Acorn Media | 2004 | 776 mins. | NR
Hosted by Dr. David Starkey, noted historian, author and British TV host Monarchy: The Complete Series examines the lineage of the British kings and queens through the 1,500 year-long tradition of monarchy in England, providing a surprisingly entertaining history lesson that looks at the most stable continuation of governance in European history, an evolved form of government that led to the first truly modern nation-state. Granted, eagle-eyed viewers will notice the missing 2007 episode, The Windsors, which brought the series up to the modern day.
At first glance, 1,500 years of the British monarchy might sound like a boring undertaking. Fortunately, Dr. Starkey manages to it all fairly interesting, despite his rather drab, educated delivery. It’s clear he truly enjoys the subject and it’s hard not to enjoy his peering intensity. Some of his facial expressions are funny, though he clearly doesn’t mean them to be. At the same time, he seems to assume his audience lacks knowledge as he informs you of a particular king or queen’s political maneuver or personal vice.
Monarchy: The Complete Series also deserves kudos for using lots of on location footage. We get to see various palaces, battlefields, government buildings and gorgeous estates, with Dr. Starkey present at many of them, which makes the series beautiful to look at. Further, paintings and illustrations, some of them visually processed to give them a fun, 3D effect, as well as many statues and other works of art, add to the package. In the midst of all this, Starkey describes the necessary events while telling the audience things that will likely pique interest. Describing the libidinous Charles II (who fathered 17 illegitimate children) Dr. Starkey intones with a straight face: “The only thing rigid about Charles II was his male member.” Hilarious.
Beyond the moments of hilarity, Starkey successfully intertwines complex political philosophies and personal lives; since Monarchy covers 1,500 years in a 16-hour, five disc set, that’s no small feat. When I first received Monarchy: The Complete Series, I didn’t expect to remain engaged, but I did. One only hopes that Acorn releases 2007’s The Windsors at some point.
Here are the 16 episodes included in the five-disc boxed set, Monarchy with David Starkey: The Complete Series, as described on their slimcases:
A Nation State
The unique idea of a monarch who is answerable to the people has its roots in early Anglo-Saxon kings such as Alfred the Great, the intellectual warrior who united England.
Ængla Land
After decades of pounding by Danish invaders intent on “shock and awe,” England survives and thrives–but faces a true crisis after Edward the Confessor’s death.
Conquest
With a mere 7,000 soldiers, William of Normandy conquers and brutally subjugates a nation of two million, changing England’s culture, social structure, and politics forever.
Dynasty
Charismatic and hot-tempered, Henry II restores order to his realm by law and by the sword. Later in his line, the Magna Carta curbs and codifies royal power.
A United Kingdom
During “the century of Edwards,” the Hammer of the Scots boldly extends his rule over neighboring kingdoms, Edward II loses he crown as a captive of his passions, and Edward III styles himself as a new King Arthur.
Death of a Dynasty
In a kingly conflict dramatized and embellished by Shakespeare, Richard III and his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, vie for the throne and begin a decades-long struggle that threatens the very basis of the English monarchy.
The Crown Imperial
Although Edward IV’s coronation seems to end the War of the Roses, sibling ambitions within the House of York eventually throw the monarchy into turmoil. Henry Tudor forces a dynastic showdown at Bosworth Field and ushers in a new kind of monarchy.
King and Emperor
In his unquenchable thirst for celebrity and torturous quest for a male heir, Henry VIII takes the English monarchy to new heights, asserting power over the souls of his subjects as well as their bodies.
The Shadow of the King
After six marriages ending in two divorces, two executions, and one bereavement, Henry leaves three children with a clear succession plan for the throne. But Edward, Mary and Elizabeth soon face their father’s real legacy: a volatile fusion of politics and religion.
The Stuart Succession
James I takes the throne as the first “king of Great Britain,” ruling not only England, but also Scotland and Ireland. But the Stuart reign soon turns from heady triumph to failure and civil war.
Cromwell-The King Killer
Under the charismatic Oliver Cromwell, Parliament commits a previously unthinkable act: it executes a reigning king. Eventually, the fledgling republic discovers that it needs a monarch after all.
Return of the King
In 1660, King Charles II returned from exile and restored the English monarchy. Could the new king, who famously fathered at least 17 bastard children, turn his fertile mind to healing the wounds of a divided England? Could he secure the Stuart dynasty? What about the succession? This opening program tells the remarkable story of a kind who, through his cunning and savvy, restores the authority of the English crown and lays the foundation for the world’s first modern state.
The Glorious Revolution
When the Catholic James II succeeds his brother on the throne, old wounds reopen. James’ mishandled attempts to promote toleration for Catholics leads to fears of rule by royal tyranny once again. Outraged, Parliament invites James’ daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange, to invade and claim the throne. They restore parliamentary rights to Britain and thus the Glorious Revolution of 1688 is born.
Rule Britannia
Transformed from an insignificant minor state to the greatest power in Europe, England assumes a new name to match its swelling status: Great Britain. The brilliant reigns of William and Mary and Queen Anne help form the foundation of modern Britain, changing the relationship between Crown and Parliament and laying the groundwork for Britain’s unparalleled financial prosperity.
Empire
Able to speak only a few words of broken English, a 54-year-old obscure German prince becomes King George I. Nevertheless, he and his two namesakes, George II and George III, develop relationships with parliamentary leaders, creating a dynamic that survives in British governance today. This episode also chronicles the rebellion in the colonies that leads to the American War of Independence as well as the extraordinary bouts of madness that bring George III to the brink of abdication.
Survival
The French Revolution creates an anti-royalist storm felt all the way across the Channel. Would the British monarchy succumb to the populist fervor sweeping the continent? Would Great Britain withstand the military might of Napoleon? By the mid-19th century, the future of the British crown rests in the hands of an untested 19-year-old girl. Queen Victoria, along with her husband Albert, reinvents the monarchy yet again, reconciling medieval and modern elements into a stable yet progressive reign.
Video and audio quality for Monarchy vary considerably, as might be expected given its many different locations, lighting and acoustic limitations, but the overall quality is fairly good. Besides the occasional grainy, dimly-lit shot—usually in some cramped underground chamber— the image tends to be slightly fuzzy, but it’s rarely a distraction.
The audio is more problematic, with the Dolby stereo track sounding tinny and harsh, and the volume varying significantly between episodes. It’s far from intolerable, but it is occasionally jarring.
Special features are slim: a 16-page booklet containing some additional background on the British monarchy, including a timeline of the reigns, information on Westminster Abbey, and Royal Trivia. There are also text extras, including a biography on Starkey, a gallery of royal places, and bios for some of the monarchs.
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