Season 1

2006-11-28

Explores the achievements of the first Islamic dynasty, the Umayyads, who established their capital at Damascus. Their regime spread throughout greater Syria and they left a rich architectural heritage. This includes two of the great surviving Islamic buildings, the Great Mosque of Damascus and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

2006-12-05

We move on to Cairo, the cockpit of the early Islamic struggles between Sunni and Shi’a faiths. Cairo displays the glories of two of the great Islamic regimes – the Shi’ite Fatimids who swept in from the North African desert – and the Mamluks, slave soldiers who overthrew their masters to set up their own Sunni dynasty. Both have left behind impressive evidence of their strength.

2006-12-12

Explores the last great Islamic dynasty, the Ottomans, and their great capital at Istanbul. The two dominating buildings of historic Istanbul are the Blue Mosque and Haghia Sophia.