What If? | The Immolation of Hernán Cortés

What If? | The Immolation of Hernán Cortés

"Cortés and his men leapt across the breach in the causeway to pursue the fleeing Aztecs, only to see them turn and attack. Drawn into the trap, Cortés and sixty-eight other Spaniards were captured and dragged off, leaving scores of others dead on the road. Ten captives were killed immediately, and…the remaining fifty-eight were taken to the towering Great Temple, which could plainly be seen from the Spaniards' camp, made to dance before the statue of the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli, and then, on by one, they were sacrificed…Cortés escaped this fate only through the intervention of Cristóbal de Olea, who sprang to his defense, killed the four Aztecs who were dragging him off, and freed his leader at the cost of his own life. The very conquest of Mexico hung on this single act." — Ross Hassig, "The Immolation of Hernán Cortés

What if Cortés had died on the causeway or at any other point in his dangerous career?


Join us as we continue asking "What if", speak to what might have happened if the conquistador had met his end at the hands of those he sought to conquer, and how our world might be different today.

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Theodore Roosevelt | A Strenuous Life

Theodore Roosevelt | A Strenuous Life

"You must make your body." An asthmatic boy in wire-rimmed spectacles nods. Decades later, shot in the chest, he'll deliver a 90-minute speech: "It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."Theodore ...

26 Jan 21min

Sketches in History | The Panama Canal

Sketches in History | The Panama Canal

The 15-Minute History Podcast team welcomes you back to another Sketches in History. This segment, just for kids, shows that history isn't just a story; it's an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she di...

22 Jan 11min

"Daring Mighty Things" | A Discussion on the Panama Canal and America's Role in Latin America

"Daring Mighty Things" | A Discussion on the Panama Canal and America's Role in Latin America

In this week's discussion, we cover more detail about the building of the canal and the herculean medical and engineering feats American and Panamanian workers achieved. (Joe even gets to put on his d...

19 Jan 33min

Pop Quiz - Iran, then and now

Pop Quiz - Iran, then and now

With events in Iran moving hour by hour, Joe asked about the Iranian Revolution of 1979, how that regime could hold onto the country for so long, and why we are now seeing a possible change in governm...

15 Jan 7min

"Daring Mighty Things" | The Panama Canal and American Intervention in Latin America

"Daring Mighty Things" | The Panama Canal and American Intervention in Latin America

Over a century ago, the United States blasted its way through a continent in one of the largest engineering projects in world history. The Panama Canal's construction brought with it decades of Americ...

12 Jan 16min

Pop Quiz | Communism vs. Fascism (Repost)

Pop Quiz | Communism vs. Fascism (Repost)

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on December 14, 2023. New episodes starting this Monday, January 12. __Have an id...

8 Jan 11min

Arrows vs. Knights | How England Defied the Odds at Agincourt (Repost)

Arrows vs. Knights | How England Defied the Odds at Agincourt (Repost)

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on January 27, 2025. New episodes starting next week!___The Battle of Agincourt, ...

5 Jan 15min

Pop Quiz | Answering an Audience Question & The Overton Window (Repost)

Pop Quiz | Answering an Audience Question & The Overton Window (Repost)

During the holiday break, Jon and Joe wanted to reshare some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on June 5, 2025.___In this double pop quiz, Jon answers a question from an audien...

1 Jan 9min

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