Explorers & Conquerors
They sailed past the edge of the map and lived to tell.
Listen to This Collection
Marco Polo in China
A Venetian teenager travels the Silk Road, lives in Kublai Khan's court for 17 years, and comes home to a Europe that thinks he's making it all up.
Zheng He's Treasure Fleet
A Chinese eunuch admiral leads 300 ships and 28,000 men across the Indian Ocean. Then China decides exploring isn't worth it and burns the fleet.
Columbus Sails the Ocean Blue
An Italian sailor convinces Spain to fund a shortcut to India. He misses by an entire continent, calls the locals 'Indians,' and changes the world.
Vasco da Gama Reaches India
A Portuguese captain finally finds the actual sea route to India. Returns home with cargo worth 60 times the cost of the voyage.
Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe
He sets out with 5 ships and 270 men. Three years later, 1 ship and 18 starving survivors limp back. Magellan is not one of them.
Cortés Conquers the Aztecs
600 Spaniards walk into the Aztec capital, take the emperor hostage, and burn their own ships so nobody can retreat. Two years later, the empire is gone.
Pizarro and the Inca
168 Spaniards walk up the Andes, kidnap the Inca emperor in front of his army, and take a room full of gold as ransom. Then kill him anyway.
Drake Circumnavigates
An English pirate-captain robs Spanish ships all the way around the world and comes home loaded with treasure. Elizabeth I knights him on his own deck.
Jamestown Founded
104 Englishmen show up in Virginia thinking they'll find gold. Most starve to death. The few who survive accidentally start America.
The Mayflower Lands
Religious separatists aiming for Virginia get blown off course and land in Massachusetts. Half of them die that first winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stories are in the Explorers & Conquerors collection?
The Explorers & Conquerors collection includes 10 stories: Marco Polo in China, Zheng He's Treasure Fleet, Columbus Sails the Ocean Blue, Vasco da Gama Reaches India, Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe, and 5 more. All available as immersive audio on History Tea.
Can I listen to Explorers & Conquerors stories for free?
Yes! All 10 stories in the Explorers & Conquerors collection are completely free to listen to on the History Tea app. Download on iOS and start listening today.
What time periods does Explorers & Conquerors cover?
The Explorers & Conquerors collection spans 1271 CE, 1405 CE, 1492 CE, 1498 CE and more. Each story is a fresh, cinematic retelling with immersive narration.
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