There have been a lot of kings, queens, earls, dukes, etc. in British history, and most have died of illness or other natural causes. But being in power also means a somewhat enhanced risk of dying by murder or by war. In a list of the strangest royal deaths in Britain, the first in chronological order stands out, whether it's technically true or not. Viking Sigurd Eysteinsson was the Earl of Orkney in the 9th century. He battled the Picts, led by the Earl of Moray who was named Máel Brigte the Bucktoothed. You can just imagine what he looked like.
Having challenged the Pictish earl to a battle where each side could have 40 men, Sigurd reneged on the deal and brought 80. Inevitably, Máel Brigte and his army were defeated and suffered the ignominy of having their heads cut off and tied to the Vikings’ saddles. But Máel Brigte and his enormous teeth would have their revenge: As his severed head bounced around on the horse, his teeth scraped Sigurd’s leg. Infection set in, and the Viking ruler was dead before he made it back to Orkney.
Yes, he was bitten by a dead man. That's only the first of ten royal deaths that are worth reading about at Mental Floss.