From its origins as a nomadic Turkoman tribe from central Asia, the Ottoman Empire became one of the world's most impressive super powers, dominating swathes of the Middle East, Northern Africa and South Eastern Europe for some 500 years. As a leader of the Islamic world, it’s incursions into Europe were often seen as a religious offensive, sparking a titanic power struggle between the forces of Christianity and Islam. The reality, we discover, was much more complex. Presenter Julian Davison takes us on a journey across Turkey, the Balkans and Russia, charting the Ottoman Empire’s extraordinary military campaigns into Europe.

From its origins as a nomadic Turkoman tribe from central Asia, the Ottoman Empire became one of the world's most impressive super powers, dominating swathes of the Middle East, Northern Africa and South Eastern Europe for some 500 years. As a leader of the Islamic world, it’s incursions into Europe were often seen as a religious offensive, sparking a titanic power struggle between the forces of Christianity and Islam. The reality, we discover, was much more complex. Presenter Julian Davison takes us on a journey across Turkey, the Balkans and Russia, charting the Ottoman Empire’s extraordinary military campaigns into Europe.