Buzz
While some may brush them off as mere superstition, the enduring tales of curses spanning thousands of years highlight their widespread fascination. Mytour has previously explored strange curses and eerie, cursed artifacts. This compilation delves into 10 of history's most brutal curses. Regardless of belief, the suffering endured by their victims is undeniable . . . even if it’s purely coincidental.
10. The Curse That Brought Down a Queen
In July 2012, Thailand's cherished Queen Sirikit suffered a stroke and has remained out of the public eye ever since. While this might not seem unusual on its own, whispers of a decades-old curse linked to one of history's most daring jewel thefts have fueled speculation.
The story began in 1989 at the Saudi royal palace. A Thai janitor infiltrated Prince Faisal’s quarters, stealing $20 million worth of jewelry, which he smuggled back to Thailand inside a vacuum cleaner bag. Among the stolen treasures was a 50-carat gemstone, the renowned “Blue Diamond,” a prized possession of the Saudi prince.
Saudi officials informed Thai police, leading to the thief’s swift arrest. However, by then, some of the stolen jewels had already been sold on the black market. While most of the loot was returned to the Saudi royal family, over half were crude counterfeits. To make matters worse, the Blue Diamond remained missing, and Thai police controversially claimed it never existed.
Despite its disputed existence, the Blue Diamond has sparked countless issues, leading many to believe it’s cursed. The curse allegedly claimed its first victims in February 1990, when three Saudi diplomats investigating the heist were executed in a single night. Thai authorities denied any connection to the “Blue Diamond Affair,” but Saudi officials suspected a deliberate cover-up.
Suspicions grew when Thai media reported that wives of influential Thai figures were seen wearing jewelry resembling the stolen Saudi gems. Notably, Queen Sirikit was spotted wearing a strikingly similar gem just before her stroke and subsequent withdrawal from public life. Many now believe she is the latest casualty of the Blue Diamond curse, said to bring chaos until it’s returned to its rightful owner.
9. The Curse That Claimed Millions of Lives
In 1941, a group of Soviet anthropologists embarked on a government-approved mission to Uzbekistan, tasked with finding and unearthing the remains of Tamerlane, a notorious 14th-century conqueror revered as a national hero in Uzbekistan. Local Muslim clerics vehemently opposed the exhumation, cautioning that disturbing the warlord’s rest would bring catastrophe within three days. Mikhail Gerasimov, the expedition leader, brushed off their warnings as mere superstition and proceeded with the exhumation on June 19, 1941.
The Soviet team’s choice to open the tomb could be viewed as either courageous or reckless. The casket bore an ominous inscription: “When I rise from the dead, the world shall tremble.” Three days later, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, invading the Soviet Union in a shocking assault. Was it coincidence? Maybe. But the world indeed trembled.
Many still argue that Stalin provoked Tamerlane’s curse by exhuming the warlord’s body, with the Nazi invasion being its direct consequence. Notably, the tide of the German-Soviet war turned with the unexpected Soviet victory at the Battle of Stalingrad. Just before this pivotal battle, Stalin ordered Tamerlane’s remains to be returned to Uzbekistan and buried with full Islamic honors. The curse was believed to be lifted, but not before it claimed a devastating price: 7.5 million Russian lives lost during the German invasion, despite the eventual Soviet triumph.
8. The Curse of the Hawaiian Volcano Goddess
“Disrespect Pele, and she will end you,” cautions Professor Kame’eleihiwa from the University of Hawaii. Timothy Murray likely regretted not heeding this advice before moving to Honolulu. He once claimed to have “always been lucky,” but that changed after he angered Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes.
During a visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Timothy became captivated by the black sand and took some home in a water bottle. Soon after, his life took a turn for the worse. His girlfriend of five years, whom he was about to propose to, abruptly left him. He was arrested by the FBI in a rare copyright infringement case. To add to his misery, his beloved pet passed away unexpectedly. However, Timothy isn’t the only one affected by this curse.
Hawaiian lore warns that taking volcanic rocks or sand angers Pele, who views them as her children. The goddess is said to curse those who remove them, bringing a wave of misfortune. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park receives countless packages filled with returned rocks from remorseful tourists hoping to undo their bad luck. Many include heartfelt apologies to Pele, pleading for the curse to be lifted.
7. The Spider-Man Curse
While many are familiar with the Superman Curse, it’s overshadowed by a more recent curse tied to a famous superhero. This curse has haunted Broadway, specifically the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. The production faced multiple delays due to technical failures causing numerous injuries, leading many to speculate if the show was cursed.
The troubles began during rehearsals in 2010 when an actor suffered broken feet and a concussion from a botched catapult stunt. A stunt double later broke both wrists. During the first preview performance, a lead actress was struck in the head by a rope, resulting in a concussion, and she soon left the show. Her replacement, T.V. Carpio, was injured during a battle scene, damaging her neck and sidelining her for two weeks.
The most shocking incident occurred when a cord snapped during an aerial stunt, sending Christopher Tierney plummeting three stories into the orchestra pit. He suffered severe injuries, including a fractured skull, scapula, elbow, four broken ribs, and three damaged vertebrae. The accident happened during a live performance, leaving the audience traumatized by the actress’s screams.
The latest injury happened on August 16, 2013, when a dancer’s leg was crushed in machinery. So far, five actors have been injured during the production. While no deaths have occurred on stage, Tony Adams, the original producer, suffered a stroke and passed away before the cursed show debuted on Broadway.
6. Muhammad Cursed an Orphan Girl (And Made Her Weep)
If a young girl smiled at you, how would you respond? Most would likely smile back. However, the prophet Muhammad reacted differently. As recorded in Sahih Muslim (Book 032, Number 6297), he looked at the girl and declared, “May you not grow older!” The orphan girl fled, weeping uncontrollably.
Why would Allah’s prophet act this way? When questioned, Muhammad explained that, as a human, he could sometimes lose his temper. He assured his followers that Allah had granted him a special arrangement: anyone he cursed unjustly would be compensated on the Day of Judgment. Thus, the curse served as a lesson: even if someone is wrongfully cursed by Allah’s prophet, they need not fear. The fate of the unnamed orphan girl remains a mystery, and it’s unclear whether Muhammad’s curse meant she wouldn’t survive or would remain a child forever.
This incident is documented in the hadith, which are considered “sahih,” or authentic. Therefore, Sunni Muslims accept Muhammad’s curse on the orphan girl as a factual event.
5. The Curse of the Dead Man’s Chair
The Thirsk Museum in England houses the notorious chair of Thomas Busby. The chair is displayed on a wall to prevent anyone from sitting on it—not due to its value, but because of a centuries-old curse. Legend claims that anyone who sits on Busby’s chair will meet an untimely death.
The story began in 1702 in North Yorkshire. Thomas Busby, the town drunk, married Elizabeth Auty, much to her father’s disapproval. One day, Busby found his father-in-law sitting in his favorite chair, declaring he would take Elizabeth home. In a fit of rage, Busby killed him with a hammer and hid the body. Before his execution, Busby allegedly cursed the chair, declaring that anyone who sat on it would die. The inn where Busby lived became known as the “Busby Stoop Inn,” and the chair is said to have caused numerous deaths over the past 300 years.
In 1968, Tony Earnshaw, the new owner of the inn, dismissed the curse as superstition. However, strange deaths began occurring. Two RAF airmen dared each other to sit on the chair and died in a car crash the same day. Later, a young builder sat on the chair during a lunch break and fell from a roof, fatally injuring himself. These incidents reignited fears of the curse.
That was the final blow for Tony Earnshaw. He pleaded with the Thirsk museum to take the chair, but only if they promised to never allow anyone to sit on it. For nearly three decades, the chair has remained off-limits, despite numerous requests to test the curse.
4. The Curse That Haunted Hungary for a Millennium
If you believe in curses, you might want to avoid having Hungarian ancestry. My grandparents hailed from Hungary, a land infamous for the Curse of Turáni átok. This malevolent spell is said to have plagued Hungary and its people for a thousand years. The curse began in A.D. 1000 during the reign of King Stephen, who ruled Magyaroszág (modern-day Hungary) with an iron hand. Stephen sought to forcefully convert his subjects to Christianity, eradicating ancient Hungarian beliefs.
Not everyone embraced the new faith. Many resisted, clinging to their traditions. This defiance sparked a rebellion, leading to the massacre of clergymen across the country. King Stephen retaliated brutally. His Christian armies compelled the “Black Magyars” to undergo Baptism, often after being tortured and blinded.
The defeated followers of Hungary’s ancient religion summoned a powerful shaman for help. The shaman cast a millennium-long curse on the newly Christianized nation. While the exact details of the curse remain unclear, a shadow of despair has reportedly loomed over Hungary ever since. Evidence includes Hungary’s world-leading suicide rates throughout much of the 20th century. Additionally, depression became a national issue, and Hungarians often died younger than other Europeans. The curse was said to end in 2000, but Hungary’s fortunes have not significantly improved, leading some to believe the Turáni átok curse is eternal.
3. The Ancient Jewish Curse That Doomed the Israeli Prime Minister
On July 26, 2005, Rabbi Yosef Dayan and a group of Jewish extremists performed an ancient ritual at a cemetery. Their goal was to invoke a death curse on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, angered by his support for Israel’s withdrawal from areas they considered part of the Promised Land. The ritual, known as “pulsa denura” (Aramaic for “whip of fire”), summons the Angels of Destruction to eliminate their enemies within a year.
Within six months, Prime Minister Sharon collapsed in his bathroom due to a massive stroke. The cerebral hemorrhage left him in a vegetative state, reliant on life support. While the curse didn’t kill him, some argue it succeeded in its purpose: removing Sharon from power. Whether through death or permanent incapacity, the curse achieved its goal.
However, there is a curse that did kill an Israeli Prime Minister. Rewind to 1995, when Jewish ultra-nationalists conducted a ritual calling for the death of Yitzhak Rabin, then the prime minister. Infuriated by his efforts to broker peace with the Palestinians, far-right extremists, led again by Rabbi Yosef Dayan, cast a pulsa denura on Rabin. Days later, Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated at a peace rally.
2. Jesus Cursed a Fig Tree (And All of Israel)
Picture yourself walking outside and spotting a fig tree in the distance. Hungry, you approach it only to discover it’s barren, despite its lush leaves. Most would simply walk away, but not Jesus. According to a peculiar gospel passage, Jesus cursed the tree, declaring, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” The tree immediately withered and died.
At first, Jesus’ reaction might seem childish, like a tantrum over unmet expectations. However, the curse was neither impulsive nor meaningless. The fig tree and its fruit symbolize Israel and its people’s faith, respectively. The tree (Israel) bore no fruit (faith) despite its leaves suggesting it was the right season (a metaphor for the Messiah’s arrival).
When Jesus appeared to curse the fig tree out of frustration, he was actually demonstrating his authority to enact the impending judgment on Israel. Israel had become irrelevant in God’s plan, much like a barren tree deserving to be cut down. Due to Israel’s lack of faith despite the Messiah’s presence, it faced destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70.
1. The Curse That Doomed the Russian Royal Family
A century ago, Grigori Rasputin emerged from a humble Siberian background with little promise. Yet, he rose to become a trusted advisor to Tsarina Aleksandra in the Romanov palace. Rasputin, a self-proclaimed mystic, claimed his healing powers could help the tsarina’s son, who battled hemophilia. Little did she know, Rasputin would later curse her family, leading to their tragic fate.
While Saint Petersburg’s aristocracy was intrigued by Rasputin, they despised a peasant advising the tsarina. A group of nobles attempted to kill him, but Rasputin proved nearly invincible. He survived poisoning, beatings, gunshots, and even the removal of his genitals. Only after being bound and thrown into a freezing river did he finally die.
Though Russia eliminated Rasputin, his ominous legacy endured. Before his death, he sent the tsar a foreboding letter, predicting the fate of the royal family if the nobles killed him. Rasputin warned that the tsar and his family would not survive another year, leading many to believe he had cursed them. Within a year, the Romanovs, including the tsar, his wife, and their five children, were executed in a brutal massacre.
