1 00:00:02,660 --> 00:00:06,699 Nearly 600 years ago, England was torn apart 2 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:10,160 by a series of bloody battles for the throne. 3 00:00:11,660 --> 00:00:15,659 In just 30 years, the crown changed hands seven times. 4 00:00:15,660 --> 00:00:17,299 (BATTLE CRIES) 5 00:00:17,300 --> 00:00:19,819 Tens of thousands were slaughtered. 6 00:00:19,820 --> 00:00:21,920 (SQUELCHING) Agh! 7 00:00:22,380 --> 00:00:27,320 It was one of the most turbulent and violent periods in British history. 8 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:32,080 It's known as the Wars of the Roses. 9 00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:38,579 This is Bosworth Field, this is where it all ends, 10 00:00:38,580 --> 00:00:42,440 with the most famous battle of this whole violent time. 11 00:00:43,460 --> 00:00:48,099 Henry Tudor, a minor noble and rank outsider, 12 00:00:48,100 --> 00:00:51,699 beats the infamous Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth 13 00:00:51,700 --> 00:00:54,179 and becomes Henry VII, 14 00:00:54,180 --> 00:00:56,520 the first Tudor king. 15 00:00:58,300 --> 00:01:02,419 But how on earth does Henry Tudor, a royal nobody, 16 00:01:02,420 --> 00:01:05,560 come from nowhere to defeat the King of England? 17 00:01:06,060 --> 00:01:09,699 Well, I think his victory's engineered by one person. 18 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:12,240 Not a duke or a baron, but a woman. 19 00:01:12,700 --> 00:01:17,219 She manipulates and politics her way to the heart of a royal revolution 20 00:01:17,220 --> 00:01:20,139 that will change the course of English history. 21 00:01:20,140 --> 00:01:22,680 Her name is Margaret Beaufort. 22 00:01:25,620 --> 00:01:30,059 Margaret Beaufort's story spans the whole of the Wars of the Roses. 23 00:01:30,060 --> 00:01:33,440 She works in the shadows through three decades of turmoil 24 00:01:35,020 --> 00:01:37,179 to protect her only child. 25 00:01:37,180 --> 00:01:38,899 (BATTLE CRIES) 26 00:01:38,900 --> 00:01:42,019 Unbelievably, in a time of warrior kings, 27 00:01:42,020 --> 00:01:45,099 it's this woman who ends the conflict 28 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:48,619 when she manoeuvres her son, Henry Tudor, 29 00:01:48,620 --> 00:01:50,720 onto the throne of England. 30 00:02:04,220 --> 00:02:06,320 (WIND HOWLS AND BIRDS CAW) 31 00:02:06,700 --> 00:02:08,800 (BELL TOLLS) 32 00:02:12,020 --> 00:02:14,120 (BATTLE CRIES) 33 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:44,040 As England descends into bloody chaos, 34 00:02:45,300 --> 00:02:48,099 in a windswept castle in Wales... 35 00:02:48,100 --> 00:02:50,200 Aargh! 36 00:02:51,860 --> 00:02:53,859 Agh! 37 00:02:53,860 --> 00:02:56,400 ...a 13-year-old girl is in labour. 38 00:02:58,260 --> 00:03:00,360 (SOBS) 39 00:03:03,340 --> 00:03:05,440 Aaargh! 40 00:03:06,420 --> 00:03:09,139 Even by Mediaeval standards, 41 00:03:09,140 --> 00:03:12,720 Margaret Beaufort is obscenely young to be pregnant. 42 00:03:13,620 --> 00:03:15,720 - Come forth... - Aargh! 43 00:03:17,620 --> 00:03:19,720 (TINKLING) 44 00:03:22,700 --> 00:03:24,699 (LABOURED BREATHS) 45 00:03:24,700 --> 00:03:27,019 Argh! 46 00:03:27,020 --> 00:03:31,960 The birth is so traumatic she will never bear another child. 47 00:03:32,380 --> 00:03:35,040 (ECHOES) Aaaaargh! 48 00:03:39,580 --> 00:03:43,560 All her hopes are bound up in this one baby boy. 49 00:03:47,660 --> 00:03:50,840 She christens him Henry, Henry Tudor. 50 00:03:52,300 --> 00:03:55,859 This 13-year-old girl and her baby son 51 00:03:55,860 --> 00:03:58,400 will change the face of England. 52 00:04:01,460 --> 00:04:04,139 Right from the start, Margaret and her son 53 00:04:04,140 --> 00:04:06,179 are in a struggle for survival. 54 00:04:06,180 --> 00:04:12,059 As if being a mother at 13 wasn't enough, Margaret's also a widow. 55 00:04:12,060 --> 00:04:16,299 Her husband, little Henry's father, was an obscure nobleman, 56 00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:20,859 Edmund Tudor, who died of plague three months ago. 57 00:04:20,860 --> 00:04:26,160 In the Mediaeval world, power and control are exercised by men. 58 00:04:26,940 --> 00:04:30,480 Without a husband, Margaret is virtually helpless. 59 00:04:31,220 --> 00:04:35,920 Now her only protector is Edmund's brother, Jasper Tudor. 60 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:41,880 - I'm sorry... - No, no, he may enter. 61 00:04:45,180 --> 00:04:47,920 But Jasper's power to protect her is limited. 62 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:52,040 May I? 63 00:04:53,020 --> 00:04:57,339 Margaret's late husband Edmund Tudor, and his brother Jasper Tudor, 64 00:04:57,340 --> 00:04:59,440 are half-brothers of the King. 65 00:05:00,780 --> 00:05:02,259 Henry. 66 00:05:02,260 --> 00:05:04,640 Unfortunately, it's the wrong half. 67 00:05:06,020 --> 00:05:11,139 Edmund and Jasper share the same mother as the incompetent Henry VI, 68 00:05:11,140 --> 00:05:13,139 but their father was no king. 69 00:05:13,140 --> 00:05:16,499 He was the dowager queen's handsome Welsh squire 70 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:18,979 Owen Tudor, basically a nobody. 71 00:05:18,980 --> 00:05:23,139 Because their connection to royalty is through their mother, 72 00:05:23,140 --> 00:05:26,339 it's so obscure it's basically worthless. 73 00:05:26,340 --> 00:05:31,019 Everything the Tudor boys have is owed to the grace and favour 74 00:05:31,020 --> 00:05:34,800 of their half-brother, Henry VI. 75 00:05:35,220 --> 00:05:38,179 As long as little Henry's uncle is on the throne, 76 00:05:38,180 --> 00:05:41,499 looking favourably on them, Margaret and her baby son 77 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:43,600 are relatively safe. 78 00:05:44,740 --> 00:05:47,160 But Henry VI is a useless king. 79 00:05:48,540 --> 00:05:50,640 His rule is under attack. 80 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:53,600 (BATTLE CRIES) 81 00:05:54,020 --> 00:05:58,600 If the King goes, Margaret and baby Henry could lose everything. 82 00:06:00,140 --> 00:06:02,240 (BABY CRIES) 83 00:06:02,820 --> 00:06:07,579 As a Mediaeval widow, Margaret knows what she must do to protect herself 84 00:06:07,580 --> 00:06:09,680 and her baby son. 85 00:06:11,780 --> 00:06:13,739 (CRIES) 86 00:06:13,740 --> 00:06:15,840 Find a new husband. 87 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:22,859 But that decision comes with a heavy price. 88 00:06:22,860 --> 00:06:24,960 It's time. 89 00:06:25,620 --> 00:06:30,739 Under Mediaeval law, if she remarries Margaret must give up her son 90 00:06:30,740 --> 00:06:32,840 to his nearest male relative. 91 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:35,800 She can't take him with her. 92 00:06:38,340 --> 00:06:43,259 But Margaret's smart, and at 13 already a ruthless pragmatist. 93 00:06:43,260 --> 00:06:46,139 She knows her baby will be safe at Pembroke, 94 00:06:46,140 --> 00:06:49,160 looked after by his trusted uncle, Jasper. 95 00:06:55,100 --> 00:06:57,659 Just two months after Henry's birth, 96 00:06:57,660 --> 00:07:00,219 with Edmund barely cold in the ground, 97 00:07:00,220 --> 00:07:05,019 Margaret rides out from here with Jasper to find a new husband. 98 00:07:05,020 --> 00:07:08,579 And that's pretty extraordinary. She's practically a child. 99 00:07:08,580 --> 00:07:11,379 She's just been through a traumatic birth, 100 00:07:11,380 --> 00:07:14,299 and she's riding through a plague-ridden 101 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:16,619 and politically unstable land. 102 00:07:16,620 --> 00:07:21,299 Plus, as a Mediaeval woman, the job of finding her a husband 103 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:23,939 would normally been down to her guardian. 104 00:07:23,940 --> 00:07:28,059 So this is someone who wants control of her own destiny. 105 00:07:28,060 --> 00:07:31,139 And what she really wants is the power and the influence 106 00:07:31,140 --> 00:07:33,680 to protect herself and her son. 107 00:07:34,140 --> 00:07:36,240 She's got the perfect match in mind. 108 00:07:36,660 --> 00:07:38,760 (INDISTINCT CHATTER) 109 00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:41,859 In January 1458, 110 00:07:41,860 --> 00:07:44,299 after the bare minimum period of mourning, 111 00:07:44,300 --> 00:07:47,880 Margaret marries her second husband, Henry Stafford. 112 00:07:55,980 --> 00:07:58,139 They look an unlikely couple. 113 00:07:58,140 --> 00:08:01,200 She's barely a teenager, he's in his thirties. 114 00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:08,120 But in reality, Margaret's engineered an incredibly smart match. 115 00:08:08,780 --> 00:08:10,880 (LAUGHTER AND CHATTER) 116 00:08:13,580 --> 00:08:16,099 As a man from an important noble family 117 00:08:16,100 --> 00:08:20,680 Stafford's got power, but as a second son almost no money. 118 00:08:24,580 --> 00:08:29,419 Margaret is the sole heir to the Beaufort fortune. She's loaded. 119 00:08:29,420 --> 00:08:31,440 But as a woman she's powerless. 120 00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:37,539 Together they have the essential ingredients to prosper 121 00:08:37,540 --> 00:08:39,640 in a Mediaeval world. 122 00:08:41,540 --> 00:08:44,160 Money and power. 123 00:08:46,860 --> 00:08:50,179 This makes it a marriage of mutual respect, 124 00:08:50,180 --> 00:08:52,280 even affection. 125 00:08:53,220 --> 00:08:55,819 This is quite a turnaround for Margaret. 126 00:08:55,820 --> 00:08:59,299 Her estates are flourishing, she's in a successful marriage, 127 00:08:59,300 --> 00:09:01,779 and her son is secure. 128 00:09:01,780 --> 00:09:04,819 But then, just three years into her marriage, 129 00:09:04,820 --> 00:09:07,600 her comfortable life is turned upside down. 130 00:09:10,180 --> 00:09:12,280 (GRUNTS) 131 00:09:12,940 --> 00:09:18,400 It all goes wrong for Margaret on a frozen battlefield in Yorkshire. 132 00:09:19,860 --> 00:09:22,280 Henry VI's army is annihilated. 133 00:09:24,900 --> 00:09:28,120 Now there's a young and charismatic new king. 134 00:09:28,460 --> 00:09:30,560 Aagh! 135 00:09:32,620 --> 00:09:34,779 Edward IV. 136 00:09:34,780 --> 00:09:38,000 - Long live the King! - (MEN) Long live the King! 137 00:09:42,660 --> 00:09:46,059 Margaret's family is on the losing side. 138 00:09:46,060 --> 00:09:50,320 Her husband, Stafford, fought against Edward in the battle. 139 00:09:56,500 --> 00:09:58,600 Move it! 140 00:09:59,300 --> 00:10:02,120 He's lucky to escape with his life. 141 00:10:04,460 --> 00:10:07,219 And it just gets worse for Margaret. 142 00:10:07,220 --> 00:10:10,779 Pembroke Castle, where he son lives with his uncle, Jasper, 143 00:10:10,780 --> 00:10:12,880 is taken by Edward's men. 144 00:10:14,260 --> 00:10:16,360 Jasper escapes. 145 00:10:17,420 --> 00:10:21,539 But Margaret's little boy Henry, just five years old, 146 00:10:21,540 --> 00:10:23,419 is left behind. 147 00:10:23,420 --> 00:10:26,379 - He must be here somewhere. - We can still find him. 148 00:10:26,380 --> 00:10:31,099 - We'll go right. - Make sure you search everywhere. 149 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:33,640 - Cupboards, wardrobes. - Yes, sir. 150 00:10:34,020 --> 00:10:36,699 - Anything? - He's not here. 151 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:41,459 - Right, back to the courtyard. - He must've gone. Now, soldier. 152 00:10:41,460 --> 00:10:44,720 - (SIGHS) A waste of time. - (FOOTSTEPS RECEDE) 153 00:10:48,980 --> 00:10:51,019 (DOOR BANGS SHUT) 154 00:10:51,020 --> 00:10:53,339 (FIRE CRACKLES) 155 00:10:53,340 --> 00:10:55,379 (LOUD THUD) 156 00:10:55,380 --> 00:10:57,320 - Got you, boy. - Aargh! 157 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,260 - Long live the King! - (MEN) Long live the King! 158 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,380 DRAMATIC MUSIC 159 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,180 (BELLOWS) 160 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,999 Margaret's son, Henry Tudor, 161 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,660 is in the hands of one of the new king's men. 162 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,879 As a noble child he is at least being honourably brought up 163 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,239 and is safe from harm. 164 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,580 But separated from his family he's effectively a prisoner. 165 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,940 And worst of all, the new king strips little Henry of all his lands. 166 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:03,039 The thing to understand is that in the Middle Ages land means security, 167 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,039 it brings you power, it makes you important. 168 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,439 Ultimately, it protects you. 169 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,079 Without his lands, Henry's position is increasingly shaky - 170 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,260 and Margaret knows it. 171 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,900 (NEIGHS) 172 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,639 So now Margaret has a new mission. 173 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,340 Get her young son's lands restored to him. 174 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:35,279 To do that she must turn her enemies into allies 175 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,900 and ingratiate herself with the new king, Edward IV. 176 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,239 This can't have been easy for Margaret. She was allied emotionally 177 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,999 and physically with Henry VI. 178 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,999 After all, her son is his nephew. 179 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,719 And now, in order to protect her son, 180 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:55,500 she has to cosy up with Henry's mortal enemy. 181 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,239 Her husband Stafford swears loyalty to the new king 182 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,340 and gets them both a pardon. 183 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:11,020 Finally, after five years of hardcore schmoozing, 184 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:16,319 Margaret persuades Edward IV to return an estate to her 185 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,940 that he'd snatched from her Beaufort family. 186 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,359 This is what remains of Woking Palace, 187 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:31,519 a place we know was very dear to Margaret's heart. 188 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,999 Now, today, it's just a few brick walls, 189 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:39,420 but in its time this was a huge and sprawling manor house. 190 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,359 Now the fact that Margaret was allowed all of this splendour 191 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,679 and wealth, in an age where land equals power, is a sign 192 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:48,799 that she'd finally persuaded 193 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,580 King Edward IV that he could trust her. 194 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,559 Two years later, always keen to promote her interests, 195 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:00,679 Margaret and her husband Stafford 196 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:03,439 invite Edward to Woking for a hunting party. 197 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,540 (ANIMAL SNORTS) 198 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,220 (SQUELCH) (SQUEALS) 199 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,820 (NEIGHS) 200 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,700 Now 25, 201 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,700 Margaret dresses for the King in her finest velvets 202 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,700 and orders the very best hospitality. 203 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,279 - My Lady Margaret. - Your Grace, 204 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:35,639 we are honoured by your presence. 205 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,999 You are truly the mightiest of hunters. 206 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,439 Your lands are most abundant for the hunt. 207 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,540 Truly, there is so much game here. 208 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,660 Perhaps I should regret returning this estate to your care. 209 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:55,100 But, I do not believe it could be in more loyal hands. 210 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,719 Margaret must be feeling pretty confident that the restoration 211 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,140 of her young son's lands can't be far away. 212 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:12,580 But then, barely nine months later, everything's turned on its head. 213 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:18,359 Edward IV falls out with his most powerful ally, the Earl of Warwick. 214 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,460 Your move, cousin. 215 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,119 (BANGS OPEN) 216 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:27,679 Your Majesty, Warwick's troops are close. 217 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,439 (WOMEN SCREAM) 218 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,959 They're coming through the East Gate. 219 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,999 Warwick stages a coup, the King is forced to run for his life 220 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:37,799 from Warwick's men. 221 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,999 On October 3rd, 1470, 222 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,900 Warwick releases Henry VI from the Tower. 223 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,199 Long live the King! 224 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,260 And, unbelievably, puts him back on the throne. 225 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,439 This is an incredible opportunity for Margaret, 226 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,780 and she seizes it with both hands. 227 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,879 With her son's uncle back in power, 228 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,500 this is Margaret's chance to get her boy's lands back. 229 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,919 So without missing a beat, she heads straight to London 230 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,959 and comes here, to the Palace of Westminster, 231 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,079 to sort things out with the King himself. 232 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,479 But after cosying up to Edward IV, 233 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,399 the bloke who kicked Henry off the throne, 234 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,500 this is a risky play. 235 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,620 - My Lady Margaret. - My Liege... 236 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,839 ...and true king. It gladdens my heart to see you restored 237 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,420 to your rightful place after so long. 238 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,340 But Margaret has an ace up her sleeve. 239 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:46,839 My son. 240 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,959 After nine years, she's reunited with Henry, 241 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:53,959 now almost 14. She's brought him to meet his uncle, 242 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,980 and there's a lot riding on his debut at court. 243 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,660 Henry Tudor, 244 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,420 named for you, my king. 245 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,140 Come. 246 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,100 Closer. 247 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,519 Out of the blue, Henry VI makes an astonishing prediction 248 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,580 about his young half-nephew. 249 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,159 One day 250 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,820 you will assume the helm of state. 251 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,900 You are destined to hold everything in your grasp. 252 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,940 He seems to be suggesting that Henry will one day succeed him as king. 253 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,079 That's a pretty amazing thing for Margaret to hear, 254 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,119 but it must at least encourage her to know that 255 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:55,959 she's on track to get her son's lands back. 256 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:00,020 And, after all, that's the one thing she really cares about. 257 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,380 But just six months later, 258 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,420 Margaret's world is turned upside down 259 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:11,740 yet again. 260 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,239 Margaret's here at Woking when she receives this letter 261 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,039 from her husband, Henry Stafford. 262 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,239 Now the original is at St John's College, Cambridge, 263 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,439 and is a mere scrap of paper, hardly legible, 264 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,839 but when we blow it up to this size you can see it's been written 265 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,580 in a real hurry, and it's in Stafford's own hand. 266 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,759 And he says, "I bequeath my soul to Our Lady St Mary" 267 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,799 and all the holy company of heaven, 268 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:47,599 "and my body to be buried whereas it shall best please God that I die." 269 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,439 So this is Stafford's very hastily made will, 270 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,559 and the fact he's sending it here to Margaret is incredibly poignant, 271 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,599 because he's sending her a message, he's telling her 272 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,060 that he's going into battle and he might never make it home. 273 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:07,900 (WIND HOWLS) 274 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:18,660 Edward IV has returned to take back the throne from Henry VI. 275 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:24,340 Stafford swore loyalty to Edward to protect his family. 276 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,020 Now he's got to make good on that promise. 277 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,159 This is a nightmare for Margaret. 278 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,559 She's caught between her loyalty to Henry 279 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,980 and her husband's pledge to Edward. 280 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:40,039 On the 14th of April, 1471, 281 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:44,119 Stafford goes into battle alongside Edward at Barnet, 282 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:47,020 to crush the man who put Henry VI back on the throne. 283 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,380 The Earl of Warwick. 284 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:52,839 Forward! 285 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,940 (BATTLE CRIES) 286 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:10,700 (CLANKING) 287 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,020 Argh! 288 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:17,820 - Yah! - Aargh! 289 00:20:19,120 --> 00:20:20,519 Argh! 290 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,620 (FIRE CRACKLES) 291 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,540 Margaret can't go to the battleground herself. 292 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,420 But she can't just sit around and wait for news. 293 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,679 She dispatches a rider from Woking 294 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,639 to find out what's happening to her husband. 295 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:41,740 (BATTLE CRIES) 296 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,260 ♪ I cross this land 297 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:54,460 ♪ I cross the sea 298 00:20:55,840 --> 00:21:01,860 ♪ I cross my heart 299 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:07,940 ♪ That you come home to thee 300 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:15,900 ♪ I take your hand 301 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:21,079 ♪ To save my soul 302 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,399 (LOUD SQUELCH) 303 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:29,999 ♪ In your embrace 304 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:37,380 ♪ I found my home... ♪ 305 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,119 (DOOR BURSTS OPEN) 306 00:21:40,120 --> 00:21:44,180 When Margaret's rider returns he brings grave news. 307 00:22:00,060 --> 00:22:02,160 (GROANS) 308 00:22:11,820 --> 00:22:13,920 No! 309 00:22:18,220 --> 00:22:20,459 Edward IV is back, 310 00:22:20,460 --> 00:22:23,640 and this time he's not in a conciliatory mood. 311 00:22:24,420 --> 00:22:26,840 He begins a purge of the old king's allies. 312 00:22:27,660 --> 00:22:29,760 Make sure it's done. 313 00:22:34,420 --> 00:22:38,259 He has two of Margaret's closest relatives put to death. 314 00:22:38,260 --> 00:22:40,360 (DULL THUD) 315 00:22:44,900 --> 00:22:47,659 This is incredibly traumatic for Margaret. 316 00:22:47,660 --> 00:22:51,099 If Edward IV is exterminating the old king's relatives, 317 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:55,400 then she must realise that her son, Henry VI's nephew, 318 00:22:58,220 --> 00:23:00,299 will be next on the list. 319 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:03,939 So forget fighting for his lands, forget about politics, 320 00:23:03,940 --> 00:23:08,560 now she's just a mother fighting for the life of her son. 321 00:23:10,220 --> 00:23:14,480 Her young son Henry is with his uncle, Jasper, at Pembroke Castle. 322 00:23:16,060 --> 00:23:20,059 Margaret sends one of her loyal servants to save his life. 323 00:23:20,060 --> 00:23:22,139 Go to my son this instant. 324 00:23:22,140 --> 00:23:24,960 She sends one very simple message. 325 00:23:25,380 --> 00:23:27,480 What should I tell him, My Lady? 326 00:23:30,100 --> 00:23:31,499 Run. 327 00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:33,600 Run for your life. 328 00:23:37,940 --> 00:23:41,120 14-year-old Henry Tudor flees England. 329 00:23:45,020 --> 00:23:47,419 (DOOR OPENS) 330 00:23:47,420 --> 00:23:50,040 - My Lady. - Is he safely gone? 331 00:23:52,900 --> 00:23:55,000 He is. 332 00:23:57,340 --> 00:24:00,339 Exiled in Brittany, Henry is safe, 333 00:24:00,340 --> 00:24:03,579 but Margaret has no idea if she will ever see her son again. 334 00:24:03,580 --> 00:24:05,680 (FIRE CRACKLES) 335 00:24:13,540 --> 00:24:15,640 (BIRDSONG) 336 00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:29,240 It's a disastrous year for Margaret. 337 00:24:33,940 --> 00:24:36,419 She not only loses her son, 338 00:24:36,420 --> 00:24:38,520 she loses her husband. 339 00:24:39,140 --> 00:24:42,360 In October, Stafford dies of his battle wounds. 340 00:24:59,780 --> 00:25:04,080 At the age of 28, Margaret is a widow for the second time. 341 00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:09,800 She's alone and vulnerable. 342 00:25:10,540 --> 00:25:14,419 She's already lived through three regime changes and two husbands. 343 00:25:14,420 --> 00:25:18,499 Every time she blinks, the world around her changes. 344 00:25:18,500 --> 00:25:22,619 But her mission hasn't. To save her son, save herself. 345 00:25:22,620 --> 00:25:26,480 Well, her son's safe in exile, now she needs to survive, too. 346 00:25:29,660 --> 00:25:32,019 She does what she always does. 347 00:25:32,020 --> 00:25:35,720 Takes a deep breath and makes the pragmatic call. 348 00:25:36,700 --> 00:25:40,680 She's faced with the same problem she had as a 13-year-old widow. 349 00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:43,819 She needs security. 350 00:25:43,820 --> 00:25:45,979 She needs protection. 351 00:25:45,980 --> 00:25:48,920 In Mediaeval England that means only one thing. 352 00:25:50,500 --> 00:25:52,600 A husband. 353 00:25:55,100 --> 00:25:56,939 In June 1472, 354 00:25:56,940 --> 00:25:59,840 Margaret marries Lord Thomas Stanley. 355 00:26:02,500 --> 00:26:06,440 Little do they know that their match will change history. 356 00:26:08,460 --> 00:26:12,259 Unlike her previous husband, Stanley is immensely rich. 357 00:26:12,260 --> 00:26:15,259 But that's not really what Margaret's interested in. 358 00:26:15,260 --> 00:26:17,259 She's got enough wealth of her own. 359 00:26:17,260 --> 00:26:19,739 What she wants is Stanley's influence, 360 00:26:19,740 --> 00:26:23,939 because Stanley is Steward to Edward IV household, 361 00:26:23,940 --> 00:26:28,059 so virtually every day of his life he's in the same room as the king, 362 00:26:28,060 --> 00:26:32,520 and that means Margaret now has a hotline direct to Edward IV. 363 00:26:33,380 --> 00:26:35,480 It's an astounding political play. 364 00:26:37,020 --> 00:26:40,099 Stanley's status makes Margaret a royal insider 365 00:26:40,100 --> 00:26:44,840 at the Court of King Edward and his wife, the Queen, Elizabeth Woodville, 366 00:26:46,420 --> 00:26:48,520 a future ally. 367 00:26:52,540 --> 00:26:55,259 For 11 years, England enjoys a period 368 00:26:55,260 --> 00:26:58,339 of unparalleled stability under Edward. 369 00:26:58,340 --> 00:27:03,560 Margaret takes every opportunity to ingratiate herself with Edward. 370 00:27:05,620 --> 00:27:08,779 - A fine move, Your Grace. - Thank you. 371 00:27:08,780 --> 00:27:12,819 Ten years after marrying Stanley, Margaret, now 40, 372 00:27:12,820 --> 00:27:16,080 finally manages to get what she wants for her son. 373 00:27:17,820 --> 00:27:21,339 We wish it known that Henry Tudor, called Earl of Richmond, 374 00:27:21,340 --> 00:27:24,219 shall receive a settlement of land from his mother, 375 00:27:24,220 --> 00:27:28,640 the Countess of Richmond, to the value of 600 marks. 376 00:27:29,460 --> 00:27:33,579 An official agreement with the King himself for her son to have 377 00:27:33,580 --> 00:27:36,000 his lands back and return to court. 378 00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:40,360 To be in the grace and favour of His Majesty. 379 00:27:40,980 --> 00:27:43,080 Margaret must be ecstatic. 380 00:27:44,060 --> 00:27:47,560 After 20 years, her charm offensive had paid off. 381 00:27:48,460 --> 00:27:50,560 This is Henry's ticket home. 382 00:27:52,180 --> 00:27:55,960 But life in the Wars of the Roses turns on a dime. 383 00:27:57,500 --> 00:28:00,619 The wax is barely dry on the agreement seal 384 00:28:00,620 --> 00:28:02,680 before disaster strikes. 385 00:28:05,260 --> 00:28:07,360 It's a good game. 386 00:28:09,060 --> 00:28:11,440 Edward IV dies. 387 00:28:12,620 --> 00:28:15,160 Margaret's back to square one. 388 00:28:16,500 --> 00:28:18,600 (CHORAL MUSIC) 389 00:28:21,500 --> 00:28:24,360 Three months later, England has a new king. 390 00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:30,560 Edward IV's younger brother, Richard. 391 00:28:31,460 --> 00:28:33,699 On July 6th, 1483, 392 00:28:33,700 --> 00:28:38,379 Richard III is crowned King of England here at Westminster Abbey. 393 00:28:38,380 --> 00:28:42,459 It's the denouement of one of the most shocking and controversial 394 00:28:42,460 --> 00:28:45,699 pieces of political skulduggery imaginable. 395 00:28:45,700 --> 00:28:49,419 Richard has snatched the crown from his nephew, 396 00:28:49,420 --> 00:28:51,779 Edward IV's 12-year-old son, 397 00:28:51,780 --> 00:28:55,779 and locked him and his brother up in the Tower of London. 398 00:28:55,780 --> 00:29:00,939 Richard ropes Lord Stanley and his wife, Margaret Beaufort, 399 00:29:00,940 --> 00:29:03,040 into the Coronation. 400 00:29:03,740 --> 00:29:06,840 She carries the new Queen's train. 401 00:29:07,660 --> 00:29:09,760 He carries the King's mace. 402 00:29:12,100 --> 00:29:16,880 Because Richard needs to shore up his dodgy claim to the throne. 403 00:29:21,860 --> 00:29:24,080 So what does Margaret make of Richard? 404 00:29:24,700 --> 00:29:28,659 Well, in a sense, she could see his rise to power as just another period 405 00:29:28,660 --> 00:29:32,539 of political chaos to be safely negotiated, 406 00:29:32,540 --> 00:29:35,739 but I think she'll see this one rather differently. 407 00:29:35,740 --> 00:29:38,979 Margaret knows the young princes from her time at court, 408 00:29:38,980 --> 00:29:42,699 certainly she knows their mother, Elizabeth Woodville. 409 00:29:42,700 --> 00:29:46,739 And Margaret's a woman with a highly developed instinct for protecting 410 00:29:46,740 --> 00:29:50,059 her own son, so I think she'll see Richard 411 00:29:50,060 --> 00:29:53,080 as her most dangerous opponent yet. 412 00:29:54,780 --> 00:29:58,939 By September 1483, pretty much everyone believes that Richard 413 00:29:58,940 --> 00:30:02,499 has had his nephews, the Princes in the Tower, 414 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:04,600 murdered. 415 00:30:07,300 --> 00:30:09,400 (MUFFLED CRIES) 416 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:15,960 This changes everything for Margaret. 417 00:30:20,940 --> 00:30:25,640 Richard is a child-murdering tyrant who could turn on anyone. 418 00:30:27,220 --> 00:30:32,440 There is no deal Margaret can do with him that will protect her son. 419 00:30:37,620 --> 00:30:41,019 Now that Margaret can't fall back on simple politics, 420 00:30:41,020 --> 00:30:43,699 she's forced to think more radically. 421 00:30:43,700 --> 00:30:46,979 She could run away and live in exile with her son, 422 00:30:46,980 --> 00:30:50,499 she could stay, keep her head down, and never see her son again. 423 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:54,779 Instead, she thinks way, way outside the box 424 00:30:54,780 --> 00:30:58,200 and comes up with an absolutely breathtaking idea. 425 00:30:59,940 --> 00:31:02,440 Richard must go - 426 00:31:02,940 --> 00:31:05,219 and she has the perfect replacement. 427 00:31:05,220 --> 00:31:07,760 Her son, Henry Tudor. 428 00:31:08,820 --> 00:31:10,939 It sounds crazy, 429 00:31:10,940 --> 00:31:13,440 but there aren't really any alternatives. 430 00:31:15,260 --> 00:31:19,480 Almost everyone else on the royal line has died or been murdered. 431 00:31:20,700 --> 00:31:24,200 Margaret starts to sniff out potential allies. 432 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:28,800 Richard has made so many enemies, she's spoiled for choice. 433 00:31:33,740 --> 00:31:38,240 - Long live the King! - (MEN) Long live the King! 434 00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:45,339 Margaret's decision is one of THE pivotal moments in English history. 435 00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:49,419 But what she's planning would be extraordinary for anyone, 436 00:31:49,420 --> 00:31:52,579 let alone a Mediaeval woman. 437 00:31:52,580 --> 00:31:55,499 She's going to usurp the crown of England. 438 00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:57,699 This is crazy. 439 00:31:57,700 --> 00:32:00,200 Or it would be for anyone but Margaret. 440 00:32:03,740 --> 00:32:06,339 Her biggest problem is her exiled son's 441 00:32:06,340 --> 00:32:08,960 desperately weak claim to the throne. 442 00:32:10,540 --> 00:32:13,339 All his royal connections come through women. 443 00:32:13,340 --> 00:32:15,440 They're almost worthless. 444 00:32:17,020 --> 00:32:22,659 Margaret's plan is rather brilliant because it hinges on the one person 445 00:32:22,660 --> 00:32:25,579 who hates Richard more than anyone else. 446 00:32:25,580 --> 00:32:27,680 Elizabeth Woodville, 447 00:32:28,620 --> 00:32:30,939 Edward IV's widow. 448 00:32:30,940 --> 00:32:33,960 Elizabeth's father and brother have been executed. 449 00:32:37,220 --> 00:32:41,339 And her two little boys have disappeared, presumed murdered, 450 00:32:41,340 --> 00:32:43,440 at Richard's hand. 451 00:32:43,860 --> 00:32:45,219 (SIGHS) 452 00:32:45,220 --> 00:32:49,619 Now Elizabeth's trapped here at Westminster Abbey, 453 00:32:49,620 --> 00:32:52,320 in sanctuary, with her five daughters. 454 00:32:53,900 --> 00:32:56,800 But Richard has the Abbey surrounded by soldiers. 455 00:32:59,060 --> 00:33:02,680 Luckily, Margaret and the old Queen share a physician, 456 00:33:04,220 --> 00:33:06,320 Lewis Caerleon, 457 00:33:07,820 --> 00:33:10,339 who can pass freely. 458 00:33:10,340 --> 00:33:13,040 Pray enter, good doctor. You are most welcome. 459 00:33:22,100 --> 00:33:25,960 Caerleon puts Margaret's proposition to Elizabeth. 460 00:33:30,420 --> 00:33:33,600 Margaret wants to plug her son into the Royal Family. 461 00:33:37,740 --> 00:33:42,819 Her idea is to marry Henry Tudor to Elizabeth's daughter by Edward IV, 462 00:33:42,820 --> 00:33:44,920 Elizabeth of York. 463 00:33:45,540 --> 00:33:50,720 Unite the English nobility and make their children King and Queen. 464 00:33:52,740 --> 00:33:57,339 The old Queen accepts, and the deal sets in motion 465 00:33:57,340 --> 00:34:00,979 a sequence of events that will end in blood. 466 00:34:00,980 --> 00:34:04,000 The only question is, whose? 467 00:34:05,620 --> 00:34:07,819 In late September, 1483, 468 00:34:07,820 --> 00:34:12,459 Margaret sends "a good great sum of money to Henry" in France 469 00:34:12,460 --> 00:34:14,560 to fund an invasion. 470 00:34:15,500 --> 00:34:17,600 Wait. 471 00:34:29,780 --> 00:34:32,179 Within a month, Henry sets sail, 472 00:34:32,180 --> 00:34:35,400 with seven ships and 515 men. 473 00:34:39,100 --> 00:34:42,859 But Margaret's grand plan goes disastrously wrong. 474 00:34:42,860 --> 00:34:45,259 (THUNDERCLAP) 475 00:34:45,260 --> 00:34:49,059 A storm blows up in the Channel, and Henry's fleet is scattered. 476 00:34:49,060 --> 00:34:53,619 They end up off the coast of Devon, where Richard's men are waiting. 477 00:34:53,620 --> 00:34:56,099 Henry's forced to scuttle back to France 478 00:34:56,100 --> 00:34:58,019 with his tail between his legs. 479 00:34:58,020 --> 00:35:01,379 Margaret's rebellion has been a disaster, 480 00:35:01,380 --> 00:35:06,219 and worse, Richard now knows exactly who his enemies are. 481 00:35:06,220 --> 00:35:09,600 Margaret Beaufort, and her son, Henry Tudor. 482 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:45,399 Richard orders Stanley to isolate his wife, 483 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:49,620 remove all her servants and prevent her communicating with her son. 484 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,199 Margaret has committed high treason. 485 00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:57,180 Richard III has murdered his enemies for less. 486 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:03,159 But he needs powerful men, like Margaret's husband, on his side. 487 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:10,119 In the end, what saves her is her smart marriage to Stanley. 488 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,159 Margaret can actually count herself lucky. 489 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:17,359 If she'd been married to anyone else she'd be in even bigger trouble. 490 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:20,100 But, inwardly, she must be seething. 491 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:25,119 She's lost her lands and her status, she's reduced to a mere wife. 492 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,119 It's not really her style. 493 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:31,900 So, more than ever before, she's determined that Richard has to go. 494 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:35,700 And Margaret's not the only one thinking that way. 495 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:41,380 Richard has stripped her rebel allies of their lands and titles, too. 496 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:47,319 Now in exile, they have nothing left to lose and no way back 497 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:49,860 as long as he's on the throne. 498 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,919 After the failure of the rebellion, most of the nobles involved fled 499 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,919 straight into the waiting arms of Henry Tudor. 500 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:02,279 Now he's effectively set up an alternative Royal Court, 501 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:07,359 in France, with him at the centre. 502 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:11,239 The failed rebellion certainly hasn't dented Henry's confidence, 503 00:37:11,240 --> 00:37:13,999 as evidence here at the British Library reveals. 504 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:18,199 This is a 17th-century copy of a letter originally sent 505 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:20,919 by Henry Tudor to his supporters in England. 506 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:24,159 And it's a passionate call to arms in what he describes as 507 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:28,439 "my just quarrel against the unnatural tyrant Richard." 508 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:32,839 But what's really interesting is the way he's signed himself. 509 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:34,639 It's an "H" and an "R", 510 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:36,679 and the "H" is obviously his name, 511 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:42,500 but "R" stands for "Rex". He's calling himself Henry the King. 512 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:48,820 Margaret's work preparing her son to be king has clearly paid off. 513 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,119 He's primed. 514 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,799 All she has to do now is pull the trigger. 515 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:59,199 She sends a message to Henry to land in Wales. 516 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:02,380 She'll have money and men waiting for him. 517 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:07,079 On the 7th of August, 1485, 518 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:11,460 loyal servant Christopher Urswick is sent to Margaret by her son. 519 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:15,359 But he hasn't come from France. 520 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:18,980 He's come from the port of Milford Haven, in Wales. 521 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:23,980 Henry's back - 522 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:26,500 with an army. 523 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,159 To avoid Richard's men in South Wales, 524 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:32,319 Henry marches north, then east. 525 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:37,359 He crosses into England via the River Severn here at Shrewsbury. 526 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:41,620 When he reaches the city gates, Margaret's sent Urswick back to him. 527 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:46,660 In mid-August, 528 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:51,839 Urswick reaches Henry with a huge amount of money from his mother 529 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:53,940 to pay his soldiers. 530 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,220 This is open defiance of Richard's order. 531 00:38:59,240 --> 00:39:03,340 Stanley is supposed to be keeping his wife under house arrest. 532 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:08,639 Instead, she's been doing absolutely everything she's been banned from. 533 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,479 Using her servants, communicating with her son, 534 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:13,919 directing his insurrection. 535 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:18,359 Margaret's husband's status won't save her from Richard a second time. 536 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:22,639 She knows that soon she'll either be mother of the King of England, 537 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:24,820 or they'll both be dead. 538 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,119 On the 22nd of August, 1485, 539 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:37,559 Henry and Richard finally come head to head here at Bosworth Field. 540 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:39,660 (CAWING) 541 00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:43,300 (DRUM TAPS) 542 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,599 Henry has an army of around 5,00 men, 543 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:51,119 but Richard has him comprehensively outnumbered, 544 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:53,260 with as many as 15,000 troops. 545 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:58,599 Watching over the battleground is Lord Stanley, 546 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:02,060 with his brother William - and 3,000 men. 547 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,879 Waiting for their moment. 548 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:09,900 Nobody knows which way they will side. 549 00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:13,039 (NEIGHING) 550 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,559 Although Margaret is architect of the whole rebellion, 551 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:19,959 by the time she hears back from the battlefield 552 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,540 her fate has already been sealed. 553 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:32,639 The battle began early. 554 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:36,639 Henry seized the initiative and his troops marched along this track 555 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:40,599 at first light, leaving Richard's men scrambling into battle order. 556 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:41,959 (BATTLE CRIES) 557 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:44,060 The fighting is ferocious. 558 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,079 Both Richard and Henry are in the thick of it. 559 00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:50,180 (METALLIC CLATTERING) 560 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:53,919 Then, in the heat of battle, 561 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:59,879 Richard spots Henry just a stone's throw away - almost unprotected. 562 00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:03,420 He knows if he kills him, he's won. 563 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,679 Up on the rise, the Stanleys are still sitting on their hands 564 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:14,100 when Richard seizes his moment and charges at Henry Tudor. 565 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,959 In the next minutes, 566 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:22,940 the future King of England will be decided. 567 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,599 And there's a delicious irony to what happens next. 568 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:32,439 Even though Margaret was absent from the field 569 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:35,559 the battle hinged on her actions, 570 00:41:35,560 --> 00:41:39,180 because she'd turned her husband Stanley to Henry's cause. 571 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:45,359 And it was Stanley's intervention that decided the outcome. 572 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:50,119 Richard is only seconds away from Henry 573 00:41:50,120 --> 00:41:54,100 when the Stanleys finally make their move. 574 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:57,140 Charge! 575 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:00,119 (BATTLE CRIES) 576 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:03,300 Stanley's men raced down from that rise. 577 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:09,839 Richard was charging towards Henry, sword drawn, 578 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:11,980 when Stanley's men waded in. 579 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:17,340 In the melee, Richard was unhorsed. 580 00:42:20,720 --> 00:42:22,820 (BATTLE CRIES) 581 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:31,460 (METALLIC CLANKING) 582 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:44,300 The end was quick - and it was brutal. 583 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:47,020 (GASPS) 584 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,199 Henry Tudor, 28, 585 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:06,559 a minor noble and an absolute rank outsider in the royal line, 586 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,660 has taken the throne. 587 00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:15,820 Margaret Beaufort has triumphed. 588 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:29,300 Richard's crown is taken from the battlefield 589 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:34,820 and placed on the new king's head 590 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:41,940 by Margaret's husband, Stanley himself. 591 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:48,759 (WIND HOWLS) 592 00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:51,359 Long live 593 00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:52,959 the King! 594 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:55,060 (MEN) Long live the King! 595 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:01,940 Margaret Beaufort is mother of the King of England. 596 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:05,300 She's still only 42 years old. 597 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:16,119 Margaret protected herself and her son 598 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:19,919 through one of the bloodiest periods in our country's history. 599 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:23,039 And not only that, she outlived Henry 600 00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:27,879 and was here at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of her grandson, 601 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:29,639 Henry VIII. 602 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:35,719 She died a few days later, and this splendid tomb is a monument 603 00:44:35,720 --> 00:44:38,519 to a 13-year-old single mum 604 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:42,140 who founded the most famous dynasty in Britain. 605 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:45,300 Now that's quite a woman.