History documentaries
The Battle of Britain
This fascinating history documentary tells the story of ‘The Battle of Britain’, a fight for survival that would change the course of World War II. By June 1940, Britain stood alone. France had surrendered; the Allies faced a humiliating retreat from the beaches of Dunkirk. Hitler had succeeded in conquering the rest of Europe. This pivotal battle, fought in the skies, was Britain’s last chance.
The Story of the Jews
Acclaimed historian Simon Schama looks at the impact of the Jews and those moments when the Jewish experience has changed the fate of the world. This ground-breaking five-part BBC history documentary travels the globe from New York to Odessa, Berlin to Jerusalem, to tell ancient and modern stories that illuminate the passions and perplexities of the Jewish people today.
The Warrior Queen: Boudica
After being betrayed and humiliated by Britain’s Roman overlords once her chieftain husband died, Queen Boudica turned on her masters. She set about planning her revenge, building an army and uniting warring tribes by focusing on a common enemy. She razed cities and defeated Roman legions, but her resistance finally came to an end at the Battle of Watling Street, where 200,000 Britons died.
The Stuarts
The Stuart monarchs are considered merciless tyrants, but they also forged modern Britain.
Ruling Britain from 1603 to 1714, the Stuart monarchs have often been branded as merciless tyrants. But the kingdoms they ruled, Scotland, England and Ireland, were already steeped in bloodshed and infighting as they took power. Historian Dr Clare Jackson argues that the Stuarts were Britain’s defining royal family and their impact on the country is still felt today.
Waterloo's Warriors
The army that defeated Napoleon and the French at Waterloo is often regarded as a quintessentially English force. But most of the soldiers under the Duke of Wellington’s command were not English. Through their own accounts, this compelling history documentary tells the stories of the Scots, Irish, Welsh, Dutch, and German troops who fought the battle and of the families who travelled with them.