In 1536, King Henry VIII's request that Thomas Cromwell find a way to rid him of Anne Boleyn - a sentiment supported by others, who wish for Jane Seymour to take her place - leads to a series of allegations and revelations.
Cromwell is stripped of his titles and brought to the Tower of London on a charge of treason. He has no friends to speak for him but plenty of enemies among his prosecutors.
In 1533, Anne Boleyn has given birth to a daughter, much to King Henry VIII's disdain. As Anne's paranoia over her inability to produce a son grows, Thomas Cromwell tries to convince Sir Thomas More to sanctify the royal marriage.
In 1531, King Henry VIII has proposed a bill which will make him the Head of the Church in England and allow him to marry Anne Boleyn. However, his plans are met with a series of complications.
In 1535, King Henry VIII's attempt to be declared Head of the Church in England has been denied by the Holy Roman Emperor. Meanwhile, Anne Boleyn's failure to produce a male heir leads Henry toward Jane Seymour.
As 1529 draws to a close, Cardinal Wolsey moves to York while Thomas Cromwell attempts to gain support for him from King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and in the process, gradually wins favor for himself.
Cromwell's marital diplomacy brings Princess Anne of Cleves to Henry's court. Will the alliance create a Protestant superpower in northern Europe, or has Cromwell's luck run out?
After Anne Boleyn's death, the young queen's blood is sluiced from the scaffold and Thomas Cromwell picks his way across the wreckage to take up his position as principal councillor.
In 1529, as Cardinal Wolsey receives news of his dismissal as Lord Chancellor, his lawyer, Thomas Cromwell, reminisces about how he and Wolsey met and the events leading up to the Cardinal's downfall.
As the dissolution of the monasteries gathers speed, Cromwell makes a personal pilgrimage to Shaftesbury Abbey to speak with a young nun who profoundly shakes his view of himself.
