Episode 5 - Bleeding Hands and Bitter Roots episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 26, 2026 · 17 MIN

Episode 5 - Bleeding Hands and Bitter Roots

from The History of Texas · host Justin Day

Episode 5: Bleeding Hands and Bitter RootsAfter years of hunger, captivity, and survival on the Texas coast, the scattered survivors of the Narváez Expedition finally found each other again.Cabeza de Vaca, Estebanico, Andrés Dorantes, and Alonso del Castillo were reunited, but reunion did not mean rescue. They were still trapped in a world far from the Spanish settlements they hoped to reach, surrounded by Native peoples whose trade routes, customs, and survival skills now shaped every part of their lives.In this episode, the story turns from endurance to escape. The four survivors begin preparing for the journey west, following rumors of other Spaniards while facing bitter roots, wounded bodies, uncertainty, and the growing realization that they would have to cross Texas not as conquerors, but as dependent strangers.Their escape would become one of the most remarkable journeys in early Texas history.Follow The History of Texas as we continue tracing the story of Cabeza de Vaca and the first Europeans to cross what would become Texas.Become a supporter on Ko-Fi:https://ko-fi.com/thehistoryoftexasSupporters help me research, write, record, and preserve these stories of Texas History.Thank you for listening to The History of Texas.Follow The History of Texas:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0QQ3yhHCr3hNFGp9j5ih6fApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-of-texas/id1896845677More links:https://linktr.ee/texasruneforgeMusic: "Anamalie" by Kevin MacLeod(incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License ⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 26, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Episode 5 - Bleeding Hands and Bitter Roots

0:00 17:36

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The History of Texas?

This episode is 17 minutes long.

When was this The History of Texas episode published?

This episode was published on June 26, 2026.

Can I download this The History of Texas episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!