Episodes

Starting in 1405, the Ming Emperor Yongle dispatched Zheng He to lead a series of voyages throughout the Indian Ocean basin. These fleets were to be a show of Chinese power as well as demand tribute from the many foreign states within the region. In this episode, I discuss the economic and political reasons for the expeditions, what they accomplished, and why the Ming Dynasty suddenly ended them. Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehisto...

The Indian Ocean had been the scene of robust international trade for centuries prior to the Portuguese arrival. In this episode, I explore the geography and economy of the region from antiquity to the 15th century. The maritime routes that crisscrossed the region were dependent upon the monsoon winds. This resulted in the development of ports like Quanzhou, China, as cosmopolitan centers of culture and commerce. Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my b...

King John II of Portugal picked up where his grand-uncle, Prince Henry the Navigator, left off. His hopes of finding a direct maritime route around Africa to India are bouyed by the two voyages of Diogo Cao. Yet Cao doesn't quite make it. That is left to Bartolomeu Dias. Dias is able to round the Cape of Good Hope., but he, too, will fall short of the primary objective of India. Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also on...

The voyages of Columbus and da Gama were the early modern equivalent of the moon landing. They required new technologies, new ship designs, and new methods of seafaring. New technologies don't appear overnight. They evolve over a period of time. In this episode, I look at some of the major innovations that made long-distance ocean voyages possible: the mariner's compass, better navigational charts, the caravel with its lateen sails and stern-mounted rudder, and a better understanding of ocean wi...

In 1498, Vasco da Gama sailed directly from Portugal to India around the southern tip of Africa. His accomplishment and Columbus's would transform the world and usher in the age of true globalization. In this episode, I discuss the background to da Gama's voyage. I explain the impetus for the Portuguese to seek a direct route to India starting in the 14th century. I explain the role of Prince Henry the Navigator in this endeavor. I also outline the major milestones of Portuguese exploration alon...

Welcome to the I Take History With My Coffee podcast. This podcast will explore everything about the Early Modern period. In this introduction, I explain my motivation for creating this podcast as well as outline the goals and structure of the podcast. Podcast website is https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also on Facebook at I Take History With My Coffee. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com