Despite an auspicious early ruling period, Mary’s reign was upended by an event that triggered deep emotional distress. Her pain manifested in burning her perceived enemies at the stake—a punishment that earned her the nickname that has defined her legacy: Bloody Mary.
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Nov 2022
Thanksgiving Special: Just Add Arsenic
Over the ages, arsenic has had many lives — beauty fad, household product, medical prescription… and weapon of choice wielded by killers everywhere from Alabama to ancient Rome. Brine your turkey, knead your dough, and listen to our Thanksgiving Special on the regime-changing, as ... Show More
42m 41s
Jul 2021
The Later Life of Bloody Mary
<p>When Mary rode into London to claim her crown, she was met with celebration the likes of which had never been seen before in the city streets. Five years later, at the end of her reign, she was a hated figure. Today, she's known as Bloody Mary. [Side note: You can pre-order AN ... Show More
32m 25s
Jun 2021
The Early Life of Bloody Mary
<p>The oldest daughter of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor, is commonly known today as "Bloody Mary" for her persecution of Protestants in England during her reign as queen. But as a young woman, she was a girl whose life was ripped out from under her when her father declared that she was ... Show More
35m 13s
Aug 2025
589. Mary, Queen of Scots: Downfall (Part 6)
Following the murder of her husband, Lord Darnley, how did Mary Queen of Scots - thought to have conspired for his death - navigate the most precarious situation of her young life so far? Would she marry again, and if so whom? Why was she forced to flee her enemies dressed as a m ... Show More
1h 6m
Jul 2025
587. Mary, Queen of Scots: Murder Most Foul (Part 4)
Why did Mary Queen of Scots’ second marriage to the volatile Lord Darnley threaten to send Scotland into civil war? In what way did she essentially declare war upon her powerful cousin, Elizabeth I? Who was the hotheaded James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell, and why would he come ... Show More
54m 22s
Jan 2025
Final Days of Mary Queen of Scots
The moment Mary Queen of Scots set foot in England, she became Elizabeth I's prisoner. Mary was fleeing from war and misogyny, hoping for help from her fellow queen. What lay ahead was twenty years of increasingly desperate imprisonment and, eventually, her death.Maddy Pelling an ... Show More
47m 30s