There's an eclipse, someone must die: the macabre ritual repeated by kings, emperors, and priests for millennia

Throughout history, eclipses were viewed not as natural spectacles, but as severe political threats by monarchs, emperors, and priests. Across millennia, these events prompted macabre rituals to protect leadership and restore light to the sky.

Historical practices during eclipses included sacrificing individuals, executing astronomers who failed to predict the celestial events, and using temporary royal substitutes intended to absorb the perceived doom meant for actual rulers.