Eminent scholar and energetic storyteller Dr. David Starkey (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) serves as your guide through nearly 10 centuries of royal rule in England.
From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Restoration, Starkey vividly describes the human drama behind the throne, with all its intrigue, lust, treachery, and thirst for power. You visit the very stages upon which history played out—Westminster Abbey, Bosworth Field, the dreaded Tower of London, and more—and explore the true character of the men and women who wore the crown.
In this rich tapestry, Starkey identifies a unifying thread. On one hand, England required authoritarian might to stand strong against external threats. On the other, it cherished its longstanding tradition of rule by consent of the governed. The dynamic tension between these two impulses enabled the monarchy to survive as the oldest-functioning political institution in Europe.
Episodes included: The Early Kings, Medieval Monarchs, A New Dynasty (not available), The Imperial King, A Question Of Succession, and Revolution and the Republic (not available).
I’d love this documentary more if David Starkey wasn’t such a racist and nationalist.
love the show even though Dr. David Starkey reminds me of a bobble head when he speaks.
Down with the Monarchy, British Republic all the way
Well made, comprehensive documentary. The speaker may be a bit didactic or professorial but if you are interested in the subject matter, the story is engrossing.
“Energetic storyteller” huh? That moron completely destroyed what could otherwise have been a good documentary with his retarded f**ing tone.
Very intricate and extensive documentary, but also very well made! It is a little hard to keep up with the change in kings every two minutes but that’s probably how it literally was during the times of turmoil, hah.