1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,480 [Narrator] Today, it's one of Europe's largest democracies 2 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:08,680 and greatest military powers. 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:12,800 But standing at the crossroads between continents, 4 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,240 Spain has repeatedly faced invasions from both 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,760 inside and outside Europe. 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,160 It has been the battleground for conflict over land, 7 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:29,600 wealth, and more than anything, ideas. 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,040 This is the extraordinary story of the defense of Spain. 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,240 From centuries of religious struggle. 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,520 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] It would seem like they're now caught in 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,240 a trap where they would be utterly destroyed. 12 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,920 [Narrator] Through vicious battles to protect 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:50,400 the riches of its empire. 14 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:52,720 [Claudio] When they finish their terror attack on the city, 15 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,400 Cádiz lay in ruins. 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,360 [Narrator] All leading to one of the most bitter civil wars 17 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:00,920 of the 20th century. 18 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:05,960 [Arthur] People started pouring into the tunnels. 19 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,040 Thousands of men, women, children, the elderly, 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,040 just trying to escape the nightmare above their heads. 21 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,560 [bomb whistling] [explosion] 22 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,560 [Narrator] Every country is a prisoner of its geography, 23 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:27,680 bordered by mountains, rivers, seas, or stone. 24 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,440 And every country must defend these borders from attack. 25 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,880 [horses galloping] 26 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:40,320 [Narrator] On land, in the air, and on the high seas. 27 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,920 This series explores the incredible structures, 28 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:51,880 ingenious weapons, and brilliant strategies 29 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,000 that have shaped Europe's most battle-hardened countries 30 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:01,200 over the last thousand years, and played a crucial role 31 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,320 in creating the nations we see today. 32 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:06,600 [explosion] 33 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,680 ♪ ♪ 34 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,840 [Narrator] The vast castles, palaces, and cathedrals of Spain 35 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:21,360 are amongst the grandest and most exotic in Europe. 36 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,400 Striking monuments that whisper the epic history of a nation. 37 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,640 Its very soul forged in brutal conflict 38 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,080 under two mighty empires. 39 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,200 ♪ ♪ 40 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,320 {\an8}Lying to Europe's far southwest, Spain occupies most of 41 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,440 {\an8}the Iberian Peninsula, almost touching the 42 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,280 {\an8}northern tip of Africa. 43 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:54,720 {\an8}1,300 years ago, it stood at the frontier of the largest empire 44 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,320 {\an8}the world had yet seen. 45 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,160 {\an8}A mighty Islamic caliphate, stretching from Central Asia 46 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,920 all the way to the Straits of Gibraltar. 47 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,280 Where in 711, the caliphate launched an invasion 48 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,840 that would change Spain forever. 49 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,600 [soldiers yelling] [swords clashing] 50 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,040 Armies of several thousand Islamic warriors 51 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:24,880 made a grab for Spain's fertile land and vast mineral resources. 52 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,960 {\an8}Within a few years, the invaders had claimed 53 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,800 {\an8}most of the Iberian Peninsula for the Caliphate. 54 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,600 {\an8}It was just the beginning of a long conflict 55 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,120 between Christian Europe and the North African invaders. 56 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,720 Historian, Dr. Onyeka Onubia has come to Southwest Spain, 57 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,000 the heart of Islamic power, to investigate the tactics 58 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:57,760 and battles in this struggle. 59 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,360 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] The people that came from Africa and Asia Minor 60 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:08,000 are colloquially called Moors, and they were to rule large 61 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:12,880 parts of the Iberian Peninsula for almost eight centuries. 62 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,600 They called their kingdom Al-Andalus. 63 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,840 [Narrator] And the Moors brought with them to Al-Andalus, 64 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,040 a sophisticated new culture. 65 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,720 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] What was it to live under Moorish culture? 66 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:33,480 Well, this culture was a synthesis of ancient Greek, 67 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:39,880 ancient Roman, African mores, with Islamic Muslim traditions 68 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:41,520 all mixed in together. 69 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,240 And what you see here with running water 70 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,880 and underground heating is an indication 71 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,560 of that civilization, that opulence, that finery, 72 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,080 perhaps some of the most advanced civilization 73 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,680 that was existing in Western Europe at this time. 74 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,320 [Narrator] But whilst in the South, 75 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,400 Islamic Spain flourished and grew rich. 76 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,120 {\an8}To the North, Christian armies began taking back territory. 77 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,120 {\an8}Al-Andalus also became vulnerable to growing threats of 78 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:14,720 invasion from the sea. 79 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,880 In the struggle for the survival of Islamic Spain, 80 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:25,360 one place would prove critical, a lucrative trade link 81 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,440 connecting Al-Andalus to the rest of the Muslim 82 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:33,040 world and the Mediterranean, the southern port of Malaga. 83 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,840 In 1057, Malaga was under the control of 84 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,120 an ambitious Islamic warlord, 85 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,800 the Emir of Granada, Badis Ibn Habus. 86 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:49,560 And his number one priority was to defend this vital port. 87 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,480 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] Ibn Habus needed to build a 88 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,600 place that was strong geographically, 89 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:58,880 strategically, militarily. 90 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,680 A fort that would be impregnable. 91 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,200 His solution was the Alcazaba. 92 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,840 ♪ ♪ 93 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,640 [Narrator] Perched on a hill on the 94 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:11,160 southeastern edge of the city, 95 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:15,640 the Alcazaba overlooks the port and dominates its surroundings. 96 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,960 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] Geographically, it's in a strong position. 97 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:22,760 Attack, if it came, would be seen 98 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:25,360 from everywhere in the citadel. 99 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:29,720 But it is the defensive design of this citadel 100 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,000 that makes it unique. 101 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,080 [Narrator] It had two tiers, a high outer wall with 102 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:37,720 regularly spaced towers, 103 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,120 and a fortified inner enclosure that protected the palace. 104 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:50,480 Even if assailants penetrated the heavily fortified entrance, 105 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,560 they would find themselves in a maze-like passageway, 106 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,080 facing a series of strong gates. 107 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,360 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] An attacking force needs momentum, speed, 108 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,160 in order to take a castle like this. 109 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,360 This design, with its sharp turns and bends 110 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:12,000 and close quarters, prevents that momentum. 111 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,440 The attacking force never gets the speed 112 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,760 that it needs to conquer this citadel. 113 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,440 [Narrator] But the biggest danger would come from above. 114 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,200 ♪ ♪ 115 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,680 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] The attacking army would be met by spears, 116 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,160 boiling oil, waste, or the defender's main weapon, 117 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,360 the short bow and the crossbow. 118 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,400 [Narrator] Crossbows were easy to use 119 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:41,480 and deadly accurate at short range. 120 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,080 With the battlements providing protection for reloading, 121 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,720 the short bow and skilled hands was ideal for rapid shooting, 122 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,880 the perfect weapons for defending the citadel. 123 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:05,200 As the attackers emerged into the open courtyard, 124 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,880 they would run into a murderous hail of bolts and arrows 125 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:10,600 coming from every angle. 126 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,160 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] High up on these walls, 127 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,040 the genius of Ibn Habus's design is clear. 128 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,960 We have towers, turrets, and walkways 129 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:22,760 protecting other towers, 130 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,640 turrets, and walkways in intersecting arcs of fire. 131 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,880 [arrows whizzing] 132 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,600 Any attacker is being met by not just one, 133 00:08:32,680 --> 00:08:35,120 but several lines of defense. 134 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:36,880 It's genius. 135 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,080 [Narrator] It was a sort of lethal medieval computer game 136 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,560 with increasing levels of impossibility. 137 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:49,960 ♪ ♪ 138 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,000 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] The people that constructed these palaces 139 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,720 must have felt that they were beyond attack, 140 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,760 safe and secure in their citadel of power. 141 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,640 [Narrator] The defenses of the Alcazaba was so formidable 142 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,880 that in its first 400 years, there was not a single 143 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,880 attempt to lay siege to it. 144 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:14,960 But its day of reckoning was coming. 145 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:19,160 [horse neighs] 146 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,040 [sounds of battle] 147 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,840 {\an8}The Christian armies continued a gradual advance south 148 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,920 {\an8}until by the 15th century, all that was left of Al-Andalus 149 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:32,520 {\an8}was the Emirate of Granada. 150 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,600 Governed from Granada's sumptuous Alhambra Palace, 151 00:09:38,680 --> 00:09:43,720 Islamic Spain was about to face its sternest test. 152 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,840 The armies of Christian monarchs, 153 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,960 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, 154 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,760 now outnumbered those of the Moors, 155 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,320 and they were coming for Malaga. 156 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,640 With them, they brought state-of-the-art 157 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,840 weaponry, artillery, with the power to fire into 158 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,560 the very heart of its citadels. 159 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,400 [explosion] 160 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,920 [Narrator] In May 1487, the armies of Ferdinand and Isabella 161 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,800 surrounded the city of Malaga with 80,000 troops, 162 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,040 and the largest artillery Spain had ever seen. 163 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,720 They blockaded the port so that no one and no supplies 164 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:33,000 could get in or out, 165 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:37,200 and then demanded that the Moors surrender. 166 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,200 But the leaders of just 15,000 Moorish defenders, 167 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,920 hardened and charismatic, Hamet el-Zagri, refused, 168 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,160 and he had reason to be confident. 169 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,960 The Moors had updated Malaga's defenses with an imposing wall 170 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,760 up to four meters thick around the city, 171 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,120 and an extra outer wall to protect against attack 172 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:04,640 from the north. 173 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,560 But el-Zagri's secret weapon lay to the east, 174 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,040 where a steep hill offered a strategic vantage point. 175 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,120 Here, the Moors had constructed a secondary, 176 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:20,400 highly fortified castle, overseeing and towering 177 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:25,240 above the Alcazaba, the Castle of Gibralfaro 178 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,520 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] Gibralfaro was really state-of-the-art. 179 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,280 El-Zagri's biggest advantage was that this fortification 180 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,000 had been constructed with modern technology in mind, 181 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,360 with the knowledge that they may be attacked 182 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,000 with gunpowder, cannons, and guns. 183 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:51,760 Look around and see that we're in an elevated position, 184 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:53,280 high up on this mountain. 185 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,000 This position is strategically important 186 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:59,360 because it holds the higher ground. 187 00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:03,240 [Narrator] This meant the defenders in Gibralfaro 188 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,720 could take potshots at an attacking army all day long, 189 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,400 whilst the attackers would be helpless 190 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,200 to do anything about it. 191 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,760 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] The parapets and towers were constructed 192 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,960 with a particular elevation, making it impossible for 193 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,160 Ferdinand or Isabella's cannons or guns to reach the top. 194 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:25,480 [Narrator] Malaga had the strongest fortifications 195 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:26,720 in all Al-Andalus. 196 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,400 But it faced the greatest firepower 197 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,040 the country had ever seen. 198 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,040 The future of Spain, of Islam and Christianity 199 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:38,600 hung on the coming battle. 200 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:40,960 [cannon firing] 201 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:42,160 [distant explosion] 202 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,080 And it began with large batteries of 203 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,760 Ferdinand's cannons opening fire. 204 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,400 [cannon firing] 205 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:53,320 [explosion] 206 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,080 After weeks of bombardment, 207 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,680 they finally breached the outer wall. 208 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,040 [explosion] 209 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,600 The Moors fought fiercely to keep Ferdinand's troops out. 210 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,120 {\an8}But eventually, they were forced to retreat 211 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,120 {\an8}behind the main city wall. 212 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,360 {\an8}[Dr. Onyeka Nubia] It would seem like the defenders are 213 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:18,600 {\an8}now caught in a trap 214 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:20,800 where they would be utterly destroyed. 215 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,760 [Narrator] Now, Ferdinand brought in a new weapon, 216 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:27,680 his heavy Lombard cannons, 217 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:31,720 firing 30 kilogram iron shot to try and 218 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,920 smash Malaga's main city walls. 219 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:40,360 But the walls held firm. 220 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:46,560 Still refusing to surrender, El Zegri launched raids to 221 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:48,520 terrorize the Christian camps. 222 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,680 [battle sounds] 223 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,760 So the Christians decided to escalate. 224 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,520 And in Queen Isabella, they had a mastermind 225 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:58,600 of logistics to do it. 226 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,600 They brought in thousands more troops and mobile siege towers. 227 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,720 In response, the Moors dug underneath the towers 228 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:11,800 and blew them up. 229 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:16,200 [explosions] 230 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,800 But however fiercely the Moors fought, 231 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,160 they could not break the blockade. 232 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:24,680 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] The attackers managed to stop 233 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,200 the importation of food and the water ran out. 234 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,640 [Narrator] Finally, after three months of fighting, 235 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,600 Ferdinand destroyed the tower guarding 236 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,480 a key bridge to the city, 237 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,600 allowing the Christian troops to pour in. 238 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,960 By now, the citizens of Malaga had resorted 239 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,440 to eating cats, dogs, and leaves. 240 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,480 And on the 13th of August, they threw themselves on the 241 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,880 mercy of Ferdinand and Isabella. 242 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,080 But El Zagri and his troops in the Alcazaba 243 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:10,720 refused to surrender, 244 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,960 still hoping for reinforcements to arrive. 245 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,960 Against the odds, they fought on. 246 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:24,040 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] Eventually, the defenders in Alcazaba 247 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,640 were forced to move from their position 248 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:28,800 up here to Gibralfaro. 249 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:35,480 [Narrator] The Alcazaba was connected to Gibralfaro 250 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:40,040 by a fortified corridor called the Coracha. 251 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:48,560 The Coracha was an escape route where soldiers and 252 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,200 weapons could be moved in a time of withdrawal 253 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:53,800 from one citadel to another. 254 00:15:54,840 --> 00:16:00,720 El Zegri's men climbed the Coracha to Gibralfaro. 255 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,920 [Dr. Onyeka Nubia] There, the enemy threw everything at them, 256 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:05,920 but they couldn't break the defences. 257 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,320 [Narrator] El Zegri held out inside the fortress complex 258 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,640 for about a week, but in the end, it wasn't the 259 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:15,640 fortifications that failed. 260 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,320 His reinforcements never arrived. 261 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,400 Ferdinand had destroyed them before they got to Malaga. 262 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,960 When El Zegri realised this, he had no choice. 263 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:33,560 On 19th August 1487, he finally surrendered. 264 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,280 Most of his troops and the citizens of Malaga 265 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:38,920 were sold as slaves. 266 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,200 El Zegri himself died in jail. 267 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,440 Around Malaga, the Muslim symbol of the crescent moon 268 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,880 was replaced with that of the cross. 269 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,640 The small mosque in Gibralfaro was consecrated 270 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:58,080 as a Christian chapel. 271 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:08,760 {\an8}But it would take Ferdinand and Isabella another five long years 272 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:13,440 {\an8}of bloody fighting, until in 1492, they 273 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,200 finally captured Granada. 274 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:22,200 After nearly 800 years, all of Spain was Christian once again. 275 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:28,080 But this power couple were only just beginning their conquests. 276 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:33,000 The very same year, they made a momentous decision 277 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:37,840 and took a gamble to finance a young sailor 278 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:39,680 called Christopher Columbus. 279 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:44,400 To search for a route to India by going west. 280 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:50,600 Out of the ashes of the Islamic Caliphate, 281 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,120 a new empire was about to rise. 282 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,360 The Spanish Empire. 283 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:06,000 [Narrator] In October 1492, Christopher Columbus landed 284 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,000 in the Bahamas with just three small ships. 285 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,200 A seismic event that was to catapult Spain 286 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,680 to the status of world superpower. 287 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,840 {\an8}Its new empire soon spread through the Caribbean 288 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,520 {\an8}and large swathes of North and South America. 289 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,600 For the indigenous peoples, though, it was catastrophic. 290 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:35,320 Along with modernisation and a new religion came enslavement. 291 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:40,360 Millions died through war and disease, 292 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,000 whilst the Spanish took vast 293 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,240 quantities of gold and silver back to the mother country. 294 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,760 Most of this treasure came through 295 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:55,040 the Atlantic port of Cádiz, a city precariously positioned at 296 00:18:55,120 --> 00:18:57,080 the tip of a narrow peninsula. 297 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,880 Historian Claudio Lozano has been investigating 298 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:08,200 how these riches also made Cádiz vulnerable to Spain's enemies. 299 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,320 [Claudio Lozano] The moment that you are bringing all this 300 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:13,400 wealth from the New World, 301 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,920 and also not only the wealth, but also all the mythology 302 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,160 about El Dorado and about a really wealthy New World, 303 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,000 I mean, all the landing points, specifically Cádiz, 304 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,800 become a target immediately. 305 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:32,400 [cannon fires] 306 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,840 [Narrator] The worst attack on Cádiz came in 1596, 307 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,240 during a bitter two-decade-long war 308 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,000 with newly Protestant England and Holland. 309 00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:48,560 [Claudio Lozano] 150 ships plus 15,000 men under 310 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,720 command of Queen Elizabeth I. 311 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:54,600 [Narrator] At dawn on Sunday 30th June, 312 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,640 the guns of the English Royal Navy 313 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,640 opened fire on the Spanish warships guarding the 314 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,400 treasure fleet in the bay. 315 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,160 Cádiz's gun batteries and warships were 316 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:09,280 unable to stop the attackers, 317 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:12,680 who entered the bay and ran amok amongst the treasure fleet. 318 00:20:13,120 --> 00:20:14,760 [cannons firing] 319 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:19,000 Then they broke into the city and ransacked it. 320 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,520 [Claudio Lozano] Their crew rampages across the city, 321 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,160 burning every single building, 322 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,120 looting whatever treasure they could. 323 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,680 Imagine the terror of the people living here, 324 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:31,200 seeing their city burning, 325 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:32,280 [screaming] 326 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:33,960 their loved ones being killed 327 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,200 and everything of value stolen from them. 328 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,520 [fire crackling] 329 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,360 When they finished their terror attack on the city, 330 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:43,480 Cádiz lay in ruins. 331 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:46,840 [Narrator] It was a disaster for Spain. 332 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,400 The loss of Cádiz threatened her 333 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,160 supply routes and the empire itself. 334 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,840 [distant screaming] 335 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:55,920 [explosions] 336 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:57,480 [waves crashing] 337 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:03,120 [Narrator] The Spanish were forced to make a choice - 338 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,640 either protect Cádiz or abandon it. 339 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,680 So the King of Spain decided on an ambitious plan to rebuild it 340 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:11,720 under the country's foremost 341 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,480 military engineer, Cristóbal de Rojas. 342 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,560 To make Cádiz impregnable, de Rojas adopted 343 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,080 the latest ideas from European state-of-the-art fortresses. 344 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,240 First, to guard the city against attack from the sea, 345 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,160 he constructed a star-shaped fort, 346 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,520 Castillo de Santa Catalina. 347 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,560 Its pointed bastions armed for 348 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,040 defensive fire in all directions. 349 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,800 The bay itself was shielded by a natural gateway, 350 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,840 back then with no bridge crossing it. 351 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,720 De Rojas designed two new forts to guard it. 352 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,320 On the east bank, Castillo Matagorda. 353 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,600 On the west bank, Castillo Puntales. 354 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,360 Between them, these forts gave the Spanish complete control 355 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,160 over the sea routes in and out of the bay. 356 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,880 To protect its citizens, Cadiz's own defenses 357 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:18,200 were extended with a thick, heavily armed curtain wall. 358 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,840 [Claudio Lozano] Cádiz defenses against sea attack 359 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:27,040 were the most ambitious military work in the country, 360 00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:30,480 transforming the city into one of the best protected in Spain. 361 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,120 {\an8}[Narrator] Over the next two centuries, 362 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:43,040 {\an8}Cádiz faced a series of attacks by England and her allies. 363 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:47,520 {\an8}[cannon firing] 364 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,160 {\an8}But thanks to its robust fortifications, 365 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,800 none of them managed to break through to the city or the bay. 366 00:22:56,360 --> 00:23:01,280 Cádiz seemed impregnable, and Spain's empire continued 367 00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:05,080 to flourish right up until the end of the 18th century. 368 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:08,840 But a new threat was coming, 369 00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:12,400 from a growing empire to the north. 370 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,440 And the whole of Spain would depend 371 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,920 on the fortifications of Cádiz for its survival. 372 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,960 {\an8}[Narrator] In 1803, the Napoleonic Wars began. 373 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,760 {\an8}To start with, Spain supported France 374 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,240 {\an8}against Britain and Portugal. 375 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,760 But that was to change dramatically 376 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,040 when Napoleon decided to invade Spain. 377 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,400 {\an8}In 1808, the Spanish government fled Madrid, 378 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:56,240 {\an8}moving first to Seville, then retreating all the way to Cádiz. 379 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,160 [Claudio Lozano] So Cádiz was the last hope 380 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:00,880 to recover the independence of Spain. 381 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,200 [Narrator] Could Cádiz now defend itself 382 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:09,360 against an attack from the land by Napoleon's mighty army? 383 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:17,160 Since the 1500s, the formidable Puerta de Tierra, or Land Gate, 384 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,400 dominated the approach to the city. 385 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,960 But it was breached during the English attack of 1596. 386 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,640 So Cristóbal de Rojas had to improve the land fortifications. 387 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:38,440 He designed giant zigzagging bastions, interspersed with deep 388 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:40,720 ditches and sloping ramparts. 389 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,640 A terrifying challenge for any invader. 390 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,120 And even if, as was common, 391 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:54,360 the attackers deployed miners to dig under the walls, 392 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:55,960 they'd be in for a shock. 393 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:02,760 Caving expert Eugenio Belgrano is taking Claudio to see 394 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:05,160 Cádiz's secret underground weapon. 395 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,440 During the 18th century, the Spanish built a web 396 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:23,560 of three kilometres of tunnels underneath the fortifications. 397 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:35,600 These tunnels had small rooms that we called 'hornillos' 398 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:37,480 which were filled with gunpowder. 399 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:41,600 When the engineer knew that the enemy tunnel was getting close 400 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,320 they would blow up this whole tunnel 401 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,160 making it impossible to lay siege to the city of Cadiz. 402 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,120 [Claudio Lozano] It's very impressive for me 403 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,320 that underground defence, combined with 404 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,800 the ground defence, made the city completely impregnable. 405 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,800 [Narrator] The French discovered that not only 406 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:10,160 was the Land Gate impregnable, the bay was now swarming with 407 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:13,280 warships of Spain's new ally, Britain. 408 00:26:13,360 --> 00:26:15,480 Their best chance was to approach from 409 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:19,400 the opposite side of the bay, along the Trocadero Peninsula, 410 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,400 for a surprise assault on Fort Matagorda, 411 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,120 which was not equipped for an attack from the land. 412 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,000 British reinforcements were summoned to defend the fort. 413 00:26:32,360 --> 00:26:35,880 [Claudio Lozano] A company of the 94th Regiment of Foot 414 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,800 were scrambled to ferry arms and men across the bay. 415 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,320 [rifle shots] 416 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:45,680 [Narrator] But it wasn't enough. 417 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,400 [Claudio Lozano] All the efforts were futile, 418 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,960 due to the overwhelming power of the French artillery. 419 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:55,800 [Narrator] The French had brought up 420 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,840 30 heavy-caliber guns, firing 24-pound shots, 421 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,360 [cannons firing] 422 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:05,840 giving the defending garrison of 140 men little chance. 423 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,360 [Claudio Lozano] The battle was a blow for the defenders. 424 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,600 Half of them were wounded or killed. 425 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:15,880 [guns firing] 426 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:17,320 [soldiers yelling] 427 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,040 And the remaining men were forced to retreat. 428 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:25,880 [Narrator] But even with the French in Matagorda, 429 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:29,000 the residents of Cadiz, over three kilometres away, 430 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,040 were out of range of their guns, 431 00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:33,080 and protected by the Royal Navy. 432 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:39,480 So Napoleon's engineers hatched an audacious plan - 433 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,320 to build a new weapon with a much greater 434 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,200 range than any other cannon in existence. 435 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,480 Fort Matagorda itself is no more, 436 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:52,960 but close to where it once stood, 437 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,520 there remain enormous concrete footings. 438 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,320 A series of platforms to support 439 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,360 10 giant howitzer cannons of 8 inches calibre, 440 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:07,280 and with a range of up to five kilometres, 441 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:09,320 easily enough to reach Cadiz. 442 00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:13,840 They were known as Grand Mortars. 443 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:16,480 [artillery firing] 444 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:20,560 Now the French unleashed a massive bombardment of huge 445 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:22,600 exploding grenades on Cadiz. 446 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,600 [multiple explosions] 447 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:34,280 But this technology was untried. 448 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:37,800 [Claudio Lozano] The Grand Mortar was very powerful, 449 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:39,040 but was inaccurate. 450 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,800 Many of the shells never exploded. 451 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,920 Even one of the shells fell into the city, 452 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,560 into a crowded place, and nobody was injured. 453 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,760 [Narrator] The siege continued for eight months, 454 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,080 but Cadiz remained impregnable. 455 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:58,200 Well supplied and heavily armed, 456 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:00,880 it even sent regular sallies of guerrillas 457 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,440 to disrupt the French supply lines. 458 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:04,960 [rapid gunfire] 459 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,040 Across Spain, guerrilla attacks like this became 460 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,160 an increasing nightmare for Napoleon. 461 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,480 {\an8}To the north, aided by the Portuguese and British, 462 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,440 {\an8}they pushed the French back, 463 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:21,360 {\an8}threatening to cut off Napoleon's forces around Cadiz. 464 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:29,640 So, on the 24th of August 1812, the French besiegers finally 465 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,080 packed up and headed home. 466 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:38,680 Spain's government had been protected. 467 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,800 Cadiz was the only city in Western Europe to 468 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,160 hold out against Napoleon's attack. 469 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,760 [Claudio Lozano] All the defences worked perfectly. 470 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:50,080 I find that very impressive. 471 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:52,880 Cadiz resisted. 472 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,560 [Narrator] The Peninsula War was the last time that 473 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:00,360 a foreign power would occupy Spain. 474 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:04,840 But the conflict left the country shattered. 475 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,160 The next century would see it 476 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,360 tear itself apart over very different ideas 477 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,320 of what a modern Spain should be. 478 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:17,720 [bombs falling] 479 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:19,680 [explosions] 480 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:22,680 {\an8}♪ ♪ 481 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:24,800 {\an8}[Narrator] Following the Napoleonic Wars, 482 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,400 {\an8}the Spanish Empire began to collapse. 483 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,680 {\an8}And by the early 20th century, 484 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:33,880 {\an8}there was virtually nothing left. 485 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:39,800 Without the riches that the Empire brought, 486 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:41,480 Spain was reduced to one of the 487 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:44,080 poorest agrarian economies in Europe. 488 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,880 ♪ ♪ 489 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:50,760 Conflict grew between those who favoured 490 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,720 modern ideas like democracy or socialism, 491 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,000 and those who yearned for the 492 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:00,600 glorious past of a powerful empire, 493 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,680 a strong church and a strong authoritarian state. 494 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,560 [people cheering] 495 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:17,760 In 1936, right-wing nationalist rebels led by Francisco Franco 496 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,280 launched a military coup against the socialist republican 497 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,720 government under Manuel Azana. 498 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,760 A polarised nation was sucked into a vicious civil war. 499 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,880 Urban areas in the south-east largely sided 500 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,320 with Azana's republican government, 501 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,680 whilst the more conservative north and south-west mainly 502 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:42,920 supported Franco's nationalists. 503 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,800 One republican-supporting town would 504 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:49,800 become infamous for a new type of warfare, 505 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:54,640 first seen during the Spanish Civil War - Guernica. 506 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:04,720 It was the afternoon of Monday 26th April 1937 - Market Day. 507 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:09,040 The main square was packed when the church bells of 508 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,080 Santa Maria sounded the alarm. 509 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:12,160 [church bells tolling] 510 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:14,320 [people yelling in Spanish] 511 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,280 Nationalist aircraft darkened the skies above. 512 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:22,440 Over three hours, 50 tons of high-explosive and 513 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,080 incendiary bombs rained down, 514 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,320 flattening three-quarters of the town. 515 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,160 Those who tried to escape were mercilessly 516 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:35,760 strafed by fighter planes. 517 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,040 [explosions] 518 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:42,560 Hundreds were killed and injured. 519 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,840 The horror of the attack was captured 520 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,640 in Picasso's shocking painting, "Guernica". 521 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,080 ♪ ♪ 522 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,440 And Guernica was just one of many. 523 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,640 The Spanish Civil War would be the first war in history 524 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:07,040 that featured systemic carpet bombing of civilians. 525 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,720 And it happened right across the country. 526 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:22,520 Former Marine Arthur Williams is a military historian and pilot, 527 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,520 who's come to southern Spain to investigate the bombings 528 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:29,160 and the extraordinary response of the civilian population here. 529 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:32,880 [Arthur Williams] It's hard to picture on an 530 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,000 ordinary day like this, all these years later, 531 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,440 how the thousands of people going 532 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:39,800 about their busy day-to-day lives 533 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,520 would have defended themselves against an unannounced attack 534 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,400 when bombs started falling from the sky and shells started 535 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:48,440 exploding in random places. 536 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,520 You can only imagine the bloody chaos 537 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,600 and confusion that would have ensued. 538 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:57,600 [Narrator] But how did a rebel like Franco 539 00:33:57,680 --> 00:33:59,400 get his hands on these machines? 540 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:06,960 The aircraft were supplied by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 541 00:34:08,240 --> 00:34:11,520 Both saw a strategic advantage in neutralising Spain 542 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:13,200 for any future conflict. 543 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,120 The German planes were known as the Condor Legion 544 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,840 and displayed nationalist diagonal crosses on their wings. 545 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:27,160 They were a new generation of aircraft, 546 00:34:27,240 --> 00:34:29,360 which would soon become terrifying 547 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,040 Nazi icons of the Second World War. 548 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:38,720 And enabling this death from the skies, a new fighter, 549 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,320 one of the planes that strafed civilians 550 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:42,920 on that day in Guernica. 551 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,680 [Arthur Williams] This is the Messerschmitt BF-109, 552 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:52,320 and it was one of the most important aircraft 553 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,080 in the history of military aviation. 554 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,000 Only a few months after its maiden flight, 555 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:02,960 three BF-109s were sent to Spain for real-world testing. 556 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:05,320 And when the aircraft was introduced, 557 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,080 it was the most advanced fighter of its day. 558 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:10,400 The Germans brought around 150 of them 559 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,760 to fight during the Spanish Civil War. 560 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,880 [Narrator] Its revolutionary light airframe and slim wings 561 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:21,800 gave it a speed and maneuvrability that in 1936 562 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,680 made it the most feared fighter in the world. 563 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:30,120 By contrast, the Republican Air Force had a smaller number of 564 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,280 Soviet and obsolete aircraft that just couldn't compete. 565 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,520 [Arthur Williams] The BF-109 supported bombers 566 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:40,400 on a vast number of air attacks 567 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,520 that targeted the civilian population all over Spain. 568 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:49,400 The aircraft's air superiority was key to the devastating 569 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:50,840 impact that those raids had. 570 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,480 [Narrator] But in some cities, civilians organised themselves 571 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:57,360 to defend against the attacks. 572 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:01,680 And here in the southern city of Almeria, 573 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:04,160 they came up with something extraordinary. 574 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,320 [Arthur Williams] To uncover this masterpiece of defence, 575 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:09,720 we need to go underground. 576 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,120 [Narrator] Underneath Almeria's streets lie almost 577 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,720 five kilometres of subterranean passages, 578 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:21,880 known locally as the 'Refugios'. 579 00:36:23,720 --> 00:36:26,760 [Arthur Williams] But what's fascinating about these tunnels 580 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:28,760 is that it's not a military building. 581 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:31,760 It's not about protecting soldiers or 582 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:34,000 helping a counter-offensive. 583 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,600 It's purely for saving the lives of ordinary people. 584 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:43,400 [Narrator] It took a huge communal effort. 585 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:48,240 From January 1937, hundreds of volunteers helped professional 586 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:50,360 miners to dig these tunnels. 587 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:54,360 [Arthur Williams] They excavated these tunnels by hand, 588 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:55,960 using just picks and shovels. 589 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,960 [Narrator] The workers toiled under intense 590 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,920 time pressure to finish, knowing that disaster 591 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,360 could come from the sky at any moment. 592 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,360 [Arthur Williams] But barely a few months 593 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:11,880 into the monumental task, the Refugios 594 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:16,800 would come under its greatest test, in what would be one of 595 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:18,920 the most shocking events of the Civil War. 596 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:24,040 [massive explosion] 597 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,000 [Narrator] On the 29th of May 1937, 598 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,720 off the coast of the Spanish island Ibiza, 599 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:35,800 Soviet pilots flying bombers 600 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:38,760 for the Spanish government spotted a target, 601 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:41,560 identified as a nationalist battle cruiser. 602 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:43,920 [bomb whistling] [explosion] 603 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:46,080 Only after hitting it and killing or 604 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:47,960 wounding around a hundred sailors 605 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:49,840 did they discover their mistake. 606 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,800 It was a non-combatant German warship on patrol 607 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:57,400 - the Deutschland. 608 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,400 Hitler was furious and decided to take revenge 609 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:04,640 on the republican city of Almeria. 610 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:11,280 At dawn on May 31st, just over four months 611 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:15,800 after its construction began, 612 00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:18,120 Almeria's public air raid shelter, 613 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:21,320 only one quarter built, was called into action. 614 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:24,600 [Arthur Williams] German warships moored along 615 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:26,360 the coast opened fire on the city. 616 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,360 People started pouring into the tunnels, 617 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:32,200 desperately trying to seek refuge from 618 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:35,000 the hell that was unfolding above ground. 619 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,640 [Narrator] Hundreds of heavy naval shells rained down 620 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:41,920 on Almeria, destroying 200 buildings. 621 00:38:44,240 --> 00:38:45,240 [Arthur Williams] You've got to try to picture 622 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:46,360 what it would have been like down 623 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:49,440 in these claustrophobic spaces, with thousands of people - 624 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:51,840 men, women, children, the elderly 625 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,600 - stifling conditions, just trying to 626 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:57,960 escape the nightmare above their heads. 627 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:01,680 The only defence they had was nine metres of soil. 628 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:05,440 [Narrator] Forty civilians were killed, 629 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:07,560 but it might have been hundreds 630 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:08,920 had it not been for the Refugios. 631 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:16,320 As soon as the coast was clear, the labourers had to get back to 632 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:18,560 tunnelling their way through the city. 633 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:25,760 The shelters were designed as a life support system, 634 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:28,040 connected to the services above ground. 635 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:32,120 [Arthur Williams] One of the most ingenious aspects 636 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:35,520 of design for these shelters is the fact that they tapped into 637 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:38,360 the city's already existing infrastructure 638 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:40,280 to support the thousands of people 639 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:42,080 that were taking refuge down here. 640 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:44,520 So, for example, of course, humans need 641 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,440 food and fresh water to survive, 642 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:49,800 and so you'll find that the tunnels run underneath the 643 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:51,640 city's existing market square. 644 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:54,920 [Narrator] Stairwells connected the food market 645 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:57,800 and also the local hospital to the shelters. 646 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:01,400 [Arthur Williams] Doctors and the nurses, as soon as the 647 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:03,240 balloon goes up and the air raids start, 648 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:05,800 they can bring their patients and medical supplies 649 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:06,960 and anything they need 650 00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:09,400 right down here really, really quickly. 651 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:14,240 This was geared up to be a fully functioning operating theatre, 652 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:15,680 and, of course, they needed that 653 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:17,720 because there are bombs dropping above ground. 654 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:19,560 You know, you've got casualties coming down 655 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:21,920 here at a rapid rate, so they've got to cater for that. 656 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:31,400 [Narrator] It's impossible to gauge the psychological damage 657 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:33,080 to the civilians being bombed, 658 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:36,040 but there is a hint in these tunnels 659 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:37,800 of how it affected children. 660 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,720 [Arthur Williams] If we have a look on this pillar, 661 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:46,040 you can see crude graffiti depicting the scenes of the day. 662 00:40:50,240 --> 00:40:51,840 Here we've got several aircraft. 663 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,160 Look, there's four of them coming towards us. 664 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:55,960 There's the propellers, the undercarriage. 665 00:40:58,560 --> 00:40:59,600 And then this is a house. 666 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:05,160 Presumably, these marks here are the shells coming into the city. 667 00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:09,840 [fire burning] 668 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:13,480 [Arthur Williams] Here you've got children drawing what they 669 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:17,200 see, and these are warplanes, overhouses and 670 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:20,160 warships shelling their town. 671 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:26,840 And in the innocence of youth, 672 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:29,800 they've just captured a moment in time. 673 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:35,080 [planes buzzing] [bombs exploding in distance] 674 00:41:35,160 --> 00:41:40,400 [multiple explosions] 675 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:43,480 [Narrator] From the beginning of the construction of 676 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:45,720 the Refugios until the end of the war, 677 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:49,360 Almeria suffered around 40 aerial bombing raids. 678 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:56,400 [Narrator] The shelters may have saved thousands of lives. 679 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:03,920 [Arthur Williams] The Refugios tunnels aren't a fort or a castle. 680 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:06,720 They're not designed to house superweapons or give soldiers 681 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:08,640 a tactical military advantage. 682 00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:12,840 They're purpose-built to protect the lives of innocent civilians. 683 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:18,560 And that has to make them one of the most impressive defensive 684 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:20,840 systems anywhere in Europe. 685 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:26,800 [Narrator] Thanks largely to their air superiority, 686 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:29,520 the nationalists edge towards victory. 687 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:36,600 And on 31st March 1939, Almeria, one of the last republican 688 00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:39,360 strongholds, was forced to surrender. 689 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,160 Its citizens emerged from their underground shelters, 690 00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:50,000 safe, but to news of a total nationalist victory. 691 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:59,040 After the war, Almeria's Refugios were 692 00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:01,920 largely forgotten for nearly 60 years. 693 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,440 By the time they were reopened, 694 00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:10,640 Franco's militaristic regime was long gone. 695 00:43:13,880 --> 00:43:17,360 Today, Spain is still dealing with national differences. 696 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:24,200 But has transformed peacefully into a progressive democracy. 697 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:31,040 A place where conflicting ideas are more likely to be dealt 698 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:34,040 {\an8}with by dialogue than violence. 699 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,560 {\an8}Its military has stood back from 700 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:41,600 {\an8}politics and is once again global-looking. 701 00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:45,360 {\an8}But instead of protecting treasure fleets, 702 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:49,360 {\an8}it takes part in security operations under NATO, 703 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:54,840 {\an8}the European Union and the United Nations.