The Fall of Great Empires

At the beginning of the 19th century the first explorers travelled from Europe to Egypt. Along the Nile and in the desert they dug for archaeological treasures. But the realm of the pharaohs presented them with puzzling questions. Who were the rulers? What were their religious beliefs? Where did their immense riches come from? And why was so much of it lost to the sands of the desert?

The Roman Empire has left indelible traces on the history of the western world. Rome's legacy is immeasurable. To this day, its fall inspires the imagination and scientific research. With the help of lavish scenes from Roman history, the era of the migration of nations and the most recent research findings, the fall of Rome is made tangible.

The Byzantinian Empire continues from where Rome left off. From Constantinople, the new Rome, the emperor reigns over an empire that stretches from Spain via Mesopotamia and the steppes of Asia to Egypt. Greedy Venetians and unscrupulous crusaders bring ruin upon the realm. Yet Constantinople recovers from the pillage as well as from the plague.

The documentary portrays the history of an empire that is almost one thousand years old to the day. At the beginnings of its history stands Charles the Great, a Frankish king. Napoleon I, emperor of France, brings the empire to its knees. Reenactments and lavish animations, complemented by interviews with well known historians, tell the colourful story of the Holy Empire.