"Checkmate – Which of History’s Kings Died in Battle?" Topic

"In 1700, an alliance of nations including Russia, Poland, Prussia, Saxony and Denmark-Norway joined forces to chase the Swedes from territories in Northern Europe. In addition to fielding a larger army than the lone Scandinavian power, the aggressors also had one more thing going for them: Sweden's ruler,the teenaged Charles XII, was unproven as a wartime leader. Not surprisingly, most expected Charles to be a pushover. [1] Unfortunately for the alliance, the 18-year-old monarch turned out to be a tough and resourceful strategist. Within six years, the young king and his army had defeated the coalition, save for Russia. Although his subsequent march on Moscow in 1709 would end in defeat and exile for Charles, the now veteran ruler would return to lead his troops again in a series of new campaigns against both Norway and Russia. In 1718, while besieging the city of Haldenm, Norway, Charles was struck in the head by a musket ball. The wound proved fatal. And while the leaderless Swedes abandoned Halden and eventually give up most of their empire in Europe, the death of Charles would hold perhaps an even greater significance for history – it would be the last time a European monarch would die in battle.

While having a ruler fall in combat was certainly rare, it was by no means unheard of. In fact, prior to the age of muskets, kings and princes would often lead their armies from the front, exposing themselves to many of the same risks faced by their men. Predictably, a number of these fighting monarchs would be struck down in the action. Here are a few of history's fallen warrior kings.

Unlucky Englishmen
At least three kings of England died in action between the 11th and 15th centuries. The first was Harold II, the last Anglo Saxon ruler of England. After killing the Viking king Harald Sigurdsson (yes, another "Harold") at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, England's Harold famously fell near Hastings just a few days later. Reports on how the ruler was perished vary – some suggest that Harold was fatally cleaved in a melee with Norman knights led by William the Conqueror. However, the famous Bayeux Tapestry suggests that the ill-fated monarch took an arrow in the eye. In any case, with their king slain, the Anglo-Saxons fled the field and eventually ceded control of England to William…"
Full article here.
link

Amicalement
Armand

James IV of Scotland was the last monarch in the British Isles to die on the battlefield. (But was far from the only Scottish king to meet such a fate.)

Interestingly enough, I think they left off another Swede--Gustavus Adolphus. That would have been an easy tie-in to Charles.

Rob

King Richard the III, killed in battle in the Battle of Bosworth 1485 (Wars of the Roses).

Bob

While not a king, in 1879 the Prince Imperial of France, Napoleon Eugene Louis Jean Joseph Bonaparte, was killed in battle with the Zulus while serving with the British Army in Zululand.

Charles the Bold of Burgundy, while technically only a Duke, should qualify. He got the halberd haircut.

Constantine XI, the last Roman (Eastern) Emperor- Constantinople 1453

Wladyslaw III of Poland, Varna 1440

I would count Murad I as dying on the battlefield even though it was assassination. Kosovo 1389

Sebastian I of Portugal , Alcacer Quibir 1578

Tewdoros II of Ethiopia, Magdala 1868, though this was suicide.

Nikephoros I, Roman (Eastern) Emperor, Pliska 811

Here is an interesting list

link

I am sure it is incomplete, but very few Asian monarchs and few Muslim ones.

Oops, battle of Hastings on the 14th, not the 15th of October. Harold's death remains debatable, when and how it happened.

Hardly an exhaustive list. No mention of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor who died defending Constantinople in 1453….

>very few Asian monarchs and few Muslim ones.

I assume this is also a sign of the English Wikipedia pages being maintained mainly by contributors with knowledge of and focus on western history.

Eg. Sebastian of Portugal died in in the "battle of three kings" together with two Muslim rulers (one allied, the other opposing him), both of whom are not on that list.

Leinster not Lienster for Brian Boru!

Didn't a cartload or Muslim kings die at Roncevaux? Okay, merely a myth in song form. It's one side's "history"….

Puster. Yes I thought that may be an issue, but I wrack my brain and I do not remember a lot of Chinese Emperor's dying in battle. I am pretty sure no Japanese Emperor died in battle, and also very few Korean Kings. Hindu kings probably are going to be more common since there is a tradition of kingly combat but I am not sure.

Rough job being king of Scotland or Sweden!