Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
This Friday, Netflix will unveil The Crown, its gloriously luxe new drama devoted to the early years of Elizabeth II’s reign. The series stars Claire Foy as QE2 and Matt Smith as her dashing husband Prince Phillip. Between the brilliant performances and opulent sets, The Crown makes for one of the most engaging British history dramas ever produced — which is saying something because there have been a lot of great films and televisions shows based around England’s tumultuous history.
In honor of The Crown’s debut, Decider is taking you on a definitive journey through the history of England onscreen. Starting with the larger-than-life legend of King Arthur we’re going through each monarchy and recommending one (or two) titles that will give you a sense of the very human drama behind the constant struggle to maintain the English crown.
Part I takes us from mythical King Arthur to the reign of Edward III.
King Arthur (maybe never)
The legendary King Arthur is a mythical being — or is he? Some archaeologists think he’s a ruler of the Dark Ages. Director Antoine Fuqua tried to sex up the legends and attempted to connect the ruler to Roman History in the film King Arthur. Warning: We think this film is entirely historically incorrect, but hey! Keira Knightley gets to wear blue paint!
[Watch King Arthur on Netflix]
King Egbert of Wessex (c 802-839)
Aethelwulf of Wessex (839 – 858)
Egbert was one of the first kings to not only hold his power against invading armies, but he branched out and ruled all of Britain. For like, you know, a year. Vikings fictionalizes his reign and the politics of the time — and features a glimpse at his son, Aethelwulf.
[Watch Vikings on Prime Video]
Aethelbald, Aethelbert, Aethelred (858 -871)
I’m lumping Aethelwulf’s three eldest sons together because they all had a turn on the throne and all died on it, paving the way for their baby brother….
Alfred the Great (871 – 899)
Alfred the Great is arguably the first truly beloved King of England in history. (Seriously. One Victorian historian called him “The Most Perfect Man In History.”) Alfred was able to defend the British Isles from Viking invasion and set the stage for the nation state to thrive as a superpower. The Last Kingdom follows the journey of a young Saxon kidnapped and raised by Vikings who must decide if he’s loyal to his new family or his old country’s king…Alfred.
[Watch The Last Kingdom on Netflix]
~Various Kings of Yore!~
They did stuff, okay? But none of it’s really on streaming.
William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087)
William Rufus (1087 – 1100)
Want to know something weird? There isn’t a really good definitive take on William the Conqueror or his son, William Rufus. There’s buzz that a TV drama may be in development, but for now, we’ll just have to jump ahead to William Rufus’s successors….
Henry I (1154 – 1189)
Stephen of Blois (1135 – 1154)
When Henry I died without an heir, England was plunged into a dark period known as “The Anarchy.” On one side: Henry’s daughter Maud (the future mother of Henry II) and on the other her cousin Stephen. The Pillars of the Earth focuses on the drama surrounding the schism and the story of how one cathedral gets built. It sounds boring, but it’s a lush miniseries full of sex, romance, magic, and mayhem.
[Where to Stream The Pillars of the Earth]
Henry II (1154 – 1189)
Henry II was an energetic and ambitious king. Through warfare and alliances (namely his marriage to the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine), he expanded England into a small empire that included Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and parts of France. He was also a drama machine. Alas, no one has made the super sexy, super violent young Henry/Eleanor of Aquitaine epic of my dreams yet, but we will always have the superb The Lion in Winter — the riveting drama about the old Henry’s struggle to make peace with his family and his legacy.
[Where to Stream The Lion in Winter]
Richard I (1189 – 1199)
John (1199 – 1216)
Henry and Eleanor had a passel of royal heirs, but two would eventually take the throne: her favorite, Richard the Lionheart, and his favorite, “Prince” John. Richard pushed for the nation’s involvement in the Crusades and John was forced to enact Magna Carta. There are countless takes on this sibling rivalry and how it influences the very well-known tale of Robin Hood. The easiest to stream? The bonkers Kevin Costner version, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. (You could also stream the Disney Robin Hood with the animated fox on Netflix — same amount of historical accuracy by my estimation.)
[Watch Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves on Netflix]
Henry III (1216 – 1272)
When I was researching Henry III on film, all I came up with was a notation that there haven’t been a lot of representations of him in popular culture. The theory? Shakespeare ignored him. Boo!
Edward I (1272 – 1307)
Edward II (1327 – 1377)
Fun fact: Edward I is responsible for many of the most impressive castles (and territory gains) in all of British history, but Americans probably know him and his son best as bad guys in Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. Edward I was a pugnacious warrior known as “Longshanks” and his son was beset by rumors of homosexuality. Edward II’s French queen Isabella eventually staged a coup with a guy named Roger Mortimer — who ruled via her son. They kind of just hinted at all that drama in Braveheart (and erroneously implied that Mel Gibson was Edward III’s dad). Still, the Oscar-winning epic is your best shot at seeing this crazy time in history caught onscreen.
[Where to Stream Braveheart]
Edward III (1327 – 1377)
Hey gang! Don’t worry! Edward III eventually stood up to Roger Mortimer and took over the kingdom for himself. He also happens to be a character in the follow up to The Pillars of the Earth: World Without End. Catch the epic miniseries to get a feel for the state of England on the cusp of one of its most tumultuous periods.
[Watch World Without End on Netflix]
Tomorrow: We kick off with Shakespeare’s “Hollow Crown” series which leads us to the rise and fall of the Tudor dynasty.
