ZDF - Islam and the West Part 3 The Challenge. 28/03/2013 18:44:30

For centuries, Islamic and Christian civilizations have coexisted, often peacefully. Yet recent factors have given rise to misunderstandings and have aroused animosities between the Middle East and the West. Through dramatic reenactments and interviews with theologians, historians and statesmen, this three-part series investigates the complex and dynamic relationships between these cultures. Discover how these warring faiths once coexisted and even thrived together and how they may one day chart a path towards a peaceful future.

Part 3: The Challenge By the 16th century, the Age of Discovery marked the end of Islam's 800-year rule over Europe. Islamic knowledge, art and science vanished in the centuries that followed, but not Islamic power. Explore the turbulent relationship between Islam and the West during the last 500 years, from the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire to battles and betrayals involving historic icons such as Napoleon and Lawrence of Arabia. We end with the vibrant Islamic culture of today as it struggles to coexist in a world rife with mistrust and misconception.