On the 20th September 1519 Ferdinand Magellan set sail for the Moluccas, the collection of islands containing nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon that promised vast wealth for those who could trade. So began the race between Spain and Portugal, who would soon be joined by the Dutch and English, but the native peoples paid a terrible spice. Roger Crowley joins to discuss his new book, Spice.

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Spice: The 16th-Century Contest that Shaped the Modern World

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