At what point did England's Norman rulers begin to think of themselves as English? This program addresses that question as it surveys the history of the monarchy from Henry III to the birth of Henry Tudor. Recounting the scramble for power that followed the death of King John, the program explores the little-known rule of Louis-the French king "imported" by ambitious barons, then ousted when he wore out his welcome-and explains why it took yet another...

Part of the series The Wars of the Roses.

A vivid and colorful history of the most dominant royal dynasty in English history, from Richard the Lionheart and Edward the Black Prince to Henry IV and Richard III.

Delve deeper into the dastardly deeds of history’s greatest blockbuster rulers as this new series dishes up the much-loved revolting recipe of sketches and songs peppered with gruesome gags and hideous hilarity, but adds a bold new twist and an exciting new cast. Each episode will take a sideways look at the life and times of one prominent historical figure. The approach is even bigger and bolder, capturing the rottenest, most remarkable names across...

An introduction to the life and works of William Shakespeare.

Because his theater company often performed at court, Shakespeare was able to observe the frailty, vanity, and folly of kings firsthand, thus fueling his obsession with what lay behind the mask of royalty. Kingship became the subject of his greatest tragedies - Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear - and in these plays he stripped away that mask to reveal profound truths not just about kings and queens, but about the rest of us too. In this program, Simon...

The riveting true story of mother-and-daughter queens Catherine de' Medici and Marguerite de Valois, whose wildly divergent personalities and turbulent relationship changed the shape of their tempestuous and dangerous century.