Jean-Paul Faguet

They had gunpowder and they had steel. And the indigenous warriors that they were fighting had slings where they threw rocks and they had clubs and bows and arrows. And that's all they had. They didn't have swords because they didn't have steel. So they had clubs, right? But even so, 10,000 people with these arms could have beaten 170.

They had gunpowder and they had steel. And the indigenous warriors that they were fighting had slings where they threw rocks and they had clubs and bows and arrows. And that's all they had. They didn't have swords because they didn't have steel. So they had clubs, right? But even so, 10,000 people with these arms could have beaten 170.

Maybe many of them would have died, but they could have just destroyed them, and they didn't. And the answer has something to do with the psychology and also the cosmography in the sense that they were convinced, many of them were convinced that these people were from the gods, so they had to listen.

Maybe many of them would have died, but they could have just destroyed them, and they didn't. And the answer has something to do with the psychology and also the cosmography in the sense that they were convinced, many of them were convinced that these people were from the gods, so they had to listen.

Yeah, exactly. And I mean, the history is written by the winners. The only written records we have is from the Spaniards.

Yeah, exactly. And I mean, the history is written by the winners. The only written records we have is from the Spaniards.

Yeah, that's right. So the... It's kind of, it's hard to think ourselves, it's a big exercise to think ourselves back into the 16th century. because the entire world was different, right? It's like all of our norms and expectations about individualism, about the kind of things that motivate people to do the things that we do, about how people relate to each other were completely different.

Yeah, that's right. So the... It's kind of, it's hard to think ourselves, it's a big exercise to think ourselves back into the 16th century. because the entire world was different, right? It's like all of our norms and expectations about individualism, about the kind of things that motivate people to do the things that we do, about how people relate to each other were completely different.

The Spaniards that were conquering Colombia were basically coming out of a late medieval culture where they were intensely religious. They really believed in God. They believed that the Christian and Catholic God was superior, you know, the one true God. And if you didn't believe, you're going to hell. And that the Spanish emperor was the agent of the one true Catholic God and so on and so forth.

The Spaniards that were conquering Colombia were basically coming out of a late medieval culture where they were intensely religious. They really believed in God. They believed that the Christian and Catholic God was superior, you know, the one true God. And if you didn't believe, you're going to hell. And that the Spanish emperor was the agent of the one true Catholic God and so on and so forth.

And that's just like that's so alien to the world that we live in today. It's kind of hard to think ourselves back. Now, the Spanish American empire was something like, you know, 50 times the size of Spain, and they're trying to run it from across the ocean with 16th century technology, right? So, you know, imagine that. It was not the Spanish army, like the U.S.

And that's just like that's so alien to the world that we live in today. It's kind of hard to think ourselves back. Now, the Spanish American empire was something like, you know, 50 times the size of Spain, and they're trying to run it from across the ocean with 16th century technology, right? So, you know, imagine that. It was not the Spanish army, like the U.S.

army goes and conquers Afghanistan or conquers Iraq. That's not how it happened. These were privateers that had a license from the emperor to come and explore, and they got that legal right and sort of, you know, the support of Spain on the high seas against English and other pirates, et cetera.

army goes and conquers Afghanistan or conquers Iraq. That's not how it happened. These were privateers that had a license from the emperor to come and explore, and they got that legal right and sort of, you know, the support of Spain on the high seas against English and other pirates, et cetera.

But basically they came here, they mounted their own expeditions with private investment, and they were going to get to keep the explicit terms of these legal agreements with the crown is that they would get to keep 80% of all the treasure, et cetera, that they found, and 20% had to go back to the crown.

But basically they came here, they mounted their own expeditions with private investment, and they were going to get to keep the explicit terms of these legal agreements with the crown is that they would get to keep 80% of all the treasure, et cetera, that they found, and 20% had to go back to the crown.

So, you know, the license was an exchange for la quinta, which is a fifth, right, of everything. So the Spanish come, they conquer, they take over the whole savanna around Bogota, which is the major population center in what is today Colombia.

So, you know, the license was an exchange for la quinta, which is a fifth, right, of everything. So the Spanish come, they conquer, they take over the whole savanna around Bogota, which is the major population center in what is today Colombia.

And so then these conquistadores who have been risking life and limb, 630 of them died just in the expedition from Santa Marta, not including those who never made it to Santa Marta from Spain, right? is incredibly risky, at huge cost to themselves. They have invested directly in this, their own money, the senior people, and huge amounts of effort and risk, the more junior people.

And so then these conquistadores who have been risking life and limb, 630 of them died just in the expedition from Santa Marta, not including those who never made it to Santa Marta from Spain, right? is incredibly risky, at huge cost to themselves. They have invested directly in this, their own money, the senior people, and huge amounts of effort and risk, the more junior people.