The Silver Fleets of Spain: Treasure Ships and Pirates

In this episode of The Story of Spain, Lucas and Luna chart the epic voyages of the Spanish silver fleets that carried Potosí's wealth across the Atlantic. They explore the perilous Carrera de Indias, the annual convoy system designed to protect against pirates, and the legendary loss of the 1628 fleet to Piet Heyn's Dutch attack. Discover the roles of the Casa de la Contratación in Seville, the fortified ports of Havana and Veracruz, and the treasure galleons that made Spain the richest empire in Europe—only to be sunk by storms and corsairs. The conversation also touches on the little-known story of the 1591 capture of the Madre de Deus and the sheer volume of silver that funded the Spanish Empire's wars. A vivid look at the maritime backbone of Spain's global power. #History #FexingoHistory #Spain #SilverFleet #CarreraDeIndias #PietHeyn #MadreDeDeus #Potosí #TreasureGalleons #Havana #Veracruz #CasaDeLaContratacion #TreasureFleet #Pirates #DutchRevolt #SpanishEmpire #GoldenAge #Shipwrecks Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo