Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we chart the course of Henry Hudson, the English navigator whose obsession with finding a shortcut to Asia redrew the maps of North America. From his voyages above the Arctic Circle to his exploration of the river that now bears his name, we examine how Hudson laid the foundation for Dutch colonization in the New York area.

Join us as we break down:

• The Voyages: How Hudson navigated the Half Moon and the Discovery through ice-choked waters in search of the elusive Northeast and Northwest Passages.

• The Mutiny: The disastrous 1610 expedition where, after a harsh winter trapped in the ice of James Bay, the crew turned against their captain.

• The Mystery: The fate of Hudson, his teenage son John, and the sick crewmen who were cast adrift in a small open boat, never to be seen again.

• The Unreliable Narrator: Why historians question the journal of survivor Abacuk Pricket, whose biased account of the mutiny blamed men who didn't survive the trip home.

Tune in to hear how a quest for a trade route ended in one of the most famous disappearances in maritime history.