The Real Tudors

So the Tudors on Showtime are smoking up the small screen with se -- er, romance and some surprisingly accurate historical events. But the title of the miniseries has some history buffs out of sorts. Henry VIII and his wives weren't the only Tudors, and events both before and after his reign are interesting, too!

For example, this wily-looking fellow to the right was the first Tudor king. If he looks like the cat that swallowed the cream it might be because he snagged the crown against some serious odds. How did it happen? Find out in The Tudor Dynasty: A History in Portraits, the story of the Tudor monarchs, their wives and families, advisors and aides, and the impact they had on British history.

The portrait of Henry VII was painted by Michael Sittow, c. 1500; the graphic is in the public domain.

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