Episode list

At the age of 13, crowned, of age, the heir of the Sun King takes the reins of his kingdom. But the health of Louis XV is fragile. It is urgent to marry him in order to give an heir to the throne. In the name of peace, the king was engaged to the Spanish infanta, who was only 7 years old. Determined to reverse this alliance, his ministers set out to find a new queen for France. The choice of the Polish Marie Leszczynska created a scandal and led to a new war in Europe.

In the turbulent formative centuries of early Europe, power-hungry family dynasties fought for domination of the continent. The conflicting ambitions of the Plantagenet king of England, Edward III, and the Valois king of France, Philip VI, brought intrigue, war, kidnapping and mayhem to France.

Louis XI of France faced a formidable range of enemies when he ascended the throne. English kings and Burgundian dukes had eyes for the monarchy of France. This is the story of how Louis battled, schemed, bribed and even arranged marriages, all in a quest to keep his kingdom.

In 15th Century France confusion reigns with a king who goes mad, dauphines who die as teenagers, a queen who switches allegiances between rival dukes and multiple assassinations. And then, of course, there was the English king, Henry V, who also claimed the throne of France.