A grisly and gruesome guide to history's most shocking and macabre moments. Horrible, spine-chilling and deeply fascinating, 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. Moving chronologically, this horrifying guide explores the world's bloodiest battles and most murderous queens, as well as delving into some of the more unusual aspects of history. 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, discover why Ivan the Terrible was so called and how King Henri II of France perished in a jousting incident, all the while learning about 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.