Summary

This two-hour documentary special investigates the revolutionary theories of Gavin Menzies, British historian and former submarine commander, to give a fascinating insight into the extraordinary feats of China’s mighty Ming Fleet and its legendary Admiral Zheng He.

Could the Admiral, leading a fleet of treasure junks on daring journeys of exploration, have been the first to discover America – decades before Columbus?

A collaboration with leading maritime historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists, 1421 reveals and tests each critical point of Menzies’ argument to produce a thought-provoking history programme.