René Caillié and the Quest for Timbuktu - Part 1

The Explorers Podcast

Matt Breen

Society & Culture, History, Education

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 30 July 2024

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1827, French explorer René Caillié set out to become the first European to reach the fabled city of Timbuktu - and return alive. In the first part of our story, we learn about the history of Timbuktu, the Niger River, and West Africa. We then look at the early years of Caillié's life - growing up in poverty without parents - and his first excursions to Africa beginning at age 16. And then, in 1824, the Société de Géographie in Paris would offer a 9,000 franc prize to the first European to reach Timbuktu - and return to tell about. And thus Caillié immersed himself in the culture and religion of the local people in order to strike out on his own - and win the grand prize. The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an airwave media podcast.
0:05.0	This episode is brought to you by Jetu Holidays and visit Malta.
0:09.0	Malta is perfect for adventurous travelers.
0:12.0	Explore the historical sites, dine on traditional food, hike
0:15.8	and nature reserve or unwind with some yoga. Choose a jet-to holidays package that suits
0:21.0	you including your hotel, flight, return transfers and
0:24.4	22 kilograms of baggage. Burke Malta now with Jet 2 holidays, package
0:28.9	holidays you can trust. Abta and Atoll Prot protected, subject to availability and conditions. Let it home.
0:46.0	Hello and I'm going. Hello and welcome to the Explorers Podcast.
0:49.0	Today we start a new series, this on French explorer Renee Kaye. Kaye is famous for being the first European to reach
0:56.2	the legendary city of Timbuktu and return live to tell about it. A few notes to start today's
1:01.7	episode.
1:03.0	First, I want to mention that one of the earliest topics I ever covered on this podcast was on Scottish
1:08.0	Explorer Mongol Park.
1:10.3	Park was the first European to reach the Niger River and would make a go for Tim Buck too.
1:14.4	It's a wonderful story and I'll be honest it's not a bad idea to listen to that series before this one
1:20.0	but it is not required. Still if you have not listened to the Mungo Park series I recommend it.
1:25.9	Second, there is a map of our explorers route and key locations on our website explorers podcast.com.
1:37.0	Third, regarding the places in this episode, we find that many of them have multiple names. There might be an African name, an Arabic name, a French name, an English name, you get the picture.
1:42.0	When these multiple names are important,, you get the picture.
1:42.8	When these multiple names are important,
1:44.4	I will mention the different variants.
	...

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