Professor David Reynolds takes a fresh look at the extraordinary events and personalities that brought about the armistice of 1918 venturing beyond the familiar British account of Remembrance Day to unravel how the Germans, plunged to total defeat in just a few months at the end of the war. In a journey that takes him through command centres and battlefields, he uncovers a story of wounded egos, mental illness and political brinkmanship as statesmen and generals haggled over the terms of peace, while soldiers fought on with sustained brutality. Reynolds argues that the bitter endgame of the "war to end all wars" tragically sowed the seeds of even more appalling conflict to come ...

This documentary argued that all British monarchs since Henry VII of England did not have a valid claim to the English throne. The programme based its thesis on the centuries old claim that Edward IV was illegitimate born to Cecily Neville by an English archer while her husband, Richard, Duke of York was elsewhere in France fighting. The legitimacy of Edward IV was the subject of speculation at the time, and a document in Rouen Cathedral is presented by Dr. Michael Jones as indicating that Richard, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville were a hundred miles apart during the five week period when Edward's conception must have occurred. This theorised illegitimacy of Edward would bar a rightful claim for himself and his descendants ...

What really went on at the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi how did it get its awesome reputation and why is it still influential today? Michael Scott of Cambridge University uncovers the secrets of the most famous oracle in the ancient world. The programme investigates the oracular sanctuary of Delphi in ancient Greece and asks how it managed to survive as the omphalos, the bellybutton, of the ancient world for over 1000 years and what Delphi still has to say to us today. The programme examines not just the activity of the oracle at Delphi, but the stories of the many other gods, athletic games, monuments to unity and civil war that populated the sanctuary, showing how Delphi evolved to reflect and affect the changing world around it. With locations ranging from the grandeur of Delphi to caves in the Parnassian mountains, from the glory of Athens to the cosmopolitan ...

Born in 1905 John was the youngest of George V's children. Diagnosed with epilepsy, he died in 1919 after a particularly severe seizure. Had he lived he would have been the present Queen's uncle. The popular image of Prince John has since been one of a neglected child who was regarded as an embarrassment and shut away from public view, deprived of contact with his family. Using testimonies of individuals with direct personal connections to the prince, together with new research and photographs of the real Johnny this documentary unravels some of the mysteries and misconceptions surrounding him, presenting a more complete story than has ever been told before ...

This series 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 ...

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 BC 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 ...

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 Cromwell Conqueror of Ireland - Cromwell's influence as a military commander and politician during the English Civil War dramatically altered the landscape of the British Isles. The massacre of nearly 3,500 people in Drogheda including civilians, prisoners, and Catholic priests has fuelled Irish-English strife for over three centuries. The Conquerors reveals why Cromwell felt justified in ordering the massacre and details the cunning precision and military mastery who effectively brought Ireland to its knees ...

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 General Zhukov WWII Conqueror Of Berlin - In April 1945, Stalin was in a hurry. The Americans had recently crossed the Rhine and he was worried they might capture Berlin. To speed up his campaign, he split command between Marshal Zhukov in the center and Marshal Konev in the south triggering a race between his most senior commanders both eager to be credited with conquest of the German capital ...

In The Ascent of Money Niall Ferguson traces the evolution of money and demonstrates that financial history is the essential back story behind all history. By learning how societies have continually created and survived financial crises we can find solid solutions to today's worldwide economic emergency. As he traverses historic financial hot spots around the world, Ferguson illuminates fundamental economic concepts and speaks with leading experts in the financial world. Episode 5 Safe As Houses - It sounded so simple, give state owned assets to the people. After all, what better foundation for a property owning democracy than a campaign of privatisation encompassing housing? An economic theory says that markets can't function without mortgages, because it's only by borrowing against their assets that entrepreneurs can get their businesses off the ground. But what if mortgages are bundled together and sold off to the highest bidder? ...

Leaving the dusty history books behind, Engineering an Empire takes to the streets, as well as the sewers, mountaintops, jungles and beyond, to trace the magnificent physical achievements and technologies of past societies. Engineering an Empire circles the globe to re-examine history's most magnificent civilizations by surveying the architectural and engineering triumphs they left behind. CGI graphics and location footage reanimate the ancient streets, while expert interviews trace the rise of each empire and the technological achievements that paved the way for their gravity defying masterpieces. Host Peter Weller, RoboCop actor and lecturer at Syracuse University, travels around the world and, assisted by cutting edge computer renderings and note perfect dramatizations, far back in time to chronicle the innovation and architectural brilliance that gave birth to modern civilization. Episode Rome - One of the most powerful civilizations in hiStory the Roman Empire ruled the world for more than five centuries ...

Each turning point in history has behind it a story and a set of principal characters whose dilemmas and conflicts form its dramatic core and whose unique personalities influenced the outcome of events. History's Turning Points provides a fascinating and intriguing new perspective on the significant moments that have changed the world. The Plot to Kill Hitler - 1944 A.D. The bomb explodes, but against all odds Europe's most hated dictator survives In July 1944 Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a trusted junior officer of the Nazi home army, entered Hitler's high security headquarters, the Wolf's Lair, intent to kill his Furher ...

Dig into the sands of time with this exploration into lost civilizations. Scientists archaeologists, and historians alike search for evidence of cities that may have forever been lost to time. Some are ancient while some are surprisingly recent. Extensive archaeological research and cutting edge visual technology come together in this series that aims to bring ancient cultures and civilizations to new life on screen. Episode 9 The Pagans - In the late Stone Age, the pagan people of the British Isles constructed some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world, fabulous constructions of wood, Earth and stone. In this hour, Lost Worlds travels from the ancient stone villages of Scotland's Orkney Islands to Southern England in search of the soul of the Pagan's mysterious culture. The Pagans reveals a startling new theory about the role Stonehenge played in the lives of the pagans, while computer animation reconstructs the monument ...

Nazi Hunters chronicles the stories of those individuals who chased some of the most hated and reviled criminals on earth. Prepared to hunt the perpetrators of the World War II atrocities that shocked the world these pursuers of justice included the likes of Winston Churchill, the British Special Air Services, the strategists who planned the D-Day landings and the Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad). Episode The Angel Of Death Mengele - He experimented on adults and children in the Auschwitz death camps. He was a prime target and was, for many years the world's most wanted criminal. The Hunters were Simon Wiesenthal, the UN War Crimes Commission and even Mossad. But none of them succeeded ...

Presented by Rod Liddle explores the life and times of the visionaries who fought a powerful and violent church establishment to publish the Bible in English. Their vocation, tenacity and sacrifice left a lasting impression on the language and literature in the centuries that followed. The inflections, cadences and familiar phrases of the first English Bible set the foundations for the way English has been spoken and written in the five centuries that followed its first publication. Perhaps its most important legacy, though, is the Protestant notion put by Jefferson God hath created the mind free. This underpinned the separation of church and state, the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and the right to fight for freedom of choice, freedom of conscience and freedom of speech ...

A three part series from the Discovery civilization channel all about the Tower of London. This is the story of the tower of London, past and present. With unique access to the tower, this series will unlock its private, as well as public life. Revealing the hidden history of well known stories, and uncovering forgotten tower secrets. More than anywhere else in Britain these building have stood at the heart of history for over 900 years. The truth of what happened here is still being discovered. From executions with block and axe, to spies shot in the first world war, it has prisoners as familiar is queen Elizabeth the first, and as recent as World War Two u-boat men. Episode 1 Fortress With unique access behind the walls and locked doors of the Tower of London, discover how it stayed at the cutting edge of military technology ...