End of Empire

In the final part of Ottomans vs. Christians, presenter Julian Davison visits Istanbul to examine the artistic and cultural achievements of the Ottoman Empire at its peak and reveal the cracks in a system that would eventually lead to its demise.

Julian then travels to Heraklion on the island of Crete to relive what many consider to be the longest siege in history.  The battle for this former Venetian outpost turned into a colossal contest between the forces of Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire that would last a staggering 22 years and define the shape of the Mediterranean for centuries to come.

To conclude the series Julian returns to Istanbul to chronicle the slow decline of the Ottoman Empire and contemplate the legacy of a struggle so deeply embedded in our culture and history that it continues to inform the world we live in today.