Few figures have reshaped an entire continent like Simón Bolívar — the Liberator, the visionary, and the flawed revolutionary who led South America’s charge against Spanish rule. From his privileged beginnings in Caracas to the battle-scarred fields of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, Bolívar waged war not only against empire but against centuries of colonial hierarchy.

In this episode of The History in Motion Podcast, we trace Bolívar’s journey through exile, betrayal, idealism, and war — exploring the rise and fall of Gran Colombia, his alliance with Haiti, his radical decree of “War to the Death,” and the impossible dream of a united Latin America.

Long before Simón Bolívar became the face of Latin American independence, Francisco de Miranda (1750–1816) was already chasing the dream of a free Spanish America across three continents. Soldier, revolutionary, and tireless wanderer, Miranda moved through the great upheavals of his age: he fought for Spain, observed the American Revolution up close, marched with the French revolutionary armies, and lobbied in London for the liberation of his homeland.

In this episode of The History in Motion Podcast, we follow Miranda’s extraordinary journey through the age of revolutions — from colonial Caracas to the courts of Europe, from Washington and Jefferson’s America to the storms of the French Revolution and the crisis of the Spanish Empire. We explore his grand but failed 1806 expedition, his complex relationship with Britain, and his tragic final act during Venezuela’s first attempt at independence.

Was Miranda a visionary far ahead of his time, or a restless romantic doomed by his own ambition and the politics he couldn’t control? Join us as we unravel the life of the man later patriots called El Precursor — the forerunner of Latin America’s independence movements and a bridge between the Atlantic world’s great revolutions.

Few artists embody the struggle between genius and suffering like Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890); the Dutch painter whose swirling skies and blazing colours forever changed the way we see the world. From his early years of poverty and rejection to his prolific final months in the South of France, Van Gogh’s life was marked by obsession, faith, and a desperate search for meaning through art.

In this episode of The History in Motion Podcast, we follow Van Gogh’s journey from preacher to painter, exploring his bond with his brother Theo, his turbulent friendship with Paul Gauguin, and the mental battles that led to both his greatest works and his tragic end.

Was he a madman, or a visionary centuries ahead of his time? Join us as we uncover the heart, heartbreak, and brilliance of Vincent van Gogh, the artist who painted eternity in every brushstroke.