Slave merchant Ibn waits for his family to arrive in Tumanbay. Sarah the slave-girl is recruited by Gregor, master of the palace guard, to spy on the chief wife Shajar.
In the second episode of this epic saga inspired by the Mamluk slave-dynasty of Egypt, another threat is making its way by sea. As slave merchant Ibn (Nabil Elouahabi) awaits for his family to arrive in Tumanbay, sickness has broken out on the ship carrying them.
Tumanbay, the beating heart of a vast empire, is threatened by a rebellion in a far-off province and a mysterious force devouring the city from within. Gregor (Rufus Wright), Master of the Palace Guard, is charged by Sultan Al-Ghuri (Raad Rawi) with the task of rooting out the spies.
Music - Sacha Puttnam
Sound Design - Steve Bond, Jon Ouin
Editors - Ania Przygoda, James Morgan
Producers - Emma Hearn, Nadir Khan, John Dryden
Written and Directed by John Dryden
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
![]()
Characters to watch out for
Slaves, warriors and spies. Get to know Tumanbay's key characters.
![]()
Watch the trailer
Preview of the epic drama inspired by the Mamluk slave dynasty of Egypt.
Clip
-
![]()
A ship approaches Tumanbay, but all is not as it appears…
Duration: 03:42
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Gregor | Rufus Wright |
| The Girl on the Ship | Olivia Popica |
| Her Mother | Nathalie Armin |
| Ship Captain | Albert Welling |
| Cadali | Matthew Marsh |
| Sarah | Nina Yndis |
| Ibn | Nabil Elouahabi |
| Shajar | Sarah Beck Mather |
| Madu | Danny Ashok |
| Sultan Al-Ghuri | Raad Rawi |
| The Hafiz | Antony Bunsee |
| General Qulan | Christopher Fulford |
| Head Eunuch | John Sessions |
| Slave | Akin Gazi |
| Physician | Vivek Madan |
| Daniel | Gareth Kennerley |
| Actor | Christian Hillborg |
| Actor | Alec Utgoff |
| Actor | Stefano Braschi |
| Actor | Albert Welling |
| Producer | Emma Hearn |
| Producer | Nadir Khan |
| Producer | John Dryden |
| Writer | John Dryden |
| Director | John Dryden |
Broadcast
- Wed 9 Dec 2015 14:15BBC Radio 4
In Our Time: The Mamluks
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Mamluks, medieval rulers of Egypt and Syria.
Ibn Battuta: History’s real life Indiana Jones
Ibn Battuta was one of the world’s great travelers and travel writers of premodern times.
How past civilisations searched for the soul
The fascinating ways our predecessors attempted to locate the soul within the body.
Podcast
-
![]()
Tumanbay
Epic saga by John Dryden and Mike Walker, inspired by the Mamluk slave dynasty of Egypt.
