Western Civ

Manco Inca now has the Spaniards in Peru on the ropes. Hernando and Gonzalo Pizarro are trapped in Cusco. Francisco Pizarro is likewise trapped in what will become Lima. The brothers are desperate to help each other but Manco's armies have the mountain passes sealed shut. This time, Manco comes tantalizingly close to ending the Pizarro family business once and for all. And then it all falls away.....

Manco Inca launches his Great Rebellion in Peru. While Francisco Pizarro is pinned down in Lima, Manco seeks to crush the remaining Pizarro brothers in Cuzco. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Up to this point, Francisco Pizarro has done a fantastic job of following the conquistador playbook. But now the weakness of the Pizarro family business - namely Francisco's brothers - comes into play. Juan and Gonzalo Pizarro torment Manco Inca to the point that he has no choice but to begin the Great Rebellion. Website Support Western Civ 2.0

Atahualpa's time finally runs out. Pizarro believes his captive emperor has ordered an Inca army to attack and finally consents to his death. Luckily, shortly thereafter Pizarro finds a new, puppet emperor: Manco Inca. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0

Atahualpa promises Pizarro rooms full of gold in the hope of getting the conquistador to leave. Little does he realize, in the Sixteenth Century sated the Spanish lust for gold is an impossibility. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0

In another of those history-making meetings of two cultures, Pizarro and Atahualpa finally come face to face. Against overwhelming odds, Pizarro succeeds in capturing the Inca Emperor. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0

Last time I introduced Francisco Pizarro. Today we bring Atahualpa onto our board. He will be the Incan Emperor at the time of Pizarro's conquest. But Atahualpa wasn't sitting around waiting for Pizarro to arrive. He had actually just defeated his half-brother in a short civil war caused by the ravages of European smallpox. In other words, there's a lot of context here... WEBSITE SUPPORT THE SHOW...

Today we introduce our Conquistador: Francisco Pizarro. Pizarro hears rumors of a great and wealthy Native American empire to the south: Peru. After a reconnaissance voyage, Pizarro discovers that there is some truth to the rumors. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Today we look more closely at the Inca political and military structure. These two aspects of the Incan Empire will be crucial to understand how Pizzaro, like Cortés, is able to conquer such a vast and powerful empire with so few men. Support the show at Patreon . Check out the Website for more content. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Here is a sneak peek of the kind of things I get to do on Western Civ 2.0. This feed is available in two ways: Patreon and Glow . (Note: With Glow there is a seven-day free trial.) In this episode, I cover the beginnings of Macedonia as we track the rise of Philip of Macedon and his son. You might have heard of him. We call him Alexander the Great. There are over twenty hours of content on this pa...

Today I sit down with Historian Martyn Rady and discuss his latest book: The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe . This is a sweeping, survey history of Central Europe that is accessible to any reader whatever their knowledge of Central European history. There is a lot in the book and we, in the interview, only get to the Thirty Years' War. Though we do start in the Roman Empire so I...

Today we pivot again and travel further south to the land of the Inca. Long before Pizzaro arrived, the people of the Andes built a miraculous civilization along the highest mountains in North or South America. In this episode, I cover the broad geography and culture of the Andean people. Patreon Support Page Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial Website

With Tenochtitlan conquered, Cortés tries to figure out how to make New Spain work. Website Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Cortés returns to Tenochtitlan and finally forces the great city into submission, effectively ending Old Mexico. Website Patreon Western Civ 2.0

Today I sit down with historian Eckart Frahm to discuss his new book: Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire . The Assyrians have a fascinating history that ranges from the ancient sands of Mesopotamia to the pages of the Old Testament. Frahm covers it all in this excellent and readable work. Click HERE to purchase the book. Website Support the Show Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Cortés recovers from the disaster of La Noche Triste and plans for a triumphant return to Tenochtitlan. At the same time, Smallpox ravages Central America. Website Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0

Cortés rushes back to Tenochtitlan only to find the city beyond saving. After the death of Montezuma, he has no choice but to cut his losses and run. Website Ad-Free Shows Teaching Materials Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Cortés gambles again, taking Montezuma captive in the hope that he can turn the entire kingdom over to Charles V. But, the arrival of a relief force from Cuba sent to capture Cortés upsets his plans. Website Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0

Cortés finally reached the capital of the Mexica Empire and comes face to face with Montezuma. Website Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0

This is the episode where Cortés really starts to come into focus. Up to this point, he has been just another explorer. But after this episode, his ambitions come into focus: Mexico or bust. Website Patreon Western Civ 2.0 Teaching Materials

Hernan Cortes and his expedition continue to explore the Yucatan as they round toward modern-day Veracruz. He begins to learn what works and what does not as he encounters different tribes of indigenous peoples. Horses, it turns out, are a major advantage. Website: www.westerncivpodcast.com Patreon: www.patreon.com/westerncivpodcast Western Civ 2.0: www.glow.fm/westernciv Teaching Resources: https...

This week we finally meet Hernan Cortes. Cortes has an interesting history himself, though much of it remains shrouded in myth and shadow. Yet, in 1518 he gets tapped as the man to lead a new expedition west to follow up on Grijalva's latest voyage. Everyone thinks he is going to explore another island chain. What no one realizes is that he is about to run straight into the most powerful Mesoameri...

Hernan Cortes was not the first Spaniard to reach Mexico. But, somewhat shockingly, even as late as 1518, the Spanish did not know about Mexico. They knew something of the land to the west of Cuba, but not much. In this episode, I talk about the first interactions between the Mexica and the Spanish. Website: www.westerncivpodcast.com Patreon: www.patreon.com/westerncivpodcast Western Civ 2.0: www....

in this bonus, author interview, I sit down with Professor Gayle Greene and discuss her book: Immeasurable Outcomes: Teaching Shakespeare in the Age of Algorithms . This book is for any educator right now. There is a lot for us all to commiserate with. Note: Full disclosure, we had some tech issues with this one. I could not use my normal recording system and what we did use abruptly cut off about...

The recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria destroyed a large portion of Gaziantep Castle in Turkey. This site dated back to the Second and Third Century CE to the never-ending wars between the Romans and Parthians. Seeing the footage of the destruction, I was reminded how fragile history can be. We need to work to preserve sites like this so that they are not lost because once they are lost, we can...