Habsburgs – Ottomans: Clash of Empires

An expedition to the 17th century and to the most complex times that Europe has ever experienced The super powers are the Habsburg Empire and the Ottomans. We follow Prince Eugene of Savoy, a commander of the House of Austria and Emetullah Rabia Gülnuş Sultan, first concubine in the harem and later, as mother of two Sultans, Valide Sultan. Elaborate computer simulations and skilful re-enactments immerse viewers in the elegant, yet also brutal and merciless world of the Habsburg and the Ottoman Empire. Showing not only their military encounters but also the mutual influences in the fields of culture, science and even food. On September 11, 1697, the Ottoman army is annihilated in the battle of Zenta by the imperial army led by Prince Eugene of Savoy, thus ending the steady rise of the Ottoman Empire over the previous centuries. The dominance of the Habsburgs is well documented, but the Ottoman Empire was a civilization that was no less developed and whose culture we know only little about. Yet the Sultans ruled over Asia Minor, the Near East, the Balkans, North Africa, the Crimea and current-day Hungary for several centuries. Our protagonist on the Habsburg side is Prince Eugene of Savoy, who, from an emotionally neglected childhood, rose to huge success as a feared army leader and the wealthiest man of his time. Director : Heinz Leger, Martin Betz