Ruthless Facts About Bloody Mary, The First Queen Of England
Mary Tudor has gone down in history as the Catholic tyrant "Bloody Mary." There’s certainly cause for such a brutal nickname: she executed hundreds of Protestants during her short reign.
But there’s so much more to Queen Mary's life than her ruthless reputation. From her deranged childhood to her chilling romances, this is the untold story of England's very first queen.
Queen Mary I Facts
1. Her Mother Suffered
It seemed like a miracle that Mary lived as long as she did. Her mother Queen Catherine of Aragon had an absolutely brutal time when it came to childbirth. Over the course of nine pregnancies, she suffered multiple miscarriages, had stillborn births, or watched her babies perish before their first birthdays. Because of all her pain, Catherine was thrilled when Mary survived into adulthood—but then again, she never saw her daughter's brutal reign.
2. Her Father Was Cruel
Catherine was happy to finally have a child survive for longer than a year, but her husband, King Henry VIII? Not so much. He needed a male heir and when he heard that Mary had been born, his response was utterly disturbing. He "consoled" Catherine by saying that since this one was a girl, it meant a better chance for a boy the next time. Thanks, dad.
3. She Was Beautiful
Despite Mary's deranged childhood, she still managed to blossom into a precocious young beauty. She was cunning and clever, with a curvaceous figure, alabaster skin, light blue eyes, and vibrant red hair.
As an attractive princess, she was always going to have men competing for her hand—but even she couldn't have predicted just how many...or how dark their intentions would be.
