''Pretenders'' was a 13 episode British historical adventure

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

series produced by

Harlech Television ITV Wales and West, previously known as Harlech Television (HTV), was an ITV (TV network), ITV franchise area in the United Kingdom until 31 December 2013, licensed to a broadcaster by the regulator Ofcom. There is no channel, past or present, ...

(HTV) and broadcast from 27 February to 21 May 1972 on

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

. It was filmed in Somerset, England and Wales. The series takes place in 1685 and is set against the backdrop of the Monmouth Rebellion against the Catholic King

James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Gloriou ...

. It starred

Frederick Jaeger Manfred Frederick Jaeger (9 May 1928 – 18 June 2004) was a German-born British film, television, theatre and radio character actor. Biography Jaeger was born in Berlin, Germany, but moved to England following Adolf Hitler's rise to power. H ...

as Joachim, a German mercenary who assists Elam ( Curtis Arden), a 13-year-old boy who believes that he is the illegitimate son of the

Duke of Monmouth Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

, who in turn is the illegitimate son of James II's Protestant elder brother

Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651, and King of England, Scotland and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest surviving child of ...

and therefore claims to be the rightful heir to the throne. The series followed their various adventures, leading up to the climactic

Battle of Sedgemoor The Battle of Sedgemoor was the last and decisive engagement between the Kingdom of England and rebels led by the Duke of Monmouth during the Monmouth rebellion, fought on 6 July 1685, and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerse ...

, the last pitched battle on English soil.

Cast

as Joachim *Elizabeth Robillard as Perfect * Curtis Arden as Elam

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pretenders (Tv Series) 1972 British television series debuts 1972 British television series endings 1970s British drama television series ITV television dramas 1970s British television miniseries Television series by ITV Studios Television shows produced by Harlech Television (HTV) English-language television shows Television shows set in England Television series set in the 17th century