One bloody thing after another

the long version

Ever wondered why Tsar Ivan was the dubbed 'the Terrible' or how King Henri II of France perished in a jousting incident? Grisly and gruesome, this book details the vile history of bloodthirsty kings and queens, savage battles, torture and punishment, as well as deathly locations from the days of the ancients to the late nineteenth century. A bloodstained tour through ages of torment, One Bloody Thing After Another explores the blood and guts of yesteryear, from the Crusades and medieval dungeons to the Reign of Terror and witch trials. Find out who bathed in the blood of young women to retain her youth and what really happened at the Massacre of the Festival of Toxcatl, all the while uncovering the most painful torture methods ever used. This is a fascinating account of terror, torture and power in all its repulsive guises ... the most gut-spilling history book you'll read this year.