Western Civ

Now that Magellan has passed through the Dragon's Tail, he still has to cross the Pacific Ocean, which proves to be much larger than anyone in Europe believed. Arriving in the Philippines, Magellan's ...

29 Okt 202156min

Today I sit down with author Paul Lockhart and discuss his latest book: Firepower: How Weapons Shaped Warfare. It is a brilliant book that covers the evolution of warfare from pikes and longbows to he...

26 Okt 20211h 4min

Magellan had made it through several mutinies. But he had yet to defeat his most intractable foe: the strait. But where was this mysterious strait around South America? To find it, Magellan would need...

22 Okt 20211h 3min

I sit down for an interview with historian and author Edward Shawcross to discuss his new book, The Last Emperor of Mexico. Did you know that in the 1860's Emperor Napoleon III of France tried to put ...

19 Okt 20211h 11min

While many different explorers discovered new lands, only Magellan tried to circumnavigate the globe. In our first of three Magellan episodes, we discuss not only how the voyage began but the various ...

15 Okt 20211h 2min

A short bonus episode covering the, totally gross, life at sea during the early Age of Discovery. Hygiene? Not much. Stench? You got it!  Check out westerncivpodcast.com for more! Become a Patron at p...

8 Okt 202123min

*** NOTE: I changed the order of the episodes, so this is the correct episode 173. While Spain and Portugal were sailing the southern seas, England took a chance on a different explorer promising to f...

1 Okt 20211h 8min

Vasco da Gama returns to India one last time. Portugal builds an empire in the Indian Ocean but before long its glory fades like the setting sun.  Check out more content at westerncivpodcast.com Becom...

24 Sep 202118min