Miniseries (Various)

The Devil's Crown is a 1978 BBC television show written by Jack Russell and Ken Taylor. Directed by Alan Cooke, Jane Howell and Ronald Wilson. It is also known as "La Couronne du Diable" in French. The series was written by Jack Russell and Ken Taylor. It is a dramatisation of the reigns of three medieval Kings of England: Henry II and his sons Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland. Episode 1: Legend has it that the Plantagenets were descended from the Devil himself - a curse which does not deter the youthful Henry. Brian Cox as Henry II of England Jane Lapotaire as Eleanor of Aquitaine Michael Byrne as Richard I of England John Duttine as John, King of England Christopher Gable as Philip II of France Ralph Arliss as Geoffrey, Count of Nantes Charles Kay as Louis VII of France Jack Shepherd as Thomas Becket https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170908/?ref_=tt_urv This is the French release, "La Couronne du Diable", which is the only copy available.

Episode 2: Henry, with the Devil's luck, has married Eleanor of Aquitaine. The crown of England is also his - and now begins his fateful friendship with Thomas Becket.

Episode 3: As the friendship grows between Henry and Becket, so does the Queen's mistrust of them both. And then appears another threat - this time to her marriage.

Episode 4: The quarrel between Henry and Becket has culminated in Becket's murder; and when Eleanor leaves Henry to establish her own court at Poitiers, the deserted king turns to his sons for love and support.

Episode 5: With Eleanor imprisoned at Salisbury and his sons plotting rebellion at Louis' court in Paris, Henry finds comfort in the arms of Alys - but Alys is Richard's young bride-to-be.

Episode 6: King Henry is dead - defeated, deserted. Long live King Richard, the glorious, golden Crusader.

Episode 7: Inspired by Richard, his army moves south to the Holy Land for a new crusade. Eleanor has also journeyed south; her concern however, is not so much for souls, but to find a bride for Richard.

Episode 8: Richard Coeur de Lion has married Berengaria of Navarre . . . but his Crusade has failed. Embittered, disillusioned, he turns his back on the Holy Land and begins the dangerous journey home.

Episode 9: Released from captivity, Richard Is once more crowned King of England. Imprisonment has sapped both his vigour and his strength but, when war breaks out again in the Holy Land, he sees this as his long-awaited chance of glory - and so begins his final journey.

Episode 10: A chance arrow has extinguished the glory that was Richard. John, at last, is King of England - but his right to that crown is quickly challenged by his nephew, Arthur of Brittany.