Weird deaths in history

I'm no expert, but I think most scholars agree with that figure.

The armies were larger than normal, but not so big to be unbelievable. The casualties are so high because it was fought in the snow, in winter. This made most manoeuvres impossible, slowed everyone down which let the archers rain even more death than usual, and made fleeing even harder than normal. Combine this with the fact that it was a civil war battle so casualties on both sides were English, and you get the figure as it is.
 
1% of population lost in a massive battle is not that unlikely. Usually it takes more battles, but then again usually in wars nations lose upwards of 5% of their population.
Then again there is Paraguay, which apparently lost at least 30% in the war of the triple alliance...
 
I'm no expert, but I think most scholars agree with that figure.

The armies were larger than normal, but not so big to be unbelievable. The casualties are so high because it was fought in the snow, in winter. This made most manoeuvres impossible, slowed everyone down which let the archers rain even more death than usual, and made fleeing even harder than normal. Combine this with the fact that it was a civil war battle so casualties on both sides were English, and you get the figure as it is.

Furthermore, the Lancastian line was against the Cock Beck and dense woods (both in winter remember). Even contemporary writers noted that the Yorkist were particularly ruthless at Towton, killing many prisoners with other drowning to get away as it became apparent that no quarter was being given. Some 40 high ranking knights from the Lancastrian side were executed. Indeed throughout the Wars of the Roses the Yorkist were particularly keen of executing nobles and in general not following the accepted military protocol of the day.
 
The English poet John Donne effectively preached his own funeral sermon.

Preached a sermon on the verse "unto God belong the issues of death" (often called the Death's Duel sermon) then died within the week.
 
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