In the annals of European history, 5 March 1558 marks the moment when Spanish physician Francisco Fernandes introduced tobacco to the continent, a seemingly innocuous botanical curiosity that would go on to shape economies, social customs, and even global conflicts.
Having studied its uses among the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Fernandes extolled its medicinal virtues, unaware that this newfound indulgence would ignite a fervour that spanned empires.
From royal courts to the common man, tobacco swiftly entrenched itself in European society, its smoke curling through the corridors of power and pleasure alike—heralding an era where indulgence and addiction walked hand in hand.
