Browse - Most popular shows featuring: 16th century^x

Considered an immigrant, common and plain, Catherine de Medici is married into the 16th century French court as an orphaned teenager expected to bring a fortune in dowry and produce many heirs, only to discover that her husband is in love with an older woman, her dowry is unpaid and she’s unable to concieve. Yet, only with her intelligence and determination, she manages to keep her marriage alive and masters the bloodsport that is the monarchy better than anyone else, ruling France for 50 years.

A drama billed as a fantastical reimagining of the teenage Mary Queen of Scots.

A dramatic series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII.

"The Borgias" is a complex, unvarnished portrait of one of history's most intriguing and infamous dynastic families.

The Spanish Princess, the latest chapter in the dynastic saga of Tudor England, is a powerful, epic story that not only returns the audience to the world of royal court intrigue as seen uniquely through the perspective of the women, but also sheds light on a previously untold corner of history - the lives of people of color, living and working in 16th century London.

Becoming Elizabeth is the fascinating story of the early life of England's most iconic Queen. Long before she ascended the throne, young Elizabeth Tudor was an orphaned teenager who became embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court. With no clear heir, the death of King Henry the VIII sets into motion a dangerous scramble for power. His surviving children find themselves pawns in a game between the great families of England and the powers of Europe who vie for control of the country. Elizabeth struggles to control her own destiny and take real power as the men around her attempt to claim her sovereignty. Her fascinating and factual journey to secure the crown is filled with scheming, betrayal and illicit relationships that threaten to bring forth her demise at a time in which every man or woman of the court is on the wheel of fortune, which may take them to a position of great power one moment, or the executioner's block the next.

Following the fact-based historical book of the same name, this drama will follow the rise of Cromwell as he becomes Henry VIII's closest advisor.

This is based on the book by Melinda Taub. Set in 16th century Verona after the events in William Shakespeare's tragedy, it follows the conflict between the Capulets and the Montagues in the wake of Romeo and Juliet's deaths. In the book, to end the family feud, Prince Escalus orders the most eligible Montague bachelor, Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, to marry Juliet's older cousin, Capulet maid Rosaline, the girl Romeo first loved.

The wild story of young William Shakespeare's arrival onto the punk rock theater scene that was 16th century London - the seductive, violent world where his raw talent faced rioting audiences, religious fanatics and raucous side-shows. It's the hot, contemporary, dangerous version of Shakespeare's life, played to a modern soundtrack, exposing all his recklessness, lustful temptations and brilliance.

The six-parter about the life of William Shakespeare will air as part of the BBC Shakespeare Festival2016. David Mitchell (Peep Show) will play the Bard at the beginning of his career. Also featured are Harry Enfield, Paula Wilcox, Liza Tarbuck and Game Of Thrones' Gemma Whelan.

A docu-drama about the warring kingdoms of feudal Japan that is described as a real-life Game of Thrones.

Anne Boleyn explores her struggle to stay alive in the final months of her life, as she endeavors to secure her daughter's future and challenge the patriarchy as her execution hangs over her head.

Set in 1519, Hernán turns on the conquest of Mexico by Cortés and his troops, and is narrated by the protagonists of this momentous time in Mexico and Spain's history, from Moctezuma to Alvarado, Olid to Malintzin.

Sin límites tells the story of the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Captained by the Portuguese Fernando de Magallanes, 239 sailors left Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz, Spain) on August 20, 1519. Three years later, only 18 starving and sick sailors returned in the only ship that resisted the trip, led by the Spanish sailor, Juan Sebastián Elcano.

An Ottoman corsair and later admiral of the Ottoman Navy. Barbaros' naval victories secured Ottoman dominance over the Mediterranean during the mid 16th century.

Seville, 16th century. During a terrible plague epidemic, the corpses of several murdered people are found, as an omen of the end of the world. Seville was one of the main cities of the Western world. Known as the Great Babylon, it was home to people of all races, where fifty different languages were spoken, and all the gold from America arrived into its port. It was one of the smelliest, most beautiful cities in the world, and the setting for this unique, character- driven thriller.

The rise and fall of the Boleyns. A story of love, sex and betrayal, told from the the family's unique perspective.

Elizabeth I may be remembered as the greatest monarch to rule England, but during her lifetime she was beset by enemies and hers was a life of constant battling.

16th century Firenze, Italy. One girl, One ARTistic ambition!The birthplace of the renaissance era, where art is thriving. In one small corner of this vast city, one sheltered girl's journey begins. She dreams of becoming an artist, an impossible career for a girl born into a noble family. In those days, art was an exclusively male profession, with woman facing strong discrimination. In spite of these challenges, Arte perseveres with hard work and a positive attitude!

In the year 1532, Mendoza, a Spanish Navigator, Estaban, a young orphan, Zia, a young Incan girl, and a band of Spanish sailors set sail from Barcelona in search of El Dorado, the Mysterious City of Gold. Each is on a personal quest of discovery, heritage, and wealth.

Golden years of the Ottoman Empire, a television series comes to life again. Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent vital, in all its glory is set to become guest homes. Hirsi, loves, wars, and get ready to live in this time period with all the struggle.

Elizabeth I sheds light on both the personal and public side of England's most enigmatic queen. The daughter of King Henry VIII, Elizabeth I (1533-1603) reunited a nation divided by religious strife, faced down the Spanish Armada and, after an unprecedented 45-year reign, died one of England's best-loved monarchs. During her time as Queen, poets and playwrights wrote about her, artists painted her, and composers dedicated works to her, all contributing to the legend of the "Virgin Queen" who never married. In the public's mind, Elizabeth's romantic life is nearly completely overshadowed by her political achievements and military triumphs. Elizabeth I looks beyond the myth at the woman behind the crown, striking a balance between the queen's desire to find love and passion, and her responsibility to the monarchy.

Historian Lucy Worsley time travels back to the Tudor Court to witness some of the most dramatic moments in the lives of Henry VIII's six wives. Combining drama based on eye witness accounts, historical sources and Lucy's own contemporary historical comment, Lucy moves seamlessly from the present to the past. In a world run by men where the king had ultimate power, each queen (as well as their ladies in waiting) found their own unique methods of exerting influence. For the first time, it is these women's stories that Lucy wants to uncover, witness and explore, as well as offering her own take on Henry himself.

Set against the brutal landscape of rebellion against religious repression, 'Gunpowder, Treason and Plot' dramalises the short reign of Mary, Queen of Scots and the extraordinary battle of her son, James I, with the Catholic conspiracy against him

Elizabeth I's Secret Agents is a three-part series that uncovers the network of spymasters and secret agents that helped protect Queen Elizabeth I from assassination, terror and treason for over 40 years. During a period when Britain was divided, unstable and violent, one of the world's first secret services was born. Run by William and Robert Cecil, this father and son team had the duty of protecting the Queen and the Country. This series asks leading historians to each study the period from a different key player's point of view, dissecting the minds and motivations of the protagonists, to reveal a covert spy network - and present a picture of the Elizabethan Court as it really was. This series takes us through the biggest events of the period, from the entrapment and execution of Mary Queen of Scots to the death of Queen Elizabeth I, the capture and escape of Catholic fugitive John Gerard and the most infamous terrorist conspiracy in British history - the Gunpowder Plot.