england, may 1536. anne boleyn is dead. Decapitated in the space of a heartbeat by a hired french executioner. As her remains are bundled into oblivion, thomas cromwell breakfasts with the victorys. The blacksmith`s son from putney emerges from the sping`s bloodbath to continue his climb to power and wealth, while his ormidable master, henry VIII, settles to short-lived happiness with his third quenn jane seymour