Empire 273. Panama’s Brutish Conquistador Who Found The Pacific and Lost His Head (Part 1)
Jul 16, 2025
Mark Horton, a maritime historical archaeologist, sheds light on the brutal legacy of conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa. Delving into the treacherous journey Balboa undertook to claim the Pacific, Horton reveals the harsh realities of early Spanish colonialism and its devastating effects on indigenous populations. The discussion highlights the contrasting legacies of Balboa and other figures like Cortes, as well as the archaeological findings that illuminate this complex period of exploration and greed.
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First Spanish Mainland Colony Was Awful
- The Spanish first colonized at the Isthmus of Darien, Panama, an extremely unpleasant and disease-ridden area.
- This odd choice set the stage for the New World mainland colonization efforts.
Divide and Rule with Gold-Rich Chiefs
- The indigenous chieftains in Panama were wealthy, covered in gold, but politically fragmented.
- This disunity allowed colonizers to exploit divisions and gain footholds by playing them against each other.
Balboa: Brutal Rogue Leader
- Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a rogue leader who sided with settlers upset about the strict law enforcement of Martin Fernandez Enciso.
- He used brutal methods, including setting bloodhounds on native people, to maintain control and extract wealth.
