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The Death of Atahualpa: Ransom, Betrayal, and Inca Collapse
Season 1 Episode 12
In 1532, Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca. The Spanish demanded a room filled with gold as ransom, which the Incas …
3 months, 2 weeks ago
The Longest Siege: Spanish Conquest of the Maya Itza
Season 1 Episode 11
In 1697, over 150 years after Cortés toppled Tenochtitlan, Spanish conquistadors finally conquered the last independent Maya kingdom: the Itza capita…
3 months, 2 weeks ago
Cabeza de Vaca: Survival and Transformation in the New World
Season 1 Episode 10
In this episode of The Conquistadors, Lucas and Luna shift focus from the well-known conquerors to the extraordinary journey of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Valladolid Debate: Souls or Gold
Season 1 Episode 9
In 1550, a Spanish king ordered a halt to all conquests. He wasn't being kind—he was waiting for an answer. The question: did indigenous Americans ha…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Encomienda System: Legalized Slavery in the Spanish Empire
Season 1 Episode 8
While the conquests of Cortés and Pizarro are well-known, the encomienda system that followed was arguably more devastating to Indigenous Americans. …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Mixtón War: Indigenous Rebellion in Nueva Galicia
Season 1 Episode 7
In 1540-1542, just years after the fall of Tenochtitlan and the Inca Empire, a massive indigenous uprising shook the Spanish colony of Nueva Galicia …
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Forgotten Conquistador: Nuño de Guzmán's Reign of Terror
Season 1 Episode 6
While Cortés and Pizarro are household names, Nuño de Guzmán remains a relatively obscure figure — yet his brutal campaign in western Mexico in the 1…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Long War: Manco Inca and the Neo-Inca State
Season 1 Episode 5
After the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, a new resistance emerged. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the revolt of Manco Inca Yupanqui, t…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Inca Empire: Atahualpa, Pizarro, and the Gold of Cajamarca
Season 1 Episode 4
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic encounter between Francisco Pizarro and the Inca emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca in 1532. They di…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Other Conquistador: Alvarado's Massacre and the Maya Resistance
Season 1 Episode 3
While Cortés conquered the Aztecs, his lieutenant Pedro de Alvarado unleashed a brutal campaign against the Maya of Guatemala. This episode follows A…
3 months, 3 weeks ago