The list of famous people who died of poisoning includes all the notable people who met their end at the hands of a poison. Death due to poison could not be detected in earlier ages and so was the most popular method used to kill people, resulting in many famous poisoning cases. Only in the recent past, has the cause of death by poison been detectable through autopsy.
What famous people were poisoned to death? Did you know, in the previous centuries, most poison victims died of arsenic poisoning? These famous poisonings are the stuff of legends and have happened throughout history. From cyanide poisonings to other methods, here is a list of all famous people who were poisoned and killed. This list includes all famous poisoning victims and can be sorted by any column.Alan Turing
Dec. at 42 (1912-1954)Birthplace: Maida Vale, London, United Kingdom
British mathematician; Apparently committed suicide by injecting an apple with cyanide and taking a bite.
Alan Mathison Turing (; 23 June 1912 – 7 June 1954) was an English mathematician, computer... moreAdolf Hitler
Dec. at 56 (1889-1945)Birthplace: Braunau am Inn, Austria
Cyanide and gunshot simultaneously before captureAdolf Hitler (German: [ˈadɔlf ˈhɪtlɐ] (listen); 20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was a German... moreCleopatra
Dec. at 39 (68 BC-29 BC)Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
Poisoned herself with an asp's bite
Cleopatra VII Philopator (Koinē Greek: Κλεοπᾰ́τρᾱ Φιλοπάτωρ, romanized: Kleopátrā Philopátōr;... moreGreek philosopher. According to Plato, sentenced to kill himself by drinking poison hemlock
Socrates (; Ancient Greek: Σωκρᾰ́της, romanized: Sōkrátēs, [sɔːkrátɛːs]; c. 470 – 399 BC) was... moreHeinrich Himmler
Dec. at 45 (1900-1945)Birthplace: Munich, Germany
Leader of the Nazi SchutzstaffelHeinrich Luitpold Himmler (German: [ˈhaɪnʁɪç ˈluːɪtˌpɔlt ˈhɪmlɐ] (listen); 7 October 1900 – 23... moreHermann Göring
Leader of the Nazi Luftwaffe; suicide by cyanide capsule, long after being captured and only hours before his hanging was to take placeJuan Ponce de Leön
Juan Ponce de León (Spanish pronunciation: [xwam ˈponθe ðe leˈon]; 1474 – July 1521), commonly... moreErwin Rommel
Dec. at 53 (1891-1944)Birthplace: Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany
German generalJohannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was a German general and... moreIbn al-Khattab
Dec. at 33 (1969-2002)Birthplace: Saudi Arabia
A Sunni Jihadi fighter, died from a poisoned letter sent by Russian FSB agencySamir Saleh Abdullah (Arabic: سامر صالح عبد الله; 14 April 1969 – 20 March 2002), more... moreAli ibn Abi Talib
CaliphDemosthenes
Dec. at 62 (383 BC-321 BC)Birthplace: Athens, Greece
Athenian politicianDemosthenes (; Greek: Δημοσθένης Dēmosthénēs; Attic Greek: [dɛːmosˈtʰenɛːs]; 384 – 12 October... moreLove Canal
Buried toxic waste was covered and used as a building site for housing and school in Niagara Falls, New York, resulting in claims of chronic poisoning and a massive environmental cleanup.Alexander Litvinenko
Dec. at 44 (1962-2006)Birthplace: Voronezh, Russia
Russian ex-spy and investigator, died three weeks after being poisoned by radioactive polonium-210Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko (Russian: Алекса́ндр Ва́льтерович Литвине́нко, IPA:... morePope Clement VII
Dec. at 56 (1478-1534)Birthplace: Florence, Italy
Ate the death cap mushroomPope Clement VII (Italian: Papa Clemente VII; Latin: Clemens VII) (26 May 1478 – 25 September... moreEva Hitler
Eva Anna Paula Hitler (née Braun; 6 February 1912 – 30 April 1945) was the longtime companion... moreMarshall Applewhite
Dec. at 66 (1931-1997)Birthplace: Spur, Texas
Cult suicideMarshall Herff Applewhite Jr. (May 17, 1931 – March 26, 1997), also known as Do, among other... moreOlive Thomas
Dec. at 26 (1894-1920)Birthplace: Charleroi, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Silent film actress, accidentally ingested a large dose of mercury bichlorideOlive Thomas (born Oliva R. Duffy; October 20, 1894 – September 10, 1920) was an American... moreGeorgi Markov
Dec. at 49 (1929-1978)Birthplace: Vitosha, Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgarian dissident; Assassinated in London with ricin
Georgi Ivanov Markov (Bulgarian: Георги Иванов Марков; 1 March 1929 – 11 September 1978) was a... moreCharles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Dec. at 55 (1685-1740)Birthplace: Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria
Ate poisonous mushroomsCharles VI (1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740; German: Karl VI., Latin: Carolus VI) succeeded... moreStepan Bandera
Dec. at 50 (1909-1959)Birthplace: Staryi Uhryniv
Poisoned by a cyanide capsule shot from a gun by KGB agentsStepan Andriyovych Bandera (Ukrainian: Степан Андрійович Бандера, Polish: Stepan Andrijowycz... moreOdilo Globocnik
Dec. at 41 (1904-1945)Birthplace: Trieste, Italy
D. 1945Odilo Globočnik (21 April 1904 – 31 May 1945) was an Austrian war criminal. He was a member of... moreUmar ibn Abd al-Aziz
Umayyad caliphMusa al-Kadhim
Dec. at 54 (745-799)Birthplace: Medina, Saudi Arabia
Shia ImamMūsá ibn Ja‘far al-Kāzim (Arabic: موسى بن جعفر الكاظم), also called Abūl-Hasan, Abū Abd... moreConstantine II, Prince of Armenia
D. 1129Constantine II (Armenian: Կոստանդին Բ), also Kostandin II, (unknown – after February 17, 1129)... moreMargaret Drummond
Dec. at 26 (1475-1501)Mistress of King James IV of ScotlandMargaret Drummond (c. 1475 – 1501) was a daughter of John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond, and a... more
