This Week on History Channel International

[Sir William Marcus]

Wednesday, August 5, 2009
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9-10pm -- The Real Sorcerer's Stone -
Today, the sorcerer's stone is seen as fiction off the pages of Harry Potter, but in the Middle Ages the quest for the sorcerer's stone was second only to that of the Holy Grail. The stone was actually said to have the power to transform base metals into gold and grant long life--even immortality. The ingredients were hidden in bizarrely coded manuscripts by alchemists who lived within their own secret society. The processes needed to combine them could be dangerous--even deadly. Today, we owe most of our modern lab equipment and experimental techniques to the efforts of these alchemists. Was their search for immortality really on sound scientific ground and did some, as is still rumored, actually succeed?

[Sir William Marcus]

Saturday, August 8, 2009
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8-10pm -- The Plague -
It began like the common cold. Then fever, baseball-sized black swellings on the neck, coughing of blood. Few lived more than two days. The year--1347. It was history's worst biological disaster and almost half of Europe's population died within three years. Visit the plague ships' rat-infested holds, witness the terror that swept through the towns, and walk with the religious flagellants. Follow a princess as she travels into the center of the plague, a doctor who struggles to understand what is happening, and a Jewish merchant caught up in violent attacks. Hear the actual words of the victims, taken from diaries and journals. From the Pope's palace to the humble huts of medieval peasants, watch as people live and die in the unforgiving grip of fear and death, and wonder how we would act if such a terrible event happened today.

[Sir William Marcus]

Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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8-10pm -- The Dark Ages -
The Roman Empire, rotten to the core by the fifth century, lay open to barbarian warriors. Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. These centuries are remembered today as the Dark Ages. Beneath this cloak of darkness were people like Charlemagne, St. Benedict and the Empress Theodora who helped to bridge the gap of civilization between Rome and the Renaissance. Ultimately, these points of light would illuminate the darkness, and Western Europe would rise from the Dark Ages to a level of cultural and political power unseen for a thousand years.

10-11pm -- History Traveler - Axes
The axe is one of the world's oldest, most dangerous and efficient cutting tools. Watch as competitive lumberjacks and Jills chop through 12-inch logs in a matter of seconds. Visit one of the nation's largest axe manufacturers to see hot metal forged into a modern axe. Take a swing with a Vikings' battleaxe and then see which knight would win in a fight of sword versus axe. Learn why the Native American tomahawk is making a comeback as a modern tactical weapon. Finally, see how the classic fireman's axe has evolved into a trailer full of high tech rescue tools.

[Sir William Marcus]

Friday, August 14, 2009
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10-11pm -- Star Trek Tech -
For forty years Star Trek has engulfed our imagination and sent us on voyages across the galaxy. We'll take a look at the technology behind the gadgets used in the series such as phasers and communicators, and tell their stories from the people who knew them best--the actors, producers and prop men.

[Sir William Marcus]

Today on....




History Traveler
Castles & Dungeons. 

Saturday, August 15 @ 3pm ET/PT

Some of the most imposing structures ever built, medieval castles withstood both bloody assaults and the test of time. Designed like machines with nearly every architectural detail devoted to defense, castles represented the perfect fusion of form and function. Journey back to that unruly era as we examine the complexity of their construction and the multipurpose they served--homes to kings and nobles, economic centers, courthouses, treasuries, prisons, and torture chambers


Then immediately following. "Investigating History
The Holy Grail" Which focuses a lot on the Knights Templar and one of my favorite Templar strongholds the mysterious "Castle of Bezu"  Le Bézu

[Sir William Marcus]

Sunday, August 23, 2009
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7-8pm -- Lost Worlds - Pirates of the Caribbean
During the heyday of piracy, fearsome buccaneers sailed the Caribbean in search of booty. Fortresses are raided, swords are drawn and galleons clash in an incredible story of glittering treasure and swashbuckling adventures. From the icy docks of Bristol to the tropical paradise of the Caribbean, discover the incredible world of the buccaneers. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues as to what the pirate world looked like.

[Sir William Marcus]

Friday, September 4, 2009
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9-10pm -- In Search of the Real Frankenstein -
The fascinating story of Johann Konrad Dipple, a brilliant scientist caught up in the dark world of alchemy and body snatching. This is the true tale of the original mad scientist, born in 1673, in the famous gothic Frankenstein Castle that overlooked Germany's Rhine Valley. His pioneering work would lead to electric shock therapy used in modern medicine. It was at Frankenstein Castle that Dipple would carry out his search to brew a secret elixir of life. He began to dig up fresh corpses from the nearby Nieder-Beerbach cemetery and dragged them to his laboratory in Castle Frankenstein to test out his formulas. Ironically, it was his potions that finally killed him.

10-12am -- Star Wars: Empire of Dreams. -
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas launched the most successful movie franchise ever created. We look at how the Star Wars trilogy changed movie-making, catapulted Harrison Ford to stardom, and made director George Lucas a legend. For Lucas, what began as a quest for creative freedom became a philosophy, a cultural phenomenon, and an empire of dreams. Features film clips, screen tests, and interviews with Lucas, Ford, Steven Spielberg, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher.

[Sir William Marcus]

C'mon ...we all a few

Thursday, October 1, 2009
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9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Barbarian Battle Tech
Barbarians and technology, maybe they're not such a contradiction after all. It's the bow that nearly brought down Rome, and the suspension system that revolutionized the chariot. Barbarians built the forts that held out invaders, and forged the axe that named a country. We'll see inside the shop of one of the world's finest metal workers as he shapes iron ore into a classic Celtic sword. With 21st Century animation we'll rebuild a 2600 year-old hill fort--and show that protecting a village was as easy as digging a ditch. Finally, the designers of "Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion" reveal how they devised a system that accurately recreates the great barbarian battles. Which weapons scored best? The results may surprise you.

[Sir William Marcus]

Saturday, October 3, 2009
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7-8pm -- Engineering An Empire - The Byzantines
As much of the world descended into the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome, one civilization shone brilliantly: the Byzantine Empire. With ruthless might and supreme ingenuity, the Byzantines ruled over vast swaths of Europe and Asia for more than a thousand years. It was Byzantium that preserved the classical learning and science that would one day give rise to the Renaissance. The Byzantines constructed the ancient world's longest aqueduct, virtually invincible city walls, a massive stadium, and a colossal domed cathedral that defied the laws of nature. Watch with host Peter Weller as we learn how the engineering feats of this great empire would betray them as an ancient light was extinguished in the glare of modern warfare.

[Sir William Marcus]

Friday, October 16, 2009
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10-12am -- Quest for Dragons -
A spirited exploration of the history, science, and legend of the world's most notorious beast--the dragon, the best-known creature that never was. Throughout history, dragons influenced wars, science, art, and religion. They appear in almost every culture and many still believe in dragons. How could different cultures, isolated by geology and millennia, all invent the same creature? If the dragon is simply the product of our imagination, how could distant peoples, with no knowledge of each other, all invent the same beast? One of the reasons dragons are a perennial favorite is that even though they are the ultimate predator and antagonist, it's also fun to identify with them. In the end, we want to be the dragon as much as we may want to slay the dragon.

[Sir William Marcus]

Saturday, October 17, 2009
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7-8pm -- Engineering An Empire - Greece: Age of Alexander
438 BC. The Parthenon is complete. This masterpiece is the crowning achievement for the Greek people. Without Alexander the Great, it is possible Greece's Golden Era would have been just a footnote in history. Tens of thousands would die during Alexander's relentless attacks on Persia and Egypt, yet, his armies carried Greek life, culture and values far abroad and this empire became known as the "Hellenistic" world. Greece's amazing engineering achievements and ideas are still with us today.


8-10pm -- The True Story of Troy -
It's the site of history's most legendary war and the Western world's oldest adventure story. According to myth, it began with a rigged beauty contest and ended with a giant wooden horse unleashing utter destruction. Now, archaeologists, literary detectives, and military analysts are uncovering evidence suggesting the war was really waged. From archaeological trenches at ancient Troy and the citadel fortress of King Agamemnon, from Homer to Hollywood, we search for the true story of Troy.



10-12am -- The Quest for King Arthur -
For centuries, the adventures of King Arthur and his fabled court have dominated the imagination of the Western world. But how did this overpowering legend begin and what truth lies behind the enduring story of Arthur, King of Britons? In this 2-hour exploration of the Arthurian medieval myths, we examine the tantalizing historical facts behind the story of this band of deathless heroes and illuminate the contemporary quest by researchers to establish if the 6th-century warlord truly existed.

[Sir William Marcus]

Sunday, October 25, 2009
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7-8pm -- Lost Worlds - The Real Dracula.
In a country torn by bloody civil war, a young man seizes power. In his native tongue, he is called Dracula. This is not the vampire, Count Dracula, but a real historical figure: a Romanian prince. Dracula was a warlord who became known all across Europe for both his breathtaking courage and his terrifying cruelty. But he also left an enduring legacy. Not just in blood, but also in brick, mortar, and stone. He constructed palaces. He founded the city that was to become his country's capital. He also built one of Eastern Europe's most breathtaking mountaintop castles. Now, with state-of-the-art computer animation, we'll bring Dracula's lost world back to life: his birthplace in the fortified town of Sighisoara; the gothic splendor of Transylvania's Bran Castle; the sumptuous palace of Targoviste; and the real castle Dracula, Poenari.

[Sir William Marcus]

Friday, November 20, 2009
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8-9pm -- Lost Worlds - Knights Templar.
They defended the Holy Land through bloodshed and prayer. Founded in the 12th century, these Christian warrior monks reigned supreme for nearly 200 years before suffering a spectacular fall from grace. Tried for heresy, they were disbanded and their Grand Master burned at the stake. We'll search behind the legend for their lost world. We recreate the city they knew as Tortosa--now hidden among modern homes in the Syrian city of Tartus. We reveal secrets of their headquarters at Temple Mount in Jerusalem, with magnificent underground vaults that could stable 1,000 horses. And we visit the circular church in London built to resemble the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the site of the Templar's mysterious initiation rites. We bring to life the hilltop fortress that Lawrence of Arabia called "the finest castle in the world", and return to the Mediterranean island where the Knights Templar made their last stand against Moslem enemies.

[Sir William Marcus]

Saturday, December 26, 2009
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7-8pm -- Engineering An Empire - The Byzantines
As much of the world descended into the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome, one civilization shone brilliantly: the Byzantine Empire. With ruthless might and supreme ingenuity, the Byzantines ruled over vast swaths of Europe and Asia for more than a thousand years. It was Byzantium that preserved the classical learning and science that would one day give rise to the Renaissance. The Byzantines constructed the ancient world's longest aqueduct, virtually invincible city walls, a massive stadium, and a colossal domed cathedral that defied the laws of nature. Watch with host Peter Weller as we learn how the engineering feats of this great empire would betray them as an ancient light was extinguished in the glare of modern warfare.



Sunday, December 27, 2009
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7-8pm -- Lost Worlds - Braveheart's Scotland.
At the end of the 13th century, Scotland was a country under attack. Defeat seemed inevitable. But from nowhere emerged a man who became Scotland's greatest hero--William Wallace, commonly known as Braveheart. Rising from obscurity in a violent age, he became an inspirational leader and national symbol of patriotism and survival. Now, new research allows us to journey back to his world. Traveling down secret pathways that still lie beneath Scotland, we rediscover a surprisingly sophisticated culture that hasn't been seen for 700 years--a world Braveheart died to protect. Uncovering the mysteries beneath Eldersie, we reveal the town that gave rise to the Guardian of Scotland. Restoring the Castle of Lanark to its former glory, we visit the place where he sought revenge for the murder of his wife. And rebuilding Stirling Bridge, we relive Wallace's famous battle against the English army--a turning point in the history of Scotland and the life of its champion.

[Sir William Marcus]

Friday, February 19, 2010
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10-12am -- Star Wars: Empire of Dreams. -
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas launched the most successful movie franchise ever created. We look at how the Star Wars trilogy changed movie-making, catapulted Harrison Ford to stardom, and made director George Lucas a legend. For Lucas, what began as a quest for creative freedom became a philosophy, a cultural phenomenon, and an empire of dreams. Features film clips, screen tests, and interviews with Lucas, Ford, Steven Spielberg, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher.




Sunday, February 21, 2010
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7-8pm -- Lost Worlds - The Pagans.
In the late Stone Age, the pagan people of the British Isles constructed some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world. Fabulous constructions of wood, earth, and stone arose. In this hour, we enter the world of their builders. We travel from the ancient stone villages of the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland, to Stonehenge, in Southern England. We reveal a startling new theory about the role this extraordinary structure played in the lives of the pagans. With computer animation, we reconstruct the monument as it appeared to them. We then trace a forgotten ancient pathway to Stonehenge's lost twin--Woodhenge, explore the secrets of Silbury Hill, the world's largest man-made mound, and visit Maiden Castle, a fortress that witnessed the pagan world's end.