Movies set in Renaissance era (1400-1600 AD)
by Westcliff | created - 08 Oct 2021 | updated - 5 months ago | PublicThe Renaissance era, spanning from the 14th to the 17th century, was a profound period of rebirth and transformation in Europe. Marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, this period was characterized by a revival of interest in Greek and Roman literature, art, and philosophy, leading to remarkable advancements in the arts, sciences, and socio-political thought.
Humanism: At the heart of the Renaissance was the philosophy of Humanism. Focusing on human potential and achievements, Humanists sought to bring a new depth and realism to the arts and sciences by rediscovering and studying the classic works of ancient Greece and Rome. Humanists like Petrarch and Erasmus championed the study of humanities, including grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and moral philosophy.
Art: Renaissance art marked a departure from the flat and relatively emotionless figures of the Middle Ages, bringing a new depth and realism to human depiction. Influential artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael utilized techniques like linear perspective and anatomical precision to create works of unprecedented depth and detail. Their iconic works, such as the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the School of Athens, have had a lasting impact on art.
Science: The Renaissance also witnessed a surge of activity in the sciences, with pioneers like Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler challenging the geocentric view of the universe and laying the foundations for modern astronomy. Additionally, anatomists like Andreas Vesalius made major strides in understanding the human body.
Exploration: This period was also characterized by an age of exploration and discovery, as technological advancements in navigation sparked the Age of Discovery. Explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama discovered new routes and lands, transforming Europe's understanding of the world and leading to a global exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures.
Religion: The Renaissance saw significant religious change, culminating in the Protestant Reformation initiated by Martin Luther in 1517. This period of religious upheaval led to a shift in the religious landscape of Europe, weakening the uniformity of the Catholic Church and leading to the rise of Protestantism.
Politics and Society: The Renaissance brought changes to politics and society as well. The era saw the rise of powerful city-states in Italy, such as Florence and Venice. Machiavelli's "The Prince" offered advice on political leadership, which continues to influence political thought. The Renaissance also began a shift towards modern nation-states, moving away from feudal structures.
Literature and Printing: The period saw a flourish in literature, with writers like William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, and Dante Alighieri transforming the European literary tradition. The invention of the Gutenberg press around 1440 revolutionized the spread of information, making books more accessible and facilitating the spread of Renaissance ideas.
In summary, the Renaissance was a period of cultural, scientific, and intellectual explosion in Europe. It was an era of great discovery and learning that set the stage for the modern world.
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1. Andrei Rublev (1966)
R | 189 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life, times and afflictions of the fifteenth-century Russian iconographer St. Andrei Rublev.
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky | Stars: Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolay Grinko, Nikolay Sergeev
Votes: 57,068 | Gross: $0.10M
1400–1424 AD
2. Chimes at Midnight (1965)
Not Rated | 115 min | Comedy, Drama, History
When King Henry IV ascends to the throne, his heir, the Prince of Wales, is befriended by Sir John Falstaff, an old, overweight, fun-loving habitual liar. Through Falstaff's eyes we see the reign of King Henry IV and the rise of Henry V.
Director: Orson Welles | Stars: Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, John Gielgud
Votes: 10,154 | Gross: $0.12M
1400–1413 AD
3.
The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)
Episode:
Henry IV, Part 1
(2012)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama, History, War
1403: Henry IV finds himself facing uprisings from the Welsh chieftain Owen Glendower and impetuous young Harry "Hotspur" Percy, son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, angry with the ... See full summary »
Director: Richard Eyre | Stars: Alun Armstrong, Joe Armstrong, John Ashton, Will Attenborough
Votes: 1,500
1403 AD
4.
The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)
Episode:
Henry IV, Part 2
(2012)
Not Rated | 121 min | Drama, History, War
Northumberland swears revenge for his son's death and gathers his allies to fight the ailing king. Meanwhile, the Lord Chief Justice having rebuked Falstaff for being a bad influence on Hal... See full summary »
Director: Richard Eyre | Stars: Alun Armstrong, Will Attenborough, Conrad Asquith, David Bamber
Votes: 1,130
1403 AD
5. The Black Shield of Falworth (1954)
Approved | 99 min | Adventure, History, Romance
Peasant Myles Falworth is trained for knighthood and is groomed by various nobles to defeat the evil Earl of Alban who's plotting to usurp King Henry IV's throne.
Director: Rudolph Maté | Stars: Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, David Farrar, Barbara Rush
Votes: 2,076
1410 AD
6. Knights of the Teutonic Order (1960)
166 min | Adventure, Drama, History
In the 15th century the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is facing a hard struggle against the neighboring Teutonic Order.Frequent clashes between the two powers finally culminate in 1410 with the Battle of Grunwald.
Director: Aleksander Ford | Stars: Urszula Modrzynska, Grazyna Staniszewska, Andrzej Szalawski, Henryk Borowski
Votes: 2,183
1410 AD
7. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
Passed | 114 min | Biography, Drama, History
In 1431, Jeanne d'Arc is placed on trial on charges of heresy. The ecclesiastical jurists attempt to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions.
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer | Stars: Maria Falconetti, Eugene Silvain, André Berley, Maurice Schutz
Votes: 60,685 | Gross: $0.02M
1412–1431 AD
8. Joan of Arc (1948)
Approved | 145 min | Biography, Drama, War
The abbreviated life of the 15th-century French heroine.
Director: Victor Fleming | Stars: Ingrid Bergman, José Ferrer, Selena Royle, Robert Barrat
Votes: 3,782
1412–1431 AD
9. The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)
R | 148 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
A young girl receives a vision that drives her to rid France of its oppressors.
Director: Luc Besson | Stars: Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Rab Affleck, Stéphane Algoud
Votes: 69,714 | Gross: $14.28M
1412–1431 AD
10. Joan of Arc (1999)
TV-PG | 90 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
Spurred by divine voices and visions, fifteenth century teen Joan d'Arc leads French forces against the English.
Stars: Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Peter O'Toole, Neil Patrick Harris
Votes: 6,337
1412–1431 AD
11. Henry V (1944)
Not Rated | 137 min | Biography, Drama, History
In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.
Director: Laurence Olivier | Stars: Laurence Olivier, Robert Newton, Leslie Banks, Felix Aylmer
Votes: 7,074
1415 AD
12. Henry V (1989)
PG-13 | 137 min | Biography, Drama, History
In the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Simon Shepherd, James Larkin
Votes: 31,658 | Gross: $10.16M
1415 AD
13.
The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)
Episode:
Henry V
(2012)
Not Rated | 132 min | Drama, History, War
Hal is now a responsible monarch as Henry V, his rejection of Falstaff hastening the latter's death. Told by courtiers that,through Edward III, he has a claim to the French throne he makes ... See full summary »
Director: Thea Sharrock | Stars: Edward Akrout, Tom Brooke, Geraldine Chaplin, Richard Clothier
Votes: 1,266
1415 AD
14. The King (I) (2019)
R | 140 min | Biography, Drama, History
Young Henry V encounters deceit, war and treachery after becoming King of England in the 15th century, in the aftermath of his brother's death.
Director: David Michôd | Stars: Tom Glynn-Carney, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher, Edward Ashley
Votes: 152,924
1415 AD
15.
The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)
Episode:
Henry VI Part 1
(2016)
TV-14 | 112 min | Drama, History, War
Following his father's early death and the loss of possessions in France young Henry VI comes to the throne, under the protection of the duke of Gloucester. He is unaware that there are ... See full summary »
Director: Dominic Cooke | Stars: Tom Beard, Max Bennett, Hugh Bonneville, Tom Byam Shaw
Votes: 629
1422–1439 AD
16. Medici (2016–2019)
TV-14 | 1,314 min | Biography, Drama, History
A political family drama set in Florence in the early fifteenth century. Cosimo de Medici finds himself at the helm of his banking dynasty when his father, Giovanni, dies suddenly.
Stars: Daniel Sharman, Alessandra Mastronardi, Synnove Karlsen, Sebastian De Souza
Votes: 22,305
1439–1430 AD
17. Rise of Empires: Ottoman (2020–2022)
TV-MA | 45 min | Documentary, Drama, History
Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II wages an epic campaign to take the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and shapes the course of history for centuries.
Stars: Cem Yigit Uzümoglu, Tuba Büyüküstün, Alp Ilkman, Ushan Çakir
Votes: 32,910
1444–1481 AD
18. Hagazussa (2017)
102 min | Drama, Horror
After the loss of her tormented mother, the erratic behavior of a 15th century woman living in an isolated mountain village becomes a threat to the safety of her infant child.
Director: Lukas Feigelfeld | Stars: Aleksandra Cwen, Celina Peter, Claudia Martini, Tanja Petrovsky
Votes: 6,984 | Gross: $0.01M
Mid-15th cent. AD
19. The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci (1971)
300 min | Biography, History
Miniseries dramatizing the life of the Italian Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
Stars: Philippe Leroy, Giulio Bosetti, Giorgio Piazza, Bruno Piergentili
Votes: 436
1452–1519 AD
20. Conquest 1453 (2012)
Not Rated | 162 min | Action, Drama, History
After the death of his father Murat II, Mehmet II ascends to the Ottoman throne. After braving internal and external enemies, he decides to complete what he was destined to do - conquer Constantinople.
Director: Faruk Aksoy | Stars: Devrim Evin, Ibrahim Celikkol, Dilek Serbest, Cengiz Coskun
Votes: 59,088 | Gross: $0.07M
1453 AD
21.
The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)
Episode:
Henry VI Part 2
(2016)
TV-14 | 123 min | Drama, History, War
Five years on the country is in the midst of civil war with Suffolk and Buckingham among the casualties at the battle of St Albans and the triumphant Plantagenet claiming the throne for the... See full summary »
Director: Dominic Cooke | Stars: Simon Armstrong, Jamie Ballard, Archie Bradfield, Benedict Cumberbatch
Votes: 576
1455 AD
22. The Conclave (2006)
100 min | Biography, Drama, History
In 1458, five years after the fall of Constantinople to the Turk, eighteen cardinals met in Rome to elect a new pope. A 27-year-old Spanish cardinal, Rodrigo Borgia, learns to play a very dangerous game; how to survive his first conclave.
Director: Christoph Schrewe | Stars: Manu Fullola, Brian Blessed, James Faulkner, Rolf Kanies
Votes: 617
1458 AD
23. Medici (2016–2019)
TV-14 | 1,314 min | Biography, Drama, History
A political family drama set in Florence in the early fifteenth century. Cosimo de Medici finds himself at the helm of his banking dynasty when his father, Giovanni, dies suddenly.
Stars: Daniel Sharman, Alessandra Mastronardi, Synnove Karlsen, Sebastian De Souza
Votes: 22,305
1458 AD
24. The Black Arrow (1948)
Approved | 76 min | Action, Adventure, History
Young nobleman Richard Shelton returns from the War of the Roses to find his father murdered, a fugitive family friend blamed, and his uncle occupying his estates.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Louis Hayward, Janet Blair, George Macready, Edgar Buchanan
Votes: 447
1460–1461 AD
25. Black Arrow (1985 TV Movie)
90 min | Adventure, History
In 15th century England, a civil war called Wars of the Roses is being fought between two rival houses who want the throne. Fresh from battle, a knight finds his family dead. He joins the outlaws led by the Black Arrow to seek justice.
Director: John Hough | Stars: Benedict Taylor, Georgia Slowe, Oliver Reed, Fernando Rey
Votes: 582
1460–1461 AD
26. The White Queen (2013)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, History, Romance
Three different, yet equally relentless women vie for the throne in 15th-century England.
Stars: Aneurin Barnard, Rebecca Ferguson, Amanda Hale, Faye Marsay
Votes: 31,412
1464–1485 AD
27. Quentin Durward (1955)
Approved | 103 min | Action, Adventure, History
A Scottish knight in France to facilitate a marriage between a rich and beautiful countess and his aging uncle becomes involved in court intrigue.
Director: Richard Thorpe | Stars: Robert Taylor, Kay Kendall, Robert Morley, George Cole
Votes: 1,147
1465 AD
28. The Miracle of the Wolves (1961)
100 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the 15th century France, only one honest knight stands up on protection of a young noblewoman when she finds herself trapped in enmity between a king and a treacherous nobility.
Director: André Hunebelle | Stars: Jean Marais, Rosanna Schiaffino, Roger Hanin, Jean-Louis Barrault
Votes: 442
1465 AD
29. Le secret des Flamands (1974)
52 min | Drama
During the Dutch Golden Age, we follow the journey, schemes, and adventures of Antonello, a young Napolitan painter, from Italy to Holland, in search of the manufacturing secrets of the Flemish oil painting.
Stars: Jean-Claude Dauphin, Isabelle Adjani, Michel Vinter, Raymond Gérôme
Votes: 34
1470 AD
30. Louis XI: Shattered Power (2011 TV Movie)
96 min | Drama, History
A messenger comes to the old sick king Louis XI with the rumor that the he must be soon assassinated by his own lords. It is not difficult for the king to learn everything. He survives his final battle.
Director: Henri Helman | Stars: Jacques Perrin, Florence Pernel, Gaëlle Bona, Bruno Debrandt
Votes: 85
1483 AD
31. Tower of London (1962)
Not Rated | 79 min | Drama, History, Horror
The twisted Richard III is haunted by the ghosts of those he has murdered in his attempt to become the King of England.
Director: Roger Corman | Stars: Vincent Price, Michael Pate, Joan Freeman, Robert Brown
Votes: 2,579
1483 AD
32. Princes in the Tower (2005 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 120 min | Drama
Sixteen years after the presumed deaths of the two boy princes held captive in the Tower, Perkin Warbeck makes his claim to the throne as the rightful King Richard. Did the younger brother ... See full summary »
Director: Justin Hardy | Stars: Mark Umbers, John Castle, Roger Hammond, Sally Edwards
Votes: 139
1483 AD
33.
The Hollow Crown (2012–2016)
Episode:
Richard III
(2016)
TV-14 | 129 min | Drama, History, War
Evil Richard plots his path to rule and layers that path with bodies of friend and foe alike.
Director: Dominic Cooke | Stars: Josef Altin, Isaac Andrews, Paul Bazely, Geoff Bell
Votes: 669
1481–1485 AD
34. Richard III (1955)
Not Rated | 161 min | Biography, Drama, History
Shakespeare's powerful tale of the wicked deformed King and his conquests, both on the battlefield and in the boudoir.
Director: Laurence Olivier | Stars: Laurence Olivier, Cedric Hardwicke, Nicholas Hannen, Ralph Richardson
Votes: 5,228
1483–1485 AD
35. Da Vinci's Demons (2013–2015)
TV-MA | 60 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
Follows Leonardo Da Vinci during his early days in Florence, as a young artist, inventor and dreamer, trying to change the future.
Stars: Tom Riley, Gregg Chilingirian, Eros Vlahos, Laura Haddock
Votes: 79,206
1477 AD
36. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
Passed | 116 min | Drama, Romance
In 15th-century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.
Director: William Dieterle | Stars: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, Cedric Hardwicke, Thomas Mitchell
Votes: 12,283 | Gross: $3.27M
1482 AD
37. 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
PG-13 | 154 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Gérard Depardieu, Armand Assante, Sigourney Weaver, Loren Dean
Votes: 32,815 | Gross: $7.19M
1492 AD
38. Borgia (2011–2014)
TV-MA | 52 min | Biography, Drama, History
Story of the rise and the fall of the Renaissance dynasty.
Stars: Mark Ryder, Isolda Dychauk, Diarmuid Noyes, John Doman
Votes: 7,219
1492–1503 AD
39. The Borgias (2011–2013)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama, History
In the fifteenth century, Pope Alexander VI tries to control all power in Italy with the help of his several sons, through murder, intrigue, war, and marriage alliances.
Stars: Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Peter Sullivan
Votes: 53,954
1492–1503 AD
40. Isabel (2011–2014)
3,038 min | Biography, History
The life of Isabella I of Castile, also known as Isabella the Catholic.
Stars: Michelle Jenner, Ramon Madaula, Rodolfo Sancho, Jordi Díaz
Votes: 2,525
Late-15th cent. AD
41. Flesh+Blood (1985)
R | 126 min | Adventure, Drama
In medieval Europe, a young girl from a noble family is obsessed with her captors - commoners.
Director: Paul Verhoeven | Stars: Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Burlinson, Jack Thompson
Votes: 20,010 | Gross: $0.10M
1501 AD
42. Apocalypto (2006)
R | 139 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
As the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.
Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Gerardo Taracena, Raoul Max Trujillo, Dalia Hernández, Rudy Youngblood
Votes: 331,397 | Gross: $50.87M
1502 AD
43. The Broken Crown (2016)
113 min | Biography, Drama, History
In a Spain consumed by ambition and power, the future of an empire depends on one woman's state of mind.
Director: Jordi Frades | Stars: Rodolfo Sancho, Irene Escolar, Raúl Mérida, Eusebio Poncela
Votes: 863
1504 AD
44. The Advocate (1993)
R | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In medieval France, young lawyer Richard Courtois leaves Paris for the simpler life in the country. However, he is soon drawn into amorous and political intrigues. At the same time, he is ... See full summary »
Director: Leslie Megahey | Stars: Colin Firth, Amina Annabi, Jim Carter, Donald Pleasence
Votes: 2,195 | Gross: $0.67M
1506-1508 AD
45. Martin Luther (1953)
Approved | 105 min | Biography, Drama, History
Biopic of German priest Martin Luther (Niall MacGinnis), covering his life between 1505 and 1530 A.D., and the birth of the Protestant Reformation movement.
Director: Irving Pichel | Stars: Niall MacGinnis, John Ruddock, Pierre Lefevre, Guy Verney
Votes: 667
1505-1530 AD
46. Luther (2003)
PG-13 | 123 min | Biography, Drama, History
During the early sixteenth century, idealistic German monk Martin Luther, disgusted by the materialism in the Catholic Church, begins the dialogue that will lead to the Protestant Reformation.
Director: Eric Till | Stars: Joseph Fiennes, Bruno Ganz, Peter Ustinov, Alfred Molina
Votes: 16,005 | Gross: $5.79M
1505-1530 AD
47. The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
Approved | 138 min | Biography, Drama, History
The biographical story of Michelangelo's troubles while painting the Sistine Chapel at the urging of Pope Julius II.
Director: Carol Reed | Stars: Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento, Harry Andrews
Votes: 8,054
1508–1512 AD
48. Mariken van Nieumeghen (1974)
80 min | Drama, History
A sparkling film and surprising look into the middle ages by means of the story of Mariken, whose beauty is used by the devilish comedian Moenen to put people up against each other.
Director: Jos Stelling | Stars: Eric Bais, Sander Bais, Kees Bakker, Jacqueline Bayer
Votes: 257
1515 AD
49. The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
Passed | 97 min | Biography, Drama
King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
Director: Alexander Korda | Stars: Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Franklin Dyall, Miles Mander
Votes: 4,869
1509–1547 AD
50. Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972)
PG | 125 min | Biography, Drama
On his deathbed, King Henry VIII looks back over his eventful life and his six marriages.
Director: Waris Hussein | Stars: Keith Michell, Donald Pleasence, Charlotte Rampling, Jane Asher
Votes: 987
1509–1547 AD
51. Henry VIII (2003 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 193 min | Biography, Drama, History
Two part mini-series documenting the stormy thirty-eight-year reign of King Henry VIII.
Director: Pete Travis | Stars: Ray Winstone, Joss Ackland, Sid Mitchell, Charles Dance
Votes: 2,489
1509–1547 AD
52. The Six Queens of Henry VIII (2016– )
Not Rated | 60 min | History
A series about Henry VIII and his wives, chronicling the ups and downs in his marriages and how they shaped his reign as King and ultimately the face of Britain.
Stars: Suzannah Lipscomb, Dan Jones, Charlie Clements, Toby Osmond
Votes: 257
1509–1547 AD
53. Charles, Emperor King (2015–2016)
TV-MA | Biography, Drama, History
The Roman Catholic Church faces the new challenges of Protestanism in Northern Europe and Paganism in the Americas. Carlos V seeks to secure the power of the Church, in this continuation of Isabel (2011-2014) and La Corona Partida (2016).
Stars: Álvaro Cervantes, Alfonso Bassave, Marina Salas, Félix Gómez
Votes: 735
1516–1556 AD
54. The Tudors (2007–2010)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, History, Romance
A dramatic series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII.
Stars: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Anthony Brophy, James Frain
Votes: 81,228
1518–1547 AD
55. Wolf Hall (2015)
TV-14 | 60 min | Biography, Drama, History
After the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey, his secretary, Thomas Cromwell, finds himself amongst the treachery and intrigue of King Henry VIII's court and soon becomes a close advisor to the King, a role fraught with danger.
Stars: Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis, Claire Foy, Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Votes: 13,095
1527-1529 AD
56. The Sword and the Rose (1953)
Approved | 92 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
During the reign of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor seeks to flee a forced marriage with the French king by escaping to America with her true love, but her plans are not so easily executed.
Director: Ken Annakin | Stars: Richard Todd, Glynis Johns, James Robertson Justice, Michael Gough
Votes: 998
1509-1515 AD
57. The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
PG-13 | 115 min | Biography, Drama, History
Two sisters contend for the affection of King Henry VIII.
Director: Justin Chadwick | Stars: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Jim Sturgess
Votes: 119,988 | Gross: $26.81M
1521–1536 AD
58. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
G | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of Sir Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry.
Director: Fred Zinnemann | Stars: Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Robert Shaw, Leo McKern
Votes: 37,169 | Gross: $28.35M
1536 AD
59. Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
PG | 145 min | Biography, Drama, History
King Henry VIII of England discards one wife, Catharine of Aragon, who has failed to produce a male heir, in favor of the young and beautiful Anne Boleyn.
Director: Charles Jarrott | Stars: Richard Burton, Geneviève Bujold, Irene Papas, Anthony Quayle
Votes: 8,119 | Gross: $2.07M
1536 AD
60. The Other Conquest (1998)
R | 105 min | Drama, History
It is May 1520 in the vast Aztec Empire one year after the Spanish Conqueror Hernán Cortés' arrival in Mexico. "The Other Conquest" opens with the infamous massacre of the Aztecs at the ... See full summary »
Director: Salvador Carrasco | Stars: Damián Delgado, José Carlos Rodríguez, Elpidia Carrillo, Iñaki Aierra
Votes: 1,204 | Gross: $0.89M
1520 AD
61. The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)
G | 118 min | Adventure, Drama, History
In 1532, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro leads an expedition into the heart of the Inca Empire and captures the Incan Emperor Atahualpa and claims Peru for Spain.
Director: Irving Lerner | Stars: Robert Shaw, Christopher Plummer, Nigel Davenport, Leonard Whiting
Votes: 800
1532 AD
62. The Profession of Arms (2001)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama, History, War
The history of the first victim of modern artillery and its moving agony, amidst conspiracies and betrayals of the powerful. Life and death of Giovanni De' Medici, a young brave captain in ... See full summary »
Director: Ermanno Olmi | Stars: Christo Jivkov, Sergio Grammatico, Dimitar Rachkov, Fabio Giubbani
Votes: 1,909
1526 AD
63. Diane (1956)
Approved | 110 min | Drama, History, Mystery
In the sixteenth century, a noblewoman has a love affair with the French King.
Director: David Miller | Stars: Lana Turner, Pedro Armendáriz, Roger Moore, Marisa Pavan
Votes: 519
1534 AD
64. Man on Horseback (1969)
M/PG | 98 min | Drama
It's medieval times. Kohlhaas merchants with horses. When going to the local fair to sell his horses, is forced by a noble to leave him part of the merchandise as payment for traveling ... See full summary »
Director: Volker Schlöndorff | Stars: David Warner, Anna Karina, Thomas Holtzmann, Michael Gothard
Votes: 236
1532-1540 AD
65. Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013)
Unrated | 122 min | Drama, History
In the 16th century in the Cévennes, a horse dealer by the name of Michael Kohlhaas leads a happy family life. When a lord treats him unjustly, he raises an army and puts the country to fire and sword in order to have his rights restored.
Director: Arnaud des Pallières | Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Mélusine Mayance, Delphine Chuillot, David Kross
Votes: 9,202
1532–1540 AD
66. The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Not Rated | 80 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
In the sixteenth century, Francis Barnard travels to Spain to clarify the strange circumstances of his sister's death after she had married the son of a cruel Spanish Inquisitor.
Director: Roger Corman | Stars: Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, Luana Anders
Votes: 16,404 | Gross: $4.36M
1547 AD
67. Crossed Swords (1977)
PG | 108 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Poor boy Tom Canty and Edward, Prince of Wales exchange identities, but events force the pair to experience each other's lives as well.
Director: Richard Fleischer | Stars: Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Mark Lester, Ernest Borgnine
Votes: 2,114
1547 AD
68. Ivan the Terrible, Part I (1944)
Not Rated | 95 min | Biography, Drama, History
During the early part of his reign, Ivan the Terrible faces betrayal from the aristocracy and even his closest friends as he seeks to unite the Russian people.
Director: Sergei Eisenstein | Stars: Nikolay Cherkasov, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Serafima Birman, Mikhail Nazvanov
Votes: 10,865
1547-1564 AD
69. Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars' Plot (1958)
Not Rated | 88 min | Biography, Drama, History
As Ivan the Terrible attempts to consolidate his power by establishing a personal army, his political rivals, the Russian boyars, plot to assassinate their Tsar.
Director: Sergei Eisenstein | Stars: Nikolay Cherkasov, Serafima Birman, Pavel Kadochnikov, Mikhail Zharov
Votes: 8,056
1564-1584 AD
70. Cellini: A Violent Life (1990)
118 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571), a soldier and one of the most important craftsmen and artists of Renaissance Italy, whose life was marked by many achievements and adventures, but also crimes.
Director: Giacomo Battiato | Stars: Wadeck Stanczak, Max von Sydow, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 128
1545–1554 AD
71. Dangerous Beauty (1998)
R | 111 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft.
Director: Marshall Herskovitz | Stars: Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, Oliver Platt, Fred Ward
Votes: 19,640 | Gross: $4.53M
1546–1591 AD
72. The Serpent Queen (2022–2024)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
Series based on Leonie Frieda's book "Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France."
Stars: Samantha Morton, Amrita Acharia, Enzo Cilenti, Sennia Nanua
Votes: 7,324
1519-1589 AD
73. Lady Jane (1986)
PG-13 | 136 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen of England for only nine days.
Director: Trevor Nunn | Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Cary Elwes, John Wood, Michael Hordern
Votes: 7,086 | Gross: $0.28M
1553 AD
74. The Return of Martin Guerre (1982)
Not Rated | 112 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
In medieval France, some villagers challenge a man's claim of identity when he (as he says) returns home from some time in the army.
Director: Daniel Vigne | Stars: Gérard Depardieu, Nathalie Baye, Maurice Barrier, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
Votes: 4,824 | Gross: $0.02M
1556 AD
75. Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
Not Rated | 95 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
In the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Klaus Kinski, Ruy Guerra, Helena Rojo, Del Negro
Votes: 62,309
1560 AD
76. Nostradamus (1994)
R | 119 min | Biography, Drama
Nostradamus (1503-66) was a French doctor, astrologer and seer during the Inquisition, successful in treating patients during an outbreak of plague.
Director: Roger Christian | Stars: Tchéky Karyo, F. Murray Abraham, Rutger Hauer, Amanda Plummer
Votes: 3,137 | Gross: $0.36M
1503–1566 AD
77. Romeo and Juliet (1968)
PG | 138 min | Drama, Romance
When two young members of feuding families meet, forbidden love ensues.
Director: Franco Zeffirelli | Stars: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery, Milo O'Shea
Votes: 34,783 | Gross: $38.90M
Mid-16th cent. AD
78. The Taming of The Shrew (1967)
Approved | 122 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Brutish, fortune-hunting scoundrel Petruchio tames his wealthy, shrewish wife, Katharina.
Director: Franco Zeffirelli | Stars: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern
Votes: 8,686 | Gross: $8.00M
Mid-16th cent. AD
79. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
PG-13 | 111 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Young lovers, and soon to wed, Hero and Claudio conspire to get verbal sparring partners and confirmed singles, Benedick and Beatrice, to wed as well.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves, Kate Beckinsale
Votes: 52,010 | Gross: $22.55M
Mid-16th cent. AD
80. The Merchant of Venice (2004)
R | 131 min | Drama, Romance
In 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead.
Director: Michael Radford | Stars: Al Pacino, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins, Jeremy Irons
Votes: 38,260 | Gross: $3.77M
Mid-16th cent. AD
81. De vliegende Hollander (1995)
140 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Late 16th century, persecuted protestantism and general dissatisfaction with the Catholic Habsburg rule in the Netherlands lead to large-scale plundering and vandalizing of churches, only ... See full summary »
Director: Jos Stelling | Stars: René Groothof, Veerle Dobbelaere, René van 't Hof, Gene Bervoets
Votes: 601
1568 AD
82. Othello (1951)
Approved | 90 min | Drama, Romance
The Moorish General Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his Lieutenant Michael Cassio when in reality, it is all part of the scheme of a bitter Ensign named Iago.
Director: Orson Welles | Stars: Orson Welles, Micheál MacLiammóir, Robert Coote, Suzanne Cloutier
Votes: 9,454
1570–1573 AD
83. Othello (1995)
R | 123 min | Drama, Romance
The Moorish General Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his Lieutenant Michael Cassio, when in reality, it is all part of the scheme of a bitter Ensign named Iago.
Director: Oliver Parker | Stars: Laurence Fishburne, Kenneth Branagh, Irène Jacob, Nathaniel Parker
Votes: 10,180 | Gross: $2.11M
1570–1573 AD
84. Queen Margot (1994)
R | 161 min | Biography, Drama, History
Young Queen Margot finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage amidst a religious war between Catholics and Protestants. She hopes to escape with a new lover, but finds herself imprisoned by her powerful and ruthless family.
Director: Patrice Chéreau | Stars: Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Vincent Perez
Votes: 18,994 | Gross: $2.02M
1572 AD
85. The Virgin Queen (2005–2006)
59 min | Biography, Drama, History
From teenage princess to accomplished queen, torn between duty and personal longing, the reign of Elizabeth I is exposed in this lavish drama filmed against a backdrop of some of Great Britain's most beautiful houses and landscapes.
Stars: Anne-Marie Duff, Sienna Guillory, Ian Hart, Tom Hardy
Votes: 3,278
1533–1603 AD
86. Elizabeth (1998)
R | 124 min | Biography, Drama, History
The early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England and her difficult task of learning what is necessary to be a monarch.
Director: Shekhar Kapur | Stars: Cate Blanchett, Liz Giles, Rod Culbertson, Paul Fox
Votes: 105,145 | Gross: $30.08M
1558–1585 AD
87. Mary of Scotland (1936)
Approved | 123 min | Biography, Drama, History
The recently widowed Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to reclaim her throne but is opposed by her half-brother and her own Scottish lords.
Directors: John Ford, Leslie Goodwins | Stars: Katharine Hepburn, Fredric March, Florence Eldridge, Douglas Walton
Votes: 2,796
1560–1567 AD
88. Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 205 min | Drama, History
Mini series depicting the turbulent and bloody reigns of Scottish monarchs Mary, Queen of Scots and her son King James VI of Scotland who became King James I of England and foiled the Gunpowder Plot.
Director: Gillies MacKinnon | Stars: Vulpe Adrian, Carmen Ungureanu, Clémence Poésy, Tadeusz Pasternak
Votes: 1,925
1561–1587 AD
89. Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
PG-13 | 128 min | Biography, Drama, History
During the sixteenth century, the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots engages in over two decades of religious and political conflict with her cousin, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I of England, amidst political intrigue in her native land.
Director: Charles Jarrott | Stars: Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson, Patrick McGoohan, Timothy Dalton
Votes: 4,882 | Gross: $2.33M
1560–1567 AD
90. Saint-Germain ou La négociation (2003 TV Movie)
95 min | Drama, History
During the French wars of religion, baron Malassise is dispatched by King Charles IX and his mother Catherine de Médicis to negotiate a peace treaty with representatives of Protestant cities.
Director: Gérard Corbiau | Stars: Jean Rochefort, Marie-Christine Barrault, Rufus, Jean-Paul Farré
Votes: 121
1570 AD
91. Elizabeth I (2005)
TV-MA | 112 min | Biography, Drama, History
Mini-series about the the public and private lives of the later years of Queen Elizabeth I.
Stars: Helen Mirren, Toby Jones, Hugh Dancy, Patrick Malahide
Votes: 7,032
1578 AD
92. Drake's Venture (1980 TV Movie)
101 min | Drama, History
Sir Francis Drake circumnavigates the world in search of adventure and treasure.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: John Thaw, Charlotte Cornwell, Paul Darrow, Terence Budd
Votes: 35
1577–1580 AD
93. The Sea Hawk (1940)
Approved | 127 min | Action, Adventure, History
Geoffrey Thorpe, a buccaneer, is hired by Queen Elizabeth I to nag the Spanish Armada. The Armada is waiting for the attack on England and Thorpe surprises them with attacks on their galleons where he shows his skills on the sword.
Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains, Donald Crisp
Votes: 10,743
1585 AD
94. Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
PG-13 | 114 min | Biography, Drama, History
A mature Queen Elizabeth endures multiple crises late in her reign including court intrigues, an assassination plot, the Spanish Armada, and romantic disappointments.
Director: Shekhar Kapur | Stars: Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush, Jordi Mollà
Votes: 75,076 | Gross: $16.29M
1585–1603 AD
95. Fire Over England (1937)
92 min | Adventure, History, Romance
During the reign of Elizabeth I, a young man's fervent devotion to the crown and to his sweetheart, a lady-in-waiting, lead him to battle for England's victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Director: William K. Howard | Stars: Laurence Olivier, Flora Robson, Vivien Leigh, Raymond Massey
Votes: 1,980
1588 AD
96. Upstart Crow (2016–2020)
TV-PG | 29 min | Comedy, History
Satirical Blackadderesque sitcom about how friends, family, historical circumstances, and his arch-rival Robert Greene, who first coined the derogatory term "upstart crow", influenced William Shakespeare to write his famous plays.
Stars: David Mitchell, Gemma Whelan, Rob Rouse, Liza Tarbuck
Votes: 3,921
1592 AD
97. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
R | 123 min | Comedy, Drama, History
The world's greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.
Director: John Madden | Stars: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson
Votes: 234,377 | Gross: $100.32M
1593 AD
98. The Conspiracy of Torture (1969)
R | 84 min | Drama, History, Horror
In 16th century Italy, a young noblewoman plots with her lover and her family to murder her abusive father, leading to an uproar in the community and the Catholic Church.
Director: Lucio Fulci | Stars: Tomas Milian, Adrienne Larussa, Georges Wilson, Mavie Bardanzellu
Votes: 1,048
1599 AD
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