Monarchy with David Starkey - Season 1 (2004)

Monarchy examines the reign of Henry II and his efforts to create a dynasty. Henry appoints Thomas Becket as the archbishop of Canterbury in an effort to control the Church. The two of them eventual clash, however, over the independence of the church. Ultimately, Henry has Becket assassinated. Henry later dies and his kingdom passes to his son Richard the Lionheart who rules England from afar. Richard appoints his brother John as his successor. King John loses most of the family lands in France and gets into a conflict with Pope Innocent III who puts England under an ...

Monarchy looks at the reigns of Edward I through Edward III. Edward I (also known as Edward Longshanks) conquers Wales and provokes Scotland into rebellion. He forces John Balliol to abdicate, but the Scots continue to resist under William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. After Edward's death, his son becomes King Edward II. Edward II is an unpopular king due to his extravagant favoritism in the Court. He leads his armies to defeat against Scotland in the Battle of Bannockburn and is later deposed by his wife Isabella. Edward III is crowned is popular with the people and...

Monarchy looks at the reigns made famous by Shakespeare: Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI. Richard becomes king at only ten after the deaths of King Edward III and Richard's father Edward the Black Prince. Richard rules over a lavish court and later comes into conflict with the nobles of England. Exiled by the King, Henry Bolingbroke returns to England after Richard seizes his family's estates. Bolingbroke deposes Richard, has him killed by starvation, and becomes King Henry IV by usurpation. Henry IV deals with multiple rebellions against his rule. ...