stabbed by an unknown intruder. According to some sources, Edmund was killed by a crossbow, yet many medieval historians believe that Edmund was not murdered but rather died from wounds received in battle.

Uesugi Kenshin, whose original name was Nagao Kagetora, was one of the most powerful daimyōs of the Sengoku period. Kenshin, known as the "Dragon of Echigo", was renowned for his military brilliance on the battlefield, but he was also highly skilled in administration. He promoted local industries and trade, resulting in a significant improvement in the standard of living of the people living in Echigo under his rule.

Nagao Torachiyo was the third son of the chief of Echigo Province in northeastern Japan. With his father's death in 1543, the family's control over the region began to wane. However, Torachiyo was able to restore order in the region and even gained control over neighboring provinces, and became one of the most influential warriors in the Kantō plain of the central Honshu region.

In 1552, the Hōjō clan defeated Uesugi Norimasa, who was the Governor-General of Kantō and came from the most influential family in the region. Seeking refuge, Norimasa took shelter with Torachiyo, whom he adopted as his son, causing Torachiyo to change his surname to Uesugi. Torachiyo acquired many of the hereditary vassals of the Uesugi family and became involved in the fight against the Hōjō and Takeda families, eastern warlords competing for control over the Kantō region. Despite his battle with Takeda Shingen, a renowned general, neither side gained a lasting advantage.

Meanwhile, Oda Nobunaga had emerged as the most formidable military leader in Japan and in 1573 he seized power from the shogunate, consolidating his control over the capital. The only powerful warrior to challenge Nobunaga was Uesugi, and in 1577, he agreed to launch a campaign to restore the shogunate. However, before the campaign could begin, Uesugi became the victim of one of the most famous ninja assassinations. The story goes that an assassin sent by Oda Nobunaga hid in the cesspool beneath the toilet in Kenshin's camp and stabbed him with a sword from below.

Jaromir was the second son of Bolesław II, Duke of Bohemia. When Bolesław II died, his elder brother Bolesław III became ruler, but he was a cruel and short-tempered man. During his short reign, he behaved maliciously and unfairly, causing many of the country's elites to turn against him, including the powerful Vrosovci family. Eventually, his paranoia led him to believe that his two brothers were a threat to him, and he ordered their murder. Ulrich, the younger brother, managed to escape to Bavaria, but Jaromir was not as lucky and was castrated by Boleslav.

The Vrosovci family rebelled, and Boleslav III was forced to flee, seeking refuge with the powerful king of Poland, Boleslav the Great. The Polish king appointed Vladivoj, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, to the ducal throne, but he was a notorious drunkard and soon died. With the help of the King of Poland, Boleslav III returned to power, and offered his opponents impunity in exchange for their support.

However, Boleslav broke his promise and ordered the massacre of the Vrosovci clan. The Polish king lost all patience and ultimately deprived him of power. As punishment, Boleslav was blinded and imprisoned.

Jaromir became Duke, but after a few years his brother Ulrich overthrew him and so he sought support from the Roman Emperor. Instead, the emperor locked him up in a dungeon in Utrecht for 21 years. After his release, Jaromir returned and managed to depose Oldřich with the support of Emperor Conrad II in 1033, but his second reign was short-lived. A year later, Ulrich was reinstated and the Duke ordered his brother blinded and imprisoned once again. Fortunately, Ulrich soon died and Jaromir was released.

godfrey the hunchback

Godfrey IV, known as the Hunchback, was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine by the German King Henry IV in 1069. Godfrey Jr. was short and hunchbacked, but despite his physical disability, Godfrey earned the respect of his followers and became a well-known leader. He joined forces with the Bishop of Utrecht in 1070 to drive Count Dirk V and Robert 'the Frisian' out of the Meuse estuary. Godfrey conquered Frisia in the eastern part of the valley and founded the city of Delft. He also played a key role in helping King Henry subdue the Saxons in 1075.

Several years later, Dirk V, with Robert's support, sought to reclaim his inheritance. Robert, who had become Count of Flanders through a combination of political intrigue and military force, plotted to assassinate Godfrey in order to remove him as an obstacle. The murderer attacked Godfrey with a spear while he was relieving himself at night, seriously wounding him. Godfrey died seven days later as a result of his injuries.

Wenceslaus III of Bohemia

King Wenceslaus III was King of Hungary and later of Bohemia and Poland, and the last member of the famous Přemyslid dynasty.

Wenceslaus was crowned King of Hungary in 1301. Wenceslaus was only twelve years old at the time, and his rule was only nominal, as large areas of the kingdom were controlled by a dozen powerful kings. His father realized that Wenceslaus's position could not be strengthened and in August 1304 drove him back from Hungary to Bohemia. After his father's death, Wenceslaus claimed the thrones in Bohemia and Poland, but realizing that he could not preserve his three kingdoms and decided against. Abdicated Hungary and handed over the Holy Crown of Hungary to Otto III of Bavaria.

Sixteen-year-old Wenceslaus led a chaotic life. He was surrounded by a group of young Czech nobles, to whom he gave large land grants. When Władysław the Elbow-high captured Kraków in early 1306, Wenceslaus decided to invade his rival's territories in Poland. But before he could begin, he was assassinated in Olomouc Castle in 1306. He was also sitting in the toilet.

uesugi kenshin

Uesugi Kenshin, whose original name was Nagao Kagetora, was one of the most powerful daimyōs of the Sengoku period. Kenshin, known as the "Dragon of Echigo", was renowned for his military brilliance on the battlefield, but he was also highly skilled in administration. He promoted local industries and trade, resulting in a significant improvement in the standard of living of the people living in Echigo under his rule.

Nagao Torachiyo was the third son of the chief of Echigo Province in northeastern Japan. With his father's death in 1543, the family's control over the region began to wane. However, Torachiyo was able to restore order in the region and even gained control over neighboring provinces, and became one of the most influential warriors in the Kantō plain of the central Honshu region.

In 1552, the Hōjō clan defeated Uesugi Norimasa, who was the Governor-General of Kantō and came from the most influential family in the region. Seeking refuge, Norimasa took shelter with Torachiyo, whom he adopted as his son, causing Torachiyo to change his surname to Uesugi. Torachiyo acquired many of the hereditary vassals of the Uesugi family and became involved in the fight against the Hōjō and Takeda families, eastern warlords competing for control over the Kantō region. Despite his battle with Takeda Shingen, a renowned general, neither side gained a lasting advantage.

Meanwhile, Oda Nobunaga had emerged as the most formidable military leader in Japan and in 1573 he seized power from the shogunate, consolidating his control over the capital. The only powerful warrior to challenge Nobunaga was Uesugi, and in 1577, he agreed to launch a campaign to restore the shogunate. However, before the campaign could begin, Uesugi became the victim of one of the most famous ninja assassinations. The story goes that an assassin sent by Oda Nobunaga hid in the cesspool beneath the toilet in Kenshin's camp and stabbed him with a sword from below.