Historical drama chronicling Thomas Cromwell's rise to power. Lacking a male heir, King Henry VIII is desperate to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon.
Thomas Cromwell's patron Cardinal Wolsey is dismissed as lord chancellor and forced to flee his palace at York Place. The old noble families of England, jealous of their own right to advise the king, have long waited for this moment. His hopes of returning to the king's favour lie with the ever-loyal Thomas Cromwell.
Eight years ago, when Cromwell started working for Wolsey, the cardinal made an enemy of Thomas Boleyn by chastising him for his daughter Anne's far-from-virtuous reputation. As rumours circulated in court that Anne was secretly betrothed to Harry Percy, the cardinal insisted that no such match would be allowed.
Still lacking a male heir, the king is desperate for an annulment from his marriage to Katherine of Aragon, claiming she was not a virgin on their wedding day. To Cromwell's dismay, the cardinal's efforts to persuade the pope to grant the annulment are fruitless. An alliance between the pope and Katherine's nephew, the holy Roman emperor, diminishes the cardinal's position even further.
As Henry grows impatient, the pressure increases on the cardinal. To add to this, rumours reach the cardinal that the king's new mistress is Anne Boleyn, who has sworn vengeance on him over Harry Percy.
Cromwell visits Anne, urging her that only the cardinal can secure what she wants, but Anne is unmoved. The duke of Norfolk, nervous of the cardinal's continuing proximity to the king, insists that Cromwell tell Wolsey to travel north to his archdiocese in York. A desperate Cromwell finally meets directly with Henry, but the king is nothing if not ambiguous. Will he recall the cardinal or turn on him?
Last on
More episodes
Previous
You are at the first episode
Ruth Goodman on how to avoid the plague - and the thought police
Clip
-
鈥淰oila! The King of England will be a bachelor鈥
Duration: 01:31
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Thomas Cromwell | Mark Rylance |
King Henry VIII | Damian Lewis |
Anne Boleyn | Claire Foy |
Cardinal Wolsey | Jonathan Pryce |
Duke of Norfolk | Bernard Hill |
Thomas More | Anton Lesser |
Stephen Gardiner | Mark Gatiss |
Eustache Chapuys | Mathieu Amalric |
Katherine of Aragon | Joanne Whalley |
Rafe Sadler | Thomas Brodie-Sangster |
Harry Percy | Harry Lloyd |
Jane Rochford | Jessica Raine |
Johane Williamson | Saskia Reeves |
Mary Boleyn | Charity Wakefield |
Liz Cromwell | Natasha Little |
Richard Cromwell | Joss Porter |
Jane Seymour | Kate Phillips |
George Cavendish | Robert Wilfort |
Duke of Suffolk | Richard Dillane |
Henry Norris | Luke Roberts |
Mark Smeaton | Max Fowler |
Sir Thomas Boleyn | David Robb |
Anne Cromwell | Emilia Jones |
Grace Cromwell | Athena Droutis |
Mercy Pryor | Mary Jo Randle |
Writer | Peter Straughan |
Producer | Mark Pybus |
Director | Peter Kosminsky |
Broadcasts
Featured in...
Classic & Period Drama
Be transported back in time through these compelling period drama pieces.
Drama
Gripping Dramas from 大象传媒 Two
Stream Every Episode
Thrillingly tense, belly-laugh funny, mind-warpingly weird, and full of awwwwww.
Classic Literary Adaptations
LIterary adaptations brought to life in these captivating period dramas
Haunting, Dark Gothic Drama
Spectres of the past return and torment in these brooding gothic Dramas
Critically Acclaimed Drama
Must-see drama, loved by the critics.
大象传媒 Two at 60
A selection of iconic shows celebrating 大象传媒 Two's Diamond Anniversary.
Landmark Drama
Boundary-pushing and era-defining dramas that changed TV - and Britain - forever
iPlayer Archive Category :: Featured Episodes
iPlayer Archive Category featured programmes
A critically acclaimed cast
Wolf Hall stars Mark Rylance, Claire Foy, Damian Lewis and Jonathan Pryce.
How did one family shape modern Britain?
The Tudor dynasty introduced huge changes to England that are still with us today.