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Product Description ------------------- James Maxwell stars as King Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty, in this remarkable series, the prequel to the BBC’s award-winning Tudor histories, The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. When Henry, Earl of Richmond, ascended to the throne as King Henry VII in 1485, he would not only unite England after the tumultuous War of the Roses, he would herald the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Era. His reign would set the stage for the Protestant Reformation and the cultural revolution brought about by the Renaissance. Although overshadowed in history by his larger-than-life son and his remarkable granddaughter, his achievements can stand proudly alongside anything accomplished by his descendants. .com ---- Having aired on BBC2 in 1972, The Shadow of the Tower appears so authentic historically that it feels much, much older. Focusing on the rise of King Henry VII and the Tudor Dynasty, this 13-episode miniseries sheds light on not only what it took for a man to have usurped the throne in the 15th century, but also his difficulties in keeping it. Any viewer who has interest in the politics of royalty, as well as viewers who admire the cultural aesthetic of the Middle Ages, will find this program both pleasing to the eyes and highly dramatic. The episodes, having had several different writers, vary in dramatic tone and subject matter, ranging from focus on royal celebrations and fanfare, to religious and cultural matters of the time, to the ways Henry Tudor maintained rule while staving off various threats to the crown. Disc 1 opens with "The Crown in Jeopardy," the episode that introduces Henry Tudor (James Maxwell) in his victory over King Richard, and the lovely Elizabeth of York (Norma West), both of whom star in the remaining episodes. While Queen Elizabeth gossips with her sister about Henry's desire to marry her, Henry Tudor is securing his position against knights around the country who are plotting, just after his crowning, for hostile takeover. The following episodes, "Power in the Land," "The Schooling of Apes," and "The Crowning of Apes," describe Henry and Elizabeth's marriage and pregnancy, and the ways Henry united England, often controversially, by imposing taxes, banning private liveries, and holding public executions of anyone accused of treason. Disc 2's episodes "Serpent and the Comforter" and "The White Hart" are highlights, covering first the merger of church and state during the Tudor reign, and then showing the Tudors' hard-line approach to punishment for oft-accused treason. In "Serpent," a priest is threatened with being burned at the stake for heresy simply for alleging that the church is corrupt, implying that a new era of reason and logic is in the air. In "White Hart," Henry VII decides whether or not to behead his council member, William Stanley (Robert James), for treason. The last half of the series, from episodes like "The Fledgling" to "King Without a Face," focuses on two main plots, the first being Henry and Elizabeth's childrearing and their efforts to marry off their son and daughter in the interest of forging Scottish and Spanish alliances. Secondly, extreme dramas ensue surrounding those "pretenders" like Perkin Warbeck (Richard Warwick) who cl to be the true heir to the throne, while the real boy, the Earl of Warwick (Christopher Neame), has his own problems to deal with. In all, this sweeping period drama allows one to imagine what life was truly like during this turbulent time. It depicts Henry VII with an equal blend of villainy and heroism, giving him a well-rounded character thanks to James Maxwell's excellent performance. There's never a dull moment in the shadow of London Tower. --Trinie Dalton