The Rest Is History27 Helmi 2025

543. Death in the Amazon: Aguirre, the Wrath of God

“Anyone who even thinks of abandoning this mission will be cut up into a thousand pieces…I am the wrath of God!” At the height of the age of exploration, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, one story in particular gripped the imagination of European colonialists: El Dorado, a legendary city of gold, hidden in the very heart of the South American Rainforests. But no kingdom sought this prize more furiously than the mighty Spanish Empire. Determined to restore their fortunes with El Dorado’s treasures, they sent countless expeditions in search of the golden city, to no avail. Then, in 1559, the authorities in Lima assembled a new expedition, bigger and better than ever before, under the leadership of the knight Pedro de Ursula. The group he mustered to go with him would prove ill chosen indeed. Among them was his famously beautiful mistress, Dona Inez, and more ominously still, a fierce eyed, limp-footed man by the name of Lope de Aguirre. Little did his companions know that they had a devil in their midst. Aguirre would prove to be one of history’s strangest and most unsettling characters, and one of the great villains of the Spanish conquests of the New World. Cruel and psychopathic, he would eventually violently usurp Ursula’s command, and lead his companions not in search of El Dorado, but further and further into the Amazonian interior, enacting a regime of paranoid terror as they went. It would prove to be one of the strangest, most gruesome, and also the most horrific journeys of all time, replete with murder, betrayal, treason, and above all, madness…. Join Tom and Dominic, as they discuss the iniquitous Spanish conquistador Aguirre, and his journey both into the heart of the South American wilderness, but also into human madness. It is a story of mystery and adventure, gold and greed, horror and death. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restishistory Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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688. The Odyssey: Return of the King (Part 2)

How did the second half of Odysseus’ long journey home to Ithaca play out? What does the epic’s account of the Olympian gods indicate about Ancient Greek religion? And, how did Odysseus finally make ...

15 Heinä 1h 5min

687. The Odyssey: Hero of the Trojan Horse (Part 1)

How does The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of all time, unfold? What historical events may it be based on? And, where might Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic, have faced his various trials in ...

12 Heinä 1h 11min

686. Jefferson: The Betrayal of Liberty (Part 4)

What part did Thomas Jefferson play in writing the American Declaration of Independence? Where did he come from, and how did it shape his attitude to the future of the U.S.A? And, why was he such a co...

8 Heinä 1h 21min

685. Hamilton: Duel to the Death (Part 3)

How did Alexander Hamilton go from impoverished orphan to one of the most important figures in the creation of the American constitution? Why was his relationship with Thomas Jefferson so strained? An...

5 Heinä 1h 15min

684. Franklin: Revenge of the American Genius (Part 2)

Was Benjamin Franklin really an American? What was his childhood like? How was he finally converted to the American Revolutionary cause? And, what role did he play in setting the struggle in motion? ...

1 Heinä 1h 13min

683. Washington: Hero of the Revolution (Part 1)

Where did George Washington come from, and what was he like? How did he come to take on such a pivotal role in the American Revolution? And, was he really central to America’s triumphant struggle for ...

28 Kesä 1h 16min

682. South Africa: Mandela and the Death of Apartheid (Part 6)

How did the rugby World Cup final of 1995 inspire South Africa’s totemic national anthem? Why does the story shed a light on the history of Apartheid in South Africa? And, after becoming president, fo...

24 Kesä 1h 10min

681. Brazil: The Emperor’s Anthem (Part 5)

What does the Brazilian national anthem reveal about its history of slavery and revolt? Why did the king of Portugal rule his country all the way from Rio in the 19th century? Who was the first empero...

21 Kesä 1h 9min