Sun, Oct 17, 2004
Monarchy discusses the early history of England and the birth of the Monarchy. It looks migration of the Anglo-Saxons into Britain and discusses some early rulers including. It looks at the roles of Aethelbert and his Frankish wife Bertha in the Christianization of Britain. It examines the dominant reign of King Offa of Mercia. Finally, it looks at Alfred the Great and how he united England against Viking invasion.
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Sun, Oct 24, 2004
Monarchy examines the history of kingship in England from the rise of the Anglo-Saxons to the Battle of Hastings. Edgar the Peaceful is crowned in bath, but dies shortly after. The crown passes to his son Edward the Martyr who is killed at a young age. Aethelred the Unready is crowned, but his rule is mired with a conflict with the Danes. The Danes seize the thrown and Cnut secures control of England by marrying Aethelred's wife Emma. After Cnut's Death, Edward the Confessor restores the House of Wessex to the throne. He fathers no heirs and his conflict with Godwin the Earl of Wessex almost results in a civil war. After Edward's death, Godwin's son takes the crown. Harold defeats his rival brother Tostig and the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Shortly after, Harold fights the Normans at Hastings and is defeated by William the Conquerer in a day long battle.
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Sun, Oct 31, 2004
Monarchy examines the history of kingship in England from William to Conqueror on through the House of Norman. William seizes the throne after the battle of Hastings and is crowned in Westminster Abbey in London. He suppresses the Anglo-Saxons and consolidates his holdings by building fortifications throughout England. William Rufus the second son of William the Conqueror becomes king after his father's death. Disliked by the Church for his irreligious ways, he is killed by an arrow while hunting in the New Forest. After his death, his brother Henry crowns himself king. He consolidates his power by reviving the popular traditions of the Anglo-Saxon kings. After the death of his son, Henry appoints his daughter Matilda as his successor but after his death his nephew Stephen seizes the throne. Eventually this sparks a civil war which ends when Stephen agrees to appoint her son Henry as the heir to the throne.
Sun, Nov 7, 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 interdict. John seizes the lands of the Church in response. When the Pope aligns with the King of France, John acknowledges the supremacy of the Pope. John is later forced to sign the Magna Carta after his efforts to retake land in France fails. When John has the document annulled, the Baron's revolt against John. After John dies, his young son is crowned King Henry III. Henry reasserts royal power throughout England. The Lords revolt under Simon de Montfort in an effort to enforce the Magna Carta. They establish the Provisions of Oxford and force the King to abide by them. Simon creates the forerunner of Parliament, but is eventually killed in battle with Prince Edward.
Sun, Nov 14, 2004
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 the nobles. Using the longbow, he has military success against the Scots and begins the 100 Years War against France.
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Sun, Nov 21, 2004
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. Eventually he grows ill and the throne passes to his son Henry V. Henry V focuses on war with France. He is victorious at the Battle of Agincourt and even becomes heir to the French throne before dying of dysentery. The English crown passes to the infant son Henry VI. Henry VI marries a french princess Margaret of Anjou and pursues a policy of peace with France which gains him the displeasure of the English nobles. The House of York rebels against the king triggering the War of the Roses. Edward IV of House York becomes king but internal squabbles and problems with House Lancaster plague his reign.