LESSON SIX: King Me

GET THE APPS: Find out more about Richard with the help of two apps. First, try Facebook. The Society of Richard III is an international fan club still trying to set the record straight about their misunderstood monarch. Check out their group page for a running recap of the English Monarchy with discussions about Tudor influence on the historical record. Or download the Smithsonian Channel app and look for Season One, Episode Four: Richard III Revealed. The video details the successful search for the King’s remains, found in 2012 under a parking lot in Leicester. 

Smithsonian Channel on the App Store

Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Smithsonian Channel. Download Smithsonian Channel and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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The Tudors (TV Series 2007-2010)

Created by Michael Hirst. With Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Anthony Brophy, James Frain. A dramatic series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII.

GET TUDORED: If you want to see how it all came close to tumbling down for Henry’s successor, check out the Show- time series The Tudors (2007–2010). In four seasons, you get all of Henry VIII’s six marriages and thirty years of controversy and political intrigue. In the end, Henry gets his heir, Edward VI, but is haunted by his wives both living and dead. Add it all up and answer the question that likely died on his lips: was this really worth it? 

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WATCH A DIFFERENT WAR: Tune in for The War of the Roses (1989) directed by Danny DeVito and starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Turner, as Mrs. Rose, conducts a cost-benefit analysis of her life before and after her husband is out of the picture and opts for the latter. Mayhem ensues as CBA is ditched for pure old-fashioned spite. 

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ENJOY THE WINTER: “Winter is coming” is the refrain of George RR Martin’s as yet unfinished series of novels, A Game of Thrones. The author uses many historical events as muse while writing the fantasy series, but the War of the Roses was his primary source. Lancasters become Lannisters and Yorks become Starks as a brutal intergenerational battle is waged for ultimate power. You may have heard that there is a television version of Martin’s work, but it isn’t recommended for this course as historical nuance and examples of decision making are harder to uncover when camouflaged by full frontal nudity.