
Henry prepares for war with France but receives cautious counsel from the powerful Cardinal Wolsey, who urges a treaty; the king learns that his queen's lady-in-waiting Elizabeth Blount is pregnant with his child.
Guest Stars:
Perdita Weeks, Steven Waddington, Kristen Holden-Ried, Joe Van Moyland, Ruta Gedmintas
Henry contemplates an alliance with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain despite his "Field of Cloth of Gold" ceremony celebrating allegiance to France, and executes a rival; Elizabeth gives birth to the king's illegitimate son.
Guest Stars:
Perdita Weeks, Steven Waddington, Kristen Holden-Ried, Joe Van Moyland, Ruta Gedmintas
A visit from Charles V forces Henry to conceal his growing disaffection from Queen Katherine, who is the influential Spanish monarch's aunt - even as Henry comes face-to-face with the seductive Anne Boleyn for the first time.
Guest Stars:
Kristen Holden-Ried, Joe Van Moyland, Sebastian Armesto, Mark Lambert, Mary Woods
As a reward for his denunciation of Martin Luther, the Pope christens Henry “Defender of the Faith,” but a brush with death causes the king to seek a solution to his lack of an heir. Princess Margaret marries the decrepit King of Portugal reluctantly, but the union is short-lived; Henry's desire for Anne Boleyn intensifies when Anne goes home to her family estate.
Henry is shocked when he learns that his ally, Emperor Charles V of Spain, has released France's King Francis I from prison. He's equally surprised when Anne Boleyn turns him down after offering to make her his sole mistress.
Guest Stars:
Kristen Holden-Ried, Pádraic Delaney, Joe Van Moyland, Kate O'Toole, Ruta Gedmintas
As King Henry gains in confidence, his displeasure with the way the Catholic church handles his request for an annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon grows. As a result, Cardinal Wolsey's position is weakening, leaving him vulnerable to his enemies.
Guest Stars:
Kristen Holden-Ried, Pádraic Delaney, Joe Van Moyland, John G. Brennan, Brian de Salvo
England's population is suffering, both from a lack of food and from a lethal plague called 'The Sweats'. As a result, King Henry feels depressed and not his usual, confident self. He starts having doubts about the future and his ability to rule the country. Fortunately for him, a change is coming up.
Guest Stars:
A papal envoy has come to discuss the annulment of the King's marriage to Katherine of Aragon, as requested by the King. The outcome of these discussions will determine Cardinal Wolsey's future career as well as the King's romance with Anne Boleyn. These discussions will also influence the nature of the relationship between England and Rome.
Cardinal Wolsey's fall is quick and pitiless. Stripped of office and authority, he is banished from the court and sent far from his much-beloved King. His unlikely successor is Sir Thomas More, a man unlike the overbearing Wolsey in every way but one...his loyalty to Henry.
Guest Stars:
Ali O'Keefe, John Kavanagh, Gabrielle Anwar, Michael Patric, Gordon Sterne
Cardinal Wolsey is down but not yet out. Although exiled, he tries to gather last-minute support from his old enemy, Queen Katherine. She hesitantly agrees to his plan, as she finds herself in a situation similar to that of the fallen Cardinal. But their plot is intercepted by the King's new advisors and Wolsey must pay the ultimate price.
Guest Stars:
Kristen Holden-Ried, Pádraic Delaney, Joe Van Moyland, Matt Ryan, Steve Wilson
Kristen Holden-Ried, Pádraic Delaney, Joe Van Moyland, Clive Geraghty, Rachel Kavanagh
Guest Stars:
Joe Van Moyland, Emmanuel Leconte, Peter Gaynor, Gabriella Wright, Fiona Ryan
Guest Stars:
Pádraic Delaney, Joe Van Moyland, Ned Dennehy, Rebekah Wainwright, Jamie Thomas King