Some sample talks

Our talks are all available as power point presentations and would normally last about 45 minutes although this can be flexible according to requirements. The following is just a small sample of what our Speakers can offer. Please contact us if you have any particular interest.

A History of the Arabian Peninsula This talk traces four periods in the history of the Arabian Peninsula; tribal life before Islam, the Islamic period, the beginning of European influence and the peninsula since the discovery of oil.	Camel Market, Oman
A History of the Levant The countries of the Levant; Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and parts of Syria, form a meeting point between East and West. They have been occupied by great empires and fought over throughout history. The legacy of these conflicts is still with us today today.	Baalbek, Lebanon
From the Medes to the Mullahs: a history of Iran An overview of the history of Iran from around 600 BC to the present including the Islamic conquest in the 8th century, the Abbasid and Safavid dynasties and Iranian Revolution.
Islam: from Muhammad to the present Beginning with the birth of Muhammad in 570AD this talk traces the spread of Islam through the Golden Age of the Abbasid period to the Islamic world of today	Central Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Rhodes and The Knights of St John In 1307 AD the Knights of St John captured Rhodes from the Turks and the island became an Ecclesiastical Principality. This talk traces the foundation of the Knights in Jerusalem during the period of the Crusades and their subsequent settlement on the Island of Rhodes.	Knights’ Castle, Rhodes
The Crusades and the battle for the Holy Land The Muslims of the Levant were unprepared for the arrival of the Crusaders in the 11th century and it took almost 30 years before they put up any serious opposition. This talk attempts to look at the Crusades through Islamic eyes.	Krac de Chevalier, Jordon
The Glory of the Gulf Just a few decades ago the tiny Sheikdoms that make up the Gulf States were small desert communities. Today the capital cities of the Emirates have superb roads, ultra modern architecture and the latest in high technology. This talk offers a glimpse into this transformation.	Dohar Harbour, Qatar
The Knights Templar In the 11th century the Templars were probably the most wealthy and most powerful organisation in Western Europe. Two hundred years later they were brutally suppressed by the King of France and the Papacy. This talk examines why this should be.
The Normans in Sicily This talk traces the Normans from their Viking roots in Scandinavia and explores their transition from warlike seafarers to sophisticated monarchs who, by the 11th Century, were ruling Sicily and much of Southern Italy.	Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily
The Story of the Shi’a In the early seventh century there was a split in the Islamic world between the Sunni and Shi’a. We hear much about the Sunni and Shi’a today. This talk explains why and how this happened and examines what the two groups hold in common and how they differ.
Martin Luther and the European Reformation When Martin Luther pinned his 99 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Saxon Germany, in 1517 this marked the beginning of a religious, social and political revolution in Europe, the effects of which remain with us today.	Martin Luther, Wittenberg
The Holy Roman Empire: Power, Politics and the Papacy The Holy Roman Empire lasted from 926 to 1805AD when the last Emperor, Francis II capitulated to Napoleon. At its peak under Charles V, it included most of Central Europe, the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas. It is a fascinating story of dynastic marriage, territorial expansion and conflict with the Papacy.