Henry VIII - The Mind of a Tyrant (episode1, part1/5)

Prince - (1485-1509) - David Starkey follows the dramatic events of Henry's childhood, events that shaped his personality and his attitude to kingship.
In 1485, on the field at Bosworth, Henry's father, Henry Tudor, seized the crown from the defeated Yorkist king Richard III. To us, this event marks the end of the Wars of the Roses but to contemporaries it was not clear that this bitter dynastic struggle was truly over. Henry, Tudor's second son, was created Duke of York to link the royal house to the defeated faction.
But Henry had a rival in the shape of Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be the real Duke of York and rightful king. Henry Tudor would have to defend his throne twice in battle, and his son's life depended on the outcome.
The death of his brother Arthur made Henry Prince of Wales, and his father's heir and rival.

Category:

Entertainment

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• Henry
• VIII
• The
• Mind
• of
• Tyrant

[PomfretAli]

Thank you so much! In the US, despite the most disgusting PBS beg-a-thons supposedly raising money for good programming, we will never see this series. Too busy making Wayne Dyer and God only knows what other person stating the obvious we want to make a millionaire, to show such well done and fascinating work.

[beretta1342000]

This is so intresting! I was wondering where is the rest so I can watch it! I love stuff about Henry the eighth and that whole period. It's so intresting. Kinda of an obession with me! History is the best!

[littleangel7900]

hey now history could be inaccurate! richard couldve been a nice guy,have you seen the horrible histories king richard the third song. shakespear wrote the bad play about him to please queen elizabeth to make it seem like hey gandfather had been right in taking the throne away from him. now im not saying im a richard fan but thats just my veiw on things.

[califotec]

@ElvenAngel I agree! History is written by the victors (the Tudors and their supporters in this case) - for the most part anyways.

[Miss65boo]

@califotec That is very interesting, I had not heard that before. Thank you for your response. I'll do some more research on it.

[ElvenAngel]

@califotec Shakespearean-era propaganda aside, there still isn't enough evidence to support that theory in a concrete way. There just isn't enough facts to say what really happened and whether it was Richard himself or his circle that did away with the princes. The incident of the princes is just too steeped in popular myth, hearsay, and most of all, a lot of Tudor propaganda that keeps us from discerning what really happened around that time.

[ElvenAngel]

Thank you for posting this series! I'm a bit of a history nerd and Henry VIII is one of my bigger interests. :) It's always great to get access to a series I otherwise would be unable to enjoy! You're awesome! 

[califotec]

@Miss65boo They (the princes) were slowly removed from public view increasingly before their supposed death, probably because Richard was afraid of any opposition to his accession, and wanted to remove them from the "hearts and minds" of the people in the hope of destroying or stopping any who would attempt to undermine or question his power. I agree with you that Shakespeare may have altered facts here and there in the play to villainize Richard, but it is a largely accurate account.

[califotec]

@Miss65boo In this way,Richard declared his brother Edward illegitimate several months after his death, and therefore his children as well, who 'disappeared' from the Tower in a month or so after he was declared the legitimate heir to the throne in parliament, prior to his succession.

[califotec]

@Miss65boo From what I remember, the princes were declared illegitimate not because their parents' marriage was considered invalid, but because their father, King Edward IV was said to have been illegitimate by some (due to his marked lack of resemblance to his father and siblings because of his exceptional height, whereas most members of the House Of York were not known to be very tall) However, Edward was said to bear some resemblance to his younger brother, George.

[Miss65boo]

The princes in the tower were declaired illigitamate (sp?) after their parents marriage was considered invalid, this was before Richard III was crowned, so they weren't a threat to his becoming king, therefore why would he have had them murdered. It makes no sense. Much of what was written about Richard III was Tudor propaganda, including Shakespeare's play.

[Daniella26able]

@beretta1342000 It's my obsession too!!