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Conquerors
- How Portugal Seized the Indian Ocean and Forged the First Global Empire
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
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Publisher's Summary
As remarkable as Columbus and the conquistador expeditions, the history of Portuguese exploration is now almost forgotten.
But Portugal's navigators cracked the code of the Atlantic winds, launched the expedition of Vasco da Gama to India and beat the Spanish to the spice kingdoms of the East - then set about creating the first long-range maritime empire.
In an astonishing blitz of 30 years, a handful of visionary and utterly ruthless empire builders, with few resources but breathtaking ambition, attempted to seize the Indian Ocean, destroy Islam and take control of world trade.
Told with Roger Crowley's customary skill and verve, this is narrative history at its most vivid - an epic tale of navigation, trade and technology, money and religious zealotry, political diplomacy and espionage, sea battles and shipwrecks, endurance, courage and terrifying brutality.
Drawing on extensive firsthand accounts, it brings to life the exploits of an extraordinary band of conquerors - men such as Afonso de Albuquerque, the first European since Alexander the Great to found an Asian empire - who set in motion 500 years of European colonisation and unleashed the forces of globalisation.
Roger Crowley read English at Cambridge. He has had a varied career as a teacher and publisher and is the author of three books on the history of the Mediterranean. He lives in Gloucestershire and now writes full time.
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What listeners say about Conquerors
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Grantie
- 2019-10-22
Brave Savages.
A story of brave savage brutal religious zealots. A reasonably fair telling of a invasion of the Indian ocean by a group of very poor primative ruthless foreigners. Europe was a land of barbarians. But they had better guns and a relentless cruelty that astounded their opponents.
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- Justin Hayes
- 2019-12-02
love this book.
this is an awesome book to listen to. the writer did a fantastic job and so did the narrator. very interesting and informative. I recommend this book 100%
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2 people found this helpful
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- DO NOT BUY
- 2019-12-24
Fascinating history
I listened to this on a long day of travelling to Portugal. Was very pleased with this choice! Deep cuts into the history of exploration, and Portugal's campaigns in the Indian Ocean. The Portuguese empire had always been a bit of a mystery to me, and this book really brought it to life in vivid colour. Love this fellow Alfonso de Albequerque what a boss!
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- Anonymous User
- 2020-03-10
Approachable History
I listened to this whilst cruising the Indian Ocean. It effortlessly immersed me in the early European experience in this part of the world.
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- Daniella
- 2021-02-28
Engaging historical account
A fair and engaging account of Portuguese conquest during the 16th century. The listener is moved between horror and awe at these armour-clad fidalgos' escapades in the Indian ocean.
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