CNN Millennium — Season 1, Episode 4: The Fourteenth Century: Century of the Scythe

Episode synopsis

Black Death, the catastrophic plague that invaded Europe from the East, cut short the new prosperity. Treatment varied from the magical to the scientific. In Cairo, the number of deaths was said to reach 21.000 a day. While the great empires were devastated, smaller ones flourished. Mali, in west Africa, became wealthy through trading gold and salt. In Central Asia, Timur, a Turk born near Samarqand, rose from sheep-stealer to conqueror and creator of a vast empire that gave the world some of its most spectacular Islamic architecture. Seaborne trade prospered, especially at the eastern end of the Indian Ocean. In East Java, the Kingdom of Majapahit thrived under the splendid rule of Hayan Wuruk. Europe also suffered other catastrophes - terrible famine and a mini ice age. Across Europe, there was a call for greater equality between people and their rulers.

About CNN Millennium

A documentary series covering the last 1,000 years. Each of the 10 episodes focuses on a single century, brought to life by five vignettes from five different locations worldwide. Inspired by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto's book, "Millennium," and filmed in 28 countries, the series is as geographically far-ranging as the world it covers.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Eleventh Century: Century of the Sword
• E2The Twelfth Century: Century of the Axe
• E3The Thirteenth Century: Century of the Stirrup
• E5The Fifteenth Century: Century of the Sail
• E6The Sixteenth Century: Century of the Compass
• E7The Seventeenth Century: Century of the Telescope
• E8The Eighteenth Century: Century of the Furnace
• E9The Nineteenth Century: Century of the Machine
• E10The Twentieth Century: Century of the Globe