Geheime Geschichte der Mongolei, Die

The two-part programme narrates the rise and fall of the Mongolian Empire, closely following the excavations. For the first time, scientists have also obtained exclusive access to Mongolian and Russian archives. We now know that the Mongols were also skilful administrators, the first "global players", who guaranteed the uninterrupted exchange of goods and ideas between the Orient and the West for nearly 200 years. They were also far-sighted, bringing merchants, traders and settlers with extensive agricultural know-how to their lands. Only after the collapse of Mongol influence in the mid-14th century did routes to the Far East become unsafe.
Against the backdrop of the breathtaking landscapes of Mongolia, the documentary reconstructs life at the court of Genghis Khan and illustrates the Mongolian style of warfare in re-enactments. In 1243 the Pope sent a Franciscan monk to the Mongolian empire, and his report - The Lore of the Mongols - portrays a fascinating, exotic world.
A world that still respects ancient traditions today, when the Mongols are as accomplished as ever with bow and arrow, the breathtaking riding skills of their ancestors not forgotten, but a part of their life. The documentary shows a nomadic people that has kept its knowledge and skills alive and maintained its originality. (forgalmazó hivatalos szövege)