2017

The First Crusade was one of the most extraordinary, bloody and significant episodes in medieval history. It began with an appeal for aid from the Christian Byzantine Empire, threatened by the rising power of the Muslim Seljuk Turks. But when Pope Urban II preached a sermon at Clermont in 1095, the result was unlike anything ever seen before. The Pope offered spiritual salvation to those willing to go east to aid their fellow Christians in a holy war, and help liberate Jerusalem from Muslim rule. Knights and peasants alike signed up in their thousands, leading to the disastrous People's, or Peasants', Crusade, then to a much more organised and powerful Princes' Crusade. Their forces gathered at Constantinople, where they made an uneasy alliance with Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Comnenus. Entering Anatolia, they helped to win back the city of Nicaea, then won a decisive but hard-fought victory at Dorlyaeum, before marching on the great city of Antioch...

Part 2 of Epic History TV's story of the First Crusade continues with the Siege of Antioch. The Crusaders endure immense hardships outside the city walls, but finally take Antioch thanks to a ruse by Bohemond of Taranto. Against the odds, and inspired by their recent discovery of a relic believed to be the 'Holy Lance', the Crusaders then defeat the Seljuk army of Kur Burgha. After disagreements within the Crusader camp, the army finally moves on to Jerusalem in the spring of 1099. During a full-scale assault of the city walls, Godfrey of Bouillon's troops gain a foothold in the defences, and Crusader troops pour into the city. A bloodbath follows. Victory results in the creation of four Crusader states, but their existence is precarious, surrounded by hostile Muslim powers, who will one day return with a vengeance.

The incredible story of Alexander the Great and his conquest of the known world is brought to life with animated maps, images from Osprey Publishing and Total War game footage. In Part 1, we look at the background: Persia's invasion of Greece in 480 BC, the rise of Macedonia under King Philip II, and the formation of the Hellenic League. Following Philip's assassination, his 20 year old son Alexander inherited the kingdom and a formidable army. In 334 BC he used this army to launch a invasion of the Persian Empire, winning a crucial victory at the River Granicus.

Alexander the Great's astonishing military campaign against the Persian Empire is brought to life with animated maps, images from Osprey Publishing and Total War game footage. In Part 2, Alexander cuts the Gordian Knot, then defeats the army of Darius III at the Battle of Issus. He goes on to conquer the island-city of Tyre in a brutal siege, and seizes control of the rich and ancient land of Egypt, where he is recognised as the new pharaoh. He founds a new city at Alexandria, and at the oracle of Siwah, he is welcomed as son of Amun - king of the gods. King Agis of Sparta leads a rebellion against Macedonian rule back in Greece, but is crushed by Antipater, leaving Alexander free to continue his advance into the heartlands of Persia...

Alexander the Great has subjugated the Persian Empire west of the Euphrates, winning battles at the Granicus and Issus, capturing the city of Tyre and seizing control of Egypt. Now he heads east for a final showdown with Darius III, King of Kings, at Gaugamela. The great clash there will determine the fate of two empires, and win Alexander everlasting glory. But in the wake of victory, he faces the challenge of ruling over his new, sprawling empire, and dealing with usurpers and rebellion.

Alexander the Great has defeated King Darius at the Battle of Gaugamela, and now pursues the Persian usurper Bessus east into modern Afghanistan. He will face revolt, guerilla war and Scythian nomads, but finally he reaches the furthest point of the Persian Empire. He marries Roxana, daughter of a Bactrian lord, then continues his advance into modern Pakistan and India, where he clashes with King Porus of Pauravas at the Battle of the Hydaspes...

Epic History TV's complete four-part history of Alexander the Great in one video. Follow the incredible story of the Macedonian king as he embarks on the total conquest of the ancient world's greatest superpower, the Persian Empire. With dramatic victories at the Granicus, Issus and Gaugamela, Alexander defeats Darius III and claims the throne of Persia. But his campaign to subdue the empire's easternmost provinces and reach the edge of the known world will take him into modern Afghanistan, Pakistan and the frontier of India, where he meets the Indian king Porus in battle at the Hydaspes. This is the complete overview of Alexander's conquests, a 10 year period of immense drama and historical significance, as the young Macedonian king's breathtaking achievements ushered in a new era in European and Middle Eastern history - the Hellenistic Age.

In 1956, an international crisis over control of the Suez Canal put Britain and France into direct conflict with President Nasser of Egypt, a proud Arab nationalist determined to stand up to foreign powers meddling in Egyptian affairs. To understand the deep roots of the crisis we go right back to the creation of the canal in 1869, and the long history of British intervention in Egypt - all with the usual Epic History TV maps as well as loads of brilliant and rarely-seen archive film from the period.

In 1956, an international crisis over control of the Suez Canal put Britain and France into direct conflict with President Nasser of Egypt, a proud Arab nationalist determined to stand up to foreign powers meddling in Egyptian affairs. Part 2 explores how Britain, France and Israel cooked up a secret plan to invade Egypt, overthrow Nasser and reassert their standing as global powers. But when the international community, and in particular the United States, condemned their actions, the aggressors were forced into a humiliating climbdown. The repercussions for the Middle East and global history were long-lasting and profound.