Palacios' trip takes her across Spain where she talks to archaeologists, historians, architects and anthropologists, as well as descendants of the Moriscos. She discovers solid clues that suggest that thousands of Moriscos had indeed remained in Spain, backed up by modern historians who contend that many had lived quietly under the radar. She also gathers compelling circumstantial evidence that her own family are direct descendants of the Moriscos.

This critically acclaimed documentary explores the 700-year history of Islamic rule on the Iberian Peninsula. Although generations of Spanish historians have portrayed the Moors as brutish occupiers, recent research paints a much different picture. The Islamic invaders actually brought stunning advances in science and art to their territories. Oxford-educated historian Bettany Hughes gives modern viewers a rich, nuanced understanding of Islamic history and culture while visiting such sites as the Alhambra Palace and the Great Mosque at Cordoba.

In the South of Spain stands one of the most sumptuous palaces ever built: the Alhambra. An impressive fortified complex erected at the top of a steep hill, it was mainly built by the Nasrids, a 13th-century Arab dynasty. Behind the apparent austerity of this immense fortress – no less than 2,000 metres of defensive walls and 27 towers – the inside unveils an explosion of refinement and ornamentations, gardens and marble fountains, a grandiose testament to the tradition of Moorish style and Islamic art of the period. From the building techniques used to the delicacy of the decorative fixtures, discover how artisans of the period managed to create sculpted fixtures of such beauty and how the labourers worked, throughout the centuries, to make this citadel as practical as it is refined.

Learn more about Muslims during the time of the Inquisition in this 20 min session.