Latest / Collapsing Empires Stories
The captain who sailed past Bojador disproved the fear that froze Europe
A captain sails past Cape Bojador and shatters Europe’s fear of Africa - how did this change Portugal’s destiny?
The captain who sailed past Bojador disproved the fear that froze Europe
In this episode, we trace how a failed conquest in 1415 and decades of cautious voyages led to breakthroughs that remapped trade routes and power. How did a small kingdom turn a founding mistake and a single navigational leap into the first global empire?
Date: December 20, 1999
Event: Portuguese flag lowered in Macau
Person: Gil Eanes
Period: 15th century exploration
Topic: Cape Bojador and Portuguese…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.