Tag: Timeline Medieval

475 – 1500 A.D.

Ancient Megastructures The Alhambra

Certain landmarks have captured the imagination and awe of modern architects and engineers around the world as they work to solve the mystery of how their ancient forebears were able to construct such beautiful, timeless and revolutionary structures with none of the machines and materials available to modern engineers. Episode The Alhambra – The Alhambra is the greatest example of Islamic military architecture in Europe. But just how did they construct such an impregnable fortress? In the Andalusian mountains of southern Spain, rises the majestic fort, which became a legend, Alhambra. This ancient citadel overlooks Granada. On the construction of its 37 towers and walls of the powerful took more than 150 years, but the Alhambra – it’s not only an impregnable fortress, this magnificent palace, with elegant courtyards and unfolded the bloody scene where the intrigue and the most famous of the surviving monuments of Muslim architecture in the western world.

Britain A.D. Episode 2 The Invasion That Never Was

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.

Ice Mummies Episode 3 Frozen In Heaven

Discover the science of the frozen past. Archaeologiests use the latest technology to discover the lives of our human ancestors through their frozen remains. These people were no differrent than you and I biologically. They had the same level of intelligence, and were capable of the same emotions, but they lived in a different time and place. Their values, ideas and technology is explored through the frozen remains of their dead. Episode 3 Frozen in Heaven – When the Spanish Conquistadors first conquered the Inca empire five hundred years ago, they wrote of the mysterious ceremony of capa cocha. Parents, they claimed, would voluntarily offer their children to their Inca priests, sending them to the top of the highest peaks for sacrifice to mountain gods. In the past, historians have dismissed this as fanciful European exaggeration. But then archaeologists began to find the children’s bodies.

Monarchy USA Version Episode 1 Early Kings

This is USA condensed version of David Starkey’s Monarchy Series. In this version the 6 episode Series 1 and 5 episode Series 2 have been condensed into 6 episodes of a single series. Below is description of the 6 USA version episodes. The English Crown is one of the oldest surviving governing institutions in the world. Hosted by Dr. David Starkey this documentary presents the complete history of British royal rule from the Dark Ages to the early 20th century. Filmed on location, it’s a vivid tapestry of bloodshed, power, and passion. Episode 1 The Early Kings After Roman rule dissolves, England suffers wave after wave of Anglo-Saxon and Viking invaders. Out of this chaos, leaders such as Alfred the Great and Canute the Viking set the standard for English kingship, ruling nobles as the first among equals. Then, in 1066, William the Conqueror arrives from the Continent with the civilizing ideals of the chivalry and a whole new concept of monarchy

Genghis Khan Rise of the Conqueror

Follow the rise to glory of Genghis Kahn, the 13th century Mongol leader whose empire covered four times the area conquered by Alexander the Great. Combining the savagery of a real-life Conan the Barbarian with the sheer tactical genius of Napoleon, Genghis brought his armies from the outermost reaches of eastern Asia to the edge of Europe, uniting the disparate Mongol tribes along the way and establishing an empire that would last until the 17th century. From his humble beginning as an orphaned child in the wilderness to his deathbed plea to his sons to expand his empire to the ends of the earth, learn how Genghis rose to power and maintained his stranglehold on the Asian continent – through a mix of diplomacy, military acumen and brutality.

Ancient Warriors Series 3 Episode 19 The Ninja Warriors of the Night

Each half hour episode looks at a major fighting people or force and charts the reasons for their rise to dominance and subsequent fall. The show explores the motivations of ancient soldiers, as well as how they lived, fought, trained, died, and changed the world. It also uses battle re-enactments and computer graphics to demonstrate military strategy. This series from the Discovery Channel is especially good for the lesser known groups of warriors. Episode 19 The Ninja Warriors of the Night – History of the Ninja warrior group. A thief is about to steal or die trying. Outside the victims window a gentle rain shower begins to fall. It seams the roof has sprung a leak. False alarm, but the sword is gone, the novice has passed the test and joins an invisible army, Ninjas the warriors of the night.

Cities of the Underworld City of Caves Budapest

Get to the bottom of the world’s great cities – literally! Sink into subterranean discovery lead by intrepid explorers Eric Geller and Don Wildman. With each step below street level you travel back decades, even centuries, into the fascinating past of the world’s great cities. What mysteries await discovery in the dark corners of these subterranean realms? This is the stuff of fantasy exploring secret chambers and forbidden passages beneath city streets, unlocking mysteries of the past and discovering forgotten relics. City of Caves Budapest – Exploring caves beneath Budapest, Hungary. Included an underground World War II hospital.

Inside the Medieval Mind Episode 4 Power

One of the world’s greatest authorities on the Middle Ages, Professor Robert Bartlett of St Andrew’s University, investigates the intellectual landscape of the medieval world. Power – Professor Bartlett lays bare the brutal framework of the medieval class system. Inequality was a part of the natural order the life of serfs was little better than those of animals, while the knight’s code of chivalry was based more on caste solidarity than morality. The class you were born into determined who you were

Secrets Of The Dead Battle for the Bible

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.

Time Life Lost Civilizations Episode 10 Tibet The End of Time

Time Life’s Lost Civilizations combines cutting edge digital effects technology (for 1995) with powerful dramatization. Dazzling spectacles re-create rituals and events, original location cinematography in 25 countries. Computer graphics make lost worlds live again! Episode 10 Tibet The End of Time – Follow the tale of glory and tragedy as a young boy, the reincarnation of the Tibetan God-King, witnesses the collapse of a timeless culture. This episode explores a genuine Shangri-La and its struggle to survive in a hostile contemporary world.

The Fall Of Constantinople Russian English Subtitles

With the conquest of Constatinople in 1204, during the 4th crusade the fall of the Byzantine Empire began. After 1430 the empire included only the city of Constantiople with its precincts and the Despotate of Moreas. John Palaiologos efforts to get help from the West through the union of churches caused great contrapositions in Constantinople among the people who were pro and against the union.

A History of Britain Episode 5 King Death

From the dawn of civilization to the 20th century, A History of Britain re-animates familiar tales and illuminates overlooked aspects of England’s past. Hosted by Simon Schama, this series discards timelines and tiresome lineages for a lively look at the personalities and cultures that infuse British history. Epic themes and towering figures that transformed an island “at the edge of the world” into the greatest empire on earth. Episode 5 King Death – The impact of the Black Death wiped out half the population, leaving decades of anarchy and civil unrest for the survivors. Ironically, the plague which sowed the seeds of the Peasants’ Revolt also contributed to the rise of the country gentleman.

Barbarians Series 1 and 2 The Mongols

They were the dreaded forces on the fringes of civilization, the bloodthirsty warriors who defied the Roman legions and terrorized the people of Europe. They were the Barbarians, and their names still evoke images of cruelty and chaos. But what do we really know of these legendary warriors? From the frigid North Sea to the Russian steppes, this ambitious series tells the fascinating stories of the most fabled groups of fighters in history, tracing 1,000 years of conquest and adventure through inspired scholarship and some of the most extensive reenactments ever filmed. Mongols Mongols rides with Genghis Khan and his descendants as they sweep from Asia to the heart of modern Germany in a frenzy of expansion.

Dynasties Charlemagne The Holy Roman Empire

His name comes from the latin corolus magnus, or Charles the great, and there can be no doubt about his claim to greatness. Because at the end of the 8th century, he managed to create, for a short time at least a united Europe. Something that political and military leaders and politicians have been trying to do ever since. Charlemagne founded the Holy Roman Empire which came to be one of the greatest forces in history, united many parts of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and central Europe. In spite of it’s name, this empire he created, had very little to do with the Roman Empire. What was important about it was that with it’s foundation Charlemagne brought an order and political stability to Europe that had not been seen since the fall of the old Roman Empire.

Martin Luther Episode 1 Driven to Defiance

Martin Luther is the epic tale of the great Protestant revolutionary whose belief in his faith would overthrow the all powerful Catholic Church and reshape Medieval Europe. Join Luther as he recalls his life, from his initial crisis of faith in a storm wracked forest that led him to become a monk, to his heady confrontation with the great powers of Europe It is the story of the birth of the modern age, of the collapse of medieval feudalism, and the first shaping of ideals of freedom and liberty that lie at the heart of the 21st century. But this is also an intensely human tale, a story that hurtles from the depths of despair to the heights of triumph and back again. This is the story of a man who ultimately found himself a lightning conductor of history, crackling with forces he could not quite comprehend or control. Driven to Defiance – Few if any men have changed the course of history like Martin Luther. In less than ten years, this fevered German monk plunged a knife into the heart of an empire that had ruled for a thousand years, and set in motion a train of revolution, war and conflict that would reshape Western civilization, and lift it out of the Dark Ages.

Terry Jones' Medieval Lives Episode 5 The Knight

Buckle on your armor and pick up your lute. Legendary Monty Python star and medieval scholar Terry Jones opens your eyes to the truths behind nine medieval characters you thought you knew. Through a lively mix of humor and research, you’ll see beyond Renaissance myths and time worn stereotypes. The Knight – While many may know the earthy humor of Chaucer or Rabelais, few know the dark side of chivalry, or that serfs and women were not downtrodden at all. Noble hero in shining armor? Or murdering, looting rapist? Discover some unsavory truths, and the dark side of chivalry.

What the Tudors Did For Us Episode 2 The Thynkyng Revolution

What an unruly lot! Beheadings, murder, divorce, rows with the Pope, civil war, fire and plague. The headline stories from the Tudor and Stuart years represent a roller-coaster ride through one of the most important periods of history in the development of modern Britain. Most know the bloody, battle filled history of the Tudor period, not many know the accomplishments of the period. Adam Hart-Davis travels through England in search of Tudor excellence in science, art, printing, exploration and more. Ranging from a shepherd’s discovery of graphite which led to the first pencil, to a fuller understanding of human anatomy once Henry VII legalized human dissection. Episode 2 The Thinkynge Revolution – Hart-Davis travels around Britain to introduce the idea and inventions of the Tudor Age in science, literature and education. The first printing press, like the one recreated at St Bride Printing Library, was brought to England by William Paxton. The resulting printing revolution included William Tyndale’s English bible that lead to the standardisation of the English language. State education was founded by Henry VIII providing opportunities for Christopher Marlowe and William Harvey amongst others. Modern medicine began from the Swiss Alchemist Paracelsus’ belief that minerals and chemicals could be used to treat diseases. Observational science came of age when Thomas Diggs recorded the first observation of a supernova.

Ancient Rome The Rise and Fall of an Empire Episode 6 The Fall of Rome

This is the 6 episode BBC docudrama with voiceover, not the 13 episode History channel documentary with recreations. The rise and fall of Ancient Rome through six key turning points. Factually accurate and based on extensive historical research, it reveals how the greed, lust and ambition of men like Caesar, Nero and Constantine shaped the Roman Empire. CGI is mixed with compelling drama and spectacular live-action battles. Episode 6 The Fall of Rome – At the start of the 5th century AD Rome was under siege, threatened by a vast army of Goths. Alaric finally takes Rome, and captures Galla Placidia. Following Alaric’s death, Athaulf marries Galla Placidia and his people finally settle in Southern France.

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.

Monarchy USA Version Episode 2 Medieval Monarchs

This is USA condensed version of David Starkey’s Monarchy Series. In this version the 6 episode Series 1 and 5 episode Series 2 have been condensed into 6 episodes of a single series. Below is description of the 6 USA version episodes. The English Crown is one of the oldest surviving governing institutions in the world. Hosted by Dr. David Starkey this documentary presents the complete history of British royal rule from the Dark Ages to the early 20th century. Filmed on location, it’s a vivid tapestry of bloodshed, power, and passion. Episode 2 Medieval Monarchs – Charismatic and commanding, Henry II clashes with his former friend Thomas Becket, opening a rift with Rome. His line extends through Richard the Lionheart, who bankrolls the Crusades, John, who signs the Magna Carta, Edward I, Hammer of the Scots, whom moviegoers know from Braveheart, and eventually Henry V, Shakespeare’s hero, who turns his attention to conquest.

The Most Evil Men and Women in History Vlad Tepest

This series of programs consists of 16 episodes which profile 16 evil men and women throughout history who have used their power to torture, kill, maim and eradicate millions of people. Vlad the Impaler – Vlad is best known for the legends of the exceedingly cruel punishments he imposed during his reign and for serving as the primary inspiration for the vampire main character in Bram Stoker’s popular Dracula novel.

Giants Friend or Foe

Their images are etched in the earth and legends proclaim they created the wonders of the world. From fictionalized villains to real life heroes, through scriptures, folklore, and mythology, they are woven into the fabric of history. They are in our fairy tales and our nightmares. Giants are relevant to us because they tell us about our own past. Legends tell how their colossal strength moved mountains and how their iron will could move a nation. They represent the struggle between good and evil in ancient religions and they remind us all of the undeniable power of the human spirit.

Ancient X-Files The Philosopher’s Stone and The Lost Ark

Ancient X Files travels around the world to solve some intriguing riddles. Each story is a piece of detective work by an expert trying to make sense of some puzzling ancient artifact, to find the truth behind some extraordinary legend, to discover the origins of a bizarre myth or to establish the authenticity of a venerated religious relic. Join intrepid investigators as they delve into some of mankind’s most enduring mysteries. Episode Philosophers Stone the Lost Ark – Examining the medieval myth of the Philosopher’s Stone, a Holy Grail-type relic which supposedly held the key to alchemy and immortality. Many noted alchemists and adventurers searched obsessively for the artefact hoping to learn its powerful secrets, a quest which allegedly drove some to madness and others to celestial encounters. It’s one of the most coveted artefacts of the Bible: a gold-encrusted chest containing the Ten Commandments. Can modern scholarship explain the awful powers of the Ark of the Covenant and tell us how it vanished and where it is today?