Hernán Cortés has set sail from Cuba, eager to find the truth behind the rumours of gold on the coast of Mexico. Ahead lies a world he can barely imagine - a land of pyramid temples, terrifying gods and unknown peoples - the empire of the Aztecs. But Cortés has a secret weapon: a woman whose very name has become a byword for treachery …
In today’s episode, ... Show More
Yesterday
641. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Hannibal’s Nemesis (Part 2)
What happened at the Battle of Ibera, a totemic though overlooked battle of the Punic Wars? With the forces of Carthage closing in on a depleted Rome, would a young Roman, Publius Cornelius Scipio resurrect the fortunes of the Republic? And, could he destroy Carthage’s most cruci ... Show More
1h 1m
Feb 4
The Arnolfini Portrait, with Laura Cumming
Why is Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait perceived as one of the greatest mysteries of the arts? What elements and symbolisms provoke debates about its identity and meaning? And, what do we know about its provenance, its travels through European royal courts, and its influence on ... Show More
10m 12s
Mar 2024
Hernán Cortés, a la conquista de México. - Ep.3 (La conquista de América)
“Os haré señores de lo que nuestros paisanos ni siquiera han alcanzado a soñar”. Con frases y promesas tan ambiciosas como esta, un aventurero convertido en capitán general arengó a sus hombres en el cabo San Antonio, la punta más occidental de la isla de Cuba, justo antes de par ... Show More
27m 57s
Apr 2024
143. Isabella of Castile: The Spanish Inquisition, the Conquest of Granada, and Columbus
For centuries Spain had been an outlier in Europe due to its religious diversity; Christians, Jews, and Muslims all existed reasonably peacefully across the Iberian peninsula. Under Isabelle of Castile that all changed. She began the Spanish Inquisition and brought to the fore a ... Show More
54m 37s