The French king Charles VI was a young and well-liked ruler, but in his early twenties began to show signs of mental illness, possibly schizophrenia. His physician advised keeping his stress level low, and keeping him amused. And so a wedding party in the year 1393 for one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting was turned into a project to raise the king's spirits.
The most anticipated entertainment at the ball was a dance by six men in elaborate costumes portraying wood savages, a sort of wild men. They were covered with fur made of flax, affixed to a fabric coated with resin. They also wore masks to conceal their identities. One of the dancers was the king himself, but few knew that, nor which one he was. The dance was going over well until the king's drunk brother brought a torch near their faces to see who they were. The highly flammable costumes ignited, and the party was over. One of the dancers burned to death that night, while three lingered in agony for days until they, too, died. Read about the disastrous Ball of the Burning Men at Amusing Planet.
(Image credit: Philippe de Mazerolles)
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