Humayun died after tripping on his observatory stairs

A closer look

Looking up at the cosmos is great, but watching your step is arguably more important for imperial longevity. Humayun, the second emperor of the Mughal Empire, was absolutely obsessed with astrology and the movement of the planets. In 1556, while carrying an armful of books down the steep stone stairs of his Sher Mandal observatory, he heard the Islamic call to prayer. He attempted to kneel out of reverence, caught his foot in his royal robes, and tumbled to a fatal brain hemorrhage.