UKTV - Historys Ultimate Spies (2015) Part 1 Thomas Cromwell

Treason has always been one of the most severly punishable crime. Every country, state, crown or government has its enemies, even when they're not at war. These battles are fought in the murky shadows and grey underworld, in obscure buildings and hidden rooms, where the prize is not territory or land…..but information. Long before any forms of mass communication, history's spymasters invented and established any number of sophisticated spy networks, many of which formed the basis for the rules of modern day espionage. It was these men and women who pulled the invisible strings, chose the operatives and established the methods used by the first secret services of the world. They were the cold eyed, ruthless servants prepared to do anything to serve their political or royal masters. The stories of History's Ultimate Spies are woven around many notorious plots and infamous characters, and they'll feature in a series that delves into the psyche of the men and women who set up the networks - or destroyed them. Scenes like these have been played out for centuries by infamous figures who wielded the power behind the throne. It is these men and women and their methods that are the subject of this series. From Tudor times to the early 20th Century, It is the stories of these spymasters and their methods that feature in this six part series.

Part 1 Thomas Cromwell

Learn about the wily characters from history who pulled strings. This first episode in the series of spies and conspirators in history covers Thomas Cromwell, who was executed for treason in London in 1540. Thomas Cromwell's cloak-and-dagger work helped steer Henry VIII through his troubles with Rome and several wives. Thomas Cromwell was a protege of the cunning and ambitious Cardinal Wolsey, whose death in 1530 promoted Cromwell to Henry VIII's right-hand man. In order to do the king's bidding, he established a network of spies that steered Henry through his troubles with Rome, divorces, assassinations attempts and the establishment of a new religion. As this documentary reveals, though cunning and ambitious, none of these achievements proved sufficient to preserve his life.

Full Version Available Upon Request
Episode One Shown Here