Angela and Barbero allied to tell the story of Henry VIII from the perspective of his wives

Tomorrow night, on Rai1 at 9:25 p.m., popular popularizer Alberto Angela will take everyone to 16th-century England with an episode of Ulysses, the Pleasure of Discovery dedicated to King Henry VIII. During the episode, titled Six Queens for Henry VIII, Angela will also make a connection to today’s pandemic through the king’s autographed letters, kept in the Vatican Library, which detail his and Anne Boleyn ’s lives during one of the waves of the “English Sweat Sickness” that brought England to its knees five hundred years ago. They are not, however, the only topical element in the dark tale of the English ruler. In fact, the episode tells the point of view of his six wives, two of whom were repudiated, two of whom were beheaded, and one who died in childbirth.

Six queens who tried to react, each in her own way, to the male violence of which they were victims, at a time when women could do nothing but suffer the fate plotted for them by men. Six stories all marked by a tragic end, but one that made them immortal and that many artists and writers have narrated. In the end, it was a woman, one of the greatest queens in History, Elizabeth I, who would inherit the crown of England. For many, her rise and reign represent redemption to the sacrifice of those six women who suffered the prevarications of their time. Albert Angela will also try to shed light on the many aborted pregnancies and premature deaths among the children fathered by Henry VIII. In fact, American research has hypothesized a scientific explanation for the king and his wives’ difficulty in giving birth to healthy males.

The episode, produced with the historical advice of Professor Alessandro Barbero, is also intended to be a journey into 16th-century England, where the private affairs of the king and his wives become events of historical importance. And it will also be a tribute to Gigi Proietti, in the first series of Ulysses made without the participation of the great actor who recently passed away. Many scenes were in fact filmed in “his” theater in Rome, built on the model of the ancient Globe Theatre in London in which Shakespeare performed his masterpieces. And Gigi’s own daughter Carlotta Proietti will appear in a cameo as Queen Catherine of Aragon.

Angela and Barbero allied to tell the story of Henry VIII from the perspective of his wives

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