Marie Antoinette - Version 2

MARIE ANTOINETTE

Born in 1755, Marie would grow up to become a symbol of extreme extravagance. The daughter of the Empress of Austria, Marie was married at age fifteen to the French dauphin Louis XVI. In 1774 she became Queen of France when her husband inherited the throne.

To ease the boredom of French royal life and the marital neglect she suffered, Marie surrounded herself with young friends and dove into a life of pleasure, hosting lavish parties and theatrical events and wearing outrageously expensive gowns and hairstyles. Scandals surrounded her activities, and her wild spending was ruinous as the common people fell deeper and deeper into financial despair.

Revolution soon followed and the royal court was overthrown. Both Marie and her husband were tried for crimes against their country. Although tried separately and months apart, they were both were found guilty and sentenced to death. On October 16, 1793 the former Queen was hauled alone in a dilapidated cart to the scaffold in Paris where she was beheaded by the guillotine.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Marie is a reworked large vinyl doll who stands 23" tall. She is dressed in a beautiful full-length gown of white patterned satin brocade over a lace-trimmed powder blue satin underskirt. The sides of her gown opening are trimmed with lace and blue ruffle with delicately hand-sewn golden beads and faux pearls. Her dress is edged with blue braid trim and lace and adorned with small ribbon bows and flowers.

Around what is left of her neck is a white satin ribbon choker with a large pendent and a string of faux pearls with a small heart-shaped ornament. She wears a beautifully styled blonde wig with feathers, flowers, and pearl hair ornaments. She also wears several beaded bracelets on her wrist.

Her face is hand-painted in a porcelain tone with brightly colored lips and small black decorative patches, as was fashionable during the height of her royal days, and her severed head is attached to her hand. Her large eyes are clouded over in a death-stare. The neck stump and above the shoulders are both cut cleanly to resemble the wound inflicted by the guillotine. Blood, spinal column bone, and muscle tissue is visible from both wounds.

This doll does not have bendable parts and was made to be displayed in a standing position.

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Beheaded Pencil Holders

"Burgundy Countess"

"Lacey Duchess"

These morbid little desk accessories were designed to hold pencils, makeup brushes, and other small things. Inspired by no one in particular, the blood-splattered stump stands 8" tall and 8" wide with a 6" depth. The cup inside the neck stump is approx. 4" wide at the top and sinks 5" deep, making it ideal for holding scissors, pens, pencils, and other accessories. The cup is not removable, and has been painted to match the muscle tissue that surrounds it.

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Edward Teach (Blackbeard)

Born sometime around 1680, very little is known about the early life of the man who would become one of the most notorious and feared pirates of all time. He first appears to turn toward unsavory ways in 1713 by joining the crew of pirate Benjamin Hornigold after serving on an English war ship . When Hornigold retired, Teach struck out on his own by taking a captured ship and renaming it "Queen Anne's Revenge".

Teach worked hard at cultivating a truly terrifying image which earned him the reputation of being one of the most fearsome pirates of his time. He grew his beard full and twisted it into heavy coils tied with ribbons. He went into battle heavily armed and with an oversized cutlass. He was rumored to have lit fuses in his beard or under his hat to give himself a more infernal appearance when confronting his foes. Stories about his acts of cruelty toward both friend and foe became widespread.

Despite his fearsome reputation, Teach generally treated his captives well as long as they cooperated and handed over their goods and treasures without a fight. Those who resisted him often found themselves maimed or marooned while their ships burned.

On November 21, 1718 Teach's ship was engaged by Lieutenant Robert Maynard, who had been commanded to put an end to Teach's piracy. After a few small scuffles throughout the night, Teach boarded Maynard's ship the following day while unaware that the majority of Maynard's crew was hidden below the deck. After a bloody battle, the great Blackbeard was killed. During the fight he had been shot five times and stabbed no less than fifteen times before he finally succumbed to blood loss. His head was removed and put on display while his body thrown overboard.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Blackbeard is a reworked large vinyl doll who stands 21" tall. He is dressed in a rough cotton shirt under a sueded cloth vest with black pants. Three pistols are strapped across his chest and he wears a thick leather belt that holsters a bloodied knife. In his hand he holds some treasure, strands of faux beads and golden coins.

His body is covered with gunshot and stab wounds and is bloodied from his final battle and some bone protrudes from the neck stump.

His severed head is attached to his other hand. His large eyes are clouded over in a death-stare and he bleeds from his nose and mouth as well as the nasty wounds on his face. A sueded burgundy headwrap is worn over his long black hair, and his infamous twisted beard is adorned with satin burgundy ribbons.

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Raziya Sultan

Known as the first woman to rule India, Raziya was appointed by Muslim sultan Altamesh as his official successor instead of of his many sons who were all known to behave badly. However, after his death the nobility refused to honor his request and placed his eldest son on the throne in Delhi, who ruled for a disastrous six months before being removed from power and executed. Raziya was then given the throne that she had previously been denied.

Raziya proved to be a very capable leader both in political and military matters and winning the support of both the people and the army. Her downfall began when she begun an ill-received affair with an Assyrian slave, whom the nobles severely disapproved of. Raziya was soon overthrown and imprisoned by Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda who promptly had her lover put to death. So save her own life, Raziya agreed to marry Altunia.

In 1240 Raziya marched with her husband to reclaim power in Delhi, where Raziya's brother had been named Sultan. They were defeated on the battlefield and Raziya was put to death along with her husband*. It is widely speculated that the couple would have succeeded in their campaign had Altunia allowed Raziya to plot out the war strategy.

*Please note that information we found on Raziya Sultan's death was very sketchy in the details. Going off of execution methods that were popular in India at the time she died, it is likely that she was bludgeoned to death with clubs.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Raziya is a reworked vinyl doll that stands approx. 14" tall and is dressed in a suit of bright red dupioni silk with golden metal beads for buttons. Around her neck is a large beaded necklace with a floral cloisonné ball ornament, as although she was said to prefer to appear in men's clothing she still fancied jewels and wore them beneath her attire. Her long black hair has been left unbound and uncovered to suggest her further defiance against the traditional roles of a female.

The details of Raziya's execution are sketchy in history books, but it has been suggested that both she and her husband were bludgeoned to death. This doll has deep, bloodied gashes across the cheek and forehead to simulate such mortal blows. Her brown eyes are clouded over in a death stare, and her nose and lips have also been bloodied as a result of her ordeal.

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Mary Stuart - Version 3

Better known as simply Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary was crowned queen before she was even a year old in 1542. At an extremely young age she was betrothed to Edward, Henry VIII's only son, but by the time she reached five years of age the Scots had decided to avoid such an arrangement with England and sent Mary to France with the intent of having her marry Francis, the four-year-old Dauphin who was heir to the French throne.

In 1558 she married Francis and was considered to be the most beautiful princess in Europe. During that year, Queen Mary I of England passed away and Henry II of France encouraged his daughter-in-law to assume the royal arms of England. It was widely believed that Mary Stuart was the next in line for the English throne. This did not sit well with Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was crowned Queen of England after her half-sister's death.

The following year, Mary and her husband were crowned King and Queen of France upon the death of Henry II, although their royal happiness was short-lived. Mary's mother and husband both died shortly afterwards, and Mary returned to rule over Scotland. A fair queen, Mary was loved by the common people but loathed by the nobles.

In 1565 she married Henry Stuart, a royal cousin, whom she wed in matrimony but did not name as King. He would later become jealous of her power and attempt to kill her. They did produce an heir, James VI of Scotland. This was also unsettling to Elizabeth I, who was unwed and without an heir.

In 1586 the final showdown between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I would take place as Mary was brought to trial for plotting to kill the Queen of England and assume the throne. The trial was simply a formality, the verdict having been decided well before the proceedings, and Mary was found guilty and sentenced to death. She was beheaded on February 8, 1587. Her small dog was found hidden in the fabric of the deceased Queen's gown immediately after her execution.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Mary Stuart is a vinyl doll that stands approx. 10" tall. She wears an underskirt of cream silk with a rose-patterned black lace overlay. Golden cream silk is also used for her sleeves and bodice front. Her overdress is a deep purple jacquard with lavender trim and hand-sewn faux pearls. Her dress has large draping sleeves are made of brown faux fur. There is a gold and rhinestone ornament at her waist, and a strand of faux pearls with a sterling silver cross around her neck.

Jane's severed head has striking hand-painted green eyes and she wears her chestnut brown hair gathered beneath a matching headdress with a black lace veil. Her neck has an additional gash from the first blow of the axe.

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Mary Stuart - Version 2

Better known as simply Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary was crowned queen before she was even a year old in 1542. At an extremely young age she was betrothed to Edward, Henry VIII's only son, but by the time she reached five years of age the Scots had decided to avoid such an arrangement with England and sent Mary to France with the intent of having her marry Francis, the four-year-old Dauphin who was heir to the French throne.

In 1558 she married Francis and was considered to be the most beautiful princess in Europe. During that year, Queen Mary I of England passed away and Henry II of France encouraged his daughter-in-law to assume the royal arms of England. It was widely believed that Mary Stuart was the next in line for the English throne. This did not sit well with Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was crowned Queen of England after her half-sister's death.

The following year, Mary and her husband were crowned King and Queen of France upon the death of Henry II, although their royal happiness was short-lived. Mary's mother and husband both died shortly afterwards, and Mary returned to rule over Scotland. A fair queen, Mary was loved by the common people but loathed by the nobles.

In 1565 she married Henry Stuart, a royal cousin, whom she wed in matrimony but did not name as King. He would later become jealous of her power and attempt to kill her. They did produce an heir, James VI of Scotland. This was also unsettling to Elizabeth I, who was unwed and without an heir.

In 1586 the final showdown between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I would take place as Mary was brought to trial for plotting to kill the Queen of England and assume the throne. The trial was simply a formality, the verdict having been decided well before the proceedings, and Mary was found guilty and sentenced to death. She was beheaded on February 8, 1587. Her small dog was found hidden in the fabric of the deceased Queen's gown immediately after her execution.

ABOUT THE DOLL

This commemorative mannequin of Mary of Scots stands approx. 30" tall with stand and weighs about 20 pounds. The mannequin is 30" wide from elbow to elbow. Mary is dressed in a simple red silk gown similar to the one she has been described as wearing for her execution. The neckline and sleeves are trimmed with narrow red lace. In her right hand she holds a strand of white beads and metal discs that ends with a small cross composed of ruby gemstones.

She holds her battered severed head in her left arm, bits of straw and grit still remain on her face and hair where her head struck the scaffold floor after the executioner's bungle. Her hair is grey and is cut short, and her glassy eyes are fringed with blood-matted lashes. The severed areas reveal both spinal bone and esophagus with slight displacement to reflect on the two blows of the axe needed to decapitate her.

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Mary Stuart - Version 1

Better known as simply Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary was crowned queen before she was even a year old in 1542. At an extremely young age she was betrothed to Edward, Henry VIII's only son, but by the time she reached five years of age the Scots had decided to avoid such an arrangement with England and sent Mary to France with the intent of having her marry Francis, the four-year-old Dauphin who was heir to the French throne.

In 1558 she married Francis and was considered to be the most beautiful princess in Europe. During that year, Queen Mary I of England passed away and Henry II of France encouraged his daughter-in-law to assume the royal arms of England. It was widely believed that Mary Stuart was the next in line for the English throne. This did not sit well with Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was crowned Queen of England after her half-sister's death.

The following year, Mary and her husband were crowned King and Queen of France upon the death of Henry II, although their royal happiness was short-lived. Mary's mother and husband both died shortly afterwards, and Mary returned to rule over Scotland. A fair queen, Mary was loved by the common people but loathed by the nobles.

In 1565 she married Henry Stuart, a royal cousin, whom she wed in matrimony but did not name as King. He would later become jealous of her power and attempt to kill her. They did produce an heir, James VI of Scotland. This was also unsettling to Elizabeth I, who was unwed and without an heir.

In 1586 the final showdown between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I would take place as Mary was brought to trial for plotting to kill the Queen of England and assume the throne. The trial was simply a formality, the verdict having been decided well before the proceedings, and Mary was found guilty and sentenced to death. She was beheaded on February 8, 1587. Her small dog was found hidden in the fabric of the deceased Queen's gown immediately after her execution.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Mary Stuart is a reworked vinyl doll that stands 18" tall and carries her severed head in her right hand. History has provided us with a well-detailed account of Mary's execution and the doll is dressed according to the description of her final outfit.

Mary wears a bright silk blouse made of dupioni silk and a red velvet petticoat beneath a long gown of plush black velvet adorned with lace at the neckline. A long string of acrylic pearls with an ornate sterling silver cross dangles from her waist. Her hair is graying and cut short, and a cream silk cloth with lace trim sits on her head as was used to blind her from the executioner's axe.

The neck stump and beneath the chin both reveal the terribly crushed spinal column and awkward cut of the two axe blows needed to decapitate her. Blood, bone, and muscle tissue is visible from both wounds. Her eyes are clouded over in a death-stare.

See all the Headless Historicals dolls for sale on Etsy.com