The Sword and the Rose

Mary Tudor, the English princess, falls in love with the newcomer Charles Brandon. She persuades her brother, King Henry VIII, to appoint him Captain of the Guard. Their bond blends romance with court politics, reshaping the power dynamics at court.

Henry VIII is determined to marry Mary off to aging King Louis XII of France as part of a peace agreement. The plan prioritizes politics over Mary's feelings for Brandon. The arrangement ties Mary to the French king and the alliance with France.

Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, resents Brandon for being a commoner and a threat to his own ambitions for Mary. He covets Mary for himself and schemes to remove Brandon from the scene. The court grows tense as rival desires collide.

Brandon resigns from his captaincy, choosing to seek a new life in the New World. He leaves behind the court's intrigues and the politics of marriage. His departure sets off a chain of decisions that will pull Mary toward dangerous choices.

Against the advice of her lady-in-waiting, Mary disguises herself as a boy to pursue Brandon to Bristol. Her bold journey shows her willingness to take risks to be with him. The act plunges her deeper into the perilous world of political schemes.

Henry's men catch Mary and Brandon, imprisoning him in the Tower of London as leverage in the marriage bargain. The threat of losing him intensifies Mary's resolve and seals her fate with Louis. The Tower becomes the center of political maneuvering.

Henry agrees to spare Brandon's life if Mary marries Louis, with the promise that she will be free to choose again after Louis dies. The bargain binds Mary to Louis and delays any reunion with Brandon. The queen's dignity is tested by political necessity.

Mary seeks Buckingham's aid, but he pretends to assist Brandon's escape while secretly plotting his murder during the attempt. His duplicity heightens the danger and stretches the limits of trust at court. The plot foreshadows a dramatic confrontation.

The Duke believes Brandon is drowned during the escape on the Thames, but Brandon survives against the odds. His return sets the stage for a dramatic reckoning with Buckingham. The moment rekindles hope for Mary and Brandon's reunion.

Mary becomes Louis XII's wife and influences him to drink to excess, hastening his decline. Louis's heir, Francis, makes clear he has no plan to return Mary to England after Louis dies. The situation hardens Mary's position in France.

Buckingham tells Lady Margaret that Brandon is dead and travels to France to 'rescue' Mary, hoping to seize her for himself. Lady Margaret discovers the ruse and realizes Brandon is alive. The treachery drives Mary toward a dangerous reckoning in France.

Charles Brandon arrives in time, rescues Mary, and wounds Buckingham in a duel. Mary and Brandon marry and remind Henry VIII of his promise that she may choose her second husband. Henry forgives them and grants Charles the title Duke of Suffolk.