Mexico is one of the cradles of humanity and was home to some of the world's great civilisations. Everyone knows about the Aztec and the Maya, but these are just two of the many peoples who inhabited the region. In this episode we look at the earliest cities in Mesoamerica including the Olmec and the Zapotec. We will also discuss the ball game - the strange sport which was ubiquitous in the area, and which sometimes resulted in the sacrifice of its participants.
In November 1519 Cortez entered Mexico city. What would happen when these two alien civilisations met? The coming months would among the most decisive of the conquest, but they would also be the strangest. ...
Despite being arrested and sent back to Spain to face punishment, Columbus was not done yet. He managed to wrangle himself one last voyage of discovery. Perhaps he shouldn't have bothered pursuading the Spanish monarchy to let him have another go, on the way he will face a hurricane, yet more mutiny and end up stranded on a Caribbean island. ...
Magellan continues his journey and becomes the first European to sail from the Atlantic through to the Pacific. His journey is only going to get harder however, and although the expedition will make it back to Spain there will be a heavy price to pay first. ...
