- Henry is displeased to learn that the Emperor Charles V, Queen Katherine's nephew, has released King Francis of France from prison and is forced to look for a foreign ally elsewhere. Meanwhile Katherine's alliance with Charles intensifies as does her hatred of Wolsey. Anne Boleyn turns down the king's proposal that she be the royal mistress, demanding nothing less than being declared queen.—don @ minifie-1
- Henry raises Anne's family and his own young bastard son Henry Fitzroy to the peerage. The imperial separate peace with the French king infuriates betrayed ally Henry, who now leans heavily on cardinal Wolsey to arrange an annulment of his marriage to Spanish princess Catherine on account of her being his late brother's widow. Bishop Fisher sabotages the secret procedure, so the matter must go to the pope, who after the sack of Rome becomes a virtual imperial prisoner. Margaret, widow of the Portuguese king, sneakily marries duke Charles Brandon, braving the royal fury in temporary exile from court. Young court composer Thomas Tallis succumbs to the gay lust of married lord William Compton. Princess Mary is virtually banished to a Welsh castle and no longer betrothed to the emperor, who weds a Portuguese princess.—KGF Vissers
- The King makes his illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, a Duke and his heir, something that upsets Queen Catherine who feels her daughter Mary should be next in line to the throne. Wolsey reminds her that only a natural born son could take precedence over Fitzroy. The King also decides that little Mary is to be raised in a Welsh castle. Anne Boleyn continues to toy with the King's emotions. She clearly expresses her attraction to him but is not prepared to become his mistress. The King's sister, Margaret, returns to England after the death of the King of Portugal and their short-lived marriage. She and her lover, Charles Cavill, marry without the King's permission and are banned from court. The Spanish King betrays Henry by releasing King Francis of France. Wolsey has constituted a council to get the King's marriage to Catherine annulled. Sir Thomas More is completely against the idea.—garykmcd
- Young Henry VIII is determined to marry beautiful Anne Belyn, but this is proving to be a challenge. Catherine of Aragon his current queen stands between him and the woman he desires more than any other. He seeks to obtain a divorce from Catherine, and of course turns to cunning Cardinal Wolsey to get it for him. But the council that is to reside on the matter is not as easily persuaded as Wolsey hoped. Meanwhile Henry is enraged that his sister Princess Margaret and his friend Charles Brandon have secretly married, and banishes them both from court. While these complex situations unwind in a tension filled mixture of lust, fear and greed, Lord Compton sets out to seduce the young, but extremely talented Thomas Tallis, and is even more determined when Thomas proves to be a less willing lover than Compton expected...
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content