I'm reminded of the hundred or so fictional kings of Britain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lis

I'm reminded of the hundred or so fictional kings of Britain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Bri... including King Lear. They didn't exist, but they all had normal lifespans. I'm uncertain to what extent they were ever sincerely believed to exist.