8. Mary I of England (Mary Tudor)
Born: February 18, 1516 – Greenwich, England
Died: November 17, 1559 – London, England
Have you heard a story about Bloody Mary, the evil woman number 8 in our list of most evil female rulers in history? No, not the story that involves ghosts, candles, mirrors and revelations of the future. We have another story in our mind. The story that starts on February 18th, 1516, at the English Royal Palace in Greenwich on the banks of the River Thames; the story about the fourth crowned monarch of the Tudor dynasty, her life, and her deeds. You’re certainly familiar with the controversial life of Mary’s father-Henry VIII-a royal womanizer, and more importantly his bloodthirsty reign. Well, with Mary not being a legitimate male heir, Henry – eager to remarry – sends her away when she was nine, to the border of the Wales given her court. Next three decades of her life were mosaic made of failed engagements, bad health, and battle for the throne and recognition in English court. She lived in the shadow of religious ambiguity regarding Protestantism and Catholicism, and her father’s marriages. Finally, after the death of her half-brother Edward VI, at the age of 37, she got sovereign over England and Ireland. It’s when Mary gained the epithet bloody! During five years of her time in power, she persecuted the Protestants, intentional to re-establish the supremacy of the Catholic church. Mary is guilty as charged for execution by burning of almost 300 prominent Protestants and exile of 800. That’s a reason ‘good’ enough for her to be on our list of 10 most evil female rulers in history. Evidently, Mary was a bitter and cruel woman! Whose fault is that? The question remains, whether these horrible deeds represent her true loyalty to the dogmas of the Catholic Church or, they are subconscious revenge because her father neglected her for others. Nevertheless, to gain a male heir, she marries Prince Philip of Spain and unfortunately suffers from the false pregnancy syndrome, two times. In addition, her husband left her. She died from ovary carcinoma at the age of 42 on November 17th, 1558. Our strongest recommendation is to prepare yourself a strong drink, perhaps Bloody Mary, before you click the Next button!
