The history of England's reign of terror
Mary was crowned queen in 1553. In the space of just five years, her brutal methods earned her the macabre nickname she has carried ever since. Men such as Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, were burned at the stake, as were some 300 others who refused to renounce their Protestantism and accept Papal supremacy. This lucid and expert account sheds light on a dreadful episode in English history.
Jasper Ridley gave up his practice at the bar to become one of the leading historical biographers of England, and his most recent book, Lord Palmerston, was awarded the James Tait Black Prize. He has twice stood for Parliament, and his personal experience of political affairs has given him added insight into the career of the most successful of Nineteenth-century revolutionaries. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.