Blue bloodied

BODY IN THE LAKE: Ludwig II of Bavaria was branded “Mad” King Ludwig because of his eccentric lifestyle, spending huge sums on building crazy castles.

He was forced to give up the throne in 1886. Days later he was found dead, floating in a lake alongside the corpse of his psychiatrist Dr Gudden.

The authorities said Ludwig had drowned, but no water was found in his lungs, he was a strong swimmer and he had never mentioned suicide.

Marks on Gudden’s body suggested he’d been strangled. Ludwig’s coat, sporting bullet-holes, was apparently found years later, but then oddly vanished.

RUFUS RIDDLE: English king William II, known as Rufus, was killed by an arrow while hunting in the New Forest on August 2, 1100. It was fired by nobleman William Tirel.

It was claimed to have been an accident, but his brother Henry, who was at the scene, suspiciously abandoned William’s body and rushed off to have himself crowned.