Movies set in Renaissance era (1400-1600 AD)
The Renaissance era, spanning from the 14th to the 17th century, was a profound period of rebirth and transformation in Europe. Marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, this period was characterized by a revival of interest in Greek and Roman literature, art, and philosophy, leading to remarkable advancements in the arts, sciences, and socio-political thought.
Humanism: At the heart of the Renaissance was the philosophy of Humanism. Focusing on human potential and achievements, Humanists sought to bring a new depth and realism to the arts and sciences by rediscovering and studying the classic works of ancient Greece and Rome. Humanists like Petrarch and Erasmus championed the study of humanities, including grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and moral philosophy.
Art: Renaissance art marked a departure from the flat and relatively emotionless figures of the Middle Ages, bringing a new depth and realism to human depiction. Influential artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael utilized techniques like linear perspective and anatomical precision to create works of unprecedented depth and detail. Their iconic works, such as the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the School of Athens, have had a lasting impact on art.
Science: The Renaissance also witnessed a surge of activity in the sciences, with pioneers like Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler challenging the geocentric view of the universe and laying the foundations for modern astronomy. Additionally, anatomists like Andreas Vesalius made major strides in understanding the human body.
Exploration: This period was also characterized by an age of exploration and discovery, as technological advancements in navigation sparked the Age of Discovery. Explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama discovered new routes and lands, transforming Europe's understanding of the world and leading to a global exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures.
Religion: The Renaissance saw significant religious change, culminating in the Protestant Reformation initiated by Martin Luther in 1517. This period of religious upheaval led to a shift in the religious landscape of Europe, weakening the uniformity of the Catholic Church and leading to the rise of Protestantism.
Politics and Society: The Renaissance brought changes to politics and society as well. The era saw the rise of powerful city-states in Italy, such as Florence and Venice. Machiavelli's "The Prince" offered advice on political leadership, which continues to influence political thought. The Renaissance also began a shift towards modern nation-states, moving away from feudal structures.
Literature and Printing: The period saw a flourish in literature, with writers like William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, and Dante Alighieri transforming the European literary tradition. The invention of the Gutenberg press around 1440 revolutionized the spread of information, making books more accessible and facilitating the spread of Renaissance ideas.
In summary, the Renaissance was a period of cultural, scientific, and intellectual explosion in Europe. It was an era of great discovery and learning that set the stage for the modern world.
Humanism: At the heart of the Renaissance was the philosophy of Humanism. Focusing on human potential and achievements, Humanists sought to bring a new depth and realism to the arts and sciences by rediscovering and studying the classic works of ancient Greece and Rome. Humanists like Petrarch and Erasmus championed the study of humanities, including grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and moral philosophy.
Art: Renaissance art marked a departure from the flat and relatively emotionless figures of the Middle Ages, bringing a new depth and realism to human depiction. Influential artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael utilized techniques like linear perspective and anatomical precision to create works of unprecedented depth and detail. Their iconic works, such as the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the School of Athens, have had a lasting impact on art.
Science: The Renaissance also witnessed a surge of activity in the sciences, with pioneers like Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler challenging the geocentric view of the universe and laying the foundations for modern astronomy. Additionally, anatomists like Andreas Vesalius made major strides in understanding the human body.
Exploration: This period was also characterized by an age of exploration and discovery, as technological advancements in navigation sparked the Age of Discovery. Explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama discovered new routes and lands, transforming Europe's understanding of the world and leading to a global exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures.
Religion: The Renaissance saw significant religious change, culminating in the Protestant Reformation initiated by Martin Luther in 1517. This period of religious upheaval led to a shift in the religious landscape of Europe, weakening the uniformity of the Catholic Church and leading to the rise of Protestantism.
Politics and Society: The Renaissance brought changes to politics and society as well. The era saw the rise of powerful city-states in Italy, such as Florence and Venice. Machiavelli's "The Prince" offered advice on political leadership, which continues to influence political thought. The Renaissance also began a shift towards modern nation-states, moving away from feudal structures.
Literature and Printing: The period saw a flourish in literature, with writers like William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, and Dante Alighieri transforming the European literary tradition. The invention of the Gutenberg press around 1440 revolutionized the spread of information, making books more accessible and facilitating the spread of Renaissance ideas.
In summary, the Renaissance was a period of cultural, scientific, and intellectual explosion in Europe. It was an era of great discovery and learning that set the stage for the modern world.
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- DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsAnatoliy SolonitsynIvan LapikovNikolay GrinkoThe life, times and afflictions of the fifteenth-century Russian iconographer St. Andrei Rublev.1400–1424 AD
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJeanne MoreauMargaret RutherfordWhen King Henry IV ascends to the throne, his heir, the Prince of Wales, is befriended by Sir John Falstaff, an old, overweight, fun-loving habitual liar. Through Falstaff's eyes we see the reign of King Henry IV and the rise of Henry V.1400–1413 AD
- DirectorRichard EyreStarsAlun ArmstrongJoe ArmstrongJohn Ashton1403: Henry IV finds himself facing uprisings from the Welsh chieftain Owen Glendower and impetuous young Harry "Hotspur" Percy, son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, angry with the king for not paying Glendower ransom for his brother-in-law Mortimer. Another trial for Henry is the fact that his son, Prince Hal, keeps company with the older, reprobate drunkard Sir John Falstaff. Though the prince is his friend he is not above playing cruel jests on Falstaff, robbing him in disguise and returning his money after Falstaff has given an exaggerated account of his bravery in the hold-up. However, Hal joins his father at the wintry battle of Shrewsbury to put down Hotspur's revolt, where Hal kills Hotspur in single combat - Falstaff later claiming credit for the deed. Hotspur is routed but Henry and Hal still have to face the uprisings of Glendower and Nortumberland, now joined by the archbishop of York.1403 AD
- DirectorRichard EyreStarsAlun ArmstrongWill AttenboroughConrad AsquithNorthumberland swears revenge for his son's death and gathers his allies to fight the ailing king. Meanwhile, the Lord Chief Justice having rebuked Falstaff for being a bad influence on Hal, charges him to recruit an army on Henry's behalf. After brawling with the truculent Pistol, Falstaff prepares to leave his lover, Doll Tearsheet, criticizing Hal to her, unaware that the prince is eaves-dropping. Falstaff assembles a motley crew from Justice Shallow but Henry's cousin Westmoreland arrests the rebel leaders after duping them into a truce. Hal, assuming his father is dead, dons the crown and is berated by the dying king but they reconcile as Henry's last gesture is to crown his son. Hal accedes to the throne as Henry V but, now aware he must put frivolity aside, banishes Falstaff as his first act as ruler.1403 AD
- DirectorRudolph MatéStarsTony CurtisJanet LeighDavid FarrarPeasant Myles Falworth is trained for knighthood and is groomed by various nobles to defeat the evil Earl of Alban who's plotting to usurp King Henry IV's throne.1410 AD
- DirectorAleksander FordStarsUrszula ModrzynskaGrazyna StaniszewskaAndrzej SzalawskiIn the 15th century the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is facing a hard struggle against the neighboring Teutonic Order.Frequent clashes between the two powers finally culminate in 1410 with the Battle of Grunwald.1410 AD
- DirectorCarl Theodor DreyerStarsMaria FalconettiEugene SilvainAndré BerleyIn 1431, Jeanne d'Arc is placed on trial on charges of heresy. The ecclesiastical jurists attempt to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions.1412–1431 AD
- DirectorVictor FlemingStarsIngrid BergmanJosé FerrerSelena RoyleThe abbreviated life of the 15th-century French heroine.1412–1431 AD
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsMilla JovovichJohn MalkovichRab AffleckA young girl receives a vision that drives her to rid France of its oppressors.1412–1431 AD
- StarsLeelee SobieskiChad WillettPeter O'TooleSpurred by divine voices and visions, fifteenth century teen Joan d'Arc leads French forces against the English.1412–1431 AD
- DirectorLaurence OlivierStarsLaurence OlivierRobert NewtonLeslie BanksIn the midst of the Hundred Years' War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.1415 AD
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsKenneth BranaghDerek JacobiSimon ShepherdIn the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.1415 AD
- DirectorThea SharrockStarsEdward AkroutTom BrookeGeraldine ChaplinHal is now a responsible monarch as Henry V, his rejection of Falstaff hastening the latter's death. Told by courtiers that,through Edward III, he has a claim to the French throne he makes overtures to the Dauphin but is sent a humiliating present of tennis balls. He prepares an expeditionary force to cross the Channel and take the throne, capturing the town of Harfleur during a surprise nocturnal raid following an inspirational speech. Though merciful to its inhabitants, Henry allows soldier Bardolph to be hung for looting. After another truce is turned down by the French, Henry prepares for the pitched battle of Agincourt, wandering the camp in disguise on its eve to gauge opinion of him. The battle is won with minimal English losses and the French king, whose daughter Henry marries, declares him to be his successor. However, an end title shows that Henry dies of dysentery at the age of thirty-five and we are told that his son Henry VI loses possession of France.1415 AD
- DirectorDavid MichôdStarsTom Glynn-CarneyGábor CzapTom FisherYoung Henry V encounters deceit, war and treachery after becoming King of England in the 15th century, in the aftermath of his brother's death.1415 AD
- DirectorDominic CookeStarsTom BeardMax BennettHugh BonnevilleFollowing his father's early death and the loss of possessions in France young Henry VI comes to the throne, under the protection of the duke of Gloucester. He is unaware that there are other claimants to the throne, Plantagent of York and Somerset of Lancaster, whose factions will ultimately cause the Wars of the Roses. Ignorant of the schisms Henry tries to unite them in the Hundred Years War, capturing Joan of Arc, before he marries Margaret of Anjou to unite England and France, but there is no dowry, angering the court. Margaret finds the pious Henry a dull husband and embarks upon an affair with Somerset as well as crossing Gloucester's wife Eleanor. When Gloucester is arrested for alleged treason because of Eleanor Henry is too feeble to prevent his death or the country slipping into civil war.1422–1439 AD
- CreatorNicholas MeyerFrank SpotnitzStarsDaniel SharmanAlessandra MastronardiSynnove KarlsenA political family drama set in Florence in the early fifteenth century. Cosimo de Medici finds himself at the helm of his banking dynasty when his father, Giovanni, dies suddenly.1439–1430 AD
- StarsCem Yigit UzümogluTuba BüyüküstünAlp IlkmanOttoman Sultan Mehmed II wages an epic campaign to take the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and shapes the course of history for centuries.1444–1481 AD
- DirectorLukas FeigelfeldStarsAleksandra CwenCelina PeterClaudia MartiniAfter the loss of her tormented mother, the erratic behavior of a 15th century woman living in an isolated mountain village becomes a threat to the safety of her infant child.Mid-15th cent. AD
- StarsPhilippe LeroyGiulio BosettiGiorgio PiazzaMiniseries dramatizing the life of the Italian Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).1452–1519 AD
- DirectorFaruk AksoyStarsDevrim EvinIbrahim CelikkolDilek SerbestAfter the death of his father Murat II, Mehmet II ascends to the Ottoman throne. After braving internal and external enemies, he decides to complete what he was destined to do - conquer Constantinople.1453 AD
- DirectorDominic CookeStarsSimon ArmstrongJamie BallardArchie BradfieldFive years on the country is in the midst of civil war with Suffolk and Buckingham among the casualties at the battle of St Albans and the triumphant Plantagenet claiming the throne for the Yorkists. To avoid further bloodshed Henry agrees to make Plantagenrt his heir on his death, angering queen Margaret, who shocks her husband with a violent counter action. However the Yorkists triumph with Edward IV crowned king. Henry, descending into madness, is imprisoned in the Tower of London whilst Margaret and her son seek sanctuary in France. Yet Edward is not without his opponents, led by Margaret, whom he routs at the battle of Tewkesbury, aided by his brothers George, Duke of Clarence and Richard of Gloucester, a victory which will seal Henry's fate since Richard has ambitions of his own.1455 AD
- DirectorChristoph SchreweStarsManu FullolaBrian BlessedJames FaulknerIn 1458, five years after the fall of Constantinople to the Turk, eighteen cardinals met in Rome to elect a new pope. A 27-year-old Spanish cardinal, Rodrigo Borgia, learns to play a very dangerous game; how to survive his first conclave.1458 AD
- CreatorNicholas MeyerFrank SpotnitzStarsDaniel SharmanAlessandra MastronardiSynnove KarlsenA political family drama set in Florence in the early fifteenth century. Cosimo de Medici finds himself at the helm of his banking dynasty when his father, Giovanni, dies suddenly.1458 AD
- DirectorGordon DouglasStarsLouis HaywardJanet BlairGeorge MacreadyYoung nobleman Richard Shelton returns from the War of the Roses to find his father murdered, a fugitive family friend blamed, and his uncle occupying his estates.1460–1461 AD
- DirectorJohn HoughStarsBenedict TaylorGeorgia SloweOliver ReedIn 15th century England, a civil war called Wars of the Roses is being fought between two rival houses who want the throne. Fresh from battle, a knight finds his family dead. He joins the outlaws led by the Black Arrow to seek justice.1460–1461 AD
- StarsAneurin BarnardRebecca FergusonAmanda HaleThree different, yet equally relentless women vie for the throne in 15th-century England.1464–1485 AD
- DirectorRichard ThorpeStarsRobert TaylorKay KendallRobert MorleyA Scottish knight in France to facilitate a marriage between a rich and beautiful countess and his aging uncle becomes involved in court intrigue.1465 AD
- DirectorAndré HunebelleStarsJean MaraisRosanna SchiaffinoRoger HaninIn the 15th century France, only one honest knight stands up on protection of a young noblewoman when she finds herself trapped in enmity between a king and a treacherous nobility.1465 AD
- StarsJean-Claude DauphinIsabelle AdjaniMichel VinterDuring the Dutch Golden Age, we follow the journey, schemes, and adventures of Antonello, a young Napolitan painter, from Italy to Holland, in search of the manufacturing secrets of the Flemish oil painting.1470 AD
- DirectorHenri HelmanStarsJacques PerrinFlorence PernelGaëlle BonaA messenger comes to the old sick king Louis XI with the rumor that the he must be soon assassinated by his own lords. It is not difficult for the king to learn everything. He survives his final battle.1483 AD
- DirectorRoger CormanStarsVincent PriceMichael PateJoan FreemanThe twisted Richard III is haunted by the ghosts of those he has murdered in his attempt to become the King of England.1483 AD
- DirectorJustin HardyStarsMark UmbersJohn CastleRoger HammondSixteen years after the presumed deaths of the two boy princes held captive in the Tower, Perkin Warbeck makes his claim to the throne as the rightful King Richard. Did the younger brother survive? Is he an impostor? Or is he, as he says, King Richard?1483 AD
- DirectorDominic CookeStarsJosef AltinIsaac AndrewsPaul BazelyEvil Richard plots his path to rule and layers that path with bodies of friend and foe alike.1481–1485 AD
- DirectorLaurence OlivierStarsLaurence OlivierCedric HardwickeNicholas HannenShakespeare's powerful tale of the wicked deformed King and his conquests, both on the battlefield and in the boudoir.1483–1485 AD
- CreatorDavid S. GoyerStarsTom RileyGregg ChilingirianEros VlahosFollows Leonardo Da Vinci during his early days in Florence, as a young artist, inventor and dreamer, trying to change the future.1477 AD
- DirectorWilliam DieterleStarsCharles LaughtonMaureen O'HaraCedric HardwickeIn 15th-century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.1482 AD
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsGérard DepardieuArmand AssanteSigourney WeaverChristopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.1492 AD
- CreatorTom FontanaStarsMark RyderIsolda DychaukDiarmuid NoyesStory of the rise and the fall of the Renaissance dynasty.1492–1503 AD
- CreatorNeil JordanStarsJeremy IronsFrançois ArnaudHolliday GraingerIn the fifteenth century, Pope Alexander VI tries to control all power in Italy with the help of his several sons, through murder, intrigue, war, and marriage alliances.1492–1503 AD
- StarsMichelle JennerRamon MadaulaRodolfo SanchoThe life of Isabella I of Castile, also known as Isabella the Catholic.Late-15th cent. AD
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsRutger HauerJennifer Jason LeighTom BurlinsonIn medieval Europe, a young girl from a noble family is obsessed with her captors - commoners.1501 AD
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsGerardo TaracenaRaoul Max TrujilloDalia HernándezAs the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.1502 AD
- DirectorJordi FradesStarsRodolfo SanchoIrene EscolarRaúl MéridaIn a Spain consumed by ambition and power, the future of an empire depends on one woman's state of mind.1504 AD
- DirectorLeslie MegaheyStarsColin FirthAmina AnnabiJim CarterIn medieval France, young lawyer Richard Courtois leaves Paris for the simpler life in the country. However, he is soon drawn into amorous and political intrigues. At the same time, he is pushed to defend a pig, owned by the mysterious gypsy Samira. The pig has been arrested for the murder of a young boy.1506-1508 AD
- DirectorIrving PichelStarsNiall MacGinnisJohn RuddockPierre LefevreBiopic of German priest Martin Luther (Niall MacGinnis), covering his life between 1505 and 1530 A.D., and the birth of the Protestant Reformation movement.1505-1530 AD
- DirectorEric TillStarsJoseph FiennesBruno GanzPeter UstinovDuring the early sixteenth century, idealistic German monk Martin Luther, disgusted by the materialism in the Catholic Church, begins the dialogue that will lead to the Protestant Reformation.1505-1530 AD
- DirectorCarol ReedStarsCharlton HestonRex HarrisonDiane CilentoThe biographical story of Michelangelo's troubles while painting the Sistine Chapel at the urging of Pope Julius II.1508–1512 AD
- DirectorJos StellingStarsEric BaisSander BaisKees BakkerA sparkling film and surprising look into the middle ages by means of the story of Mariken, whose beauty is used by the devilish comedian Moenen to put people up against each other.1515 AD
- DirectorAlexander KordaStarsCharles LaughtonRobert DonatFranklin DyallKing Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.1509–1547 AD
- DirectorWaris HusseinStarsKeith MichellDonald PleasenceCharlotte RamplingOn his deathbed, King Henry VIII looks back over his eventful life and his six marriages.1509–1547 AD
- DirectorPete TravisStarsRay WinstoneJoss AcklandSid MitchellTwo part mini-series documenting the stormy thirty-eight-year reign of King Henry VIII.1509–1547 AD
- StarsSuzannah LipscombDan JonesCharlie ClementsA series about Henry VIII and his wives, chronicling the ups and downs in his marriages and how they shaped his reign as King and ultimately the face of Britain.1509–1547 AD
- StarsÁlvaro CervantesAlfonso BassaveMarina SalasThe Roman Catholic Church faces the new challenges of Protestanism in Northern Europe and Paganism in the Americas. Carlos V seeks to secure the power of the Church, in this continuation of Isabel (2011-2014) and La Corona Partida (2016).1516–1556 AD
- CreatorMichael HirstStarsJonathan Rhys MeyersHenry CavillAnthony BrophyEpic series reveals the scandalous life of a young king whose affairs and obsession with producing a male heir changed marriage, the church, and the world.1518–1547 AD
- StarsMark RylanceDamian LewisClaire FoyAfter the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey, his secretary, Thomas Cromwell, finds himself amongst the treachery and intrigue of King Henry VIII's court and soon becomes a close advisor to the King, a role fraught with danger.1527-1529 AD
- DirectorKen AnnakinStarsRichard ToddGlynis JohnsJames Robertson JusticeDuring the reign of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor seeks to flee a forced marriage with the French king by escaping to America with her true love, but her plans are not so easily executed.1509-1515 AD
- DirectorJustin ChadwickStarsNatalie PortmanScarlett JohanssonEric BanaTwo sisters contend for the affection of King Henry VIII.1521–1536 AD
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsPaul ScofieldWendy HillerRobert ShawThe story of Sir Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry.1536 AD
- DirectorCharles JarrottStarsRichard BurtonGeneviève BujoldIrene PapasKing Henry VIII of England discards one wife, Catharine of Aragon, who has failed to produce a male heir, in favor of the young and beautiful Anne Boleyn.1536 AD
- DirectorSalvador CarrascoStarsDamián DelgadoJosé Carlos RodríguezElpidia CarrilloIt is May 1520 in the vast Aztec Empire one year after the Spanish Conqueror Hernán Cortés' arrival in Mexico. "The Other Conquest" opens with the infamous massacre of the Aztecs at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan [what is now called Mexico City]. The sacred grounds are covered with the countless bodies of priests and nobility slaughtered by the Spanish Armies under Cortés' command. The lone Aztec survivor of the massacre is a young Indian scribe named Topiltzin [Damián Delgado]. Topiltzin, who is the illegitimate son of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma, survives the onslaught by burying himself under a stack of bodies. As if awakening from a dream, the young man rises from among the dead to find his mother murdered, the Spanish in power and the dawn of a new era in his native land. A New World with new leaders, language, customs... and God. Representing the New Order is the Spanish Friar Diego [José Carlos Rodríguez]. His mission is to convert the "savage" natives into civilised Christians; to replace their human sacrifices and feathered deities with public Christenings and fealty to the Blessed Virgin Mary. With Topiltzin, Friar Diego faces his most difficult spiritual and personal challenge, for when Topiltzin is captured by Spanish troops and presented to Cortés [Iñaki Aierra], the Spanish Conqueror places Topiltzin's conversion under Friar Diego's care. Old world confronts the New as Topiltzin struggles to preserve his own beliefs, whilst Friar Diego attempts to impose his own. All the while, the question remains: who is converting who?1520 AD
- DirectorIrving LernerStarsRobert ShawChristopher PlummerNigel DavenportIn 1532, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro leads an expedition into the heart of the Inca Empire and captures the Incan Emperor Atahualpa and claims Peru for Spain.1532 AD
- DirectorErmanno OlmiStarsChristo JivkovSergio GrammaticoDimitar RachkovThe history of the first victim of modern artillery and its moving agony, amidst conspiracies and betrayals of the powerful. Life and death of Giovanni De' Medici, a young brave captain in the war of Charles V against the Pope, in the first half of 1500.1526 AD
- DirectorDavid MillerStarsLana TurnerPedro ArmendárizRoger MooreIn the sixteenth century, a noblewoman has a love affair with the French King.1534 AD
- DirectorVolker SchlöndorffStarsDavid WarnerAnna KarinaThomas HoltzmannIt's medieval times. Kohlhaas merchants with horses. When going to the local fair to sell his horses, is forced by a noble to leave him part of the merchandise as payment for traveling through his land, promising to give it back when the fair is over. When he returns, the horses are almost dead, and the man refuse to respond, so Kohlhass begins to fight unsuccesfuly against the injustice1532-1540 AD
- DirectorArnaud des PallièresStarsMads MikkelsenMélusine MayanceDelphine ChuillotIn the 16th century in the Cévennes, a horse dealer by the name of Michael Kohlhaas leads a happy family life. When a lord treats him unjustly, he raises an army and puts the country to fire and sword in order to have his rights restored.1532–1540 AD
- DirectorRoger CormanStarsVincent PriceBarbara SteeleJohn KerrIn the sixteenth century, Francis Barnard travels to Spain to clarify the strange circumstances of his sister's death after she had married the son of a cruel Spanish Inquisitor.1547 AD
- DirectorRichard FleischerStarsOliver ReedRaquel WelchMark LesterPoor boy Tom Canty and Edward, Prince of Wales exchange identities, but events force the pair to experience each other's lives as well.1547 AD
- DirectorSergei EisensteinStarsNikolay CherkasovLyudmila TselikovskayaSerafima BirmanDuring the early part of his reign, Ivan the Terrible faces betrayal from the aristocracy and even his closest friends as he seeks to unite the Russian people.1547-1564 AD
- DirectorSergei EisensteinStarsNikolay CherkasovSerafima BirmanPavel KadochnikovAs Ivan the Terrible attempts to consolidate his power by establishing a personal army, his political rivals, the Russian boyars, plot to assassinate their Tsar.1564-1584 AD
- DirectorGiacomo BattiatoStarsWadeck StanczakMax von SydowBernard-Pierre DonnadieuThe story of Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571), a soldier and one of the most important craftsmen and artists of Renaissance Italy, whose life was marked by many achievements and adventures, but also crimes.1545–1554 AD
- DirectorMarshall HerskovitzStarsCatherine McCormackRufus SewellOliver PlattA Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft.1546–1591 AD
- CreatorJustin HaytheStarsSamantha MortonRaza JaffreyAmrita AchariaSeries based on Leonie Frieda's book "Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France."1519-1589 AD
- DirectorTrevor NunnStarsHelena Bonham CarterCary ElwesJohn WoodThe story of Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen of England for only nine days.1553 AD
- DirectorDaniel VigneStarsGérard DepardieuNathalie BayeMaurice BarrierIn medieval France, some villagers challenge a man's claim of identity when he (as he says) returns home from some time in the army.1556 AD
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsKlaus KinskiRuy GuerraHelena RojoIn the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.1560 AD
- DirectorRoger ChristianStarsTchéky KaryoF. Murray AbrahamRutger HauerNostradamus (1503-66) was a French doctor, astrologer and seer during the Inquisition, successful in treating patients during an outbreak of plague.1503–1566 AD
- DirectorFranco ZeffirelliStarsLeonard WhitingOlivia HusseyJohn McEneryWhen two young members of feuding families meet, forbidden love ensues.Mid-16th cent. AD
- DirectorFranco ZeffirelliStarsElizabeth TaylorRichard BurtonCyril CusackBrutish, fortune-hunting scoundrel Petruchio tames his wealthy, shrewish wife, Katharina.Mid-16th cent. AD
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsKenneth BranaghEmma ThompsonKeanu ReevesYoung lovers, and soon to wed, Hero and Claudio conspire to get verbal sparring partners and confirmed singles, Benedick and Beatrice, to wed as well.Mid-16th cent. AD
- DirectorMichael RadfordStarsAl PacinoJoseph FiennesLynn CollinsIn 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead.Mid-16th cent. AD
- DirectorJos StellingStarsRené GroothofVeerle DobbelaereRené van 't HofLate 16th century, persecuted protestantism and general dissatisfaction with the Catholic Habsburg rule in the Netherlands lead to large-scale plundering and vandalizing of churches, only harshening the Spanish Inquisition, sparkling the Eighty Years War. Flanders, 1568: Italian minstrel Campanelli tells he followed a Dutchman, the robber of a golden chalice, but failed to prevent him being taken -after banging a country-girl- by the men of a rigid farmer Netelneck, who has him tied-up inside a huge shit-container. After Campanelli frees him, the gold stays inside, and the Dutchman is killed, but the minstrel turns to offer the paying audience a happier version. Seven years later, he scares the Dutchman's posthumous son into bringing him food and convinces the kid he can fly, like his dad, who is on a grand ship, but fails to drag the gold out and is blinded and chased by Netelneck. Fourteen years later, the minstrel returns and tricks Netelneck into diving after the gold himself so he can drawn the bastard, then sets the 'little Dutchman' on the road to find his father, who proves a mere thief living in a beached shipwreck. Both join a brigand band, but it ends up arrested by the Spaniards and imprisoned under the authority of Netelneck's son, who has him thrown in an oubliette forced to scoop water, but Lotte, his only lover ever, notices something she gave him and believes her son, now she's Netelneck junior's wife, is the little Dutchman's...1568 AD
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesMicheál MacLiammóirRobert CooteThe Moorish General Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his Lieutenant Michael Cassio when in reality, it is all part of the scheme of a bitter Ensign named Iago.1570–1573 AD
- DirectorOliver ParkerStarsLaurence FishburneKenneth BranaghIrène JacobThe Moorish General Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his Lieutenant Michael Cassio, when in reality, it is all part of the scheme of a bitter Ensign named Iago.1570–1573 AD
- DirectorPatrice ChéreauStarsIsabelle AdjaniDaniel AuteuilJean-Hugues AngladeYoung Queen Margot finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage amidst a religious war between Catholics and Protestants. She hopes to escape with a new lover, but finds herself imprisoned by her powerful and ruthless family.1572 AD
- StarsAnne-Marie DuffSienna GuilloryIan HartFrom teenage princess to accomplished queen, torn between duty and personal longing, the reign of Elizabeth I is exposed in this lavish drama filmed against a backdrop of some of Great Britain's most beautiful houses and landscapes.1533–1603 AD
- DirectorShekhar KapurStarsCate BlanchettLiz GilesRod CulbertsonThe early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England and her difficult task of learning what is necessary to be a monarch.1558–1585 AD
- DirectorJohn FordLeslie GoodwinsStarsKatharine HepburnFredric MarchFlorence EldridgeThe recently widowed Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to reclaim her throne but is opposed by her half-brother and her own Scottish lords.1560–1567 AD
- DirectorGillies MacKinnonStarsVulpe AdrianCarmen UngureanuClémence PoésyMini series depicting the turbulent and bloody reigns of Scottish monarchs Mary, Queen of Scots and her son King James VI of Scotland who became King James I of England and foiled the Gunpowder Plot.1561–1587 AD
- DirectorCharles JarrottStarsVanessa RedgraveGlenda JacksonPatrick McGoohanDuring the sixteenth century, the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots engages in over two decades of religious and political conflict with her cousin, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I of England, amidst political intrigue in her native land.1560–1567 AD
- DirectorGérard CorbiauStarsJean RochefortMarie-Christine BarraultRufusDuring the French wars of religion, baron Malassise is dispatched by King Charles IX and his mother Catherine de Médicis to negotiate a peace treaty with representatives of Protestant cities.1570 AD
- StarsHelen MirrenToby JonesHugh DancyMini-series about the the public and private lives of the later years of Queen Elizabeth I.1578 AD
- DirectorLawrence Gordon ClarkStarsJohn ThawCharlotte CornwellPaul DarrowSir Francis Drake circumnavigates the world in search of adventure and treasure.1577–1580 AD
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsErrol FlynnBrenda MarshallClaude RainsGeoffrey Thorpe, a buccaneer, is hired by Queen Elizabeth I to nag the Spanish Armada. The Armada is waiting for the attack on England and Thorpe surprises them with attacks on their galleons where he shows his skills on the sword.1585 AD
- DirectorShekhar KapurStarsCate BlanchettClive OwenGeoffrey RushA mature Queen Elizabeth endures multiple crises late in her reign including court intrigues, an assassination plot, the Spanish Armada, and romantic disappointments.1585–1603 AD
- DirectorWilliam K. HowardStarsLaurence OlivierFlora RobsonVivien LeighDuring the reign of Elizabeth I, a young man's fervent devotion to the crown and to his sweetheart, a lady-in-waiting, lead him to battle for England's victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588.1588 AD
- CreatorBen EltonStarsDavid MitchellGemma WhelanRob RouseSatirical Blackadderesque sitcom about how friends, family, historical circumstances, and his arch-rival Robert Greene, who first coined the derogatory term "upstart crow", influenced William Shakespeare to write his famous plays.1592 AD
- DirectorJohn MaddenStarsGwyneth PaltrowJoseph FiennesGeoffrey RushThe world's greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.1593 AD
- DirectorLucio FulciStarsTomas MilianAdrienne LarussaGeorges WilsonIn 16th century Italy, a young noblewoman plots with her lover and her family to murder her abusive father, leading to an uproar in the community and the Catholic Church.1599 AD