Greg Jenner

And you've mentioned the Aztecs. In our heads, I guess over here in the UK, we know the Aztecs as like the dominant superpower of the region.

Is that wrong?

Is that wrong?

Yeah, this is the same time as Henry VIII.

Yeah, this is the same time as Henry VIII.

It's a franchise? Is it like Starbucks?

It's a franchise? Is it like Starbucks?

If listeners want to know more about the Aztecs, we did them in series one. So scroll all the way down in the app to the very, very beginning. But that's the political powder keg that is awaiting the Spanish spark, Jen, as you've pointed out, actually, that we've got all these different sort of power bases. But let's get back to Cortes. He's in Hispaniola. So he's not got to Mexico yet.

If listeners want to know more about the Aztecs, we did them in series one. So scroll all the way down in the app to the very, very beginning. But that's the political powder keg that is awaiting the Spanish spark, Jen, as you've pointed out, actually, that we've got all these different sort of power bases. But let's get back to Cortes. He's in Hispaniola. So he's not got to Mexico yet.

And he is, well, we've already heard he's doing horrible things to the indigenous peoples. He's trying to get cash, but he's got a job.

And he is, well, we've already heard he's doing horrible things to the indigenous peoples. He's trying to get cash, but he's got a job.

Yeah.

Yeah.

OK. Yes. So forced labour that the Spanish crown is allowing to happen. Yes.

OK. Yes. So forced labour that the Spanish crown is allowing to happen. Yes.

So the encomienda system is obviously being cooked up to exploit the indigenous peoples. But the relationship with Velazquez, who's sort of his boss, sort of his patron, sounds quite tense, Jen. It sounds quite... Competitive? Competitive, yes. Why do you think they fell out? What do you reckon the spark was?

So the encomienda system is obviously being cooked up to exploit the indigenous peoples. But the relationship with Velazquez, who's sort of his boss, sort of his patron, sounds quite tense, Jen. It sounds quite... Competitive? Competitive, yes. Why do you think they fell out? What do you reckon the spark was?

I mean, that's certainly the conventional way, but actually there's a woman involved. There's a lady involved.

I mean, that's certainly the conventional way, but actually there's a woman involved. There's a lady involved.

And it's not a love triangle. No. It's a love rhomboid. It's a sort of weird... Yes.