UKTV - Historys Ultimate Spies (2015) Part 5 Zofia Potocka and Mata Hari

Treason has always been one of the most severly punishable crime. Every country, state, crown or government has its enemies, even when they're not at war. These battles are fought in the murky shadows and grey underworld, in obscure buildings and hidden rooms, where the prize is not territory or land…..but information. Long before any forms of mass communication, history's spymasters invented and established any number of sophisticated spy networks, many of which formed the basis for the rules of modern day espionage. It was these men and women who pulled the invisible strings, chose the operatives and established the methods used by the first secret services of the world. They were the cold eyed, ruthless servants prepared to do anything to serve their political or royal masters. The stories of History's Ultimate Spies are woven around many notorious plots and infamous characters, and they'll feature in a series that delves into the psyche of the men and women who set up the networks - or destroyed them. Scenes like these have been played out for centuries by infamous figures who wielded the power behind the throne. It is these men and women and their methods that are the subject of this series. From Tudor times to the early 20th Century, It is the stories of these spymasters and their methods that feature in this six part series.

Part 5 Zofia Potocka and Mata Hari

The journey of two women at the heart of espionage affairs Zofia Potocka (1760 - 1822) and Mata Hari (1876 - 1917), who became famous for their intrigues. Zofia Potocka and Mata Hari were two of the most notorious “honey traps” in espionage history. They used their beauty and charms to seduce countless men. They penetrated the highest circles of European society, which gave them access to the emperors, generals and rulers of their time. They sold their secrets to the highest bidder and thus acted as multiple double agents. First the story of Zofia Potocka, the lover of Russian military leader Grigory Potemkin, who ran a successful spy network in the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-92. Then we follow Mata Hari, a dancer turned secret agent in World War I who is the very epitome of beauty and feminine seduction. Her story is transformed into a myth the most famous and most beautiful spy of all time.

Full Version Available Upon Request
Episode One Shown Here