Art of Spain Episode 3 The Mystical North

This series celebrates the astonishing influence of Spain on European art. Presenter Andrew Graham-Dixon immerses himself in true Spanish culture and meets the people who live and work with this artistic legacy. Episode 3 The Mystical North – In the final part he reveals how the north of the country has produced some of the most dazzling and iconic art of the modern age. Spain’s turbulent history has shaped artists from Francisco Goya to Pablo Picasso. Graham-Dixon argues that Spanish architecture is the art form now taking the nation forward in the new millennium.

Decisive Battles of the Ancient World Hail Caesar 48 B.C. Pharsalus

Decisive Battles of the Ancient World presents the 13 defining points of ancient warfare moments that altered the course of history and shaped the modern world. It is a comprehensive account of the famed leaders that commanded victory and the brilliant military tactics that swayed destiny. The show used the game engine from Rome: Total War to present 3-D versions of the battles. Hail Caesar 48 B.C. Pharsalus – Of all Rome’s many battlesperhaps the most important was internal. When Julius Caesar went head to head, with Gnaeus Pompey, the outcome would change the fate of the Western world.

Hitler The Rise of Evil Episode 1

Hitler The Rise of Evil is a Canadian TV miniseries. It explores Adolf Hitler’s rise and his early consolidation of power during the years after World War I and focuses on how the embittered politically fragmented and economically buffeted state of German society following the war made that ascent possible. The film also focuses on Ernst Hanfstaengl’s influence on Hitler’s rise to power. The film’s subplot follows the struggles of Fritz Gerlich, a German journalist who opposes the rising National Socialist German Workers Party. He is portrayed as to fulfill the essence of the quotation displayed at the beginning and at the end of the film The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

MegaStructures Built from Disaster Episode 2 Ships

Megastructures: Built from Disaster explores how accidents throughout the world have influenced the evolution of modern structural engineering. Ships Episode 2 – At seayou don’t get a second chance. Once out of sight of land the only thing you can depend on is your ship, and tragically, for thousands of people, the ship has let them down. But out of every catastrophe comes knowledge, from the Titanic to the Estonia, every disaster at sea has had a radical effect on the design of the ships that followed. Examining the latest in Arctic cruise liners and hi-tech, high speed passenger catamarans, this programme shows how ships have become more technologically advanced than ever before, and by following the building of one of the world’s most advanced and luxurious vessels, Ruby Princess, the design secrets that allow modern passenger ships to operate safely, with thousands of passengers and crew on board will be revealed.

Royal Secrets Kiss of Death

For a thousand years kings and queens of europe had absolute powerbut absolute power corrupts absolutely. Greed, revenge, sex and madness, witchcraft, murder. Every monarch had their royal secrets. This series explores them. Episode Kiss of Death – Throughout history kings had the power to pick lovers on a whim. Female royals also had the same power. But unfortunately for their men russian Czarina Catherine the Great and French Queen Margarite of Valois both bestowed upon their lovers the kiss of death. See how Anne Boleyn flirted with Henry VIII, only to lose her head, and how Catherine the Great used a lover to gain the throne, then cast him aside. These and many more troubling stories put human faces on history’s monarchs.

The Conquerors Cromwell Conqueror of Ireland

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 entriesinterviews 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.

The Monarchy Episode 3 The Wealth of the Windsors

This fascinating six program series takes a searching look at the public and private lives of the British Royal Family. The six programs offer a revealing insight into the world’s most famous familylooking at how the monarchy works, how it has evolved over the centuries and the challenges it faces in the present and in the future. The Wealth of the Windsors – Chester cathedral, the setting for royal maundy service, one of the highlights of the royal calender. The day on which, by tradition, the soverign distributes alms to the poor. The purses are red and white, the red contain 5.50 pounds in cash. The royal maundy service is one of the rare occasions on which the Queen actually handles money, one of the few times when royalty is seen giving money away. The subject of money has developed into one of the most contentious issues surrounding the british monarchy today. A recent opinion pole shows that 3/4 of the population think that the royal family should not receive as much money as it does, and almost have went further still, saying the royal family is an expense the country cannot afford. So just what is the true cost of the monarchy and how harmful are arguments about money likely to be to the house of Windsor.

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.

Abdication A Very British Coup

Documentary which sheds new light on the greatest crisis to rock the British monarchy in centuriesthe abdication of King Edward VIII. Usually, it has been presented as the only possible solution to his dilemma of having to choose between the throne and the woman he loved. Using secret documents and contemporary diaries and letters, this film shows a popular monarch whose modern ideas so unsettled the establishment that his love for Wallis Simpson became the perfect excuse to bounce him off the throne.

Lords Of The Maya

The cities of the Maya were abandoned to the jungle 1000 years ago. They were rediscovered in the 19th century. Explorers came to try and learn what was here and what it meant. Now scholars are beginning to see the individuals involved their names, the dates, their arrivals, all of this very specific information is now coming out through epigraphy, the study of hieroglyphics. The Maya ruins of the central American jungle are are full of hieroglyphs, but the missionaries of the Spanish conquest deliberately wiped out the memory of how to read these stones. The Maya kept calendars of immense complexity and accuracy. The view developed that these cities were centers of a wise and peaceful civilization that had a deep understanding of nature and the universe. But now we are learning the truth about the classic Maya cities, and the truth is that the Lords of the Maya set up a form of rule that destroyed human lives and even nature itself. This documentary charts the rise and fall of a specific Mayan Lord Yax K’uk’ Mo (pronounced yash-cook-moe), and through it the brutal world the Mayans lived in without passing judgment on the Mayans themselves.

Discover Magazine The Origins of Humor, Television, and Execution

Every night comedians walk on stage to make people laugh. Every day scientists are working to understand the millions of years of evolution behind that laughter. They are learning valuable lessons from comedians in their quest to understand the origins of humor. Radiovisiontelephonoscope, and audiovision were all words for what we now call television. Was it invented by an Idaho farm boy, a Russian immigrant or a Scottish inventor John Logie Baird? Bear’s televisor looked very different from what we have today. Finally this documentary looks at the origins of the methods used for capital punishment, it is not a discussion of whether it is right or wrong. Death by lethal injection is the most technically advanced method of execution available today, it is the latest in a long line of methods in a quest to make the act more efficient and humane.

Biography Rita Hayworth

American film actress Rita Hayworth is best known for her stunning explosive sexual charisma on screen in films throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Trained as a dancershe hit stardom as an actress with her appearance in The Strawberry Blonde (1941). She is best known for her performance in Charles Vidor’s Gilda (1946). Her career ended with Ralph Nelson’s The Wrath of God (1972). Hayworth died of Alzheimer’s disease on May 14, 1987.

Edward and Mary The Unknown Tudors Episode 1 Edward VI

Channel 4 Written and presented by Dr David Starkeythis is the compelling story of two of England’s most striking monarchs a brother and sister, tied by blood and affection, and torn apart by religion, power, and some of the bloodiest episodes in English history. Mary (who was to become England’s first reigning Queen since Matilda but who is best known to generations of British schoolchildren as Bloody Mary) was the first born child of Henry VIII. For 20 years she was heir to her adored father. Then came the birth of her little half brother Edward, and Mary found herself cast into the shadows, ignored by her father and declared illegitimate by Act of Parliament. Nonetheless she became very attached to the motherless boy, and he to her, declaring her his dearest sister.

Hitler's Henchmen and Warriors Udet The Devil’s General / The Flyer

Hitler’s Henchmen and Hitler’s Warriors paints portraits of the men who consolidated Hitler’s reign and turned his plans into action. They wove the complicities and plots without which Hitler could have never perpetrated the crime of the century. They helped to sway the judges and the bureaucratsthe armed forces and the police, the scientists and the industrialists, the students and their teachers to the regime’s ways of thinking. What kind of people were they? What inspired them to serve a corrupt administration with such enthusiasm and devotion? How did their careers unfold and their fates end? These documentaries by Guiddo Knopp and ZDF looks at the high ranking officers who aided the dictator in his war of aggression and managers who turned his plans into reality.

Nazi Underworld Patient Hitler

Adolf Hitler dreampt of creating a master race but the Fuhrer himself was an appalling hypochondriac who abused laxatives and suffered for much of his life from stomach cramps and embarrassing flatulence. And that was simply the start. By the time he committed suicide in 1945 the great dictator was frail with tremors and a shuffling walk a feeble condition that was kept secret from the world. The doctor whose job it was to maintain the Fuhrer in vigorous and energetic health to pursue the Nazi project and its military ambitions was Dr. Theodore Morell.

Seven Wonders Of The Industrial World Episode 4 The Sewer King

The period of over 125 years from the beginning of the 19th century saw the creation of some of the world’s most remarkable feats of engineering. Seven of the most notable are described hereeach one proving that human creativity is as much alive in the modern world as it was in ancient times. Episode 4 The Sewer King – In the summer of 1858 London was in the grip of a crisis known as the Great Stink. The population had grown rapidly during the first half of the 19th century, yet there had been no provision for sanitation. Three epidemics of cholera had swept through the city, leaving over 30,000 people dead. And sewage was everywhere.

The English Civil War Cromwell

It was a time of great bitterness and hatred in Britaina war that set father against son and brother against brother. The breakdown in relations between a Parliament with a strong purpose and a King who believed in his divine right to rule, set the scene for a series of brutal battles that were truly a struggle for the soul of a nation. The outcome of the English Civil War shaped the course of the nation’s history, and laid the foundations of the country as it is today. Episode Cromwell – As England was plunged into civil war, from the turmoil one man emerged a hero, Oliver Cromwell. He rose from fenland farmer to become the most powerful commoner in British history, and he got there by very un-British means, revolution. His convictions led to the killing of a king, and gave Britain its only experience of republican rule. However, there’s more to Oliver Cromwell than the grim-faced Puritan of legend. This film, originally shown in 2001, reveals a troubled and contradictory man who dominated England as it underwent cataclysmic change in the bloodiest war fought on English soil.

The Most Evil Men and Women in History Pol Pot

This series of programs consists of 16 episodes which profile 16 evil men and women throughout history who have used their power to torturekill, maim and eradicate millions of people. Pol Pot – Responsible for the Killing Fields and Year Zero Pol Pot waged a gruesome war on his own population.

Weapons That Made Britain The Lance

Presenter Mike Loadesan expert who trains people how to use medieval weapons, takes the viewer on a tour of medieval arms and armour, and demonstrates their central role in key events in British history. Learn about much more than the weapons themselves as the series draws in themes of technology, religion, geography and even music. Episode 3 The lance – Originally probably nothing more complex than a sharpened stick, and yet incredibly versatile as a weapon, the spear in time evolved into the lance favored by knights. In medieval times men learned how to use the lance through many years of intensive training at the quintaina rotating wooden target. Man, horse and lance had to become a single projectile unit in order to produce enough impact during combat. The Battle of Lewes in 1264 was the first ever full-scale cavalry fight with lances on British soil. The Battle of Bannockburn illustrates how brilliant military tactics can be a greater force than weapons. Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II against all the odds due to the ingenious use of circles of spear men working as tight mobile units, which even cavalry could not breach.

Days of Majesty

In the year that marked the 40th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Coronationthis film portrays all the pomp and grandure that surrounds the monarchy, including footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, behind the scenes preparations for a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, and an interview with the flagman who hoists the Royal Standard at the precise moment the Queen enters the palace. While this is not the most comprehensive video on the Queen it focuses on many of the traditions surrounding the monarchy. Includes segments titled The Trial of the Pyx, Swan Upping, Lord Lieutenants, The Royal Standard, The Royal Maundy Service, Colour Drills, The Royal Company of Archers and more.

Brilliant Britain Alan Cumming

Celebrities discuss eccentricities in the UK and what makes the British sense of humour unique. Episode Alan Cumming – The actor explores the roots of Scottish humour and does the rounds with some Glasgow refuse collectors.

Your Paintings: A Culture Show Special

For yearsthousands of paintings owned by the British public have been hidden away and inaccessible, until now. Thanks to the work of the Your Paintings project, over 200,000 works in our national collections have been painstakingly uncovered, photographed and put online, some for the very first time, allowing art experts and amateur sleuths alike to make connections and discoveries that wouldn’t have been possible before. Alastair Sooke teams up with art detective Dr. Bendor Grosvenor to unearth some hidden gems and find out what the paintings say about British society.

Decisive Battles of the Ancient World Herman the German 9 A.D. Teutoburg Forest

Decisive Battles of the Ancient World presents the 13 defining points of ancient warfare moments that altered the course of history and shaped the modern world. It is a comprehensive account of the famed leaders that commanded victory and the brilliant military tactics that swayed destiny. The show used the game engine from Rome: Total War to present 3-D versions of the battles. Herman the German 9 A.D. Teutoburg Forest – The patrician leader Arminiusor Herman the German, was at the helm of one of the darkest ambushes in the history of Rome, dispelling the aura of invincibility that had long marched ahead of the vaunted legions.

Great Museums An Acquiring Mind Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The extraordinary legacy of Philippe de Montebellowho served for 31 years as Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. During his tenure, Mr. de Montebello guided the acquisition of more than 84,000 works of art, demanded innovation in conservation techniques, and oversaw the doubling of the physical size of this world-renowned cultural institution.

Inside the Medieval Mind Episode 4 Power

One of the world’s greatest authorities on the Middle AgesProfessor 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.

Revealed Great Falklands Gamble

On April 2nd 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islandsin the South Atlantic,8,000 miles from the UK. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher decided to send a naval taskforce to liberate the islands. In this programme, senior officers who served in the campaign, among them Major-General Julian Thompson, reveal how appalling weather, overstretched British air defences, poor communications and even incompetence sometimes stacked the odds heavily against the British. Veterans of some of the bloodiest battles talk us through the fighting. Their personal accounts reveal how professionalism and sheer courage overcame these problems. By explaining the hair raising realities of individual battles, this programme sheds new light on a decisive and historic British victory.

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 researchyou’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.

The Great War Episode 25 The Iron Thrones Are Falling

First broadcast in 1964The Great War was the definitive film account of the world shattering events of World War I (1914 – 1918) a landmark history series widely regarded as a documentary masterpiece. 26 Episodes. The main narrator was Michael Redgrave. It was a co-production involving the resources of the Imperial War Museum, the BBC, CBC and ABC. The series, unparalleled at the time for its depth of research, range of source material and historical accuracy – all presented in a sequence of clear narratives – is now considered one of the finest achievements of BBC documentary. With few exceptions, successive blocks of episodes are devoted to each year of the war episodes 1 – 6 to 1914, 7 – 10 to 1915, 11 – 14 to 1916, 15 – 19 to 1917, 20 – 23 and 26 to 1918.

Time Travellers Clash Of The Maya Kings

John Rhys-Davies hosts this 1991 series that explores various archeological subjects and their link to stories of the past. The show explores the efforts of archaeologists and the methods they use to discover the answers to these mysteries. Episode Clash Of The Maya Kings – From the early ideas that the Maya were a peace loving society to the slow realisation that they were state controlled, warring and bloodletting cities of warriors and priests, this programme looks at city sites such as Calakmul and Tikal. Maya kings were the centers of power for the Maya civilization. Each Maya city-state was controlled by a dynasty of kings. Maya kings and queens felt obliged to legitimize their claim to power. One of the ways to do this was to build a temple or pyramid. Pacal’s Temple of Inscriptions still towers today amid the ruins of Palenque, as the supreme symbol of Pacal’s influence and power in Palenque.

Scotland on Screen

Scottish movie star Alan Cumming returns to his homeland to take a tour of the locations of some classic Scottish movies. He celebrates some of the weird and wonderful movies inspired by Scotland such as The Wicker Man, which was filmed in Dumfries and Galloway. Film experts and actors, including Peter Mullen and David Hayman, compare the blockbusters Braveheart and Rob Roy, while Edinburgh’s contribution to Scottish cinema is celebrated by the contrasting films The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Trainspotting. Director Bill Forsyth meets Cumming in Cumbernauld – the setting of Forsyth’s film Gregory’s Girl – and explains why the new town was such a fitting location for his enduringly popular film.

Google: Behind The Screen

What if all the information in the world was categorized and easily searchable? What if all the news from around the worldall books, written texts, photos and videos that exist on a place in the world would be collected, and would be available everywhere? That is precisely the goal of Google and it will not be long for it to be realized. Through the well known search engine, Google Earth, where all information is classified by geographical location, along with Google Books, a project where Google digitizes complete libraries. Google: Behind the Screen includes interviews with Marissa Mayer, Vint Cerf, Ian Brown (Open Rights Group), Brewster Kahle (founder of Internet Archive) and others covering topics such as page rank, targeted advertising, life at Google, user privacy, machine translation, the story of Don’t Be Evil.

Christianity A History Episode 3 Dark Ages

History of the Christian faith looking at its origins, development and turbulent past. High profile British personalities examine a religion that has particular resonance for them. Channel 4 series, not the BBC one. Episode 3 Dark Ages – Theologian Robert Beckford’s personal view of the dark ages in which he explores how warring pagan tribes became one nation under a single religion, Christianity and asks if this is the most misunderstood and underrated moment in Britain’s history. In this extraordinary story, which begins with the fall of the Roman Empire 400 years after the birth of Jesus, we chart the precarious survival of Christianity in the Celtic West and Ireland following a struggle for souls between three different religious traditions the warrior pagan religion of the Anglo-Saxons, Celtic Christianity and a resurgent Roman Christianity.

Ancient Megastructures St. Paul’s Cathedral

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 beautifultimeless and revolutionary structures with none of the machines and materials available to modern engineers. Episode St Pauls Cathedral – In 1666, in London, thousands of people fleeing the fire, devouring the great cathedral. Fire destroys this monumental architecture. But the new miracle of architecture rises from the ashes and will rise above one of the richest cities in the world.

Artworks Scotland When Alan Cumming Met Stanley Baxter

In his first BBC TV appearance for almost a decadelegendary Glaswegian entertainer Stanley Baxter chats to Scotland’s Broadway superstar Alan Cumming. There was something quite charming in this old-fashioned chat between showbiz chums, When Alan Cumming Met Stanley Baxter, even though it was an unashamed mutual admiration society. A more ruthless editor might have taken all this out, but it was kind of the point, a gentle encounter between an old ham and a younger one framed as his heir.

Decisive Battles of the Ancient World Boudicca Warrior Queen 60 A.D. Boudicca’s Revolt

Decisive Battles of the Ancient World presents the 13 defining points of ancient warfare moments that altered the course of history and shaped the modern world. It is a comprehensive account of the famed leaders that commanded victory and the brilliant military tactics that swayed destiny. The show used the game engine from Rome: Total War to present 3-D versions of the battles. Boudicca Warrior Queen 60 A.D. Boudicca’s Revolt – In the farthest flung province of the Roman Empire Britain a warrior queen named Boudicca rose in revolt.

Hitler The Rise of Evil Episode 2

Hitler The Rise of Evil is a Canadian TV miniseries. It explores Adolf Hitler’s rise and his early consolidation of power during the years after World War I and focuses on how the embitteredpolitically fragmented and economically buffeted state of German society following the war made that ascent possible. The film also focuses on Ernst Hanfstaengl’s influence on Hitler’s rise to power. The film’s subplot follows the struggles of Fritz Gerlich, a German journalist who opposes the rising National Socialist German Workers Party. He is portrayed as to fulfill the essence of the quotation displayed at the beginning and at the end of the film The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

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 locationit’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.

Searching for Lost Worlds Machu Picchu Secrets of the Incan Empire

Journey into lush jungle foliage up fog bathed mountains, under flaming desert sands, back in time. How would it feel to be the first one, to be a bold explorer, to make a one of a kind discovery? Return to the golden age of exploration as five men set out into the world to make their names. Episode 2 Machu Picchu Secrets of the Incan Empire – Seeking fame and fortune, Hiram Bingham treks into the mountainous central regions of Peru in search of the Lost City of the Incas. When he emerges, he is an exploration superstar, the recipient of such adulation, he is able to parlay it into a career in the U.S. Senate. Following a trail of rumor and legend, he wanders far into the sacred valleys, where he discovers a series of mountain top sanctuaries used by the Incas to hide from the Spanish Conquerors.

The Conquerors El Cid

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 entriesinterviews 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 El Cid – Though his name was Rodrigo Diaz, he was known simply as El Cid (The Leader). Yet recent scholarship has exposed many gaps between truth and myth in the tales about Spain’s first national hero. Was he, as one contemporary said, the scourge of his time? Or are the tales recorded in the epic Poema de Mio Cid a more accurate picture of this unique man?

The Monarchy Episode 4 The Power And The Glory

This fascinating six program series takes a searching look at the public and private lives of the British Royal Family. The six programs offer a revealing insight into the world’s most famous familylooking at how the monarchy works, how it has evolved over the centuries and the challenges it faces in the present and in the future. The Power And The Glory – The annual state opening of parliament is a magnificent royal event but it’s not just a glittering show. Beyond the diamonds and gold, red velvet and ermin the entire ritual symbolizes the role of the monarch at the apex of the british political system. A system of government that has not changed in its fundamentals for hundreds of years. Most people today tend to assume that despite the trappings, the political role of the monarchy is wholy symbolic long since stripped of any real significance. In fact the monarchy continues to have a great impact on the character of british politics and the queen herself continues to play the pivotal role in the political system. What has changed is the balance of power.

The Last Nazis Episode 1 The Hunt for Dr. Death

The generation of Nazis who fought during World War 2 is almost gone their lives, their actions, and their crimes soon to be consigned to history forever. This sense of urgency, and of time running out, underpins this documentary series about surviving war criminals living in the 21st century. It’s the last chance to tell these stories, to speak to these men, to enter their worlds, and uncover the impact their existence has had on others. Episode 1 The Hunt for Doctor Death – In the autumn of 1941, a young Austrian doctor called Aribert Heim was assigned to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. In just six weeks, he murdered hundreds of inmates by carrying out horrific and needless experiments. He evaded capture and has never answered for his crimes, but now 60 years on and with Heim well into his 90s, fresh evidence has emerged suggesting that he might still be alive. This film follows Dr Efraim Zuroff in his international manhunt for one of the world’s most wanted Nazi war criminals.

Adolf And Eva

When Hitler rose to power he could have had the pick of any number of women yet he chose a simple girl from Munich to be his mistress. Eva Braun was only seventeen when she first met Hitler and her relationship with him remained a secret until after their death together. This program uses home movie footage and interviews with the people who knew them to help explain the attraction they had for one another and to reveal for the first time the full extent of their intimacy.

Merthyr War Memorial: Behind the Stone

Documentary telling the story behind the Pontmorlais First World War memorial in Merthyr Tydfil. In recent yearsthe memorial has been suffering from neglect and vandalism. The programme looks at how a new generation of children from Cyfarthfa Junior school in Merthyr are introduced to the idea of why war memorials were erected, and their significance in the community. The children took part in a Heritage Lottery project where they helped produce an animation film about the Pontmorlais memorial alongside professional film makers. The film follows the children’s exploration of war, through a series of workshops and visits which are locally and nationally based, from Cyfarthfa Castle Museum to the Cenotaph and the Imperial War Museum in London. The four minute animation film, which the children helped produce, is shown in the documentary.

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 VickersSarah 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.

Biography The Google Boys

Google has been estimated to run over one million servers in data centers around the world. Google’s meteoric rise to Internet stardom is one of the great business sagas of our time. Larry Page and Sergey Brin two brainy Stanford University grad students who founded the company say their goal was to make the entire world’s information searchable and instantly accessible.

Edward and Mary The Unknown Tudors Episode 2 Mary I The First Virgin Queen

Channel 4 Written and presented by Dr David Starkeythis is the compelling story of two of England’s most striking monarchs a brother and sister, tied by blood and affection, and torn apart by religion, power, and some of the bloodiest episodes in English history. Mary found herself cast into the shadows, ignored by her father and declared illegitimate by Act of Parliament after the birth of Edward. Nonetheless she became very attached to the motherless boy, and he to her, declaring her his dearest sister. When Edward was just nine, their father died and the young boy became King, surrounded by advisors and further distanced from his beloved elder sister. But by now they were divided not just by power and status, but also by faith Edward was dead at the tragically early age of 16 and Mary became Queen. She set about making England a Catholic country once more and hundreds of Protestants, including Edward’s most trusted advisors, were burnt at the stake because they refused to renounce their faith.

Hitler's Henchmen and Warriors von Ribbentrop Diplomat of Evil / The Errand Boy

Our Man in the Vatican Episode 1

This series follows local man Francis Campbell in his role as the UK’s ambassador to the Vatican. Delving beneath the ceremonial dutieswe get an unique glimpse into the real life of a diplomat operating within the hidden world of the Vatican. Episode 1 – This episode sees Francis hear the Pope’s new year address to the diplomatic corps, and he also deals with news of a hastily arranged visit by the prime minister to the Vatican.

Seven Wonders Of The Industrial World Episode 1 The Great Ship

The period of over 125 years from the beginning of the 19th century saw the creation of some of the world’s most remarkable feats of engineering. Seven of the most notable are described here each one proving that human creativity is as much alive in the modern world as it was in ancient times. Episode 1 The Great Ship – In the early 1850s, Brunel hoped the Great Eastern would be his masterpiece, and that it would provide an enduring link to even the most far flung parts of the empire. His concept became the blue print for ship design for years to come. At a time when most ships moored in the Thames were built to traditional designs in wood, and powered by sail, Brunel’s Great Ship was almost 700 feet long, a floating island made of iron.

The English Civil War Trial Of The King Killers

It was a time of great bitterness and hatred in Britaina war that set father against son and brother against brother. The breakdown in relations between a Parliament with a strong purpose and a King who believed in his divine right to rule, set the scene for a series of brutal battles that were truly a struggle for the soul of a nation. The outcome of the English Civil War shaped the course of the nation’s history, and laid the foundations of the country as it is today. Episode The Trial of the King Killers – When Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, the republic died with him. Two years later, when Charles’s son was restored to the throne as Charles II, anyone who had signed the warrant or had assisted in its creation became a marked man. Quite a few fled abroad, the remainder were put on trial. The gripping exchanges that emerged as they argued for their lives in court reveal the very different motives of the group of men who reached the decision to kill the king. Taken from the original trial transcripts, Trial of the King Killers is a fact based drama with a cast led by Corin Redgrave. It tells the bloody story of the most revolutionary episode in all of English history, when a king was brought before a people’s court accused of war crimes, and of what happened to his executioners when the wheel of history turned again and they were called to account for their actions.