Muslim Europe

This handsome film sets out to capture something of the image of Spain before 1492 when, after 700 years of Muslim rule under the Moors, the Spanish kicked the invaders out and destroyed books and other evidence of their occupation. Among the buildings that escaped the Inquisition was the Alhambra Palace, a masterpiece of medieval architecture on a Granada hilltop. Presenter Bettany Hughes explores the rich trappings of Muslim life discovered by archaeologists and historians, not least the mathematical intricacies of the Alhambra.

The Muslim Brotherhood is the oldest and most important international Islamist group. Aside from strong organizations in Egypt, Jordan, Syria―where it provides the main opposition―and its Palestinian offshoot Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip, the Brotherhood has become active in Europe and North America.