Mary I of England

Mary I of England, also known as “Bloody Mary”, was the Queen of England from 1553 until her death in 1558. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and had a reputation for being strict and rather unforgiving.

One of the most notable things about Mary was her determination to restore Catholicism in England. This proved to be quite unpopular among her Protestant subjects, many of whom feared persecution at her hands. Needless to say, Mary’s reign was not exactly known for its light-heartedness.

That being said, Mary did have a sense of humor, albeit a rather dark one. One of her favorite pastimes was watching heretics being burned at the stake. She apparently found the sight of flames licking at human flesh to be quite amusing, and would often cackle with glee as she watched them suffer.

Of course, not everyone found Mary’s sense of humor quite so funny. Many of her subjects were horrified by what they saw as her cruel and sadistic tendencies. To this day, she is remembered as one of the most unpopular monarchs in English history.

Despite her somewhat grim reputation, Mary was actually a bit of a fashion icon in her time. She was particularly fond of elaborate gowns and headpieces, and was often seen wearing them even in informal settings. Some historians speculate that this was an attempt to distract from her less-than-charming personality.

All in all, Mary I of England was a complex and controversial figure, whose legacy is still debated to this day. While her reign was certainly not known for its lightheartedness, there is something undeniably humorous about the fact that a queen who claimed to be acting in the name of God would find enjoyment in watching her subjects burn. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.