A History of the World in 100 Objects: The Mechanical Galleon

Director of the British Museum Neil MacGregor retells the history of human development using 100 selected objects from the Museum. A small clockwork version of the type of galleon that the Spanish sent against England in the Armada. This one was made for a grand dinner table - it could move, make music, tell the time and fire tiny cannons. Neil discusses the significance of this new breed of sailing ships and describes the political state that this galleon symbolises - the Holy Roman Empire