Monarchy - S2 Ep3 - The Shadow of the King

Monarchy looks at the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII and the reigns of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. Henry strives to reconcile his son Edward with his two bastardized sisters Mary and Elizabeth. He makes all three of his children his heirs by naming them his successors: Edward first, then Mary, and then Elizabeth. Henry dies in 1547 and Edward VI is named king. The young king and his counselors attempt to use royal supremacy to make England a fully protestant country. He orders the destruction of Christian artifacts and replaces the Latin mass with the Book of Common Prayer. His actions cause riots and uproar. His sister Mary aligns herself with the Roman Catholic Church and continues to hear the Latin mass despite her brother's wishes. Edward grows ill and changes the line of succession to prevent Mary and Elizabeth from becoming Queen. He names Lady Jane Grey as his heir presumptive. After Edward dies, Mary gathers an army and the Grey faction steps aside. Mary becomes Queen and takes it as her mission to return England to Catholicism. In an unpopular move, she marries the King Philip of Spain. Their rule is tarnished by the persecution of Protestants and a false pregnancy. Mary eventual grows ill and dies. Queen Elizabeth I is crowned and she tries to walk a moderate religious path. She endorses royal supremacy, but insists on maintaining certain religious traditions. She creates a church Protestant in doctrine and Catholic in appearance. Elizabeth is reluctant to marry creating a succession problem since the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots has the best claim to the throne. Elizabeth refuses to name Mary her heir, but Catholics nevertheless conspire around her. She is eventually arrested and put to death by conspiring Protestant.