Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln. The man who rises from obscurity to become the 16th American President and arguably it’s finest. But on April 15th 1865 he becomes the first US President to be assassinated, leading to the creation of a legend that obscures his true personality. Experts Michael Burlingame, James McPherson and Harold Holzer investigate Lincoln, exploring his less well-known early life and how it drives his later actions. He grows up on the American frontier and has a poor rural upbringing - a far cry from the glory of the White House. Our experts reveal Lincoln’s strong dislike of this agricultural lifestyle and his overwhelming ambition to get out, to move up and escape his father’s legacy. At every spare opportunity Lincoln read books - he was one of the greatest autodidacts of his age, for he had greater ambitions than those of his father. He became a Politician and soon after a lawyer as well.
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S1 E1
Nostradamus
Michel de Nostradame, a 16th century astrology and seer, lived in Provence, Southern France. He wrote one of the most popular astrological books of all time, “The Prophecies”. This book contains 942 strange prophecies which foretell of bizarre events running far into the future. Since Nostradamus’ death, many people have attributed his predictions to major world events like the Great Fire of London, Hitler, Napoleon, the Atomic Bomb and the assassination of American President John F Kennedy. Such is the belief in Nostradamus’ popularity, he was even turned to soon after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on 11th September 2001. Mystery Files undertakes to investigate the man behind these prophecies, to test his astrological skills and to reveal the secret of his prophetic powers. We call on leading experts like Ian Wilson - Nostradamus biographer, Peter Lemesurier - translator of his prophecies and historical investigator, Monica Azzolini – Renaissance Historian and Paul Wade – professional astrologer.
S1 E2
Jack the Ripper
How do we get close to a killer the police haven't been able to identify for over 100 years? With the help of renowned British crime historians and authors Applying modern techniques and trawling the archives Mystery Files unearths new evidence to eliminate an age old suspect, and discovers a new likely candidate was right under the policemen's nose.
S1 E3
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is one of the first super heroes. Stories of robbing the rich and giving to the poor are legend. Now evidence has been discovered to prove that Robin was a real person. Unpicking the folklore to separate fact from fiction, historians are exposing the man behind the myth. With new evidence culled from ancient manuscripts and historic sites this mysterious figure finally steps out of the shadows.
S1 E4
Royal Murder
One of Britain’s oldest unsolved mysteries, but what really happened to the Princes in the Tower? The two Princes were the sons of Edward IV and heir to the English throne who were allegedly murdered by their uncle, Richard III. But what real proof is there? We have two skeletons found in the Tower of London that are supposedly the remains of the princes, but their authenticity is highly disputed. Mystery Files re-opens the murder case and assesses whether Shakespeare’s evil, decrepit Richard III is nothing more than Tudor propaganda. When Princes Edward and Richard, heirs to the English throne, disappeared within the walls of the Tower of London in late June 1483, rumours soon began to circulate. They vanished while in the care of their Uncle Richard who was brother to the late King Edward IV and so would inherit the throne if it wasn’t for the princes, and as the news started to spread, cries of murder were heard across England. Their disappearance is shrouded in mystery but were they killed? And if so by who?