by LOUISE COLLIS with Ronald Pickup as Francois Pyrard
In 1494 Pope Alexander VI divided the world between France and Spain. Africa, India and the East Indies were declared the exclusive property of Portugal. However, by the late 1500s Holland, England and then France began to make inroads on the Portuguese monopoly. In 1601 Francois Pyrard embarked on one of the first French boats to join in the eastern adventure. On his return he wrote a description of the voyage, its triumphs and tribulations, the people he met, the cities he saw.
Sailors, Captains, Kings, Natives: TIMOTHY BATESON , SAM DASTOR, MICHAEL DEACON , DAVID GRAHAM , GARARD GREEN, LESLIE HERITAGE, STEVE HODSON , VALERIE MURRAY , ANNE ROSENFELD , STEPHEN THORNE , PETER WOODTHORPE Produced and directed by SHAUN MACLOUGHLIN