PrincessSybilla77 It always annoyed me that Catherine had been portrayed as a swarthy brunette, when, according to contemporary portraits, she was a strawberry blond or redhead. She was a descendent of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
Absolutely. The beauty of being able to watch these series now is that you can access historical research on the internet (of a general, non scholarly nature, to be sure) that simply wasn't available to viewers when the series was made. And Maxwell "captured" what we know of this man very, very well.
Love this series! Apparently Henry was completely devastated at the loss of his wife. He shut himself away at Richmond Palace for over a month. His paranoia and greed worsened from then on and he became increasingly unpopular for the final 6-7 years of his reign.
This is my favorite episode. I adore seeing scenes of Henry VIII in his youth, as well as seeing the lesser known Arthur and their sisters. It's the domestic life, not the bloody, war-centric, or marriage-centric moments of past kings and queens that I care about. Of course, those are the moments most well-documented, but still, I admire the effort that was put in to show us what life behind closed doors of past royals may have been like.
The House of Tudor owed its very existence to a succession of highly resourceful and skilled women--Katherine Swinford, Katherine de Valois, Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, culminating in the reign of Elizabeth. I am hopeful in the future some author might focus on their accomplishments.
KAT Harper here. I have only one word to describe this series: superb! Being a history geek, I especially enjoyed the attention to detail given everyday things. Marvelous! Bravo! And thank you for posting it.
I wanted very much to have the chance to visualise King Henry VII. I found his reign and strategic/paranoid thinking very fascinating. As always BBC has produced a beautiful work and frankly I couldn't imagine a better interpreter than JM. Thanks for uploading this! : )
@@johncahalane7327 INDEED! Margaret Beaufort was 12 yrs, and one of the richest heiresses in England when she was given by Henry VI to his half-brother Edmund Tudor..by age 13 she gave birth to the ONLY child she would ever bear. Dan Jones says, "Even for that day and age, Margaret Beaufort was obscenely young to be giving birth" i agree!. Bloody disgusting!!!
@@ryancarroll5488 it is interesting how the times of their reign and respective childhoods shaped Henry VII and VIII. VII also seems to stand out from other well known kings for his shrewdness and not being flamboyant.
Henry himself acknowledges this where he tells the Earl of Devon that he “won’t be loved, but much respected.” And I think he wanted that for England as well. Not only a strong, stable country, but one that had the respect of Europe as well.
henry comes across as a very fair and kind king by tudor standards...mr. maxwell is superb....it is sad and a loss that he is no longer with us...great to watch this i have not remembered it
It’s propaganda remember the winners the spoils , also he wrote endless death warrants remember he killed Stanley who actually put the crown on his head also his murder of the Earl of Warwick was horrendous
This show had some pretty good quotes. "Crowns are dear in England but heads that wear them are cheap" "How should a king show his face? All we may command is a mask." are my favorites.
If you like this series, check out "The Devil's Crown" (1978) which is about the Plantagenet kings and stars the great Brian Cox, it is posted on CZcams.
I have always been drawn to this period of history, Henry Vlll, Queen Mary, Elizabeth R. I knew little of Henry Vll but being able to see this series I have been drawn to it as well. Thank you for uploading.
A great series...now I've seen it, I think it is a shame it is not as well known as "Six Wives of Henry VIII" or "Elizabeth R". To be sure, those series were more "condensed", and perhaps more dramatically intense...but certain episodes of this series (episode 5 for example) were superb. I might suggest for those not aware of it "The Devil's Crown"...Henry II and his sons...very different stylistically and in emphasis, but equally enthralling.
The initial plan was to let the royal couple stay at court for at least a year before sending them away to live in their own castle. Arthur's sudden death is just really sad. :((
Casting department did their homework. Goes without saying that James Maxwell is a pretty near a damn clone of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York looks close, and Catherine of Aragon is also we’ll do e
Have just finished watching that rediscovered gem `The Shadow of the Tower`. I am beginning to form the conclusion that this series is actually the best of an excellent bunch; `Shadow`,` Six Wives`,` Elizabeth R` & `Devil`s Crown`. I am an unashamed Yorkist, and Richard III fan. However, James Maxwelll`s brilliant portrayal of Henry VII makes a man that I have always disliked immensely engaging. Henry VII was obviously a very clever politician, and did a great deal to build up the country`s financial resources after a long period of inter-dynastic strife, and thus put England back of the map for the rest of Europe, as well as bringing long-awaited stability, and after 1487 ( the battle of Stoke - the real answer to the old, wrongly answered question - What was the last battle of the Wars of the Roses?) - peace. I found myself almost liking a king who I always felt previously was a physical coward (as at Bosworth Field), a usurper & almost a complete non entity. Whether I should have found him quite so engaging I am still unsure. It`s a pity that Henry`s unorthodox methods of dealing with rebels and traitors, which seems to have been a very effective and lucrative way of dealing with such people, were not adopted by his spendthrift, bloodthirsty offspring the despot (sic) Henry the Fat. He seems to have learned, or inherited very little of his father`s thrift or moderation or learned much from him at al!.As a TV series this was never going to be as widely popular as `Six Wives` for example, since only having the one wife is not as much fun as an` obese jolly king` who manages to have six wives and to decapitate a couple of them along the way together with thousands of other lesser mortals. The subject matter here is seen in a popular sense as dull by comparison. it is nothing of the kind of course. Nevertheless, Maxwell`s portrayal is outstanding (that voice) and this is a grossly underrated and overlooked masterpiece.
The beautiful, gifted actress who portrayed Elizabeth Of York was a gloriously gifted thespian. Her portrayal of Elizabeth is gentle and subtle. I wept at her "death" as if at that of a dear friend.
Thanks for uploading MrsTudor1. Really enjoyed the series, and although it was a mixed bag in places, some of it was drama of the highest quality. I urged a friend of mine to watch Episode 5, and he raved about it. The last episode was bleak beyond belief. Not just because of the tragedy that beset Henry (and how could anyone not feel sympathy), but also the erosion of his spirit and soul. He is quite indifferent towards humanity in the end. Given that the series has been historically accurate, I would liked to have seen more of the hated Empson and Dudley, as they became the architects of Henry's will. Their fiscal tyranny would have reflected Henry's own descent after his personal tragedies. However, I can understand the abrupt end on two grounds. Firstly, the earlier serial about Henry VIII started in his father's reign, and shows him becoming betrothed to Catherine, so carrying on here would have ended up overlapping. Secondly, the viewer has been encouraged to empathise with Henry, even when he is callous and indifferent. If the drama continued from where it left off, then our empathy would have failed. Therefore, the best we get is Henry glancing at his reflection and having the self-knowledge to accept his fading into oblivion.
Superb series; superb performance by James Maxwell. Master politician he was, and the founder of what remains the most powerful ruling dynasty in English history.
I admired Henry Vll as one king who actually loved his wife and was faithful to her all their married life. He was never the same again after she died.
Actually, the Spanish, Scandinavian, and Austrian monarchs had no problem with a woman sovereign. The French were virtually the only strict Salics at that point.
Historygirl85 And it was worse when you consider that he was closest to his mother. She'd educated him herself--his handwriting experts point out (from what few fragments of hers we have left--is most definitely influenced from her. They both share the same distinctive r that looks like a z. So her loss was the hardest of all.
Poor, darling Arthur. Though I wish this 1 episode had been made into at least 2. So much happened, it had to be greatly condensed. *sigh* The whole Tudor saga is so interesting, yet it is also so incredibly sad. :-/
I watched the series in 1972 and loved it (except for perhaps Episode 7). Seeing it again after so many years is a treat. It is a touch of exquisite brilliance that at 15:34, immediately after the young Prince Arthur has been sent away to Ludlow with his bride, the hope of the dynasty, we hear the lutenist play the popular 16th century chanson Quand je vivray en age florissant ... (As long as I am alive, in the flower of youth ...), and that again the same haunting strains are heard at 26:00 immediately after the devastating news of his death and the transfer of the same hope to his young brother Prince Harry.
James Maxwell plays a great Henry 7. I wish they still made period pieces like this where the actors are the same age as the people that they are playing. I'm tired of everyone being 20 and not wearing historically accurate clothing .
Yes, it's very sad that poor Lady Margaret was pretty much forced into motherhood at such a young age. Mother and son might have appeared as sister and brother when seen walking alongside each other. Also, the birth probably ravaged the poor dear's immature body to the point where that's most likely the real reason why she never had any more children.
Edmund Tudor should have waited until Margaret was older before consummating the marriage. He consummated the marriage when Margaret was about 12 years old for financial reasons. It is unfortunate that no one protected Margaret from having to give birth at the age of thirteen. The story of Margaret Beaufort has been depicted in books and television shows but there is little information about her feelings for her first husband. Edmund Tudor died of the plague before the birth of his son. Jasper Tudor, her brother-in-law, was very supportive of Margaret and functioned as a father figure to young Henry. Margaret was fortunate to have Jasper's loyal help.
Great series. Made in 72. Captures nearly all happenings so well. Even the very youngh King to be: Henry VIII. Strangest thing, though. As a Yorkist by name and heart, i believed my disrespect for Henry VII would grow. Afterall. He didn't have a legitimate claim. But Maxwells portrayal was so good, i warmed to him.
I always enjoyed this portrait of Elizabeth of York, the actress who played her in this series is beautiful. It is so sad that Elizabeth died on her 37th birthday after giving birth to her last child.
A little known series. Mostly due to its time of production. But a great series For fans of 15th century history, The Tudors and even Ricardians. Supporters of Richard III. As I am. I myself am.descended from Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Margaret, there eldest daughter, is a 13x great granparent of mine. Felt so surreal watching this. I was 4 when it first aired. Now 44, I appreciate it deeply. Rich in historical acuracy, entertainment and wisdom.
Thanks so much for this upload...I see some of the actors that were in the 1970 Elizabeth R series ,with Glenda Jackson, in this one...also now I understand the "Tudor Curse",as it was called. though none of Henry8th children had any heirs...Elizabeth I was undoubtly the greatest,succesful and long lived of all the Tudors.
Thank you so much for uploading these! What an amazing, imaginative, well-researched, well-acted and thought-provoking series this was. I was only a year old when it was on so this is the first time I've had the pleasure of coming across it.
I was thinking that is was a strange quirk of fate that Henry VII who had such a troubled and rather inglorious reign should lie in a magnificent chapel in Westminster Abbey which he himself built for him and his wife Elizabeth of York. His son Henry VIII who is perhaps famously or infamously the best known English monarch lies unseen in obscurity in a vault below the choir of St. George’s Chapel Windsor shared with his third wife Jane Seymour and Charles I. There is no access for the public.
Agreed, given the fact that Henry VIII 's reign with its wasteful expenditures not only on courtly entertainments but on various wars abroad ( particularly wars of choice such as his war of 1544 against France which resulted in the capture of Boulogne but was waged chiefly to bolster his self esteem as a "warrior prince"). In fact, the Protestant theologian Melancthon referred to Henry VIII as the English Nero. Still, one might say that Henry VIII's spendthrift ways may have been a psychological reaction to the tight fisted policies of his father. One of Henry VIII 's first acts as King was to arrest and condemn to death ( on trumped up charges of treason and as scapegoats to popular wrath) Henry VII's chief tax enforcers Empson and Dudley( although if it was really true that they were diverting funds intended for the King to their own coffers he might have had ample grounds for doing so anyway). Perhaps if Henry VII had been more moderate in his collection efforts he might have avoided revolts such as the Cornish farmers rebellion of 1497 ( which presumably cost money and men to put down). The fact that Henry VII accumulated vast sums of money may have fostered the illusion in Henry VIII's mind that the national treasury (or Henry VII's personal wealth) was inexhaustible. One is reminded of the example of the Emperor Tiberius who similarly accumulated by extortionate methods a vast sum for the Roman Empire; only for it to be squandered by his successor Caligula. Finally, one can consider,by analogy, studies of families where abuse of legal drugs such as alcohol is likely to occur versus families where this does not. Families where alcohol is used in moderation( for example, only on certain occasions such as holidays or special religious observances) and which do not have an overly harsh attitude towards its consumption ; are far less likely to trigger a reaction resulting in "problem drinking" in their teenaged offspring. ( " Problem drinking" is a term applied to misbehavior under the influence of alcohol exhibited by people who are not true alcoholics--i.e. Inheritors of a genetic predisposition to alcoholism--but instead engage in alcohol abuse as a form of " acting out".) It is unfortunate that Arthur didn't succeed to the throne, although if he had not let up on his father's policies he might have wound up in the position of the Old Testament King Rehoboam,with an insurmountable rebellion on his hands. ( Interestingly, Francis Bacon, one of the earliest biographers of Henry VII compared Henry to Solomon not so much for his wisdom but for his avarice).
Agreed. I wish they would have condensed that section some and lengthened this last episode. Still a great series overall, no doubt though! The actress for Elizabeth of York & the actor for Henry VII are SO spot on, it’s incredible.
Henry VII wanted an assurance that the infanta whom his heir was marrying didn't look ugly. He felt like he was being played by King Ferdinand. So he visited the infanta to see for himself whether she's beautiful or not.
Their back and forth in the last few years of Henrys reign was quite funny I thought. trying to keep Catherine's dowery and when Henry tried to marry Juana of Castile, Ferdinand was having none of it and Henry I think just quite liked annoying him. The state papers from that time are on the internet, I remember reading them and laughing. Catherine's letters to her father were quite sad, she was caught in the middle of these 2 old penny pinchers with no one looking out for her welfare.
When you think about Henry VIII being the only male in his dynasty and having no male heir for 20 years with the pressure to produce an heir after all that it makes sense that he had the mental strain over securing the dynasty.
That is probably the best (looking) portrayal of Catherine of Aragon...I'm so tired of seeing black-haired, dark-skinned women. Its like nobody does any research...Spanish?...That must mean MEXICAN!! Black-haired, dark-skinned isn't even the majority in Spain...I'm Spanish and I have light skin and blond hair.
Yo se que los espanoles no son todos morenos pero segundo lo que el mar mediterreneo se queda al lado de las paizes de Espana y Portugal, hay muchos morenos
Author Jean Plaidy did just that. The books are older and so the style of writing is not as immediately confrontational as modern authors, but I have enjoyed them all the same
How disappointing that the BBC, I presume, stopped Eps 9,10, & 11 from being shown. They done the same with By The Sword Divided. They allow so much that they want us then to buy the dvds to watch the missing episodes. Gawd, we've paid for it already many times over by buying the tv licenses every year ad infinitum. Lighting up BBC & smell the roses (white ones!).
To be fair to them, it wasn't just the Tuudor monarchs who believed women were incapable of ruling. It was a standard of the time, all across Europe. We only need look to the Anarchy to know that this wasn't a "Tudor" issue. Nor was it a 16th Century issue (again, The Anarchy shows us that - it was a c12 issue, too).
They called Henry Tudor from a line of illegitimates , yet so was the Queen as her father Edward 1V was married before to Eleanor Butler before Elizabeth woodville
I'm trying to understand why exactly 3 episodes of this series, numbers 9, 10, and 11, are blocked because of "copyright" reasons, when we can see the first 8 and the last 2 just fine. It's from 1971; who still needs to monetize it at all? But especially just those 3 episodes? Seems absurd to me.
It was brilliant showing Catherine of Aragon so young as she just 15 . The latest series the Spanish princess is ludicrous she looks 25 & again they are obsessed with sex rather than historical accuracy
An interesting thing to note in the dancing scene after the wedding; we know, from prior episodes, that Elizabeth is shorter than Henry and in episode 1 we see her on a lower throne. But not here - now, after so long, they are on equal height thrones as Henry shows his respect for her.
Margaret has thousands upon thousands of descendants through her son King James V and her daughter from another marriage, Margaret Douglas. I descend from Margaret through King James VI of Scotland's oldest daughter, Elizabeth Stewart. Margaret is my 16th Great Grandmother. What i love as well as that Through Margaret's mother, Elizabeth of York, we descendants of King Henry VII are also descendants of the Plantagenet line through King Edward IV.
Was Arthur and KoA's marriage consummated or not? I know that KoA denied that it was. But the morning after their first night together as a couple, Arthur kind of 'bragged' that he's kind exhausted from a night with his new wife. Sort of like that. He was just probably showing off. But only he and KoA really knew the truth whether it was consummated or not. What would have history been like had Arthur lived and reigned as king. He was trained and brought up to be king all his life whereas his brother, Henry VIII, was certainly not. But it ended tragically. :(
Similar quality BBC 70s period dramas here on CZcams is 'The Devil's Crown' & the civil war (British!) 'By the Sword Divided', both highly recommended.
No one deserves to loose a child and understandly it was different times. But a part of me feels it was karma that Arthur died due to Edward Plantagenet’s brutal execution.
I felt so bad for Elizabeth in that scene. You could see the terror in her face. I bet she was constantly stuck in the middle of a paranoid husband and her complaining family. Poor woman.
Did anyone else pick up on the fact that at 12:49 , Henry is playing with tarot cards? lol! I also think that the card he is holding is The Emporer! Does anyone know if there is any historical accuracy to this? Were tarot cards even a thing in England at this time?
30:10 Is this the same Sir James Tyrell that Thomas More named as the assassin who killed the Princes in the Tower? I'm surprised he was allowed to live so long.
Why are the 3 videos hidden? What were they about? JOHN CABOT SEA adventures? I 'm from America and love English history. And English acting. Have been watching this series all day on Wed and into the wee morning of Thursday Oct 6
at the start i thought the king's mothere here looked too young... to be his mother... then i looked it up on wiki. that she was only 13 when she had him...that seems iunteresting... so close in age
It's so nice seeing authur, Catherine of Aragon and Henry Viii with red hair! And plus they actually all look normal and their age.
I am so happy that they decided to cast a fair haired and redheaded actress for Katherine of Aragon
PrincessSybilla77 It always annoyed me that Catherine had been portrayed as a swarthy brunette, when, according to contemporary portraits, she was a strawberry blond or redhead. She was a descendent of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
This series is all about accuracy 👍
She's so like her picture. I love the details of this series.
James Maxwell's performance was awesome.
Absolutely. The beauty of being able to watch these series now is that you can access historical research on the internet (of a general, non scholarly nature, to be sure) that simply wasn't available to viewers when the series was made. And Maxwell "captured" what we know of this man very, very well.
Shirley Maro I quite agree and how similar to real characters the main cast are, judging by the surviving portraits.
Yes !
Here here!
I agree. He played Henry VII so well and accurately.
Love this series! Apparently Henry was completely devastated at the loss of his wife. He shut himself away at Richmond Palace for over a month. His paranoia and greed worsened from then on and he became increasingly unpopular for the final 6-7 years of his reign.
This is my favorite episode.
I adore seeing scenes of Henry VIII in his youth, as well as seeing the lesser known Arthur and their sisters. It's the domestic life, not the bloody, war-centric, or marriage-centric moments of past kings and queens that I care about.
Of course, those are the moments most well-documented, but still, I admire the effort that was put in to show us what life behind closed doors of past royals may have been like.
The House of Tudor owed its very existence to a succession of highly resourceful and skilled women--Katherine Swinford, Katherine de Valois, Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York, culminating in the reign of Elizabeth. I am hopeful in the future some author might focus on their accomplishments.
Totally agree I feel as much as I admired this series it didn’t show enough of them
Plenty of people have. It’s how you know about them and their life stories
The sad thing about this series is knowing the future of Arthur, it only makes these scenes with Arthur more affecting to the emotions.
KAT Harper here. I have only one word to describe this series: superb! Being a history geek, I especially enjoyed the attention to detail given everyday things. Marvelous! Bravo! And thank you for posting it.
I wanted very much to have the chance to visualise King Henry VII. I found his reign and strategic/paranoid thinking very fascinating. As always BBC has produced a beautiful work and frankly I couldn't imagine a better interpreter than JM. Thanks for uploading this! : )
Maxwell was brilliant. Sadly died about 20 years ago now, and haven't seen any of his other work. But this was fantastic.
it was a very happy marriage and he was faithful to her.
THANK GOODNESS!
This most excellent series nearly never disappoints. Arthur and Catherine of Aragon ARE children, and not 23 years old.
Remember too Henry VII mother was married at 12 and gave birth to him at 13 ...it was horrible
@@johncahalane7327 INDEED! Margaret Beaufort was 12 yrs, and one of the richest heiresses in England when she was given by Henry VI to his half-brother Edmund Tudor..by age 13 she gave birth to the ONLY child she would ever bear. Dan Jones says, "Even for that day and age, Margaret Beaufort was obscenely young to be giving birth" i agree!.
Bloody disgusting!!!
Good series. Henry VII is not an easy character to like, but he was great king in his own way. Popular history does him an injustice.
I'm more fascinated cos he had to fight fir what he had where's henry viii had it handed to him
@@ryancarroll5488 it is interesting how the times of their reign and respective childhoods shaped Henry VII and VIII. VII also seems to stand out from other well known kings for his shrewdness and not being flamboyant.
Henry himself acknowledges this where he tells the Earl of Devon that he “won’t be loved, but much respected.” And I think he wanted that for England as well. Not only a strong, stable country, but one that had the respect of Europe as well.
I dunno: I find him more likable than his successor.
At last, Catherine is depicted as she actually was, a beautifil redheade girl!
henry comes across as a very fair and kind king by tudor standards...mr. maxwell is superb....it is sad and a loss that he is no longer with us...great to watch this i have not remembered it
It’s propaganda remember the winners the spoils , also he wrote endless death warrants remember he killed Stanley who actually put the crown on his head also his murder of the Earl of Warwick was horrendous
This show had some pretty good quotes.
"Crowns are dear in England but heads that wear them are cheap"
"How should a king show his face? All we may command is a mask." are my favorites.
Charles iii should take careful note of the first quote
If you like this series, check out "The Devil's Crown" (1978) which is about the Plantagenet kings and stars the great Brian Cox, it is posted on CZcams.
Andrew Webb precious piece of advice 👍🏻 thank you!
C of A actress looks so much like portrait of the young C of A.
I have always been drawn to this period of history, Henry Vlll, Queen Mary, Elizabeth R. I knew little of Henry Vll but being able to see this series I have been drawn to it as well. Thank you for uploading.
The last 50 years or so seem to have removed the trammels of fact from the imagination of cinematic hacks.
An excellent production.
I've read a good many of the comments and not one noted that James Maxwell was an American.
i knew this and often marvelled at his very english accent.
A great series...now I've seen it, I think it is a shame it is not as well known as "Six Wives of Henry VIII" or "Elizabeth R". To be sure, those series were more "condensed", and perhaps more dramatically intense...but certain episodes of this series (episode 5 for example) were superb. I might suggest for those not aware of it "The Devil's Crown"...Henry II and his sons...very different stylistically and in emphasis, but equally enthralling.
One thing I love about this series is how loyal it is to the original events. Henry VII and his life are so intruiging!
james maxwell was outstanding playing henry VII. im glad i found this series, reccomended it to my mother in law as shes a tudor enthusiast too
The initial plan was to let the royal couple stay at court for at least a year before sending them away to live in their own castle. Arthur's sudden death is just really sad. :((
My goodness! The actress who plays Catherine looks JUST like her! That red hair! Those chipmunk cheeks!
Casting department did their homework. Goes without saying that James Maxwell is a pretty near a damn clone of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York looks close, and Catherine of Aragon is also we’ll do e
OMG she looks JUST like Catherine of Aragon!
Have just finished watching that rediscovered gem `The Shadow of the Tower`. I am beginning to form the conclusion that this series is actually the best of an excellent bunch; `Shadow`,` Six Wives`,` Elizabeth R` & `Devil`s Crown`. I am an unashamed Yorkist, and Richard III fan. However, James Maxwelll`s brilliant portrayal of Henry VII makes a man that I have always disliked immensely engaging. Henry VII was obviously a very clever politician, and did a great deal to build up the country`s financial resources after a long period of inter-dynastic strife, and thus put England back of the map for the rest of Europe, as well as bringing long-awaited stability, and after 1487 ( the battle of Stoke - the real answer to the old, wrongly answered question - What was the last battle of the Wars of the Roses?) - peace. I found myself almost liking a king who I always felt previously was a physical coward (as at Bosworth Field), a usurper & almost a complete non entity. Whether I should have found him quite so engaging I am still unsure. It`s a pity that Henry`s unorthodox methods of dealing with rebels and traitors, which seems to have been a very effective and lucrative way of dealing with such people, were not adopted by his spendthrift, bloodthirsty offspring the despot (sic) Henry the Fat. He seems to have learned, or inherited very little of his father`s thrift or moderation or learned much from him at al!.As a TV series this was never going to be as widely popular as `Six Wives` for example, since only having the one wife is not as much fun as an` obese jolly king` who manages to have six wives and to decapitate a couple of them along the way together with thousands of other lesser mortals. The subject matter here is seen in a popular sense as dull by comparison. it is nothing of the kind of course. Nevertheless, Maxwell`s portrayal is outstanding (that voice) and this is a grossly underrated and overlooked masterpiece.
I've heard that Henry viii hated his father. In many ways, he was the very opposite of him.
Marianne
I too am a Ricardian, and loved Richard III. But Maxwell's performance helps humanize henry. Almost like him, thanks to maxwell!
Dear Mrs Tudor1, I've just finished watching this excellent series. Thank you very much for uploading it. It's a gem.
The beautiful, gifted actress who portrayed Elizabeth Of York was a gloriously gifted thespian. Her portrayal of Elizabeth is gentle and subtle. I wept at her "death" as if at that of a dear friend.
Brilliant study & performance of a little known, & little loved KING.
Thanks for uploading MrsTudor1. Really enjoyed the series, and although it was a mixed bag in places, some of it was drama of the highest quality. I urged a friend of mine to watch Episode 5, and he raved about it.
The last episode was bleak beyond belief. Not just because of the tragedy that beset Henry (and how could anyone not feel sympathy), but also the erosion of his spirit and soul. He is quite indifferent towards humanity in the end. Given that the series has been historically accurate, I would liked to have seen more of the hated Empson and Dudley, as they became the architects of Henry's will. Their fiscal tyranny would have reflected Henry's own descent after his personal tragedies. However, I can understand the abrupt end on two grounds.
Firstly, the earlier serial about Henry VIII started in his father's reign, and shows him becoming betrothed to Catherine, so carrying on here would have ended up overlapping. Secondly, the viewer has been encouraged to empathise with Henry, even when he is callous and indifferent. If the drama continued from where it left off, then our empathy would have failed. Therefore, the best we get is Henry glancing at his reflection and having the self-knowledge to accept his fading into oblivion.
Superb series; superb performance by James Maxwell. Master politician he was, and the founder of what remains the most powerful ruling dynasty in English history.
My favorite is the guy who plays de Puebla....such a wormy little guy, but you gotta love him!
I admired Henry Vll as one king who actually loved his wife and was faithful to her all their married life. He was never the same again after she died.
It wasn't love, it was more of huge affection and respect
@@randerson2525 He loved her.....everyone at court knew it. He loved her deeply,
Actually, the Spanish, Scandinavian, and Austrian monarchs had no problem with a woman sovereign. The French were virtually the only strict Salics at that point.
Poor Prince Arthur, what might British history have been like if he had lived I wonder?
The tradition was that none could hold the title of the Once and Future king This was tempting fate.
What a sad ending to such a great reign.
Im sure his son and heir will make him proud...
LOL
It's hard to feel sorry for a man who ruined so many
poor little henry Viii, I can't help feeling sorry for him, losing his mother so young. And Henry viis grief was so touching.
Historygirl85 And it was worse when you consider that he was closest to his mother. She'd educated him herself--his handwriting experts point out (from what few fragments of hers we have left--is most definitely influenced from her. They both share the same distinctive r that looks like a z. So her loss was the hardest of all.
@@Salamon2
Never meant to be King, and it likely showed for many years of his early rule.
Poor, darling Arthur.
Though I wish this 1 episode had been made into at least 2.
So much happened, it had to be greatly condensed. *sigh* The whole Tudor saga is so interesting, yet it is also so incredibly sad. :-/
I watched the series in 1972 and loved it (except for perhaps Episode 7). Seeing it again after so many years is a treat.
It is a touch of exquisite brilliance that at 15:34, immediately after the young Prince Arthur has been sent away to Ludlow with his bride, the hope of the dynasty, we hear the lutenist play the popular 16th century chanson Quand je vivray en age florissant ... (As long as I am alive, in the flower of youth ...), and that again the same haunting strains are heard at 26:00 immediately after the devastating news of his death and the transfer of the same hope to his young brother Prince Harry.
Sorry, I meant of course Tant que vivray ...
James Maxwell plays a great Henry 7. I wish they still made period pieces like this where the actors are the same age as the people that they are playing. I'm tired of everyone being 20 and not wearing historically accurate clothing .
Yes, it's very sad that poor Lady Margaret was pretty much forced into motherhood at such a young age. Mother and son might have appeared as sister and brother when seen walking alongside each other.
Also, the birth probably ravaged the poor dear's immature body to the point where that's most likely the real reason why she never had any more children.
Edmund Tudor should have waited until Margaret was older before consummating the marriage. He consummated the marriage when Margaret was about 12 years old for financial reasons. It is unfortunate that no one protected Margaret from having to give birth at the age of thirteen. The story of Margaret Beaufort has been depicted in books and television shows but there is little information about her feelings for her first husband. Edmund Tudor died of the plague before the birth of his son. Jasper Tudor, her brother-in-law, was very supportive of Margaret and functioned as a father figure to young Henry. Margaret was fortunate to have Jasper's loyal help.
Great series. Made in 72. Captures nearly all happenings so well. Even the very youngh King to be: Henry VIII. Strangest thing, though. As a Yorkist by name and heart, i believed my disrespect for Henry VII would grow. Afterall. He didn't have a legitimate claim. But Maxwells portrayal was so good, i warmed to him.
I always enjoyed this portrait of Elizabeth of York, the actress who played her in this series is beautiful. It is so sad that Elizabeth died on her 37th birthday after giving birth to her last child.
Isn't he just! I loved this series, and Henry VII is fascinating to me.
My deepest thanks, Mrs Tudor1. I've watched this brilliant series all over again and enjoyed it like the first time.
Wonderful series! I have always been intrigued by what the marriage of Elizabeth and Henry must've been like.
A little known series. Mostly due to its time of production. But a great series For fans of 15th century history, The Tudors and even Ricardians. Supporters of Richard III. As I am. I myself am.descended from Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Margaret, there eldest daughter, is a 13x great granparent of mine. Felt so surreal watching this. I was 4 when it first aired. Now 44, I appreciate it deeply. Rich in historical acuracy, entertainment and wisdom.
Thanks so much for this upload...I see some of the actors that were in the 1970 Elizabeth R series ,with Glenda Jackson, in this one...also now I understand the "Tudor Curse",as it was called.
though none of Henry8th children had any heirs...Elizabeth I was undoubtly the greatest,succesful and long lived of all the Tudors.
Really enjoyed this series...thanks for uploading.
Brilliant series! Didn't want it to end. Thank you so much for uploading it and have enjoyed the interesting comments.
Thank you so much for uploading these! What an amazing, imaginative, well-researched, well-acted and thought-provoking series this was. I was only a year old when it was on so this is the first time I've had the pleasure of coming across it.
Absolutely Wonderful. I had not seen this one. Thank You.
Thanks for upload all 13 episodes. I really enjoyed watching this excellent series.
Absolutely amazing series which I thoroughly enjoyed. The acting was superb. Thank you for putting this up.
Thank you so much for uploading these. I wish I could see 9, 10, 11. Maybe some time in the future I will.
The musicians in this series are outstanding
That muttered “oh, god” from the Earl of Oxford at 2:42 LOL
Bishop Foxe being a bit catty there at 29:40
thanks for putting this series up!
I was thinking that is was a strange quirk of fate that Henry VII who had such a troubled and rather inglorious reign should lie in a magnificent chapel in Westminster Abbey which he himself built for him and his wife Elizabeth of York. His son Henry VIII who is perhaps famously or infamously the best known English monarch lies unseen in obscurity in a vault below the choir of St. George’s Chapel Windsor shared with his third wife Jane Seymour and Charles I. There is no access for the public.
Agreed, given the fact that Henry VIII 's reign with its wasteful expenditures not only on courtly entertainments but on various wars abroad ( particularly wars of choice such as his war of 1544 against France which resulted in the capture of Boulogne but was waged chiefly to bolster his self esteem as a "warrior prince"). In fact, the Protestant theologian Melancthon referred to Henry VIII as the English Nero. Still, one might say that Henry VIII's spendthrift ways may have been a psychological reaction to the tight fisted policies of his father. One of Henry VIII 's first acts as King was to arrest and condemn to death ( on trumped up charges of treason and as scapegoats to popular wrath) Henry VII's chief tax enforcers Empson and Dudley( although if it was really true that they were diverting funds intended for the King to their own coffers he might have had ample grounds for doing so anyway). Perhaps if Henry VII had been more moderate in his collection efforts he might have avoided revolts such as the Cornish farmers rebellion of 1497 ( which presumably cost money and men to put down). The fact that Henry VII accumulated vast sums of money may have fostered the illusion in Henry VIII's mind that the national treasury (or Henry VII's personal wealth) was inexhaustible. One is reminded of the example of the Emperor Tiberius who similarly accumulated by extortionate methods a vast sum for the Roman Empire; only for it to be squandered by his successor Caligula. Finally, one can consider,by analogy, studies of families where abuse of legal drugs such as alcohol is likely to occur versus families where this does not. Families where alcohol is used in moderation( for example, only on certain occasions such as holidays or special religious observances) and which do not have an overly harsh attitude towards its consumption ; are far less likely to trigger a reaction resulting in "problem drinking" in their teenaged offspring. ( " Problem drinking" is a term applied to misbehavior under the influence of alcohol exhibited by people who are not true alcoholics--i.e. Inheritors of a genetic predisposition to alcoholism--but instead engage in alcohol abuse as a form of " acting out".) It is unfortunate that Arthur didn't succeed to the throne, although if he had not let up on his father's policies he might have wound up in the position of the Old Testament King Rehoboam,with an insurmountable rebellion on his hands. ( Interestingly, Francis Bacon, one of the earliest biographers of Henry VII compared Henry to Solomon not so much for his wisdom but for his avarice).
Considering the time they spent on Warbeck, the final episode seemed a bit rushed.
Agreed. I wish they would have condensed that section some and lengthened this last episode. Still a great series overall, no doubt though! The actress for Elizabeth of York & the actor for Henry VII are SO spot on, it’s incredible.
Henry VII and Elizabeth of York are my 14th Great Grandparents through their daughter Margaret and James IV of Scotland.
Thanks so much for these!
Henry VII wanted an assurance that the infanta whom his heir was marrying didn't look ugly. He felt like he was being played by King Ferdinand. So he visited the infanta to see for himself whether she's beautiful or not.
Their back and forth in the last few years of Henrys reign was quite funny I thought. trying to keep Catherine's dowery and when Henry tried to marry Juana of Castile, Ferdinand was having none of it and Henry I think just quite liked annoying him. The state papers from that time are on the internet, I remember reading them and laughing. Catherine's letters to her father were quite sad, she was caught in the middle of these 2 old penny pinchers with no one looking out for her welfare.
Wonder how long it took to find a young actress that looked exactly like Katherine of Aragon in that early portrait. Great attention to detail.
Incredible to think James Maxwell was American
When you think about Henry VIII being the only male in his dynasty and having no male heir for 20 years with the pressure to produce an heir after all that it makes sense that he had the mental strain over securing the dynasty.
That is probably the best (looking) portrayal of Catherine of Aragon...I'm so tired of seeing black-haired, dark-skinned women. Its like nobody does any research...Spanish?...That must mean MEXICAN!! Black-haired, dark-skinned isn't even the majority in Spain...I'm Spanish and I have light skin and blond hair.
As she was unveiled when she first showed up I was amazed at how closely the actress resembled Catalina's portrait.
Pretty uncanny. They also made a good effort represent the young couple in complimentary white satin wedding attire.
Tardis-Talk Radio we have done OUR research! No more of your John Birch nonsense!
Yo se que los espanoles no son todos morenos pero segundo lo que el mar mediterreneo se queda al lado de las paizes de Espana y Portugal, hay muchos morenos
You complain about stereotypes, while making a stereotype. Mexico is a country of half-blood, there are brunette and white people.
The Spanish ambassador looks like he's drunk all the time. Haha
He's an interesting King is Henry VII , we know very little about him as he wasn't taught in school as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were.
That boy did indeed outlive them all!
I thought that was funny...your children are SUPPOSED to outlive you ! ( Even in the 15th century)
Excellent series.
Author Jean Plaidy did just that. The books are older and so the style of writing is not as immediately confrontational as modern authors, but I have enjoyed them all the same
How disappointing that the BBC, I presume, stopped Eps 9,10, & 11 from being shown. They done the same with By The Sword Divided. They allow so much that they want us then to buy the dvds to watch the missing episodes. Gawd, we've paid for it already many times over by buying the tv licenses every year ad infinitum. Lighting up BBC & smell the roses (white ones!).
To be fair to them, it wasn't just the Tuudor monarchs who believed women were incapable of ruling. It was a standard of the time, all across Europe. We only need look to the Anarchy to know that this wasn't a "Tudor" issue. Nor was it a 16th Century issue (again, The Anarchy shows us that - it was a c12 issue, too).
recommended highly
They called Henry Tudor from a line of illegitimates , yet so was the Queen as her father Edward 1V was married before to Eleanor Butler before Elizabeth woodville
Nice to see Elizabeth of York being nice to Catherine, since we all know how Henry treated her after Arthur died.
Is the same boy playing Arthur the same boy who played Edward VI in Elizabeth R? Sure looks like him.
I'm trying to understand why exactly 3 episodes of this series, numbers 9, 10, and 11, are blocked because of "copyright" reasons, when we can see the first 8 and the last 2 just fine. It's from 1971; who still needs to monetize it at all? But especially just those 3 episodes? Seems absurd to me.
It was brilliant showing Catherine of Aragon so young as she just 15 . The latest series the Spanish princess is ludicrous she looks 25 & again they are obsessed with sex rather than historical accuracy
An interesting thing to note in the dancing scene after the wedding; we know, from prior episodes, that Elizabeth is shorter than Henry and in episode 1 we see her on a lower throne. But not here - now, after so long, they are on equal height thrones as Henry shows his respect for her.
Margaret has thousands upon thousands of descendants through her son King James V and her daughter from another marriage, Margaret Douglas. I descend from Margaret through King James VI of Scotland's oldest daughter, Elizabeth Stewart. Margaret is my 16th Great Grandmother. What i love as well as that Through Margaret's mother, Elizabeth of York, we descendants of King Henry VII are also descendants of the Plantagenet line through King Edward IV.
Billi Jo Maynard We all have ancestors with many descendants. At the end of the day , we all rot together in the ground, Kings too.
I read that lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was descended from the younger daughter Mary through her granddaughter Lady Katherine Grey.
The actor who played Prince Arthur (Jason Kemp) was also Edward VI on Elizabeth R!
I didn't even realise
Happy to spread the word.
very well done . I watch it from the start . he was a smart king . but was he the real king .
You're more than welcome!
Was Arthur and KoA's marriage consummated or not? I know that KoA denied that it was. But the morning after their first night together as a couple, Arthur kind of 'bragged' that he's kind exhausted from a night with his new wife. Sort of like that. He was just probably showing off. But only he and KoA really knew the truth whether it was consummated or not. What would have history been like had Arthur lived and reigned as king. He was trained and brought up to be king all his life whereas his brother, Henry VIII, was certainly not. But it ended tragically. :(
Similar quality BBC 70s period dramas here on CZcams is 'The Devil's Crown' & the civil war (British!) 'By the Sword Divided', both highly recommended.
They had a better castings back then , so historically accurate
sir rhys ap thomas.
of carmarthen
was Henry VII cousin...
No one deserves to loose a child and understandly it was different times. But a part of me feels it was karma that Arthur died due to Edward Plantagenet’s brutal execution.
33:25 she's lucky she didn't lose her head
I felt so bad for Elizabeth in that scene. You could see the terror in her face. I bet she was constantly stuck in the middle of a paranoid husband and her complaining family. Poor woman.
Did anyone else pick up on the fact that at 12:49 , Henry is playing with tarot cards? lol! I also think that the card he is holding is The Emporer! Does anyone know if there is any historical accuracy to this? Were tarot cards even a thing in England at this time?
like how they react the scene when Arthur and Catherine meet. This same scene is with different characters in the play The Six Wives of Henry VIII.
30:10 Is this the same Sir James Tyrell that Thomas More named as the assassin who killed the Princes in the Tower? I'm surprised he was allowed to live so long.
A true and valiant welsh warrior king. Cymru am byth
Diolch cariad
Marianne
Why are the 3 videos hidden? What were they about? JOHN CABOT SEA adventures? I 'm from America and love English history. And English acting. Have been watching this series all day on Wed and into the wee morning of Thursday Oct 6
"Bastard slips shall take no root!"
at the start i thought the king's mothere here looked too young... to be his mother... then i looked it up on wiki. that she was only 13 when she had him...that seems iunteresting... so close in age