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History's Ultimate Spies

Documentary

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.

Oct 16, 20151 seasons6 episodesEndedEN

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Sean Francis George

Guy Fawkes

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Steve Griffin

Henry VIII

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Callum Coates

Thomas Cromwell

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Seasons

Season 1

6 episodes

Premiered Oct 16, 2015

Episodes

1–6 of 6

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Ep 1

Thomas Cromwell

Oct 16, 2015

The wily characters from history who pulled strings in the shadows. Thomas Cromwell's cloak-and-dagger work helped steer Henry VIII through his troubles with Rome and several wives.

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Ep 2

Sir Francis Walsingham

Oct 23, 2015

History's scheming spymasters in profile. The six-part series focuses on the remarkable cunning of Francis Walsingham, whose spy network foiled many plots against Queen Elizabeth I.

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Ep 3

Robert Cecil

Oct 30, 2015

Robert Cecil was a formidable political operator, whose extraordinary web of informers helped to foil the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

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Ep 4

Cardinal Richelieu

Nov 6, 2015

Profiles of the super snoopers who blazed a trail in espionage. As Louis XIII's diabolical chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu was feared and hated thanks to his complex spy network.

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Ep 5

Zofia Potocka and Mata Hari

Nov 13, 2015

History's most notorious covert operatives. The astonishing tale of Zofia Potocka, the beautiful lover of Grigory Potemkin who ran a successful spy network in the Russo-Turkish War.

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Ep 6

Elizabeth Van Leew

Nov 20, 2015

The early innovators of intelligence. The American Civil War was notable for its female spymasters. Elizabeth van Lew's effective network even smuggled out messages in hollow eggs.