Monarchy - S2 Ep1 - The Crown Imperial

Monarchy looks at the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, and Henry VII. Lancaster king Henry VI is challenged by the three brothers of the House of York in the War of the Roses. After the Battle of Tewkesbury, Henry VI is murdered in the Tower of London and Edward IV of York is declared king. The last potential Lancaster heir, Henry Tudor flees to Brittany where he spends a decade and a half of exile. Edward IV rules in England fathering two sons but a rivalry grows with his ambitious younger brother George the Duke of Clarence. Edward sentences his brother for treason and has him executed. Edward rules until his death from fever 1483 and his young son Edward V becomes his heir. As Edward V heads to his coronation, he is taken captive by his uncle Richard III. Richard is named Lord Protector and imprisons Edward V and his younger brother in the Tower of London. The two princes are declared bastards by Parliament and are likely killed. Richard III is crowned king but quickly proves unpopular. Henry Tudor's mother Margaret Beaufort makes an alliance with Elizabeth Woodville the wife of the late King Edward IV in which Henry pledged to marry the eldest daughter of the former king. Henry Tudor returns to England with an army support by the French. Henry defeats Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry VII is crowned two month later and marries Elizabeth of York creating the House of Tudor. Peace and unity, however, are fleeting. Henry has to put down several Yorkist rebellions, fight France over Brittany, and defeat pretender Perkin Warbeck. Henry focuses on domestics affairs and raises revenues through heavy taxes. He eventually dies of and illness and his son is crowned Henry VIII.