The Scramble for the Arctic: Europe's Frozen Empire

The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History · Oct 20, 2026 · 7m · transcript

While most history shows focus on Africa or Asia, Episode 267 turns north to the icy frontiers of the late nineteenth century. We explore how European powers raced to claim the Arctic, driven by the promise of new trade routes and national prestige rather than immediate profit. The episode centers on the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, which transformed Spitsbergen from a lawless whaling ground into an international demilitarized zone under Norwegian sovereignty but with equal rights for all signatories. Lucas walks through the geopolitical tensions that led to Paris Peace Conference negotiations…