Shah 'Abbas I was one of Iran's most influential leaders. Seizing the throne in AD 1587, he went on to transform the social, economic and religious landscape of the country. Produced to accompany the third in a series of exhibitions on great rulers, this film - presented by Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum - visits Iran and its capital Isfahan, created by Shah 'Abbas and still one of the most beautiful cities in the world today. There, Shah 'Abbas gathered around him a Renaissance-like court of outstanding thinkers, artists and craftsmen. During his 42-year reign, art and architecture flourished; trade networks were expanded; peace, prosperity and religious tolerance were established. And the legacy of Shah 'Abbas still lives on in modern Iran.