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.

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Francoise-Thérèse de Choiseul-Stainville - Version 2

Francoise-Thérèse, the Princesse de Monaco, was born a Frenchwoman in 1767. She had the misfortune of being in the country during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, and was arrested and promptly condemned to death in 1794.

While awaiting execution she falsely declared herself to be pregnant in order to secure a short reprieve. During this time she cut her own hair and sent the locks along with a letter to her two young daughters. She then announced to her jailers that she was in fact not with child, but had lied in order to arrange for the only legacy she had left for her children (her hair) to be untouched by the executioner.

She was beheaded the following day along with forty-six others on 9 Thermidor, which was the day before Robespierre's Tribunal was overthrown. She was among the last group of people to be sent to the guillotine during the Reign of Terror.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Francoise-Thérèse is a vinyl doll that stands approx. 10" tall and is dressed in a gorgeous blue-magenta silk gown trimmed with white lace. A satin vine of roses encircles her waist and a wide cord lace trims the top of her bodice. A long matching train runs down the back of her gown.

She carries her cloudy-eyed severed head in her right hand, attached by a strand of faux pearls.. She has a matching headdress that is adorned with colorful feathers.

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Francoise-Thérèse de Choiseul-Stainville - Version 1

Francoise-Thérèse, the Princesse de Monaco, was born a Frenchwoman in 1767. She had the misfortune of being in the country during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, and was arrested and promptly condemned to death in 1794.

While awaiting execution she falsely declared herself to be pregnant in order to secure a short reprieve. During this time she cut her own hair and sent the locks along with a letter to her two young daughters. She then announced to her jailers that she was in fact not with child, but had lied in order to arrange for the only legacy she had left for her children (her hair) to be untouched by the executioner.

She was beheaded the following day along with forty-six others on 9 Thermidor, which was the day before Robespierre's Tribunal was overthrown. She was among the last group of people to be sent to the guillotine during the Reign of Terror.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Francoise-Thérèse is a reworked vinyl doll that stands approx. 12" tall and is dressed in a pink silk gown trimmed with creamy white lace. Her underskirt is a light blue fabric with playful floral patterns embellished with hand-sewn faux pearls. A soft wire frame under her skirt helps the dress hold its shape and can be bent to suit any pose. More strung acrylic pearls are draped around her waist and on her head. She wears a gold and pearl trimmed shawl around her shoulders.

The Princesse carries her cloudy-eyed severed head in her right hand. The neck stump and above the shoulders are both neatly cut to resemble the wound inflicted by the guillotine. Blood, spinal column bone, and muscle tissue is visible from both wounds.

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Misha'al bint Fahd al Saud

Known simply as Princess Misha of Saudi Arabia, little else is publicly known about the life of this young member of the royal Saudi family. But the tragic circumstances of her death became a widely-known scandal that was immortalized in the 1980 documentary film "Death of a Princess".

Misha was executed on the orders of her grandfather to preserve the family honor because she ran off to elope with her lover whom was considered to be an unsuitable husband for her. The young princess had fallen in love with a common man outside of the royal family and had been told that her marriage was arranged that would bind her to a much older man whom she had never met. Understandably distraught, Misha attempted to fake her own death by planting evidence to suggest she had drowned in the sea, and then disguised herself as a man in order to make her way out of the country.

After marrying in secret, she and her husband were arrested as they attempted to board a plane to leave Saudi Arabia. While the religious court and even the King himself refused to condemn the princess on the grounds that she had married her lover and therefore the law regarding adultery had not been broken, Misha's grandfather was adamant about restoring the honor that he believed she had tarnished.

In 1977, the young princess, along with her husband, were dragged to the traditional execution location where Misha was shot. Her husband was then beheaded by men in her grandfather's employ.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Princess Misha is a reworked vinyl doll that stands 14" tall and has hand-painted features. Her eyes are whitened in a death stare and rimmed with tears that streak down her cheek. A single bullet hole is visible in her temple. She is dressed in a simple powder blue satin dress covered by the traditional abaya and veiled headdress made with black velvet and semi-opaque veil fabric and is modestly adorned with pearl beads.

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Margaret Pole - Version 2

Born in 1473, Margaret Pole was the 8th Countess of Salisbury and married to Sir Richard Pole. Part of the Royal family, her uncles were Edward IV and Richard III. Her son, Reginald Pole became cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry the VIII considered her to be the saintliest woman in England and appointed her as godmother and governess to his daughter, Princess Mary (later Queen Mary I).

When her son spoke out against the king's divorce from Katherine of Aragon and then married Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII removed Margaret from her post . In 1538 she was arrested following her son's public denunciation of the King's policies and questioned in great detail about her knowledge and involvement in her son's treasonous activities. All examinations proved inconclusive at best.

After nearly two years imprisonment in the Tower of London, another revolt took place in Yorkshire and Henry VIII ordered her execution without a trial using the Act of Attainder. Margaret was informed of her fate just one hour before she was to be beheaded. The execution would be held inside the tower itself and not be a public event.

Margaret refused to identify herself as a traitor and therefore refused to lay her head on the block when commanded to do so. After struggling free from the headsman's assistant, the executioner had to pursue her as she ran around the chamber, striking at her head and shoulders with the heavy axe. It took eleven blows before she finally succumbed.

In 1886 she was declared to be an English Martyr by Pope Leo XIII.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Margaret is a very large reworked vinyl doll that stands approx. 23" high and is very heavy. (She works best when propped up against a wall - it took two doll stands to hold her up for a photograph.) She is dressed in a gold velvet suede gown with gold and brown trimming over a cream-colored silky underskirt and blouse. She wears a beaded pearl ornament on her front bodice. Her mutilated head wears a brocade-trimmed matching headdress with tattered black veil..

Margaret's injuries are very gruesome. Her neck and shoulders have multiple axe cuts of various degrees. The exposed spinal bones are crushed and jagged in the neck stump. Her severed head has clouded eyes and also sports some very nasty gashes on her face. Muscle tissue and splintered bone can be seen in some of the deeper gashes in her body.

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Margaret Pole - Version 1

Born in 1473, Margaret Pole was the 8th Countess of Salisbury and married to Sir Richard Pole. Part of the Royal family, her uncles were Edward IV and Richard III. Her son, Reginald Pole became cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry the VIII considered her to be the saintliest woman in England and appointed her as godmother and governess to his daughter, Princess Mary (later Queen Mary I).

When her son spoke out against the king's divorce from Katherine of Aragon and then married Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII removed Margaret from her post . In 1538 she was arrested following her son's public denunciation of the King's policies and questioned in great detail about her knowledge and involvement in her son's treasonous activities. All examinations proved inconclusive at best.

After nearly two years imprisonment in the Tower of London, another revolt took place in Yorkshire and Henry VIII ordered her execution without a trial using the Act of Attainder. Margaret was informed of her fate just one hour before she was to be beheaded. The execution would be held inside the tower itself and not be a public event.

Margaret refused to identify herself as a traitor and therefore refused to lay her head on the block when commanded to do so. After struggling free from the headsman's assistant, the executioner had to pursue her as she ran around the chamber, striking at her head and shoulders with the heavy axe. It took eleven blows before she finally succumbed.

In 1886 she was declared to be an English Martyr by Pope Leo XIII.

ABOUT THE DOLL

Margaret is a reworked vinyl doll that stands approx. 16" high and is dressed simply in a heavy burgundy chenille gown with white lace trimming over a yellow satin underskirt and blouse. She wears an amber bead and pearl rosary around what is left of her neck and carries her mutilated head in her left hand.

Margaret's outfit is a bit disheveled in order to expose the ghastly injuries sustained during her terrible final moments. Her neck and shoulders have multiple axe cuts of various degrees. The exposed spinal bones are crushed and jagged in both the neck stumps. Her severed head has clouded eyes and also sports some very nasty gashes. One wound in her cheek reveals bits of splintered bone and tattered skin. She also has many patches of blood clotted within her graying hair.

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Polly Nichols

Born Mary Ann Walker in 1845, "Polly" married William Nichols when she was twenty-two years old. Over the next 24 years the couple separated numerous times, the final incident being in 1881. Although he kept their five children, William continued to support Polly until a year later when he discovered that she had taken up prostitution.

For the next five years, Polly moved from one workhouse to another, but ultimately resumed her status as a prostitute.

On August 30, 1888 Polly was expelled from a flophouse for being unable to pay her rent. She curtly told the landlord that she would return that evening with the money. She then began her stroll down Whitechapel Road.

In the early hours of August 31st, Polly's body was discovered. At first glance she appeared to have been just another bangtail with her throat cut, but on closer investigation it was discovered that her abdomen had been sliced open and her inner organs exposed. Thus, the unfortunate Polly Nichols went down in history as the first known victim of the notorious "Jack the Ripper".

ABOUT THE DOLL

This large vinyl doll stands approx. 24" tall. This doll will not stand up by herself. She has movable arms and bendable knees. Using a large doll stand to display her is recommended (not included).

She wears a green-grey brocade dress with muslin sleeves and a lace-trimmed muslin underskirt. Her dress and her blonde hair is caked with "mud" and she wears flat vinyl shoes. Her throat is cut and her large eyes are glazed over in a death-stare.

Polly's dress is ripped down the torso to display her mutilated body. Her sculpted ribcage and intestines are clearly visible and the lower intestine protrudes outside the body cavity.

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Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus

Born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus in 37 AD, Nero was the son of the notorious Julia Agrippina and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus. After his father died and Agrippina married Emperor Claudius, he was officially adopted by his stepfather and renamed Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus.

In 54 AD Claudius died and Nero, who was older than the emperor’s own son Britannicus, was installed on the Roman throne at just seventeen years of age. By all accounts, the first years of Nero’s reign were considered to be very good, his administrative practices benefiting the poor by cutting taxes and restricting fines. One sore point was that the Emperor remained under the influence of his mother and that caused some trouble with his advisors. However Nero began to worry about his step-brother Britannicus, believing that the boy might be considered as Claudius’s rightful heir once the boy reached adulthood, and so had him assassinated.

Nero’s relationship with his mother Agrippina was a very sordid story. As Nero grew older he began to grow tired of his mother’s meddling, and Agrippina sensed that she was losing her son’s affections and resorted towards seducing him. Eventually Nero concluded that only death would free him from his mother, and so orchestrated a series of “accidents” for her to fall victim to. When those failed, he took a more direct approach and sent assassins to murder her outright.

The other woman who seemed to be cramping his style was his wife Octavia. He divorced her and sent her into exile, only to be faced with public protest. He was soon forced to allow her back into Rome and was being pressured into reuniting with her. However, Nero had already made plans to marry his mistress Poppaea, and so he arranged for Octavia to be murdered as well. Shortly after Octavia’s death the public grew very discontent with Nero and the Senate. As a response, Nero ordered many executions to silence anyone who dared speak against him. Later on in his reign, Nero developed a severe case of megalomania, which first amused and later terrified the Roman people. Considering himself to be the greatest patron of the arts, it soon became commonplace to see the Emperor performing in plays or singing to crowds of “admirers” who had often been bribed or intimidated into attending their performances.

Nero’s great claim to infamy was his persecutions of Christians, whom he accused of starting the Great Fire of Rome in July of 64 AD. It is widely rumored that Nero himself ordered the fire to be set, although it is known that he did rush back to Rome to begin relief efforts and that gained him a good amount of popularity with the common people. In need of a villain, Nero pointed at the Christians who were already considered to be a strange sect, and made sure that his public knew they were responsible for all the devastation. The mass executions of Christians were turned into public circus spectacles as victims were crucified, burned to death, and thrown into the arena with wild animals.

In 68 AD, the Senate had grown fearful of Nero and voted to replace him with Galba, who was then governor of Spain. Although still very popular with the public, Nero was then declared to be an enemy of Rome by the Senate and was condemned to be executed by literally being whipped to death. Horrified at his apparent fate, Nero decided to die rather by his own hand. Before he could be captured, he stabbed himself in the neck with a dagger. His last words were reported to have been “What an artist dies in me!”

ABOUT THE DOLL

Our version of the Emperor Nero is a very large reworked vinyl doll that is 30” tall and is able to stand upright without aid. A golden leaf crown sits atop his unruly blonde hair, and his eyes are glazed and teary.

Nero wears a white tunic with fancy gold accents over an authentically-wrapped toga of purple satin. In his right hand he holds a golden lyre, a tribute to the rumor that Nero played a ballad while Rome burned. (Contrary to popular belief, fiddles had not yet been invented.)

The gaping wound from the sword is clearly visible, and blood pours down his neck and stains his clothing. His beard is also matted with blood that he would presumably have spit up as a result of his injuries.

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