East to West. The Asian Crucible. Episode 5

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Description

This spectacular episode explores the extraordinary powers and civilizations that have emerged from central Asia. First the Seljuk Turks took on the Byzantines, pushing their way into Anatolia. In a cave in Cappadocia we discover a long lost painting that reveals how the two cultures co-existed. We follow the Mongol invasions - in Bukhara we explore its destruction and in Esfahan, Iran we see how the Mongols eventually converted to Islam and began to settle. Then in Uzbekistan again the episode traces the rise of Timur and explores the glories of Samarkand. Finally we follow the successors of Timur as they spread south into India, creating the wonders of the Mughal Empire.