At the age of 68, Pope Boniface the VIII was hit in the face with a heavy mailed fist and then imprisoned, where he neither ate nor drank for 48 hours. Rescued, he was alert and rational but a few days later unable to appear in public. In Italy he is sa id to have died of shame at being hit. He died 5 weeks after the blow, probably with alternating periods of drowsiness and delirium. It is suggested he died of a subdural haematoma.