9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for Weimar and Nazi Germany - Topic 2: The Rise of Hitler and the Nazis These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: 1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words 2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. 3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. 4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. 5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. 6. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: 1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available 2. Examiners levelled mark schemes 3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemat for Anglo-Saxon and Norman England Topic 3: Norman England, 1066-88 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: 1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words 2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. 3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. 4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. 5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: 1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available 2. Examiners levelled mark schemes 3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemat for Henry VIII and his Ministers Topic 1 - Henry and Wolsey 1509 – 1529 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: 1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words 2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. 3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. 4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. 5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: 1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available 2. Examiners levelled mark schemes 3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemat for Henry VIII and his Ministers Topic 2 - Henry & Cromwell 1529-40 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: 1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words 2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. 3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. 4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. 5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: 1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available 2. Examiners levelled mark schemes 3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemat for Henry VIII and his Ministers Topic 3 – The Impact of the Break with Rome Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: 1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words 2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. 3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. 4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. 5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: 1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available 2. Examiners levelled mark schemes 3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemat for Early Elizabethan England: 1558 - 88 Topic 2 - Challenges to Elizabeth at home and abroad 1569 - 88 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (e.g. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available Examiners levelled mark schemes Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for Early Elizabethan England: 1558 - 88 Topic 3 – Elizabethan Society in the age of exploration, 1558 - 88 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (e.g. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available Examiners levelled mark schemes Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemat for Early Elizabethan England: 1558 - 88 Topic 1 - Queen, Government and Religion 1558 - 69 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (e.g. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available Examiners levelled mark schemes Support writing frames with generic sentence starters Please see our other resources at:

Cold War (TV Series) Ep.10 - Cuba - Supporting Worksheet for the BBC / CNN co-production, narrated by Kenneth Brannagh - Written as a extension and enrichment task for GCSE, it would also be appropriate for A Level studies. Written in Publisher for A3 printing, the document can be edited for printing as a PDF in A4. Fidel Castro comes to power following the Cuban Revolution. Cuba aligns itself with the Soviet Union and the government starts nationalising American interests, resulting in the United States imposing an economic boycott, and the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Following the detection of Soviet medium range missiles stationed in Cuba, the United States imposes a blockade on the island, and the Soviet Union mobilises for war. The Cuban Missile Crisis is eventually resolved through secret negotiations, in which the United States and the USSR agree to withdraw missiles from Cuba and Turkey respectively. Interviewees include Fidel Castro, Walter Cronkite, Pierre Salinger and Theodore Sorensen. The pre-credits scene has interviews of Fidel Castro, Robert McNamara and Anatoly Dobrynin explaining how close they felt the world was to a nuclear holocaust.

Worksheet to support the Richard Holmes BBC Documentary Ep3. The War moves South This resource has been written to support both the Edexcel 9-1 GCSE British America Empire & revolution as well as independent learning for the gaining and Losing an Empire A Level course Written in Publisher to an A3 template, the worksheet can be amended and edited to be saved as a PDF for A4 printing

Worksheet to support the Richard Holmes BBC Documentary Ep4. The World turned upside down This resource has been written to support both the Edexcel 9-1 GCSE British America Empire & revolution as well as independent learning for the gaining and Losing an Empire A Level course Written in Publisher to an A3 template, the worksheet can be amended and edited to be saved as a PDF for A4 printing

9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for - Topic 3 Stalin’s Rise to Power and Dictatorship 1924 - 41 Written in PowerPoint (The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit). These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available Examiners levelled mark schemes Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

9-1 Edexcel History Learning / Topic Placemat - The Historic Environment - Written in PowerPoint These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available Examiners levelled mark schemes Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

Crime & Punishment GCSE Learning Placemat – Topic 3: c1700—1900, 18th & 19th Centuries

Crime & Punishment GCSE Learning Placemat – Topic 2: c1550—1700 Early Modern England

These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the: a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units b) support the need for increased literacy demands c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit). Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of: Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic. The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through: Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available Examiners levelled mark schemes Support writing frames with generic sentence starters

The Plantagenet’s Ep3 The Death of Kings - Worksheet to support the BBC Documentary Professor Robert Bartlett charts the downfall of the Plantagenet dynasty. In the last century of their rule, four Plantagenet kings are violently deposed and murdered by members of their own family. It is the bloodiest episode in the entire history of the English monarchy. As the Plantagenets turn in on themselves, England is dragged into decades of brutal civil war. Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the worksheet can be edited and amended and saved as a PDF for A4 printing. A word document is provided for ease of formatting for Google Classroom

Tony Robinson’s Wild West—Part 2 - Worksheet to support the Documentary Written to support enrichment/independent learning/ flipped learning the tasks include a variety of data collection activities and higher order tasks Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the document can be fully edited and saved as a PDF for A4 printing

BBC - Orbit: Earth’s Extraordinary Journey Episode 3 Right now you’re hurtling around the sun at 64,000 miles an hour (100,000 kms an hour). In the next year you’ll travel 584 million miles, to end up back where you started. Presenters Kate Humble and Dr Helen Czerski follow the Earth’s voyage around the sun for one complete orbit, to witness the astonishing consequences this journey has for us all. In this final episode we complete our journey, travelling back from the March equinox to the end of June. Kate Humble is in the Arctic at a place where spring arrives with a bang, whilst Helen Czerski chases a tornado to show how the earth’s angle of tilt creates the most extreme weather on the planet. written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the resource can be saved as a PDF for A4 printing

Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley - Ep1 - Reinventing Russia - Empire of the Tsars -Worksheet to support the BBC Documentary Written to provided extension/ enrichment / independent learning options at KS5 & 4 Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the worksheet can be fully edited and saved as a PDF for A4 printing Lucy Worsley travels to Russia to tell the extraordinary story of the dynasty that ruled the country for more than three centuries. It’s an epic tale that includes giant figures such as Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, the devastating struggle against Napoleon in 1812, and the political murders of Nicholas II and his family in 1918 which brought the dynasty to a brutal end. In this first episode, Lucy investigates the beginning of the Romanovs’ 300-year reign in Russia. In 1613, when Russia was leaderless, 16-year-old Mikhail Romanov was plucked from obscurity and offered the crown of Russia. Mikhail was granted absolute power and began the reign of the Romanovs as the most influential dynasty in modern European history. Lucy also charts the story of Peter the Great, the ruthless and ambitious tsar who was determined to modernise Russia at the end of the 17th century. Lucy traces Peter’s accession to the throne as a nine-year-old, when he witnessed a revolt led by royal guards and the slaughter of his uncles and close advisors. Sixteen years later, Peter would vengefully execute a thousand rebellious guards. Throughout his reign, Peter would demonstrate an unwavering commitment to establishing Russia as a naval power - Lucy explores the lengths to which Peter would go to ensure this became a reality, including the creation of a new maritime capital, St Petersburg. Lucy shows how the Romanovs embraced and sponsored the arts on an astonishing scale - from building spectacular palaces to commissioning grand artworks - that all still dazzle today. As well as studying this unique royal family, Lucy also considers the impact the Romanovs had on the lives of ordinary Russians, who were often little better than slaves to the elite.