The Manila Galleons: Spain's Pacific Treasure Fleet

In 1565, Andrés de Urdaneta discovered a return route across the Pacific, launching the Manila Galleons that would link Asia and the Americas for 250 years. This episode follows the treacherous voyages, the silver-for-silk trade that transformed global economies, and the human cost—from indigenous Filipino laborers forced to build the ships to the Chinese merchants who flooded Manila with porcelain and spices. We explore how Acapulco became a gateway for Asian goods in New Spain, how silver from Potosí ended up as coins in Ming China, and why the galleons were both a marvel of navigation and a vector of exploitation. Join Lucas and Luna as they navigate the currents of Spain's Pacific empire, where every voyage was a gamble between fortune and disaster. #ManilaGalleons #Urdaneta #PacificTrade #Acapulco #SilverTrade #SpanishEmpire #Philippines #MingChina #Potosi #NaoDeChina #GlobalTrade #MaritimeHistory #AgeOfSail #Colonialism #16thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #SpainHistory #Reconquista #Alhambra Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo