List of Historical Drama Films - Early Modern (1454-1700)

Early Modern (1454-1700)

Sortable table
Title Release date Time period Notes on setting
Richard III 1955 1452–1485 Richard III of England
Black Arrow 1985 1455–1485 adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel about the Lancastrian hero in the Wars of the Roses
The Conclave 2006 1458 depicting this tense, politically charged Papal election
Tower of London 1939 1462-1483 during the reign of Edward IV of England
Tower of London 1962 1483-1485 during the reign of Richard III of England
Princes in the Tower 2005 1490s the trial of Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be prince Richard, rightful heir to the throne before his untimely death in the Tower as a child
Christopher Columbus 1985 1492 the discovery and conquest of the New World by Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery 1992 1492 the discovery and conquest of the New World by Christopher Columbus
1492: Conquest of Paradise 1992 1492–1506 the discovery and conquest of the New World by Christopher Columbus
Los Borgia 2006 1492–1503 the family life and papacy of Rodrigo Borgia, widely considered to be the epitome of papal corruption of the era
The Borgias 2011 1492–1503 the family life and papacy of Rodrigo Borgia, widely considered to be the epitome of papal corruption of the era
The Agony and the Ecstasy 1965 1508–1512 the painting of the Sistine Chapel
Luther 2003 1505–1530 Martin Luther
Henry VIII and His Six Wives 1972 1509–1547 Henry VIII of England
The Private Life of Henry VIII 1933 1509–1547 Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII 2003 1509–1547 Henry VIII of England
The Tudors 2007–2010 1509–1547 Henry VIII of England
The Other Conquest 1998 1521 Mexico, depicting the secret adherence to traditional religious beliefs of the converted Aztec survivors
Wara Wara 1930 16th century romance set at the time of the Spanish conquest of Bolivia
Apocalypto 2006 1502 Yucatan, Mexico, the declining period of the Maya civilization
The Headsman 2005 c. 1525 an executioner in Tyrol (part of the Holy Roman Empire)
A Man for All Seasons 1966 1525–1535 Thomas More
Anne of the Thousand Days 1969 1525–1536 Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort of King Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I
The Other Boleyn Girl 2008 1525–1536 Anne and Mary Boleyn
Ivan the Terrible 1944, 1958 1530–1584 two-part film about Ivan IV of Russia
Ivan the Terrible 2009 1530–1584 19-episodes TV Series about Ivan IV of Russia
Czar 2009 1530–1584 film about Ivan IV of Russia
The Royal Hunt of the Sun 1969 1532 Pizarro's capture of Atahualpa
Young Bess 1953 1535–1558 from the death of Anne Boleyn to the corronation of Elizabeth I of England
Mary of Scotland 1936 1542–1587 Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots 1971 1542–1587 Mary, Queen of Scots
Gunpowder, Treason & Plot 2004 1542–1605 the reigns of Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James I of England
The Return of Martin Guerre 1982 1548–1588 France - a true case of late medieval identity theft
Lady Jane 1986 1553 about Lady Jane Grey, the uncrowned queen regent of the Kingdom of England for nine days
The Virgin Queen 2005 1558–1603 the reign of Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth R 1971 1558–1603 the reign of Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth 1998 1558-15?? the early reign of Elizabeth I of England
Aguirre, the Wrath of God 1972 1560 Lope de Aguirre's ill-fated expedition down the Amazon
El Greco 2007 1567–1600 Greek biographical film about the life of the Greek painter of the Spanish Renaissance, Doménikos Theotokópoulos, known as El Greco
La Reine Margot 1994 1572 France during the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
Elizabeth I 2005 1578–1603 the last 25 years of Elizabeth I of England's reign
Elizabeth: The Golden Age 2007 1585–1590 the Spanish Armada
Fire Over England 1937 1588 the Spanish Armada
Mihai Viteazul 1970 1593–1601 Michael the Brave, prince of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania
The Merchant of Venice 2004 1596 Republic of Venice
Shōgun 1980 1600 loosely based on the adventures of William Adams, an English sailor who travelled to Japan in 1600 and served as a samurai and advisor to the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu
The New World 2005 1608 the colonization of Jamestown, Virginia
1612 2007 1612 Russia during the Time of Troubles
The Last Valley 1970 c. 1618-1648 Germany during the Thirty Years' War
Molière 1978 1622–1673 the French playwright Molière
Day of Wrath 1943 1624 using a fictitious witchcraft trial as a metaphor for the then current Nazi persecution of Jews
The Three Musketeers Several adaptations (1903–2011) 1625–1673 Based on the novels (' The Three Musketeers') by Alexandre Dumas
Cardinal Richelieu (film) 1935 1626–1642 the life of the great 17th century French statesman Cardinal Richelieu and his dealings with Louis XIII of France
Alatriste 2006 1643 Life of a Spanish soldier (Capitaine Alatriste) until the battle of Rocroi based on the novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte
Queen Christina 1933 1632–1654 Queen Christina of Sweden
Le Roi danse 2000 1632–1687 Jean-Baptiste Lully
Black Robe 1991 1634 Jesuit missionary among the Hurons
The Devils 1971 1634 the life and trial of Urbain Grandier, who was convicted of witchcraft and burned
The Devil's Whore 2008 1638–1660 the English Civil War and the reign of Oliver Cromwell
Witchfinder General 1968 1640s during the English Civil War
Barbara 1997 1640 Faroe Islands
Cromwell 1970 1640–1653 the English Civil War and the dissolution of the Rump Parliament
Molière 2007 1645 the French playwright Molière
The Libertine 2004 1647–1680 life of the poet John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
With Fire and Sword 1999 1648–1654 the Khmelnytsky Uprising in Ukraine
To Kill a King 2003 1648–1658 the reign of Oliver Cromwell
Charles II: The Power and The Passion 2003 1649–1685 the reign of Charles II of England
The Deluge 1974 1655–1660 Poland - the Second Northern War
The Man in the Iron Mask 1977 1660–1667 France in the reign of Louis XIV
Colonel Wolodyjowski 1968 1668 the Ottoman invasion of Poland
Vatel 2000 1671 France during the life of master chef François Vatel
The Prince of Homburg 1997 1675 adaptation of the Heinrich von Kleist play fictionalizing the deeds of Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg in the Battle of Fehrbellin against Sweden
Witchhammer 1970 1678–1696 Northern Moravia witch trials
The Red Violin 1998 1681 one section of the film is set in 1681 in Cremona
Peter the Great 1984 1682–1725 the reign of Peter I of Russia
The Cantor of St Thomas's 1984 1685–1750 Johann Sebastian Bach
The Crucible 1996 1692–1693 dramatization of the Salem witch trials that took place in Province of Massachusetts Bay
Tous les matins du monde 1991 late 17th century Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe

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