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  • 2006-01-08T00:00:00Z on National Geographic
  • 6h
  • 1d (4 episodes)
  • United Kingdom
  • English
  • Documentary
They governed the greatest empires, kingdoms and nations of their time, and their power was often absolute. These remarkable sovereigns, rulers and conquerors could—by a single act, decree or whispered aside—better the lives of their people or condemn them to an existence plagued by war and deprivation. What made each one so special? How did they come to power? And once they assumed the mantle of leadership—whether by birth, by fiat or by deadly design—what did it feel like to rule? Find out with this popular National Geographic series.

5 episodes

Series Premiere

2006-01-08T00:00:00Z

1x01 The Madness of Henry VIII

Series Premiere

1x01 The Madness of Henry VIII

  • 2006-01-08T00:00:00Z6h

The Madness of Henry VIII harkens back 500 years, to the reign of the tyrannical monarch who wielded more unchecked power than any ruler in British history. The program reveals how Henry VIII became engulfed in a cloud of wicked scandal for his six wives, two of whom he divorced by ordered execution. It tells of his decision to spin off the Catholic Church into an Anglican arm, in order to engineer his own church-sanctioned divorce -- a path that spun forth century upon century of controversy and whose legacy persists to this day, in Anglicanism and the separation of church and state. To weave its tale, this special relies heavily on historical records, period artwork, and interviews with contemporary historians of the Tudor period.

2006-06-10T23:00:00Z

1x02 Napoleon's Final Battle

1x02 Napoleon's Final Battle

  • 2006-06-10T23:00:00Z6h

The National Geographic special Napoleon's Final Battle consists of reenactments of the events the led to the final military campaign of the powerful French leader. The material presented has been discovered by respected historians and scientists.

2006-11-19T00:00:00Z

1x03 Wrath of the Tsar

1x03 Wrath of the Tsar

  • 2006-11-19T00:00:00Z6h

National Geographic: Icons of Power - Wrath of the Tsar documents the life and reign of Peter the Great, widely considered one of the most powerful leaders in Russian history

Season Finale

2006-12-17T00:00:00Z

1x04 Empress of Ambition

Season Finale

1x04 Empress of Ambition

  • 2006-12-17T00:00:00Z6h

National Geographic: Icons of Power - Empress of Ambition documents the life and reign of Russia's Catherine the Great, widely considered one of the most controversial rulers in the history of the world.

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