Episode 1 The Reason Why
Crimean War

Episode 1 The Reason Why

Documentary which reassesses the importance of the Crimean War which paved the way for modern warfare and was a turning point for Europe. Using letters, diaries, photographs and paintings the programme focuses on the men and women involved, telling the story in their words. Part 1 The Reason Why The first programme looks at the reasons behind the war, and why Britain allied itself against Imperial Russia ...
Episode 1 The Day The Sun Went Out
Secrets Of The Dead Catastrophe

Episode 1 The Day The Sun Went Out

The idea that an event of cataclysmic proportions shrouded the Earth's atmosphere darkening the sky and plunging its inhabitants into a massive crisis, is familiar to anyone who's read about the dinosaurs. But what if a similar event happened to humans? And what if recorded history around the world indicates a precise time when this disaster struck? This fascinating documentary tackles the premise that scribes in civilizations as far apart as Ireland and China all recorded a darkening of the sky and a drop in temperatures about the year A.D. 535. Episode 1 The Day The Sun Went Out - Looks at geological, meteorological, and other forces that may have significantly impacted the Earth's weather during the Dark Ages. Some scientists believe that either a volcano erupted or a meteor hit the earth, causing an unusually cold period to develop. Others are more attracted to Mike Baillie's theories involving tree ...
Andrew Jackson Conqueror of Florida
The Conquerors

Andrew Jackson Conqueror of Florida

This documentary tour de force on the world's greatest battles and the fearless men who won them. The Conquerors examines 12 legendary figures that altered the course of history through military brilliance and sheer willpower. Diary entries interviews with scholars and heart-stopping reenactments examine the strategies, weapons of conquest and the significance of each engagement in the annals of history. Hosted by decorated war veteran Captain Dale Dye. Episode Andrew Jackson Conqueror of Florida - See how Andrew Jackson took on a superpower in defiance of presidential orders. He was a national hero, the commander who defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. Five years later, he took on another European superpower in a private campaign that ultimately helped carry him to the White House. Along the way, he seized runaway slaves and destroyed the so-called N. Fort. Jackson's actions caused an international ...
Cortez Conqueror of Mexico
The Conquerors

Cortez Conqueror of Mexico

This documentary tour de force on the world's greatest battles and the fearless men who won them. The Conquerors examines 12 legendary figures that altered the course of history through military brilliance and sheer willpower. Diary entries interviews with scholars and heart-stopping reenactments examine the strategies, weapons of conquest and the significance of each engagement in the annals of history. Hosted by decorated war veteran Captain Dale Dye. Episode Cortes Conqueror of Mexico - See how a Conquistador ordered not to engage in combat destroyed the mightiest empire in the New World. He is one of the greatest conquerors in history, and among the most brutal. Hernan Cortes' thirst for gold and power led him to Mexico in 1519, where he launched a conquest unlike any other in history. In approximately two years, Cortes owned the Aztec empire, and their once proud ruler Montezuma was dead. Through brilliant execution, from ...
Episode 1 Hitler v. Stalin August 1939
Warlords

Episode 1 Hitler v. Stalin August 1939

WWII was not just a military conflict. It was also a series of psychological battles waged by the four great leaders Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. In these mental duels, the "warlords" lied, schemed, charmed, flattered and cheated to win. Inter-weaving the leaders' own words with personal recollections and private diaries, it reveals the four warlords as fascinating, flawed, and fully human. Episode 1 Hitler vs Stalin, August 1939 - June 1941 As World War II begins, the two most extreme proponents of totalitarian violence sign a nonaggression pact. Less than two years later, however, the nominal allies turn on each other. The seeds of Hitler's betrayal lie in his psyche he foolishly believes that he has already won in Western Europe, and he begins to suspect a secret pact between Churchill and Stalin ...
Stephen Fry and The Machine That Made Us
Medieval Season

Stephen Fry and The Machine That Made Us

The Gutenberg Press was perhaps the most revolutionary machine ever invented. Stephen Fry discovers the lengths to which Gutenberg went to keep his project secret then helps to build a working model of the press and explores how print democratised knowledge by making the written word accessible to all. Stephen Fry investigates the story of one of the most important machines ever invented - the Gutenberg Press ...
King David
The Conquerors

King David

This documentary tour de force on the world's greatest battles and the fearless men who won them. The Conquerors examines 12 legendary figures that altered the course of history through military brilliance and sheer willpower. Diary entries interviews with scholars and heart-stopping reenactments examine the strategies, weapons of conquest and the significance of each engagement in the annals of history. Hosted by decorated war veteran Captain Dale Dye. Episode King David - After slaying Goliath, King David fought his way to the top while establishing Israel as an independent nation and capturing Jerusalem in 995 B.C. Famed as the slayer of Goliath, King David's greatest triumph came when he united the tribes of Israel. See how David accomplished what scores of rulers before him had failed to do. King David vanquished all other contenders to the throne of Israel. He then turned his attention outwards, rapidly defeating the Philistines, the ...
Napoleon's Greatest Victory
The Conquerors

Napoleon’s Greatest Victory

This documentary tour de force on the world's greatest battles and the fearless men who won them. The Conquerors examines 12 legendary figures that altered the course of history through military brilliance and sheer willpower. Diary entries interviews with scholars and heart-stopping reenactments examine the strategies, weapons of conquest and the significance of each engagement in the annals of history. Hosted by decorated war veteran Captain Dale Dye. Episode Napoleon's Greatest Victory - From his ascension to power in France, to campaigns in Italy, Egypt, Austria, and Russia, Napoleon Bonaparte rose from commoner to general to king to emperor. One of the greatest military commanders of all time, he conquered the larger part of Europe and did much to modernize the nations he ruled. His name is, without question, synonymous with that of Conqueror, though he never considered himself as such. He said he was a liberator, bringing enlightenment to ...
Episode 2
The Spartans with Bettany Hughes

Episode 2

The presented by Bettany Hughes chronicles the rise and fall of one of the most extreme civilizations the world has ever seen, one founded on discipline, sacrifice and frugality where the onus was on the collective and the goal was to create the perfect state and the perfect warrior. Hughes reveals the secrets and complexities of everyday Spartan life. There was bitter rivalry between Sparta and Athens, two cities with totally opposed views of the "good life". By setting out to create a perfect society protected by perfect warriors, Sparta made an enemy of change. A collapsing birth rate, too few warriors, rebellious slaves and outdated attitudes to weaponry and warfare combined to sow the seeds of Sparta's destruction. Episode 2 The retreat of the Persians, after Thermopylae and the battle of Salamis. Athens, which had been allied with Sparta against Persia, experiences an expanded economy, and democracy under the ...
Episode 3
The Spartans with Bettany Hughes

Episode 3

The presented by Bettany Hughes chronicles the rise and fall of one of the most extreme civilizations the world has ever seen, one founded on discipline, sacrifice and frugality where the onus was on the collective and the goal was to create the perfect state and the perfect warrior. Hughes reveals the secrets and complexities of everyday Spartan life. There was bitter rivalry between Sparta and Athens, two cities with totally opposed views of the "good life". By setting out to create a perfect society protected by perfect warriors, Sparta made an enemy of change. A collapsing birth rate, too few warriors, rebellious slaves and outdated attitudes to weaponry and warfare combined to sow the seeds of Sparta's destruction. Episode 3 Alcibiades, an Athenian statesman defects to Sparta and becomes an adviser and strategist. He suggests that Sparta takes the war to Syracuse, in Sicily, and Athens suffers a major ...
Diana Life Through The Lens

Diana Life Through The Lens

Photographer Jayne Fincher shares her experiences as part of Princess Diana's press corps in this documentary. Fincher who photographed Diana for 17 years, reveals behind the scenes insight into the media phenomenon surrounding the famous royal. Often called the Most Photographed Woman in the World Diana was under the media's constant glare, but who created her public image, the monarchy, the press, her devoted fans or Diana herself? ...
The Lost Tomb Of Jesus

The Lost Tomb Of Jesus

Has the tomb of Jesus Christ been found? Since the 1970s hundreds of tombs and thousands of ossuaries (limestone bone boxes) have been discovered in the Jerusalem area. These ossuaries served as coffins in first century Jerusalem. One of these tombs was found to contain ten ossuaries. Six of the ossuaries in this tomb have inscriptions on them. As it turns out, every inscription in this particular tomb relates to the Gospels. This documentary makes a case is made that the 2,000 year old Tomb of the Ten Ossuaries belonged to the family of Jesus of Nazareth ...
The Queen's Coronation Behind Palace Doors

The Queen’s Coronation Behind Palace Doors

Tensions and conflict arose between the Queen Mother and Prince Philip behind the scenes leading up to Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953. The Queen's Coronation Behind Palace Doors includes dramatic re-enactments and interviews with leading royal biographers Hugo Vickers Sarah Bradford, Tim Heald, Piers Brendon and Gyles Brandreth, Maids of Honour Lady Anne Glenconnerand and photographers' assistants Michael Dunne and John Drysdale, and former House of Hartnell employee Michael Talboys. King George VI died prematurely on 6 February 1952, aged 56, thrusting his twenty five year old daughter Elizabeth onto the throne. The Queen Mother was forced to stand aside Elizabeth was caught in the middle. Prince Philip wanted to showcase a thoroughly modern monarchy whilst the traditionalists, including the Queen Mother, saw no reason for change ...
Episode 3 The Not So Dark Ages
Britain A.D.

Episode 3 The Not So Dark Ages

Britain AD - which accompanies and expands on Britain BC Francis Pryor traces the story of King Arthur back to its ancient origins. Putting forth the compelling idea that most of its key elements are deeply rooted in Bronze and Iron Ages he argues that the legends survival mirrors a flourishing indigenous culture that endured through the Roman occupation of Britain and the subsequent invasions of the so called Dark Ages ...
Episode 2
Carthage The Roman Holocaust

Episode 2

Cambridge historian Dr Richard Miles traces one of history's darkest and most compelling stories the superpower rivalry between Carthage and Rome that radically transformed the ancient world. For the victor, the prize was unchallenged imperial domination, for the loser, it was obliteration. Richard Miles, reveals the truth about the Carthaginians, the remarkable and forgotten people. In 146 B.C. Roman General Scipio Destroyed the city of Carthage so painstakingly and utterly that not a single building was left standing. A new archaeological dig by Dr. Richard Miles of Cambridge University, penetrates the burned layer of the Roman holocaust and uncovers fresh evidence ...