Secrets of the Valley of the Kings • 2008 • episode "Part 1" • Egypt Unwrapped

44:38

The opening episode tells the story of the outbreak of war in 1914. In the decades since the last European War the world changed.

S01E01 • The Great War in Numbers • 2017 • History

50:22

Where and when does the history of Europe begin? The traces lead to ancient Greece, more precisely to Crete: Here we not only found the first high culture of the continent, but also the founding myth, to which it owes its name: the kidnapping of the princess Europa by the Greek god Zeus.

S1E1 • The Story of Europe • 2018 • History

58:52

Andrew Marr sets off on an epic journey through 70,000 years of human history. Using dramatic reconstructions, documentary filming around the world and cutting-edge computer graphics, he reveals the decisive moments that shaped the world we live in today, telling stories we thought we knew and others we were never told. (Part 2: Age of Empire) Andrew Marr tells the story of the first empires which laid the foundations for the modern world. From the Assyrians to Alexander the Great, conquerors rampaged across the Middle East and vicious wars were fought all the way from China to the Mediterranean. But this time of chaos and destruction also brought enormous progress and inspired human development. In the Middle East, the Phoenicians invented the alphabet, and one of the most powerful ideas in world history emerged: the belief in just one God. In India, the Buddha offered a radical alternative to empire building - a way of living that had no place for violence or hierarchy and was open to everyone. Great thinkers from Socrates to Confucius proposed new ideas about how to rule more wisely and live in a better society. And in Greece, democracy was born - the greatest political experiment of all. But within just a few years, its future would be under threat from invasion by an empire in the east...

S1E2 • Andrew Marr's History of the World • 2012 • History

44:00

Even 2,000 years after his death, General Hannibal's battle strategies are still studied today. But of all his military feats, perhaps his greatest was leading his massive Carthaginian army of men and three-dozen elephants across the Alps and into the heartland of Rome in 218 B.C. Until now, the route they took has been a matter of dispute, but thanks to modern-day technology, geomorphologist Bill Mahaney and microbiologist Chris Allen believe they've accurately traced this ancient journey.

2019 • History

49:46

Drama-documentary about Richard the Lionheart. Was he the heroic warrior of Robin Hood? Or was he just a greedy thug who wanted to loot the Holy Land? Revisionist history suggests that Richard was neither- an extremist Christian, he struggled to lead a fractious international coalition against an impenetrable Muslim stronghold. Saladin used scorched earth tactics which spread dissension through the Crusaders' ranks. Gradually, Richard's coalition fell apart and he returned a failure. In 1191, the English King Richard the Lionheart is just one of several leaders of the Third Crusade to retake Jerusalem. His adversary, the aging Egyptian statesman and empire founder Salah-ad Din, had conquered the pilgrimage city a few years earlier. Before the decisive battle of Arsuf, all signs actually point to a dramatic defeat for the crusaders. But Richard keeps his troops together - it will be the greatest triumph of the warrior king.

S1E5 • Warriors: Great Men of History • 2007 • History

54:08

This in-depth documentary examines the life of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the Republic of Turkey from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. One of the most fascinating personalities of his time: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. November 10 2018 marks the 80th anniversary of his death. His revolution, which quickly and radically transformed the declining Ottoman Empire into today's Turkey and profoundly changed culture and society, is rooted in European thinking. But Ataturk's unconditional determination also shows dictatorial traits. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - Monuments to the father of modern Turkey can be found in every city, the anniversary of his death is commemorated every year, derogatory words about him are punishable by law. Rarely has a politician changed a society so radically in such a short time as Ataturk did in Turkey, which was born out of the declining Ottoman Empire. He acted with unconditional determination when it came to catapulting a deeply backward country into modernity. His reforms still have an impact today. Ataturk's revolution is rooted in European thinking, in the French Enlightenment, in the process of secularization in western states. In many ways it is a turning to the West. It is also based on the idea of equality between men and women - unique in the Islamic world at the time. With his cultural revolution, however, he also overwhelms many traditionally oriented Turks. It still has an effect today. How did a young Ottoman officer become the hero of Gallipoli in World War I? How did this hero become the charismatic founder of today's Turkey through the war of independence? How does he push his reforms through in just fifteen years: abolition of polygamy, introduction of Swiss civil law, dress reform, hat reform, language and writing reform? The docu-drama tells the story of Mustafa Kemal Pasha - from his birth in multicultural Salonika to his death on November 10, 1938. Along with interviews with historians, a rich trove of archival footage and photographs enhance the documentary. These are further illuminated by reenactments depicting the intellectual evolution of Ataturk the man, as well as his revolution and political philosophy. Inner monologues drawn from the wide range of the nation's founder's writings and diaries, notes and letters lend authenticity and credibility to the film.

2018 • History