The Erfurt Latrine Disaster: One of the Strangest Political Deaths in History

In July 1184, one of the most bizarre and grim tragedies of the Middle Ages occurred in Erfurt, Germany — over 60 nobles died when a meeting room collapsed into a massive cesspit below.

On July 26, 1184, King Henry VI of Germany convened a high-level meeting in Erfurt to settle a land dispute between Lord Louis III of Thuringia and Archbishop Conrad of Mainz. The gathering, held on the upper floor of a church annex, quickly turned deadly when the floor collapsed, sending about 60 nobles crashing into the latrine pit below.

Historical accounts, especially from the Chronicle of Saint Peter of Erfurt, detail how the victims either drowned in waste, were crushed by debris, or died from toxic fumes. Among the deceased were several counts and lords of considerable renown. King Henry and Archbishop Conrad miraculously survived, reportedly by clinging to iron bars at a window until rescued.

Though grim, the event has become infamous in medieval history for its shocking nature — a literal downfall of politics into filth. In a way, it's history’s most disgusting metaphor for dirty politics.