A fascinating account of terror, torture, and power in all its repulsive guises—from why Tsar Ivan was the dubbed "the Terrible" to which hurts more, an arrow in the eye or a stake in the heart.
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 1000 BC to the late 19th century. A bloodstained tour through ages of torment, it ranges 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, which saint was grilled alive, what happened at the Massacre of the Festival of Toxcatl, and the most painful torture methods ever used. This no-holds-barred account of human suffering is the most gut-spilling history book.
About the author
Jacob F. Field is a historian and writer. He grew up in South London, completed his undergraduate degree in History at the University of Oxford, and then moved to Newcastle University for his PhD. He completed his doctoral thesis on the Great Fire of London in 2008, and has worked as a research associate at the University of Cambridge since then. Jacob has contributed to books including 1001 Historical Sites and 1001 Battles That Changed The Course Of History and published articles in journals including Economic History Review, London Journal and Urban History.
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