The meeting of the controversial Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and the formidable Emperor Montezuma in 1519 was one of the great hinge moments of world history, and the beginning of the end for the mightiest of the New World empires: the realm of the Aztecs.
The build-up to this extraordinary encounter is at once a thrilling adventure story and a trag ... Show More
Yesterday
715. King Arthur: The Mysteries of Merlin (Part 3)
What are the origins of Merlin, the powerful wizard and King Arthur’s advisor? Who was Geoffrey of Monmouth, and what role did he play in evolving the tales of Arthur and the Round Table? And, was Merlin based on a real historical figure from the Saxon invasion of Britain in the ... Show More
1h 4m
Oct 11
713. King Arthur: The Once & Future King (Part 1)
What is the historical truth behind the tales of King Arthur, Britain’s greatest myth? When did these stories begin, and with whom? And, is Arthur’s apocalyptic last battle based on an English historical reality from the 15th century? Join Tom and Dominic as they launch into one ... Show More
1h 11m
Dec 2019
9. The Aztecs - A Clash of Worlds
Beneath the busy streets of Mexico City, a buried god lies waiting to be discovered...This episode, we look back at the age of the Aztecs. Learn how this society grew from nothing to create one of the world's largest cities in the middle of a lake. Discover Aztec riddles, poetry ... Show More
4h 14m
Oct 2021
Tenochtitlan: A Retelling of The Conquest
In a sense, 1521 is Mexico's 1619. A foundational moment that has for a long time been shaped by just one perspective, a European one. The story of how Hernán Cortés and his small army of conquistadors conquered the mighty Aztec Empire, in the heart of what's now modern Mexico Ci ... Show More
52m 56s
Apr 2024
Blood and Gold (with Dan Snow)
Bonus: When Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru in 1526, it was the beginning of the end for the Inca. Their bloody pursuit of gold, fame and fortune was rife with treachery and deceit. Within a few short years, the once-thriving Inca empire had been decimated. Tim Harford is j ... Show More
40m 24s
Aug 2020
The Founding of Tenochtitlan Pt. 1
Before they were the great Aztecs of Mesoamerica, they were a wandering tribe called Mexica. They enlist a warrior god named Huitzilopochtli to guide them to a new home, but along the way, his vengeful sister Malinalxochitl plagues them with insects… and plots total destruction. ... Show More
38m 1s