The Gunpowder Legacy: Saltpetre Trade That Changed War

In this episode of Trade Routes That Changed Human History Forever, Lucas and Luna explore the hidden trade that made gunpowder possible: the saltpetre routes. Beginning in 13th-century China and spreading via Mongol conquests, saltpetre—a key ingredient in gunpowder—became a strategic commodity as valuable as silk or spices. They trace the supply chains from Sichuan and Yunnan to India, the Middle East, and Europe, focusing on the role of the Bengal saltpetre trade under the Mughal and British East India Company. Along the way, they cover the Chinese discovery of gunpowder, the Mongol Siege of Baghdad (1258), the development of European cannon foundries, and the controversial figure of Roger Bacon, who may have smuggled the formula. The conversation also touches on later saltpetre mining in the Americas and the global scramble for nitrates. A donor segment early in the episode highlights how listener support keeps the show ad-free. #Gunpowder #Saltpetre #SilkRoad #MongolEmpire #Bengal #BritishEastIndiaCompany #SongDynasty #YuanDynasty #MughalEmpire #RogerBacon #SiegeOfBaghdad #Cannon #Nitrates #HistoryOfWarfare #TradeRoutes #WorldHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo