Conquistadors

Delivery Time: 7 to 15 Working Days Format: DVD

This in-depth documentary hosted by writer Michael Wood traces the 15th-century expeditions undertaken by such famous Spanish explorers and conquerors as Hernan Cortes, Cabeza de Vaca and Gonzalo Pizarro, depicting the hardships they faced, as well as their controversial role in the overthrowing of the Aztec and Inca empires. 4 hrs. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English.
In 1519 Hernán Cortés defied the Spanish governor of Cuba and set sail from Santiago with three ships and 300 men. He was looking for gold, and he would find it, but he would also destroy the Aztec civilization, setting the agenda for further expeditions that shaped the future of the Americas.

Conquistadors is written and presented by Michael Wood, the adventurous historian who has traveled in search of Troy and followed the path of Alexander the Great from Macedonia to India. In his latest series he walks in the footsteps of Cortés, Pizzaro, and their fellow conquerors to explain what happened when two cultures met for the first time. Whether he's climbing a mountain pass in the pouring rain or eating guinea pigs in a mountain village, Wood's passion for the story he's telling makes Conquistadors compelling viewing.

When Cortés arrived in Mexico he burned his ships so his men had no choice but to follow him, and Pizarro destroyed the Inca empire with 160 soldiers. These were remarkable people, but their lust for gold and glory caused terrible destruction, and Wood doesn't shy away from the horrors of the conquest, revealing his protagonists in all their troubling complexity. His encounters with the descendents of the Aztecs and the Incas also reveal that although the conquistadors destroyed empires, traces of the native cultures survive, transmitted by generations of ordinary people. Wood's unique approach to history once again reveals how much the present owes to the past. --Simon Leake