The New World

Maggie Pole: [narrating voice] The year of our Lord 1501. Spain is wealthy, but fears for its political power. Queen Isabella overthrew a thousand years of Muslim rule and must have Catholic allies to maintain her sovereignty. And England faces poverty. Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth have long needed rich allies to deter invasion from France and Scotland. Both believe an alliance is vital to solve their problems, and so a match has been made between their eldest son and heir to the Tudor throne, Prince Arthur, and the Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon. This alliance will eventually make Catherine the Queen of England. She has been promised this since she was a small child. The fortunes of both kingdoms and the security of Europe rest upon Catherine's young shoulders as she leaves her palace home to make the arduous journey across Spain to the ship that will carry her to England. But achieving her God-given destiny comes at a price. For Catherine may never see her beloved homeland again.