Battlefield Britain

By 1400, Wales had been ruled by English kings for over a century. Laws dictated where in Wales the Welsh could live, what jobs they could have, even who they could marry. Then in 1400, a Welsh nobleman, Owain Glyndwr, had land seized from him by a neighbouring English Lord. This prompted the outraged Glyndwr to lead a rebellion of independence against English rule that raged for over 10 years. Peter and Dan trace the path of the rebellion, starting with the dramatic defeat of the English on the phenomenally steep slopes of Pilleth.They describe how the battle of Shrewsbury – scene of the biggest clash between longbowmen ever seen on British soil – deprived Glyndwr of a powerful ally; and how, in a little-known moment of history, the Welsh invaded England. This final showdown, outside Worcester, brought any hope of Welsh independence to an end.

Led by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, the Spaniards planned to sweep the Queen of England from her throne. All that stood in their way was a small navy led by Queen Elizabeth's cousin, Admiral Lord Howard, and the nation's favourite pirate, Francis Drake. In the summer of 1588, a vast Spanish invasion fleet sailed up the English Channel. England braced itself against invasion by the southern superpower and over the next 11 days, a series of ferocious sea battles ensued. Presenters Peter and Dan Snow demonstrate the different tactics the two sides used, how the English managed to fend off the bigger, more heavily armed ships, and how Spanish ships remained afloat despite being struck by English guns.

By 1645, the British Isles had been torn apart by fighting between the Royalists, who supported Charles I and his Divine Right to rule the country as he wished, and the Parliamentarians, who were unified in their belief that the King should serve the country in the best interests of the people. The Parliamentarians first suffered defeat at the battle of Newbury, which enraged newly appointed Oliver Cromwell to such an extent that he created Britain's first national army to be unified by discipline, uniforms, regulations, training, and command. The Battle of Naseby saw Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army win the decisive battle of the English Civil War, effectively bringing an end to the absolute power of the monarchy.

By 1688, Roman Catholic King James II had so alienated the Protestant majority of England that they ousted him from the throne. At the request of Parliament, William Prince of Orange became king and James fled to Ireland, his Catholic stronghold. William attacked the banks of the Boyne in July of 1690. Peter recounts each attempt by the Jacobites to repel the Williamites, while Dan attempts to understand the difficulties of the frontline troops who had to cross the river whilst keeping their gunpowder dry.

Peter and Dan Snow venture to the Highlands of Scotland and use state-of-the-art graphics to recreate the 1746 Battle of Culloden in which Bonnie Prince Charlie led the Jacobite army against George II's redcoats in an unsuccessful bid to restore his family to the throne. The duo reveal how close he came to victory and the impact of the defeat on Scottish culture and religion.

The final instalment looks to the skies and the RAF's struggle to prevent a Nazi invasion in the darkest days of WWII when Britain stood alone.