History Documentary hosted by Allen Leech and Alasdair Simpson, published by BBC in 2007 - English narration
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"Greatness comes to those who take it"
The greatest warlords in world history are reviewed in this riveting and informative BBC series.
Lavish, all-action dramatic spectacles based on the lives of eight men who shaped the world around them, either by sheer force of will, genius, courage or even greed. These are the legendary warriors of history - soldiers with the courage, ambition and military genius to lead their men to victory. This spectacular series brilliantly evokes the crucial battles that changed their lives, the destiny of their people and, in some cases, the history of the world.
Spartacus, Hernan Cortes and Montezuma, Attila the Hun, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Napoleon - all powerful, magnetic personalities that have earned their place in the world's imagination, all prepared to die for what they believed in - whether it was God or gold, the pursuit of power and glory or a magnificent ideal.
Were they heroes or villains? This series shows that they were usually both: heroic warlords as well as megalomaniacal power-hungry. Either way, they were all top strategists who eliminated their enemies with superior military tactics. From Spartacus, the gladiator who brought Rome to its knees, this series combines absorbing drama with CGI to ask what were the motives, the strengths and even the weaknesses that drove these men to achieve what no one else had dared.
This series combines perfectly staged drama with first-class CGI effects and historical facts. What were their motives? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How could they achieve what no one else would have dared? A lavishly staged, action-packed and dramatic six-part spectacle by the BBC! In the tradition of the Rome series, this superb co-production shows these historical figures as you've never seen them before!
A BBC, Discovery Channel, Pro-Sieben and ERT Co-Production
4) Cortes
Drama documentary about Hernan Cortes, Spanish conquistador who overthrew the Aztec empire and won Mexico for the crown of Spain. In, 1519 the Spanish adventurer Hernan Cortes is supposed to have taken on the mighty Aztec empire with a handful of soldiers and 16 horses. The myth claims that the Aztec emperor, Montezuma, surrendered his empire beause he believed Cortes to be a God. But a more accurate account suggests that the Conquistadors started a civil war in Central America, uniting an army of tribesmen who hated Aztec rule. Montezuma is revealed to be a sophisticated ruler.
This is the story of a man who, almost in one fell swoop, subdued an entire civilization: the Aztec Empire. It is one of the highlights and at the same time one of the darkest chapters in human history. In August 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes lands on the east coast of unexplored Central America. Driven by the greed for fabulous riches, Cortes wants to conquer the Aztec kingdom.
