Latest / The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History
The Portuguese Gold Rush That Bankrolled the World
While we’ve spent episodes tracing Jesuit networks in Japan, the Treaty of Tordesillas dividing the globe, and the naval wars against the Dutch, today we turn our gaze to the heart of Brazil. This episode explores the explosive discovery of gold in Minas Gerais during the early 18th century. We follow the Bandeirantes—seasoned hunters and slave-catchers from São Paulo—as they pushed into the interior, unearthing a treasure trove that would bankroll the European monarchies. We’ll meet Queen Mariana Pires, a woman who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest individuals in the…
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