Sunken Treasure of the Bahamas

Josh Gates travels to northern Spain's Picos de Europa mountains to investigate Pelayo, a near-mythical eighth-century warrior whose story rivals King Arthur's but remains virtually unknown outside Spain. The quest centers on separating legend from reality: Was Pelayo a real person who sparked the Christian reconquest of Muslim-controlled Iberia, or merely folklore? Gates explores Covadonga, a high mountain sanctuary where Pelayo is supposedly buried, ventures into perilous mountain caves containing human remains from Pelayo's era, and examines newly discovered artifacts beneath ancient castle ruins that could reveal the warrior's true identity. The stakes are enormous—if Pelayo existed, his victory against impossible odds led directly to the rise of the Christian-Spanish Empire that conquered much of the Americas and reshaped Western civilization.

Mainstream historians acknowledge that the Battle of Covadonga around 722 CE marked a turning point in Iberian history, though the scale and details remain hotly debated. The legend claims Pelayo, a humble sword-bearer, united his people and defeated a massive Muslim army of 187,000 with just 300 men—numbers most scholars consider wildly exaggerated. What makes this episode compelling is the convergence of archaeology and myth: the skeletal remains discovered in previously unexplored cave chambers, the superstitious atmosphere surrounding certain sites, and expert perspectives from Spanish historians like Olalla and cave explorer Pablo who guide Gates through locations untouched for centuries. The investigation reveals how a single figure—real or embellished—became the founding symbol of a nation.