The diplomacy of the early 1520s culminated at Pavia, with the ruin of French hopes - and also English as Hapsburg for a while reigned supreme. Domestic politics saw Wolsey discredited for the first time, and the Boleyns arrive at court.

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Henry had shown a hint of the man he would become in 1510 by the execution of Empson and Dudley. In 1521, the Duke of Buckingham was in his sights, as Europe's Universal Peace sank beneath the waves.

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It is in the reign of Henry VIII that we first hear of the 'masque' - entertainment that drew from Mummers, Mystery plays, and 'disguisings'. We talk about Anne and Mary Boleyn's education - and Shakespeare and the word 'bump'

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Enter Thomas Boleyn, courtier, and the realities of being a courtier. And the field of the cloth of Gold; Henry and Wolsey's mission to uphold the treaty of universal peace.

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Wolsey had tried war with France, they'd tried war by proxy, they'd tried peace. In 1518 the most remarkable of their plans - the Treaty of Universal peace where 20 states guaranteed the peace of Europe.

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Being made a Cardinal in 1515 gave Wolsey the perfect opportunity to give the vainglorious side of his nature full reign. He made full use of it.

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The story of a love affair - probably. In 1514 Henry married off his 18 year old sister to the gouty, siphilitic, toothless 50+ year old Louis and sent her to France., She came back a year later married to someone else entirely

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In 1513 there were two English victories. One of them would have a profound effect on English history. The other one was mainly a mad dash in pursuit of a bunch of cavalry eager to escape.

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The path of Renaissance diplomacy was both torturous and without scruple; as Henry finds out as he thirsts for glory.

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Historians have identified the 16th and 17th centuries as a time of revolutionary change in Europe, driven by military technology. We talk a bit about that, and about the personalities Henry VIII was up against.

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