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8 Episodes 2025 - 2025
Episode 1
Sun, Aug 24, 2025
In 11th-century England, after a decade of civil war, peace has been achieved between the earldoms of Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria. In Normandy, William (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is at war with Guy of Brionne. Despite the reservations of King Henry, William leaves to attend the coronation of his cousin Edward (Eddie Marsan) in England. Harold Godwinson (James Norton) finds evidence that the Mercians have resumed raiding and reports his findings to his father, Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who dismisses Harold's concerns to keep the peace. After arriving in England, William is saved by Harold from a group of bandits. William's wife, Matilda (Clémence Poésy), captures Guy, who informs her that Henry had William's father killed to prevent him from allying with England. Upon receiving news of Guy's capture, Henry launches an invasion of Normandy. During Edward's coronation, Harold's wife, Edith (Emily Beecham), learns from Edward's wife, Gunhild (Bo Bragason), that Edward's mother, Lady Emma (Juliet Stevenson), has initiated the Mercian raids to provoke Wessex into war. Emma publicly declares that Edward will not father any children, angering Godwin, who married his daughter to Edward so Wessex would control the future of the throne. Emma then orders the Mercians to attack Dover, while William returns to Normandy amid Henry's invasion.
Episode 2
Thu, Sep 4, 2025
Harold's mother Gytha learns that Edith is pregnant but implores her to keep it a secret to not burden Harold. Godwin and his sons are summoned before Edward, who declares them guilty of breaking the peace. Threatened with exile, Godwin agrees to give up his land and titles, and Emma informs him that her actions were to avenge the death of Aethel, Edward's brother, whom Godwin killed to ensure that the weaker Edward would inherit the throne. Godwin and his family prepare to take refuge in Flanders, while Gunhild plans to conceive a child with Edward to secure her family's future. Before they can leave Wessex, Morcar, Earl of Mercia, ambushes them and captures Edith. Harold and the rest of Godwin's family reach the coast and board boats to leave England. In France, Henry succeeds in taking Normandy, while William and Matilda flee to take refuge with her father, Baldwin, in Flanders, with Matilda giving birth during their journey. William requests Baldwin's help, but he decides to maintain Flanders' neutrality. Concerned for his newborn son's safety, William initially plans to give him away but changes his mind and names him Robert.
Episode 3
Sat, Nov 1, 2025
Harold sends his ally Thane Thomas to apprehend Sweyn, who had fled to France. Harold and Edith head to Normandy to inform William of his appointment as Edward's successor but are captured by the Baron of Brittany's men. William frees them, and Harold rescues William's injured advisor Fitzosbern (Ingvar Sigurdsson). Harold proposes that he and William share control of the English throne, but William is apprehensive. William learns that his half-brother Odo has been ordained as the Bishop of Bayeux, and Odo agrees to help William gain influence with the church. A despondent Edward begins to show signs of madness due to Emma's death. Gunhild attempts to conceive a child with Edward, but he suffers a seizure. Tostig sends word to Harold for help before Judith dies in childbirth, along with the baby, causing Tostig grief. Thomas tracks down Sweyn (Elliot Cowan) and assassinates him after discovering that he is planning to retaliate against Harold. William holds a melee to celebrate Whitsun, which culminates in he and Harold fighting. Odo has Harold swear his loyalty to William over holy relics, and Harold states that he will support the rightful heir of England.
Episode 4
Sat, Nov 1, 2025
The earls of England invade London, but Harold spares Edward so he can father an heir. Harold then frees Edith and meets his newborn daughter. During Tostig (Luther Ford) and Judith's wedding, Harold ignores Godwin's wishes and makes Tostig the Earl of Northumbria following news of Siward's death, inciting further resentment from Sweyn, who was promised the title. Believing Sweyn too unstable, Harold sends him on a religious pilgrimage. William springs his trap and retakes Normandy, but Henry escapes. Matilda learns from Baldwin that, should Henry die, he will become the guardian of Henry's heir, Philip. Baldwin tells William that Henry is hiding in Alsace, and William kills Henry in a duel. Gunhild informs Edward that Emma had secretly sent money to King Hardrada of Norway, causing a delusional Edward to beat his mother to death. Gunhild later intercepts a letter detailing Edward's plan to name William as his successor. Harold swears to his dying father that he will take the throne. In Norway, Hardrada receives a letter from Emma, stating that a promise made by her deceased husband, King Cnut, means that the ruler of Norway has a rightful claim to the English throne.
Episode 5
Sat, Nov 1, 2025
Harold sends his ally Thane Thomas to apprehend Sweyn, who had fled to France. Harold and Edith head to Normandy to inform William of his appointment as Edward's successor but are captured by the Baron of Brittany's men. William frees them, and Harold rescues William's injured advisor Fitzosbern. Harold proposes that he and William share control of the English throne, but William is apprehensive. William learns that his half-brother Odo has been ordained as the Bishop of Bayeux, and Odo agrees to help William gain influence with the church. A despondent Edward begins to show signs of madness due to his mother Emma's death. Gunhild attempts to conceive a child with Edward, but he suffers a seizure. Tostig sends word to Harold for help before Judith dies in childbirth, along with the baby, causing Tostig grief. Thomas tracks down Sweyn and assassinates him after discovering that he is planning to retaliate against Harold. William holds a melee to celebrate Whitsun, which culminates in he and Harold fighting. Odo has Harold swear his loyalty to William over holy relics, and Harold states that he will support the rightful heir of England.
Episode 6
Sat, Nov 1, 2025
Harold visits a bedridden Edward, who declares with his dying words that England will soon be set ablaze. Harold and Gunhild falsely claim that Edward renounced William as his successor and named Harold in his place. They plan to make the king's death public after securing Morcar and Tostig's support. Fearing that Harold will have manipulated Edward, William prepares to assemble an army but lacks a fleet of ships to cross the English Channel. William negotiates with the Baron of Brittany to secure his ships, but he requests control of Normandy in return, which William refuses. Morcar agrees to support Harold on the condition that he replace Tostig as Earl of Northumbria and that Harold must marry Morcar's sister Margaret in a church wedding to forge a lasting peace between their families. His previous marriage was only a Danish ceremony. Because Harold desperately needs Morcar's support, he reluctantly agrees and promptly marries Margaret. Edith arrives in Northumbria to find a depressed Tostig resentful of Harold for abandoning him. Having received news of Sweyn's death, Tostig warns Edith that Harold betrays everyone close to him. Edith returns to London to learn of Harold's re-marriage. Furious, she tells him the crown has put a target on her children's backs. Believing Harold has betrayed him, Tostig allies with Hardrada. During Harold and Margaret's coronation, Harold is informed that Hardrada's forces have invaded Northumbria.
Episode 7
Sat, Nov 1, 2025
Harold leads his army north toward York to face Hardrada's Viking forces. He encounters a defeated Morcar, who warns him that Tostig is advising Hardrada. Edith plans to flee England with her children, believing that Harold cannot survive invasions from both the north and the south. Harold's men ambush Hardrada's Vikings at Stamford Bridge. In the chaos of the battle, Harold defeats Hardrada and accidentally kills Tostig when he attempts to save his brother, during a brief return to sanity. Matilda learns that Baldwin has been undermining William by threatening the barons of Normandy with invasion. She convinces Baron Richard to expose the other traitors and spread misinformation. William realizes that he cannot kill the Baron of Brittany to enable his disgraced and more reasonable ally, the son Alain to succeed him, as this would risk war. Instead the loyal Fitzosbern volunteers and sacrifices himself, in a suicide mission, successfully assassinating the Baron, allowing Alain to bring Brittany's ships to join William's forces. William and Mathilda prepare for their hopefully temporary separation. To prevent Baldwin from invading and stealing Normandy during William's absence, William leaves Matilda to rule Normandy, with his infant son Robert as his regent. As William's forces prepare to cross the Channel, the appearance of a comet is seen as an significant omen while Harold rushes his depleted army back south.
Episode 8
Sat, Nov 1, 2025
William arrives on the shores of England, and loots and burns down several villages to draw out Harold. Baldwin warns Matilda that, should William die, he is prepared to seize Normandy. Harold returns to London, where Edith refuses to continue supporting him, and Gytha berates him for failing to protect Tostig. Harold heads to face William, who sends Odo to give Harold a chance to surrender, but he refuses. At Hastings, battle erupts as William's archers fire upon Harold's outnumbered forces, who create a shield wall in a defensible position while they await Morcar's reinforcements, but Morcar instead observes the conflict from afar. After William's army fails to break through the shield wall, he rides into battle but falls from his horse, and Odo sounds the retreat. Harold's forces ignore orders and break formation to pursue William's fleeing men, but William counterattacks, and both Alain and Thomas are killed. Harold and William then clash on the battlefield, and although Harold gains the upper hand, he hesitates and is killed by William's men. William sticks an arrow through Harold's eye, leading Odo to claim that it was God's arrow that struck Harold down. In the aftermath, Matilda rejoices at the news of William's victory. Edith finds a warrant signed by Harold, which would have allowed her to safe passage to leave the country, despite his prior threat to block her exit. After William has Edith identify her husband's body, she and her children depart England with Gytha, Gunhild, and Margaret. William is then crowned King of England.