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The death of King Edward II of England in Berkeley Castle in 1327, even by medieval standards, was particularly gruesome. What were the circumstances of his death?

Answer: He was forced to abdicate in favor of his underage son, then tortured, starved and thrown into a pit of rotting corpses. His death was caused by having a red-hot poker inserted into his anus through to his internal organs, so as to not leave a mark on his body.

Source: History of England by Paul Johnson

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