Horrible Histories S11E06 - Enormous.Empires
Horrible Histories S11E06
Horrible Histories S11E06
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00:00Terrible Tudors, Gorgeous Georgians, Slimey's Tudors,
00:04Bar-Victorian, Woeful Wars, Ferocious Fights, Stingy Castles, Daring Knights,
00:07Horrors that did by description, Cutthroat Council, Bull Ejection,
00:10Vicious Vikings, Cruel Crime, PUNISHMENT FOR LATER TIMES,
00:13Roman, Rotten, Rank and Rude-less, Cavemen, Savage, Piss and Tubeless,
00:15Groovy Greeks, Rainy Sages, Mean and Between Little Ages,
00:18Gory stories, we do that, And your host a talking rat,
00:23The past is no longer a mystery, Welcome to...
00:27Horrible Histories
00:31Empires. Nations that conquer other nations and take them over.
00:37Enslaving or crushing the people as they go. Like the Roman Empire.
00:42Oi! Clear off! This is my home!
00:44I am so sorry, I had no idea.
00:46Oh, well, fair enough.
00:48Just kidding! It's part of my empire now.
00:51And, once you're the subject of an empire, you can kiss goodbye to your rights.
00:55Oh, come on!
00:56Your money, your natural resources, and in some cases, your lives.
01:01The Roman Empire crushed all in its path, from Northern England to Egypt.
01:07Yes, empires become huge territories, each under one supreme ruler.
01:12Like the Persian Empire, that smashed its way from Greece to India.
01:18And Luxembourg's Luxembourgish Empire.
01:21No empire for you, little Luxembourg. You're not mighty enough.
01:26Unlike Spain's empire, that was so powerful, it destroyed other empires.
01:31Like the Aztecs and the Incas and the Americans.
01:34And what about Belgium's colonial empire in Central Africa?
01:38They brutally forced Africans to work for them, and killed anyone who stood in their way.
01:44Hang on, what's happening here?
01:46No, you're too small, Luxembourg!
01:49And at the head of empires, emperors and empresses.
01:52Like Emperor Napoleon of France, Alexander the Great of the Macedonian Empire.
01:58And finally, empress of the largest empire the world has ever known,
02:03Queen Victoria and her British Empire.
02:06Woo, yeah, go big.
02:08Me and all the other powerful emperors and empresses throughout history.
02:12Not you, Luxembourg.
02:14Yeah, it's good to rule an empire.
02:16Yeah, it's good to rule an empire.
02:18Loved universally by all your conquered people.
02:21Empires are rubbish!
02:23Strange, is it possible that not everyone likes being conquered?
02:27Why not?
02:28Welcome to the rise and fall of enormous empires.
02:33So, empires are basically powerful nations that keep taking over less powerful ones.
02:40Alexander the Great's massive Macedonian Empire
02:44stretched across three continents
02:46and his brilliant battle tactics saw him conquer more and more land.
02:51Nothing seemed to slow him down.
02:53Well, almost nothing.
02:57It's 329 BC and Alexander the Great is seeking to expand his empire further into Asia.
03:06For Alexander the Great!
03:08For the Macedonian Empire!
03:14Oh, um, you guys, uh, carry on.
03:17Oh, no.
03:23What are you doing, sir?
03:24Oh, nothing. Carry on.
03:27Right, stop.
03:29As I was saying, for the Macedonian Empire!
03:32Sorry, sir, what was that?
03:34What was what?
03:35You running off mid-battle. Is this one of your brilliant strategies?
03:38Uh, yeah, sure, yeah.
03:40Like that time we were fighting on a day that the calendar said was unlucky.
03:43So you changed the calendar!
03:45Huzzah!
03:47What's your brilliant strategy this time?
03:49Are you meeting with secret allies behind the book?
03:51Are there hidden troops back there?
03:52Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
03:54Just, uh, part of my secret hidden strategy.
03:58Feel another strategy coming.
04:04Carry on fighting!
04:10It's okay. I'm fine.
04:12We all heard the poo noise.
04:14Even we heard the poo noise, and we're on the other side!
04:17All right, fine!
04:19Look, I didn't want to tell you guys, all right, but I may have drunk some dodgy water,
04:23because I've got, like, a teeny bit of diarrhoea.
04:26Oh, no! Ew!
04:28Don't overreact!
04:29I knew I smelt something when we were crossing the river!
04:31You said it was just funny smelling mud!
04:34It's like a waterfall coming out of my bum.
04:36Oh, come on!
04:40Men, the Scythians are retreating!
04:43The day is ours!
04:45Huzzah!
04:47Come, let us embrace!
04:49Uh, actually, I, uh, think I lost my sword somewhere,
04:53so I'll probably go look for that.
04:54Well, it'll be here among the dead!
04:56Come, let us search together!
04:58Oh, actually, I've got a huge battle tomorrow,
05:01so I, uh, might have an early night.
05:04Fine.
05:06I was, um, washing my hair anyway.
05:11Oh...
05:13Head teacher Ruth Thomas has had to find a replacement geography teacher
05:17after Mr Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France and invaded Italy.
05:22Welcome to Historical Educating.
05:25I mean, he's a huge historical figure,
05:27but maybe a Mongol warlord shouldn't be put in charge of 11-year-olds.
05:31I'm going to keep an eye on this one.
05:33Class 7F's new geography teacher is Genghis Khan.
05:37Good morning, Mr Genghis Khan.
05:40You know, I had a tough life growing up.
05:42My family lost their home when my dad was killed by another tribe.
05:46Oh.
05:47I dedicated myself to protecting my family
05:49and bringing the Mongol clans together
05:51so they would never be fighting between us again.
05:54I'll leave you to it.
05:57One of the ways I brought the clans together was by killing the Alamedas!
06:01Did I mention I also killed my own brother over a hunting row?
06:04Maybe write that down too.
06:06Genghis Khan is a bit more violent than our usual teachers,
06:09apart from Mr Johnson.
06:11He threw a pencil at Josie Hillidge.
06:13Now, who knows what this country is?
06:15China.
06:16No, that's part of my Mongol Empire.
06:18And what about this bit?
06:19Iran.
06:20Nope, that's mine too.
06:21And that's mine, and that's mine, and that's mine, and that's mine.
06:23In just 25 years, I conquered more lands than the Romans did in their whole history!
06:28What's wrong, young man? Cheer up.
06:30I'll let you drink some horse blood at break time.
06:34What? It'll make you strong?
06:36Will it make me as strong as Kit Lan from 7-D? He picks on me.
06:40Where is this land of the 7-D you speak of?
06:43I think I may have misjudged Mr Genghis Khan.
06:46Sorry to bother you. Class 7-F have just invaded 7-D.
06:49Um, excuse me. I'd better...
06:52Sorry.
06:54Mr Genghis Khan, we do not allow violence in this school.
06:58Please make sure it doesn't happen again.
07:00No more violence. Got it.
07:02Come on, children. Shuffle.
07:05Shuffle.
07:07One way to avoid violence is to utterly destroy your enemy cities!
07:11Who wants to burn down the canteen?
07:13Yeah!
07:15Mr Genghis Khan has not been asked back,
07:18and Mrs Thomas is once again looking for a new geography teacher...
07:22Oh, tomato juice.
07:23...and a new canteen.
07:24But that's tomorrow's problem, here on Historical Educating.
07:29You might think being an emperor's easy,
07:31and that once you've got all the conquering out of the way,
07:33you can just sit back and chill.
07:36Well, bad luck, because keeping hold of power is hard work.
07:40Take Emperor Justinian II, ruler of the Byzantine Empire.
07:44He got overthrown, had his nose cut off, and was banished from his home.
07:50Then, ten years later, he was back on the throne.
07:54Then, ten years later, he was back on the throne.
07:59Picture the scene.
08:00You're Justinian II, ruler of the Byzantine Empire.
08:04It's kind of a continuation of the Roman Empire,
08:06but based here, in Constantinople, instead of here, in Rome.
08:11Things are going great, when suddenly...
08:13Ah!
08:14...this happens.
08:15My rival's stolen my throne.
08:17I cut off my nose so that no-one would ever let me be emperor again.
08:21Uh-oh, having no nose is a big no-no for a Byzantine emperor.
08:25They're expected to look physically perfect, like gods.
08:28Whoa, what happened, man?
08:30You pick your nose with an axe, some emperor you'd be.
08:33I guess there's nothing I can do.
08:35Not so fast.
08:36Here at Byzantium Bling, we've got the solution for you.
08:39A golden nose.
08:43Wow, it's so shiny and heavy.
08:47I've got a nose again, and it's not just perfect,
08:50it's solid gold.
08:51Now no-one can say you don't look good enough to rule again.
08:55Hey, great 24-carat conch, you can rule over my empire any time.
09:00Thanks, Byzantium Bling.
09:03Order your golden schnoz today,
09:05and Byzantium Bling will throw in a free set of imperial robes.
09:09Wow!
09:10Get your golden nose at Byzantium Bling today.
09:13My emperor's got no nose.
09:16How does he smell?
09:17Fabulous.
09:20No refund.
09:24Make way for Qing Shi Huang Di,
09:26first and probably only emperor of China,
09:29for he will live forever thanks to the magic potion he's been drinking.
09:33He's in the prime of life.
09:34Sir, the emperor's been very quiet in there.
09:38Do you think we should check on him?
09:39Okay.
09:40He's probably just thinking about how healthy he is.
09:48Yep, still dead.
09:49He's fine, off we go.
09:51Really?
09:52Yeah, he's just got a sore throat so he can't talk.
09:54May I see him?
09:57Yes, Your Majesty.
09:58He says no.
09:59I thought you said he couldn't talk.
10:01He said it with his eyes.
10:02Off we go.
10:04If the emperor is ill, then shouldn't we call for his oldest son, Fusu?
10:09No, we are not calling for Fusu.
10:11I know you don't get on with him,
10:13and yes, he will sack you if he takes charge, but...
10:15No, the emperor is perfectly healthy.
10:19Well, the emperor did write this letter
10:21that says Fusu should take over if he were to die, so...
10:25We don't need that.
10:26The emperor's full of beans.
10:27In fact...
10:29Uh-huh.
10:30Yeah.
10:31Mm-hmm.
10:32Uh-huh.
10:33Yeah.
10:34The emperor says destroy the silly letter
10:36and carry on with the parade,
10:38which he will enjoy quietly from inside his litter.
10:42Oh, what's that smell?
10:44That will be the fish.
10:47The emperor never goes anywhere without his lucky cart of fish.
10:51That smells awful.
10:53It's not like it's the kind of smell you'd use to cover up
10:56the stink of a dead body or anything.
10:58Are you sure he's OK in there?
11:00Oh, fine. I'll go and get him.
11:03Come on, sire. Out you pop.
11:07I want you to write a new letter telling Fusu I hate him
11:10and that he should stab himself to death.
11:13Well, if you insist, sire.
11:16OK, let's get this toil back on the road before everything falls apart,
11:20including the emperor.
11:22Make way for Qing Shi Huang Di of China, who's feeling great.
11:29Running a truly massive empire isn't easy,
11:32and every empire that rises must one day fall,
11:36even the most famous empires of all.
11:38Take the Roman Empire.
11:40It existed for hundreds of years,
11:42invading and taking over large parts of Europe, Africa and Asia.
11:47But they got a taste of their own medicine
11:50when Attila the Hun and his nomadic Hunnic Empire decided to invade.
11:57Hi, guys. You know, life in Attila's Hunnic Empire can be so hectic.
12:02But guess what? All that rush is no reason not to look plush.
12:06That's why today we're here with our friend from the Roman Empire, Octavius.
12:10Octavius, come on in.
12:12I can't. You've tied me to a tree.
12:14You know, we Huns are always making friends
12:17by attacking the Roman Empire
12:19and taking their Roman people away against their will.
12:22Can you untie me, please?
12:24They get to join our big, multiracial Hun clan.
12:27Or die.
12:30Octavius of Rome, we're going to put the hip in your hippodrome
12:34and make you a Hun.
12:41You guys in the Roman Empire may call our leader Attila the Scourge of God,
12:45but you guys are definitely the Scourge of Fashion.
12:49Honey, where did it all go wrong?
12:51It went wrong when you guys invaded and burned down my town.
12:54Makeover time!
12:59Let's start with, like, a simple, basic Hunnic headstretch.
13:02Sorry, did you say stretch?
13:04That's right, stretch.
13:06Let's start with, like, a simple, basic Hunnic headstretch.
13:09Sorry, did you say stretch?
13:11That's right, stretch.
13:13We're going to wrap your head so tightly in bandages
13:15that it stretches and goes all pointy like ours
13:17and all that facial hair is going to come right off.
13:19Aw, we wouldn't really use that.
13:21No way! We're going to burn it off.
13:23Yay!
13:24Please don't burn me.
13:26Aw, you OK, hun?
13:32So, I've been thinking mainly leathers and animal skins.
13:35They're warm, they're hard-wearing and they look fantastic.
13:38On someone with muscles?
13:40Oh, talk about a Roman satiator, am I right?
13:43And what better way to get fit than by fighting a bear?
13:46Fighting a what?
13:47OMG, you've got a bear!
13:49That is so you!
13:51Help!
13:54Oh, talk about being a barbarian.
13:56Aw.
13:58I think that bear really likes him.
14:00Oh, not the face!
14:04When we met Octavius,
14:06he was living happily with his family inside the Roman Empire.
14:09Whatever.
14:11But now this Roman's gone from Emperor Zero to Hunnic hero.
14:16Aw, Octavius, hun, you look fierce.
14:20Yeah, I'm furious.
14:22Look what you've done to my head!
14:24Work it, twerk it, strike a pose.
14:26And now the big question is, are you going to come pillaging with us
14:29and run away across Europe?
14:31Or are we going to have to, like, kill you or something?
14:34Let's go raid the Roman Empire, hun.
14:36Yay!
14:38Let's all dance and then eat raw meat.
14:40See you next time.
14:42Woo!
14:45The British Empire was the biggest of them all.
14:48But it started life small,
14:50hundreds of years before Britain had even existed,
14:53when Queen Elizabeth I granted a royal charter to the East India Company,
14:57meaning they could travel the world
14:59searching for treasures they could sell back home.
15:02They brought lots of fancy new items back to England,
15:05like tea, cotton and silk,
15:07and delicious spices, which made them all very rich.
15:11It was trips like these that led Britain to become richer
15:14at the expense of the countries they'd visited.
15:17But that didn't mean those early trips were all successful.
15:21Coming soon, a band of plucky adventurers take to the high seas.
15:26With the backing of Queen Elizabeth,
15:28our small fleet of mighty ships will make history.
15:31The Red Dragon, the Hector, the Ascension and the Susan.
15:36Still wish we got a cooler sound in fourth bay.
15:39Yeah, me too.
15:40The East India Company sets sail.
15:43Loose the top sails!
15:45Nothing can stop us now.
15:47Actually, it's a bit windy.
15:49Oi! Back to port!
15:52When they eventually set out two months later,
15:55it went really, really well.
15:58It'll take more than a little sickness to get this crew down.
16:01They laugh in the face.
16:03I can't take it any more!
16:06Someone just jumped off the boat.
16:08I think it's fair to say morale is a little low.
16:14Starring the commander of the fleet, James Lancaster,
16:17who will lead his men to foreign treasures in the east.
16:22Gold. Our Indonesian treasure.
16:25Now we can go home.
16:27Dirtiest-looking diamonds are ever the same.
16:29These aren't diamonds. This is pepper.
16:31Worth its weight in gold at home, and now we've got a whole boat full.
16:35Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!
16:40Back to the journey home isn't easy.
16:43The Red Dragon...
16:45is so badly damaged that we'll have to...
16:49tow her home with the Hector.
16:52Sneezed a bit of wee out.
16:54Finally, our adventurers return home to a new king.
16:58Your Majesty, we bring you the treasure of the Orient.
17:02Oh, excellent news.
17:04It'd be good to get something other than pepper.
17:06We've got tons of other stuff. Can't shift it.
17:08Oh, no!
17:11Great. More pepper. Just what we need.
17:13Well, I'm not paying for it, and I don't want you selling it,
17:15because I want to sell mine first.
17:17So how are you going to pay us if you can't sell the pepper?
17:20I'll pay you with the treasure. Achoo!
17:23Achoo!
17:25The East India Company set sail, coming to...
17:28Oh, no, it's got to manage to...
17:30Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!
17:34The East India Company sailed around the world,
17:37grew in wealth and size,
17:39and 200 years later was more powerful than some countries.
17:44This laid the groundwork for the British Empire,
17:47which ended up taking over countries entirely
17:50and forcing its ideas and rules on local people,
17:53and that didn't make the empire very popular.
17:56Mm-mm-mm.
18:00Now, gentlemen, in precisely one minute's time,
18:03we're going to march as British soldiers
18:05fighting for the East India Company into battle at Seringapatam.
18:09How do you like that?
18:10Any chance we can do it tomorrow, Colonel?
18:12No, we cannot do it tomorrow. We're doing it today.
18:15Can we have this conversation in the shade, sir?
18:17I think my hat has caught my head.
18:19No, we cannot talk in the shade.
18:21A British soldier stands where he must,
18:24be that under fire, in the ice, or in the sun.
18:28Is that understood?
18:31They must be very strong.
18:32I think their leader just killed a man with his finger.
18:37Why are the British wearing such ridiculously hot and thick uniforms?
18:40We're going to march into someone else's country,
18:42killing anyone who resists.
18:44The least you could do is dress appropriately.
18:46We're struggling with the sun, sir. I mean, we all are.
18:49We're not used to it. All the fevers, all the water, all the food.
18:53Sorry, I've got a dysentery, sir.
18:55Whoa, whoa, whoa!
18:57That was a close one.
18:59I don't care if it's a bit hot.
19:02I don't care if you've got a runny bottom.
19:05I don't care if anyone's got a little bit of fever.
19:09Lemons, badgers, soup fairies!
19:12That's just feverish seeing things.
19:17Promise I'm trying to keep them in.
19:19Can you hear gunfire?
19:21I think some of them soldiers are dropping bottom bombs.
19:23They can't handle food with flavour. It goes straight through them.
19:26It is a mystery why they keep stealing food from us.
19:29When they finally leave, it is going to take an age to clean up after them.
19:32And to rebuild all the cities they burned.
19:35You lot are a disgrace. Now, you need to be ready to march.
19:38March? I am standing dead still and clenching my bum.
19:42If I march, there's going to be carnage.
19:45Perhaps you'd like to be excused from battle today.
19:50You shower of toilets!
19:52The British Empire covers one-sixth of the world's land.
19:56The British soldiers are feared around the globe.
19:58Do you really think a bit of heat gut-churning is going to stop us?
20:03That might slow us down, actually.
20:05Get any new uniform.
20:08I just can't believe we're losing this war to these guys.
20:11They'll go eventually. They'll have to. They'll run out of underwear.
20:18Hello!
20:20What do you want?
20:22Well, I know you chaps don't like change very much.
20:25If by change you mean being invaded by you, you're right. We don't.
20:29Well, I actually have some very good news.
20:32When are you leaving?
20:36No, we're not going anywhere.
20:38But I am bringing in a new money system.
20:40It's a special West African version
20:42of the British colonial currency system used across the Empire.
20:46And we have it in Britain, too. Fun fact.
20:48Now, Johnson, if you would.
20:50Behold! A penny.
20:52OK, sounds simple.
20:54Two ha'penny's make a penny and a tuppence.
20:57Two ha'penny's make a penny and a tuppence is two pennies.
21:00Thanks for explaining the coins.
21:02Just getting started.
21:0412 pennies make a shilling and 20 shillings make a pound.
21:07So a pound is 240 pence.
21:09If you do keep interrupting, we'll be here all day.
21:11Wouldn't it be easier if we could divide it all by ten?
21:14And use the French decimal system?
21:16How dare you!
21:18Anyway, there's more.
21:20One florine is one-tenth a pound, also two shillings.
21:23There are five shillings in the crown,
21:26Used to be 21 shillings to a guinea, but we don't really use those any more.
21:2821?
21:30Yes. A penny is also 1d.
21:32A shilling is known as a bob, a tuppence is three pennies or a thruppently bit.
21:34Half a shilling is a sixpence or a tenar.
21:36Not to be confused with a ten-pound note, which is known as a ten-er.
21:39And a bourbonce used to be known as a groat.
21:41All clear?
21:43Permission to lie down, sir.
21:45Permission denied!
21:47Can we not just keep using the carry shells and the goddoss?
21:49It's more simpler.
21:51Shells? Who uses shells to trade?
21:53Well, sometimes most of Africa, Asia, North America and Australia and the Middle East.
21:58And I bet it's not as heavy as carrying around all those coins.
22:02Ah, yeah, well, that's why we also have paper money.
22:05Flexible and lightweight.
22:07And easy to damage.
22:09You can't use your paper money round here.
22:11The termites will have it for lunch.
22:13Oi! Give me that back! That's got the king's head on it!
22:15Not any more, it doesn't.
22:17That's treason, isn't it? Right, I want these termites shot!
22:19Or I can organise a really small firing squad, sir.
22:21Get a tiny firing squad in!
22:23Look, look, look, we'll take the coins.
22:25Excellent.
22:27And we'll melt them down to make something more useful.
22:29Jewellery, decorations.
22:31Maybe even a bum scratcher.
22:33What? You can't use the king's head as a bum scratcher!
22:36I mean, why would he need a bum scratcher?
22:38For the termites. You're standing on their nest.
22:44May I have a bum scratcher?
22:45I only take shells.
22:48I wasn't just Queen of Great Britain, you know.
22:51I was also head of the British Empire.
22:54Look how big it was.
22:56Surely such a huge empire would last forever.
22:59Some chance.
23:01It turned out quite a lot of people were unhappy being ruled by us.
23:04And many of them started fighting us for their independence.
23:07In India, Mahatma Gandhi came up with a new tactic.
23:10Not to fight at all.
23:12He launched a series of peaceful protests which were rather effective.
23:16Although, of course, he didn't do it alone.
23:24Namaste Gandhi.
23:26Sarojini Naidu here.
23:28Politician, protester, poet.
23:30How's that vow of silence going?
23:32I hear you're not going to talk on Mondays until India is free from Britain?
23:36It's a powerful idea.
23:38I shall do the same, starting right now.
23:42How long was that?
23:43A few seconds.
23:44A few seconds.
23:46Well, what can I say?
23:48My ugly angel, I like talking.
23:54May I remind you that I am a major figure in the Indian independence movement,
23:58so maybe lose the silly nicknames.
24:00If the British thought their prince's visit was going to make them more popular in India,
24:04they have had a rude awakening.
24:06Our strikes and closures have shut the country down.
24:10But we do need to organise one of our peaceful protests
24:14for Prince Edward's visit to the Uttar Pradesh University.
24:20Okay, Gandhi, no more nicknames.
24:22My little Mickey Mouse.
24:24Don't worry about the prince's visit to the university.
24:26All the students are walking out in protest.
24:28It'll be so embarrassing for the prince and Britain
24:32when he turns up and there's nobody there.
24:35Hang on, Prince Edward has just posted a story.
24:40Good afternoon.
24:42Except it is not a good afternoon.
24:44I have just visited your university
24:46and I must say I am not happy.
24:49As if your little walk-out protest was bad enough.
24:52University governors are trying to make it seem like the students are still there
24:56by filling the halls with Europeans and children.
24:59Like this one.
25:01Me? A child?
25:03I'm 59 and three quarters.
25:06I'll be writing to the king to tell him
25:08that this trip cost millions of rupees
25:10and you have turned it into a farce!
25:13It worked!
25:15The royal visit is a disaster.
25:17We must keep the pressure up.
25:19More burning of British imported cloth and more strikes.
25:22More no-talking on...
25:24Uh-oh. It's Monday.
25:26Oh, no, I shouldn't be...
25:31That's it, Gandhi. We'll show them.
25:34No talking until India is independent. Go!
25:38Is India independent yet?
25:40No.
25:41Shh. Oh.
25:43Oops.
25:45Despite Gandhi and his comrades' hard work,
25:48India didn't gain its independence until 1947.
25:52Other countries also fought to rule themselves
25:55and so the sun began to set on the British Empire,
25:58just as it had on all the other empires before.
26:01Joining me to play more is Augustus of Rome,
26:04Napoleon of France and Britain's Queen Victoria.
26:07Augustus, at your service,
26:10Say to Julius Caesar
26:13I was the first Roman emperor
26:15One of history's greatest leaders
26:18Beat all my enemies
26:20I sure gave them what for
26:23Grew the Roman Empire
26:25And ended our civil war
26:28When I departed
26:30I started adding countries to the list
26:33No chance to reason with well-armed legions
26:36How could they resist? But...
26:39Empires rise and empires fall
26:42Circumcisions
26:44The same fate awaits them all
26:47Exploitation
26:49Invading tribes were a sign
26:52Of the Roman Empire in decline
26:54The writings on the wall
26:58Rise and fall
27:04Napoleon Bonaparte
27:07First Emperor of France
27:10During the French Revolution
27:12My prospects were enhanced
27:15Grew the first French Empire
27:17From Mali to Mardini
27:20Until Europe got together
27:22And we were forced to retreat
27:25When I was boss, three million lives lost
27:28I brought back slavery too
27:30So those aggrieved were pretty pleased
27:33When I met my Waterloo
27:35Cause...
27:36Empires rise and empires fall
27:39Domination
27:41The same fate awaits them all
27:44Occupation
27:46A bit of more than I could chew, Britannia
27:50All that to use
27:51The writings on the wall
27:56Rise and fall
27:57By the time I came along
27:59My empire ruled the seas
28:02All around the globe
28:04We founded British colonies
28:07But things started changing
28:09And once one was off the scene
28:12People wanted freedom
28:15Independence was their dream
28:18Empires rise and empires fall
28:21Liberation
28:23The same fate awaits them all
28:26Abomination
28:28Taking other lands to increase our size
28:31Never mind the cost, keep your eyes on the prize
28:33But throughout history we've found
28:36Once you reach the top, the only way is down
28:38The writings on the wall
28:43Rise and fall