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Death of King Candaules, 1720. Caudeles was king of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia in the early years of the 7th century BCE. According to Herodotus, Candaules believed his wife Nyssia to be the most beautiful woman on Earth. Candaules often told his favourite bodyguard, Gyges, how beautiful the queen was and, thinking Gyges did not believe him, urged Gyges to contrive to see her naked. Gyges initially refused as he did not wish to dishonour the queen. Nevertheless, Candaules was insistent and Gyges had no option but to obey his king. So Gyges hid in Candaules' bedroom and, when the queen entered, watched her undress. As she was getting into bed, he quietly left the room, but the queen saw him and realised what had happened. The queen silently swore revenge for her shame, and summoned Gyges to her chamber the next day and presented him with a choice. He could kill Candaules and seize the throne with Nyssia as his wife. Or he could choose to be executed immediately by her trusted servants. Gyges decided to take the first course of action and assassinate the king. The plan was that he should hide in the royal bedroom as before but this time from the king. After Candaules fell asleep, Gyges crept forward and stabbed him to death.