The Myth of Bloody Mary

During her five-year reign, Mary navigated the manifold challenges associated with her status as the first English queen to wear the crown in her own right, rather than as the wife of a king. She prioritized religion above all else, implementing reforms and restrictions aimed at restoring the Catholic Church s ascendancy in England. Most controversially, she ordered 280 Protestants burned at the stake as heretics a fact that would later cement her reputation as Bloody Mary.

The queen also set precedents and laid the groundwork for initiatives among others, financial reform, exploration and naval expansion that would be built upon by her much-lauded successor, Elizabeth I. Mary failed, however, to fulfill arguably the most important duty of any monarch: producing an heir. When she died at age 42 in 1558 of an ailment identified alternatively as uterine cancer, ovarian cysts or influenza, Elizabeth claimed the throne.

via getpocket.com

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Bloody Mary, though burning 280 Protestants at the stake does seem harsh.