The Spice Trade Wars: Nathaniel Courthope’s Heroic Stand (Part 2) - The History of Fresh Produce

The Produce Industry Podcast w/ Patrick Kelly

The British are determined to secure control over the spice-rich island of Run in the Banda Islands. To do so, they need a strong, capable leader, and they find this in East India Company officer Nathaniel Courthope.

As the Dutch intensify their efforts to seize Run, Courthope confronts formidable obstacles, from building defenses to managing dwindling food supplies and the loss of British ships. Amid fierce battles, grueling conditions for British prisoners, and Courthope’s desperate attempts to hold out as supplies run low, the struggle escalates.

From assassinations to shifting alliances, the political fallout of the spice trade wars are immense. How will Britain respond when Run is lost to the Dutch? What events led to the brutal Massacre of Amboyna? And how did the English ultimately break the Dutch monopoly on nutmeg?

Join John and special guest Giles Milton for the gripping conclusion of this tale of adventure, betrayal, and the fight for control over one of the world's most coveted spices.

Order the special 25th anniversary copy of Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton here.

In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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