Their extraordinary stories are part of the fabric of a nation: they were men of royal blood whose deeds shaped the past and built the foundation of England as it is today.Alfred the Great... lawmaker, scholar and scourge ... more »of the Danes.
William the Conqueror... courageous warrior and ruthless politician.
Richard the Lionheart... fearless crusader and central figure in one of England?s most enduring legends.
King Henry VIII... much-married autocrat and founder of the Church of England.
King Charles I... the Royal Martyr.Featuring accurately dramatized reconstructions, superb period imagery plus commentary and analyses by a team of leading authorities, these films are your ticket for a voyage through the pages of English history...Few kings in English history deserve the title "great" more than Alfred, King of Wessex.In an age and country devastated by Viking invasions, Alfred inflicted a major defeat upon the Norseman at Edington in 878 and set about conquering the Danelaw territory to secure the unity of England. The great king also organized his forces into a standing army and built a navy. However, Alfred was not only a fine warrior and a natural leader; he was also a lawmaker and a scholar, working to improve the kingdom?s laws as well as encouraging the further education of his people. This is the story of William, the first Norman King of England.It was on the bloody battlefield of Hastings in 1066 that William, Duke Of Normandy, defeated and killed the gallant but battle-weary Harold II of England. From that day forward, England would never be the same. Multiple uprisings in the north were mercilessly crushed and a new ruling class of Norman Barons was gradually established within the region.This program paints a unique portrait of a remarkable man who was at once a great warrior and a ruthless politician and statesman. The architect of the Domesday book, builder of Westminster Abbey and countless other beautiful churches, William the Conqueror?s twenty-year reign truly shaped the future of England. The reign of Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard The Lionheart) was one of the most eventful and colorful in England?s long history.The third son of Henry II, Richard devoted his life to crusading and defending his lands in France ?only five months of his ten year reign were spent in England. An outstanding and courageous soldier, he was arrested and imprisoned in Germany in 1193: his brother John tried to seize the crown, and the enduring legend of Robin Hood was born. England has never seen a more colorful monarch than King Henry VIII.His unyielding power over the thrown was constantly overshadowed by his infamous matrimonial problems, which had such a profound effect on a deeply religious country. A man of passionate nature, he also possessed a cruel streak, the King?s six wives will forever adorn the pages of history.From dashing youth to gout-ridden old age, this is the story of ?Good King Hal.? No one has ever doubted King Charles? deeply held religious beliefs, his love for his family or his many qualities as King. But his duplicity and procrastination contributed greatly to the bloodshed of the English Civil Wars and to his own eventual downfall. How could a man so good be so bad a king??King Charles I? features reconstructions and re-enactments, dramatized ?eye-witness? accounts, superb period imagery and commentary and analyses to tell the dramatic story of England?s most tragic monarch.« less
Genres:Documentary Sub-Genres:Documentary Studio:Kultur Video Format:DVD - Color DVD Release Date: 09/26/2006 Release Year: 2006 Run Time: 4hr 10min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 5 SwapaDVD Credits: 5 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 5 Edition: Box set MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English
