Si Sheppard – How did a few hundred Spanish soldiers topple two empires?
Summary
Military historian Cy Shepard discusses the conquests of the Aztec and Inca empires, analyzing how a few hundred Spanish conquistadors leveraged technological advantages like steel and horses, combined with diplomatic alliances with subjugated indigenous groups, to topple vast empires. The episode details key events such as Cortés’s capture of Moctezuma and Pizarro’s ambush of Atahualpa, emphasizing that these victories relied heavily on native allies rather than Spanish military superiority alone.
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