The Church & State King…

The Tudors is a historical fiction television series set primarily in 16th-century England, centering on the tumultuous reign of King Henry VIII. Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as the infamous monarch, with the series created and written by Michael Hirst for the cable network Showtime. Though named after the Tudor dynasty as a whole, the narrative focuses specifically on Henry VIII’s personal and political life.

British Isles, 16th century Dutch map. This shows England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, though Ireland is not yet accurately mapped. Published in 1595, from work by Gerard Mercator.

Hans Holbein the Younger: Portrait of Henry VIII of England Portrait of Henry VIII of England, oil on wood by Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1537; in the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII of England in "The Tudors" (2007-10) Photo credit: BBC Two, CBC Television, and Showtime

Executive producer and Creator/Writer Michael Hirst poses for photos on the red carpet at the World Premiere party for season 2 of the Showtime original series "The Tudors" at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers on March 19, 2008 in New York City Photo by Jemal Countess/WireImage

An infographic illustrating the genealogy and royal succession of the House of Tudor that held the throne of England and its realms from 1485 to 1603. With predominantly Welsh origins in the male line, the dynasty descended from the Tudors of Penmynydd and Catherine of Valois (a daughter of Charles VI of France and mother of Henry VI) and won the crown of the Kingdom of England following Henry VII Tudor’s victory against Richard III that ended the Wars of the Roses. Ruling for 118 years, the Tudors succeeded the House of Plantagenet and gave England some of its most iconic monarchs, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I of England, before opening the way to the House of Stuart.

Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Callum Blue, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy Nick Dunning,and Gabrielle Anwar in "The Tudors" (2007-10) Photo credit: BBC Two, CBC Television, and Showtime

A co-production between American, British, and Canadian partners, The Tudors was filmed largely in Ireland and produced by Peace Arch Entertainment in association with Reveille Eire, Working Title Television, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Ahead of its official Showtime premiere, the first two episodes were made available through DirecTV, Time Warner Cable OnDemand, Netflix, Verizon FiOS On Demand, IMDb, and the show’s official website. The series premiered on Showtime on April 1, 2007, becoming the network’s highest-rated drama in three years.

Director Ciaran Donnelly and actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers on the set of 'The Tudors'. Pics: Garry O'Neill

Following its strong debut, The Tudors was renewed for a second season later that month. The series ran for four seasons on Showtime with the series finale broadcast on June 20, 2010.

The Tudors is the Featured Television Blog of the month for July, for its theme of films and series that reshape our view of history, you can expect a detailed critique of the series where we look at the real history of Henry VIII, There is also a recommendation that includes a look at how Henry VIII dramatically altered the relationship between church and state in England. There is also a detailed review of the series that looks at truth about power being told even through the inaccuracies in the series. For the interview, Jonathan Rhys Meyers sat down with BUILD Series in 2018 and reflected on The Tudors. There is also a Top Ten List, and for The Tudors, My Top Ten Tudor Movies/Series. Last but not least, the Featured Television Blog of the month includes an Official Trailer for the featured series!