The Tudor Dynasty is probably one of the most talked about monarchs in English history thanks to the infamous Henry VIII and his daughter, the beloved Elizabeth I. Although they are the most famous Tudors, the dynasty started with Henry VIII’s father, Henry VII when he defeated Richard III on the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. Henry VII’s marriage to Elizabeth of York (Edward IV’s daughter) united the Houses of York and the Houses of Lancaster (both branches of the House of Plantagenet) and ended the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487) ).
This marriage also saw the creation of the Tudor rose which united the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York. Technically, the Tudor dynasty lasted just over 100 years (1485–1603) with five monarchs (the last being Elizabeth I). But through Henry VII’s daughter Margaret (who became the Queen of Scotland through her marriage to James IV), the Tudor line sits on the English throne today. This dynasty has given us some of the best historical TV shows of all time (which are often featured on Starz for some reason), and here’s a list in chronological order.
The White Queen
The White Queen is a BBC miniseries based on the novels of Philippa Gregory The White Queen, The Red Queenand The Kingmaker’s Daughter. The miniseries begins in 1464 during the War of the Roses and the reign of King Edward IV. The series revolves around Elizabeth Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson), a woman of the lesser nobility and a widow who would later become the Queen of England and the grandmother of Henry VIII.
While this series focuses heavily on the York reigns of Edward IV and Richard III, it also depicts the dealings of Lady Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale) and the work she did to end the reign of York and her son, Henry, on the throne. The White Queen was nominated for three Golden Globes and four Emmy Awards and is currently available on Starz.
The white princess
Where to start? The White Queen stopped, The white princess begins in 1485 right after the Battle of Bosworth (the last significant battle of the War of the Roses) and the death of King Richard III. The miniseries focuses on Elizabeth of York (the great Jodie Comer before her) kill eve success), who was the daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville and the mother of King Henry VIII.
Her marriage to the new king, Henry VII (Jacob Collins-Levy), was intended to end the Wars of the Roses by uniting the Lancastrians and Yorks under one banner. The white princess is another Starz adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s novels The white princess and The King’s Curse. The white princess is available on Starz.
The Spanish Princess
The Spanish Princess is another Starz adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s novels The constant princess and The King’s Curse. This two-season series begins in 1501, about five years after the end of The white princessand centers on Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope), who has now come to England to marry the eldest son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.
Catherine of Aragon is most famous for being Henry VIII’s first wife (and one of his reasons for converting England to Protestantism), but before she married Henry, she was married to his older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales. The series explores Catherine’s grief after Arthur’s death and how she stopped at nothing to fulfill her destiny to become Queen of England. The Spanish Princess is available on Starz.
The Tudors
The Tudors is a four-season series that covers almost the entire reign of Henry VIII. It’s hard to pinpoint what year the series will start in as time is extremely condensed, but an educated guess says it’s somewhere between 1514-1519. The Tudors is not the most accurate series of the Tudor dynasty, but it is one of the most entertaining, and it features one of the best performances of Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII. The Tudors is available on Showtime.
Wolf Hall
Wolf Hall is a six-part miniseries based on the novels of Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall and Raise the bodies. The series revolves around Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance), who was Henry VIII’s prime minister from 1534-1540. Beginning in 1529, Wolf Hall follows Cromwell as he helps annul Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Mark Rylance is at his best as a lead while beautifully balancing the seriousness of the series and the dry humor of his character. Wolf Hall was nominated for eight Emmys and won two Golden Globes.
Anne Boleyn
Sony Pictures Television
Anne Boleyn follows the last five months of Anne Boleyn’s life before her execution for treason in 1536. Anne Boleyn (Jodie Turner-Smith) was Henry VIII’s second wife and was one of the reasons he founded the Church of England. Their relationship later soured when she was unable to have a son, prompting Henry to find a way to end their marriage.
The three-part miniseries chronicles the end of their relationship and Boleyn’s fate as Henry VIII’s wife. Although the series has received mixed reviews, they all praise Turner-Smith for her performance as the ill-fated queen. Anne Boleyn is now streaming on AMC+.
become Elizabeth
become Elizabeth begins in 1547 after the death of Henry VIII and follows the life of his daughter Elizabeth I (Alicia von Rittberg) as she attempts to navigate the court of her younger brother, Edward VI. The series gives a fairly accurate picture of the historical figures of the time and leads to an entertaining series. With only one season under their belt, it will be interesting to see how they cover the rest of Elizabeth I’s life and reign. become Elizabeth is available on Starz.
The Virgin Queen
The Virgin Queen begins sometime between 1554-1558 when Elizabeth (Anne-Marie Duff) was imprisoned by her sister Mary in The Tower of London. Duff is one of the best actresses to play Queen Elizabeth I and is a joy to watch as the series explores her relationship with Robert Dudley (Tom Hardy). The Virgin Queen also declares Elizabeth’s vow of chastity, a decision that was heavily criticized by her court.
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II begins in 1579 and follows the last 24 years of its more than 40-year reign. Dame Helen Mirren is the queen of play queens as she brilliantly played Catherine the Great, Elizabeth II and Elizabeth I. This two-part miniseries focuses primarily on her relationship with the Earl of Leicester (Jeremy Irons) and the Earl of Essex (Hugh Dancy). The series also features Elizabeth I’s famous speech to the troops, which Mirren delivers perfectly. Elizabeth II is available on HBO and HBO Max.