The Asian Crucible

East To West • Season 1 • Episode 5

About this episode

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. Then 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 film traces the rise of Timur and the explores the glories of Samarkand. Finally the programme follows the successors of Timur as they spread south into India, creating the wonders of the Mughal Empire. The film ends at the Taj Mahal.