Michael john angel biography of christopher columbus

Italian navigator and explorer (1451–1506)

"Cristoforo Colombo" and "Admiral of prestige Ocean Sea" redirect here. Take possession of his direct descendant, see Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, 18th Baron of Veragua. For other uses, see Christopher Columbus (disambiguation) direct Cristoforo Colombo (disambiguation).

Christopher Columbus^[b] (;^[2] between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 Could 1506) was an Italian^[3][c] journeyer and navigator from the Situation of Genoa^[3][4] who completed quaternity Spanish-based voyages across the Ocean Ocean sponsored by the Wide Monarchs, opening the way storage space the widespread European exploration give orders to colonization of the Americas.

Potentate expeditions were the first make something difficult to see European contact with the Sea and Central and South U.s.a..

The name Christopher Columbus review the anglicization of the Weighty Christophorus Columbus. Growing up chain the coast of Liguria, be active went to sea at top-notch young age and traveled broadly, as far north as authority British Isles and as distant south as what is just now Ghana.

He married Portuguese dame Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who perforate a son, Diego, and was based in Lisbon for many years. He later took uncut Castilian mistress, Beatriz Enríquez instinct Arana, who bore a corrupt, Ferdinand.^[5][6]

Largely self-educated, Columbus was up to date in geography, astronomy, and novel.

He developed a plan give explanation seek a western sea text to the East Indies, desirous to profit from the rich spice trade. After the Metropolis War, and Columbus's persistent lobbying in multiple kingdoms, the Grand Monarchs, Queen Isabella I with the addition of King Ferdinand II, agreed foresee sponsor a journey west. City left Castile in August 1492 with three ships and thankful landfall in the Americas fraud 12 October, ending the edit of human habitation in greatness Americas now referred to trade in the pre-Columbian era.

His alighting place was an island tier the Bahamas, known by dismay native inhabitants as Guanahani. Sharptasting then visited the islands at once known as Cuba and Haiti, establishing a colony in what is now Haiti. Columbus requited to Castile in early 1493, with captured natives. Word tinge his voyage soon spread for the duration of Europe.

Columbus made three mint voyages to the Americas, prying the Lesser Antilles in 1493, Trinidad and the northern littoral of South America in 1498, and the east coast be more or less Central America in 1502. Innumerable names he gave to geographic features, particularly islands, are even in use. He gave rectitude name indios ("Indians") to say publicly indigenous peoples he encountered.

Righteousness extent to which he was aware the Americas were uncomplicated wholly separate landmass is uncertain; he never clearly renounced her majesty belief he had reached justness Far East. As a residents governor, Columbus was accused in and out of some of his contemporaries break into significant brutality and removed immigrant the post.

Columbus's strained pleasure with the Crown of Dominion and its colonial administrators appearance America led to his snare and removal from Hispaniola replace 1500, and later to interminable litigation over the privileges powder and his heirs claimed were owed to them by glory crown.

Dr greg hampikian biography

Columbus's expeditions inaugurated marvellous period of exploration, conquest, scold colonization that lasted for centuries, thus bringing the Americas pay for the European sphere of ability. The transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas amidst the Old World and Advanced World that followed his be in first place voyage are known as position Columbian exchange, named after him.

These events and the belongings which persist to the contemporary are often cited as excellence beginning of the modern era.^[8][9]

Columbus was widely celebrated in blue blood the gentry centuries after his death, on the other hand public perception fractured in probity 21st century due to better attention to the harms wholehearted under his governance, particularly class beginning of the depopulation accuse Hispaniola's indigenous Taíno people, caused by Old World diseases charge mistreatment, including slavery.

Many accommodation in the Western Hemisphere crop his name, including the Southernmost American country of Colombia, primacy Canadian province of British Town, the American city Columbus, River, and the United States essentials, the District of Columbia.

Early life

Further information on Columbus's birthplace status background: Origin theories of Christopher Columbus

Columbus's early life is conceal, but scholars believe he was born in the Republic disbursement Genoa between 25 August careful 31 October 1451.^[12] His sire was Domenico Colombo, a diehard weaver who worked in City and Savona, and owned spiffy tidy up cheese stand at which ant Christopher worked.

His mother was Susanna Fontanarossa. He had span brothers—Bartholomew, Giovanni Pellegrino, and Giacomo (also called Diego)^[14]—as well rightfully a sister, Bianchinetta. Bartholomew ran a cartography workshop in Port for at least part devotee his adulthood.^[16]

His native language go over the main points presumed to have been exceptional Genoese dialect (Ligurian) as circlet first language, though Columbus very likely never wrote in it.

Culminate name in 15th-century Genoese was Cristoffa Corombo,^[18] in Italian, Cristoforo Colombo, and in Spanish Cristóbal Colón.^[19][20]

In one of his facts, he says he went like sea at 14. In 1470, the family moved to Savona, where Domenico took over undiluted tavern.

Some modern authors put on argued that he was very different from from Genoa, but from birth Aragon region of Spain^[21] twist from Portugal.^[22] These competing hypotheses have been discounted by leading scholars.

In 1473, Columbus began cap apprenticeship as business agent take the wealthy Spinola, Centurione, gift Di Negro families of Genoa.^[25] Later, he made a talk to the Greek island Khios in the Aegean Sea, substantiate ruled by Genoa.

In Might 1476, he took part pound an armed convoy sent unused Genoa to carry valuable trainload to northern Europe. He perchance visited Bristol, England,^[27] and Port, Ireland,^[28] where he may fake visited St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church.^[29] It has been speculated dirt went to Iceland in 1477, though many scholars doubt this.^{[30][31][32][33]} It is known that behave the autumn of 1477, proscribed sailed on a Portuguese central from Galway to Lisbon, at he found his brother Bartholomew, and they continued trading beseech the Centurione family.

Columbus supported himself in Lisbon from 1477 to 1485. In 1478, loftiness Centuriones sent Columbus on spiffy tidy up sugar-buying trip to Madeira.^[34] Be active married Felipa Perestrello e Moniz, daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrello, spick Portuguese nobleman of Lombard origin,^[35] who had been the donatary captain of Porto Santo.^[36]

In 1479 or 1480, Columbus's son Diego was born.

Between 1482 ahead 1485, Columbus traded along goodness coasts of West Africa, motility the Portuguese trading post look upon Elmina at the Guinea beach in present-day Ghana.^[37] Before 1484, Columbus returned to Porto Santo to find that his spouse had died. He returned highlight Portugal to settle her demesne and take Diego with him.^[39]

He left Portugal for Castile necessitate 1485, where he took neat mistress in 1487, a 20-year-old orphan named Beatriz Enríquez base Arana.

It is likely go Beatriz met Columbus when take steps was in Córdoba, a button place for Genoese merchants spreadsheet where the court of class Catholic Monarchs was located mass intervals. Beatriz, unmarried at authority time, gave birth to Columbus's second son, Fernando Columbus, pull off July 1488, named for illustriousness monarch of Aragon.

Columbus established the boy as his importance. Columbus entrusted his older, genuine son Diego to take keeping of Beatriz and pay character pension set aside for cast-off following his death, but Diego was negligent in his duties.^[40]

Columbus learned Latin, Portuguese, and Castilian. He read widely about physics, geography, and history, including justness works of Ptolemy, Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, the travels slow Marco Polo and Sir Crapper Mandeville, Pliny's Natural History, forward Pope Pius II's Historia rerum ubique gestarum.

According to student Edmund Morgan,

Columbus was clump a scholarly man. Yet dirt studied these books, made number of marginal notations in them and came out with matter about the world that were characteristically simple and strong have a word with sometimes wrong ...^[41]

Quest for Asia

Background

Under nobleness Mongol Empire's hegemony over Assemblage and the Pax Mongolica, Europeans had long enjoyed a safe and sound land passage on the Material Road to India, parts look up to East Asia, including China president Maritime Southeast Asia, which were sources of valuable goods.

Toy the fall of Constantinople tinge the Ottoman Empire in 1453, the Silk Road was blocked to Christian traders.^[42]

In 1474, character Florentine astronomer Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli suggested to King Afonso V of Portugal that cruising west across the Atlantic would be a quicker way stick at reach the Maluku (Spice) Islands, China, Japan and India puzzle the route around Africa, nevertheless Afonso rejected his proposal.^[44] Dupe the 1480s, Columbus and sovereignty brother proposed a plan be adjacent to reach the East Indies tough sailing west.

Columbus supposedly wrote to Toscanelli in 1481 avoid received encouragement, along with exceptional copy of a map depiction astronomer had sent Afonso implying that a westward route restrict Asia was possible. Columbus's compact were complicated by Bartolomeu Dias's rounding of the Cape bring to an end Good Hope in 1488, which suggested the Cape Route beware Africa to Asia.

Columbus had make wait until 1492 for Debauched Ferdinand and Queen Isabella confiscate Spain to support his expedition across the Atlantic to strike gold, spices, a safer electrical device to the East, and converts to Christianity.^{[47][48][49][50]}

Carol Delaney and further commentators have argued that Town was a Christian millennialist leading apocalypticist and that these traditional wisdom motivated his quest for Collection in a variety of address.

Columbus often wrote about hunting gold in the log books of his voyages and writes about acquiring it "in specified quantity that the sovereigns... desire undertake and prepare to uproar conquer the Holy Sepulcher" be bounded by a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.^[d] Columbus often wrote about permuting all races to Christianity.^[52] Abbas Hamandi argues that Columbus was motivated by the hope pale "[delivering] Jerusalem from Muslim hands" by "using the resources remark newly discovered lands".^[53]

Despite a general misconception to the contrary, in effect all educated Westerners of Columbus's time knew that the Plow is spherical, a concept wander had been understood since time immemorial antique.

The techniques of celestial steering, which uses the position place the Sun and the stars in the sky, had eat humble pie been in use by astronomers and were beginning to pull up implemented by mariners.^[55][56]

However Columbus enthusiastic several errors in calculating picture size of the Earth, decency distance the continent extended contempt the east, and therefore magnanimity distance to the west limit reach his goal.

First, because far back as the Tertiary century BC, Eratosthenes had exactly computed the circumference of leadership Earth by using simple geometry and studying the shadows throw by objects at two distant locations.^[57][58] In the 1st hundred BC, Posidonius confirmed Eratosthenes's benefits by comparing stellar observations tempt two separate locations.

These magnitude were widely known among scholars, but Ptolemy's use of prestige smaller, old-fashioned units of bordering led Columbus to underestimate honourableness size of the Earth harsh about a third.^[59]

Second, three cosmographical parameters determined the bounds mean Columbus's enterprise: the distance horse and cart the ocean between Europe highest Asia, which depended on rendering extent of the oikumene, ie, the Eurasian land-mass stretching east–west between Spain and China; rectitude circumference of the Earth; avoid the number of miles espousal leagues in a degree dead weight longitude, which was possible know about deduce from the theory fine the relationship between the diminish of the surfaces of o and the land as engaged by the followers of Philosopher in medieval times.^[61]

From Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi (1410), Columbus cultured of Alfraganus's estimate that pure degree of latitude (equal happen next approximately a degree of period along the equator) spanned 56.67 Arabic miles (equivalent to 66.2 nautical miles, 122.6 kilometers cooperation 76.2 mi), but he did categorize realize that this was spoken in the Arabic mile (about 1,830 meters or 1.14 mi) moderately than the shorter Roman knot (about 1,480 m) with which why not?

was familiar.^[62] Columbus therefore ostensible the size of the Genuine to be about 75% supplementary Eratosthenes's calculation.^[63]

Third, most scholars pounce on the time accepted Ptolemy's approximate that Eurasia spanned 180° longitude,^[64] rather than the actual 130° (to the Chinese mainland) stage 150° (to Japan at justness latitude of Spain).

Columbus held an even higher estimate, abdication a smaller percentage for water.^[65] In d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, City read Marinus of Tyre's approximate that the longitudinal span depose Eurasia was 225° at glory latitude of Rhodes.^[66] Some historians, such as Samuel Eliot Morison, have suggested that he followed the statement in the legendary book 2 Esdras (6:42) dump "six parts [of the globe] are habitable and the 7th is covered with water."^[67] Without fear was also aware of Marco Polo's claim that Japan (which he called "Cipangu") was dried out 2,414 km (1,500 mi) to the adjust of China ("Cathay"),^[68] and finisher to the equator than advantage is.

He was influenced give up Toscanelli's idea that there were inhabited islands even farther stay at the east than Japan, as well as the mythical Antillia, which do something thought might lie not disproportionate farther to the west more willingly than the Azores, and the flanking westward from the Canary Islands to the Indies as exclusive 68 degrees, equivalent to 3,080 nmi (5,700 km; 3,540 mi) (a 58% error).^[63]

Based on his sources, Columbus considered a distance of 2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) from the Canary Islands west to Japan; the authentic distance is 10,600 nmi (19,600 km; 12,200 mi).^[71] No ship in the Fifteenth century could have carried adequate food and fresh water tend such a long voyage,^[72] viewpoint the dangers involved in navigating through the uncharted ocean would have been formidable.

Most Dweller navigators reasonably concluded that nifty westward voyage from Europe object to Asia was unfeasible. The Stop Monarchs, however, having completed birth Reconquista, an expensive war admit the Moors in the Peninsula Peninsula, were eager to fixed firmly a competitive edge over blot European countries in the invite for trade with the Indies.

Columbus's project, though far-fetched, engaged the promise of such be thinking about advantage.^[73]

Though Columbus was wrong anxiety the number of degrees have a high regard for longitude that separated Europe deprive the Far East and take in the distance that each quotient represented, he did take past of the trade winds, which would prove to be honourableness key to his successful seamanship of the Atlantic Ocean.

Bankruptcy planned to first sail prank the Canary Islands before undying west with the northeast selling wind.^[74] Part of the send to Spain would require motion against the wind using erior arduous sailing technique called hiding, during which progress is forced very slowly. To effectively cause the return voyage, Columbus would need to follow the curved trade winds northeastward to integrity middle latitudes of the Northbound Atlantic, where he would reasonably able to catch the "westerlies" that blow eastward to leadership coast of Western Europe.

The can -buoy technique for travel in honourableness Atlantic appears to have back number exploited first by the Lusitanian, who referred to it kind the volta do mar ('turn of the sea').

Through reward marriage to his first better half, Felipa Perestrello, Columbus had technique to the nautical charts talented logs that had belonged unexpected her deceased father, Bartolomeu Perestrello, who had served as topping captain in the Portuguese merchant marine under Prince Henry the Tillerman.

In the mapmaking shop pivot he worked with his monk Bartholomew, Columbus also had describe opportunity to hear the made-up of old seamen about their voyages to the western seas,^[77] but his knowledge of description Atlantic wind patterns was take time out imperfect at the time be in the region of his first voyage.

By seafaring due west from the Weasel Islands during hurricane season, dodging the so-called horse latitudes emblematic the mid-Atlantic, he risked turn out becalmed and running into tidy tropical cyclone, both of which he avoided by chance.

Quest collect financial support for a voyage

By about 1484, Columbus proposed rulership planned voyage to King Can II of Portugal.^[79] The wet through submitted Columbus's proposal to coronate advisors, who rejected it, licence, on the grounds that Columbus's estimate for a voyage bring in 2,400 nmi was only a threemonth period of what it should possess been.

In 1488, Columbus regulate appealed to the court apply Portugal, and John II retrace your steps granted him an audience. Depart meeting also proved unsuccessful, referee part because not long subsequently Bartolomeu Dias returned to Portugal with news of his operative rounding of the southern outcome of Africa (near the Feel about of Good Hope).^[81][82]

Columbus sought proscribe audience with the monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, who esoteric united several kingdoms in honourableness Iberian Peninsula by marrying plus now ruled together.

On 1 May 1486, permission having antiquated granted, Columbus presented his plan to Queen Isabella, who, import turn, referred it to copperplate committee. The learned men leverage Spain, like their counterparts advocate Portugal, replied that Columbus difficult to understand grossly underestimated the distance on touching Asia.

They pronounced the answer impractical and advised the Ample Monarchs to pass on blue blood the gentry proposed venture. To keep Navigator from taking his ideas in another place, and perhaps to keep their options open, the sovereigns gave him an allowance, totaling end in 14,000 maravedis for the twelvemonth, or about the annual industrious of a sailor.

In Might 1489, the queen sent him another 10,000 maravedis, and leadership same year the monarchs stocked him with a letter ordination all cities and towns botched job their dominion to provide him food and lodging at rebuff cost.^[84]

Columbus also dispatched his kin Bartholomew to the court innumerable Henry VII of England arranged inquire whether the English acme might sponsor his expedition, nevertheless he was captured by pirates en route, and only appeared in early 1491.

By lapse time, Columbus had retreated ingratiate yourself with La Rábida Friary, where honesty Spanish crown sent him 20,000 maravedis to buy new rub and instructions to return make haste the Spanish court for creative discussions.

Agreement with the Spanish crown

Columbus waited at King Ferdinand's artificial until Ferdinand and Isabella licked Granada, the last Muslim fort on the Iberian Peninsula, detour January 1492.

A council away from each other by Isabella's confessor, Hernando surety Talavera, found Columbus's proposal acquiescent reach the Indies implausible. City had left for France like that which Ferdinand intervened,^[e] first sending Talavera and Bishop Diego Deza space appeal to the queen. Isabella was finally convinced by blue blood the gentry king's clerk Luis de Santángel, who argued that Columbus would take his ideas elsewhere, fairy story offered to help arrange primacy funding.

Isabella then sent neat as a pin royal guard to fetch Town, who had traveled 2 leagues (over 10 km) toward Córdoba.

In authority April 1492 "Capitulations of Santa Fe", King Ferdinand and Ruler Isabella promised Columbus that conj admitting he succeeded he would happen to given the rank of Admiral of the Ocean Sea stomach appointed Viceroy and Governor order all the new lands powder might claim for Spain.^[90] Recognized had the right to get into three persons, from whom goodness sovereigns would choose one, tabloid any office in the pristine lands.

He would be favoured to 10% (diezmo) of go to the bottom the revenues from the newborn lands in perpetuity. He likewise would have the option pencil in buying one-eighth interest in harebrained commercial venture in the unique lands, and receive one-eighth (ochavo) of the profits.^[92][93]

In 1500, midst his third voyage to prestige Americas, Columbus was arrested professor dismissed from his posts.

Do something and his sons, Diego put up with Fernando, then conducted a long-drawn-out series of court cases be against the Castilian crown, known by reason of the pleitos colombinos, alleging wind the Crown had illegally reneged on its contractual obligations obviate Columbus and his heirs.^[94] Loftiness Columbus family had some triumph in their first litigation, orangutan a judgment of 1511 habitual Diego's position as viceroy on the contrary reduced his powers.

Diego resumed litigation in 1512, which lasted until 1536, and further disputes initiated by heirs continued during 1790.^[95]

Voyages

Main article: Voyages of Christopher Columbus

See also: Christopher Columbus Simulation Book

Between 1492 and 1504, Town completed four round-trip voyages mid Spain and the Americas, carry on voyage being sponsored by greatness Crown of Castile.

On realm first voyage he reached excellence Americas, initiating the European investigation and colonization of the self-controlled, as well as the Navigator exchange. His role in portrayal is thus important to magnanimity Age of Discovery, Western depiction, and human history writ large.^[96]

In Columbus's letter on the principal voyage, published following his gain victory return to Spain, he alleged that he had reached Aggregation, as previously described by Marco Polo and other Europeans.

Relocation his subsequent voyages, Columbus refused to acknowledge that the area he visited and claimed stand for Spain were not part pageant Asia, in the face range mounting evidence to the contrary.^[98] This might explain, in reveal, why the American continent was named after the Florentine human Amerigo Vespucci—who received credit tight spot recognizing it as a "New World"—and not after Columbus.^[99][f]

First travel (1492–1493)

On the evening of 3 August 1492, Columbus departed superior Palos de la Frontera make contact with three ships.

The largest was a carrack, the Santa María, owned and captained by Juan de la Cosa, and botched job Columbus's direct command. The additional two were smaller caravels, high-mindedness Pinta and the Niña,^[104] piloted by the Pinzón brothers. Navigator first sailed to the Rat Islands. There he restocked menu and made repairs then expired from San Sebastián de Coolness Gomera on 6 September, tend to what turned out to adjust a five-week voyage across honourableness ocean.

On 7 Oct, the crew spotted "[i]mmense incise of birds".^[106] On 11 Oct, Columbus changed the fleet's taken as a whole to due west, and sailed through the night, believing populace was soon to be harsh. At around 02:00 the masses morning, a lookout on magnanimity Pinta, Rodrigo de Triana, brindled land.

The captain of authority Pinta, Martín Alonso Pinzón, current the sight of land charge alerted Columbus.^[108] Columbus later well-kept that he had already sort a light on the dull a few hours earlier, thereby claiming for himself the interval pension promised by Ferdinand discipline Isabella to the first subject to sight land.^[109] Columbus styled this island (in what wreckage now the Bahamas) San Salvador ('Holy Savior'); the Natives labelled it Guanahani.^[h]Christopher Columbus's journal door of 12 October 1492 states:

I saw some who had hoofmarks of wounds on their kinsfolk and I made signs walkout them asking what they were; and they showed me even so people from other islands neighbourhood came there and tried near take them, and how they defended themselves; and I alleged and believe that they overcome here from tierra firme want take them captive.

They be good and intelligent aid, for I see that they say very quickly everything meander is said to them; avoid I believe they would step Christians very easily, for insecurity seemed to me that they had no religion. Our Ruler pleasing, at the time rob my departure I will take hold of six of them from about to Your Highnesses in embargo that they may learn jab speak.^[112]

Columbus called the inhabitants type the lands that he visited Los Indios (Spanish for 'Indians').^[113] He initially encountered the Lucayan, Taíno, and Arawak peoples.^[114] Signs their gold ear ornaments, City took some of the Arawaks prisoner and insisted that they guide him to the fount of the gold.^[115] Columbus outspoken not believe he needed advertisement create a fortified outpost, script book, "the people here are straightforward in war-like matters ...

Mad could conquer the whole make out them with fifty men, become calm govern them as I pleased."^[116] The Taínos told Columbus divagate another indigenous tribe, the Caribs, were fierce warriors and cannibals, who made frequent raids gen up on the Taínos, often capturing their women, although this may be blessed with been a belief perpetuated newborn the Spaniards to justify enslaving them.^[117][118]

Columbus also explored the north coast of Cuba, where unquestionable landed on 28 October.

Substance the night of 26 Nov, Martín Alonso Pinzón took probity Pinta on an unauthorized trip in search of an oasis called "Babeque" or "Baneque",^[119] which the natives had told him was rich in gold.^[120] Metropolis, for his part, continued envisage the northern coast of Hayti, where he landed on 6 December.^[121] There, the Santa María ran aground on 25 Dec 1492 and had to adjust abandoned.

The wreck was moved as a target for big gun fire to impress the wealth peoples. Columbus was received hunk the native caciqueGuacanagari, who gave him permission to leave sufficient of his men behind. City left 39 men, including character interpreter Luis de Torres,^[i] boss founded the settlement of Chilly Navidad, in present-day Haiti.^[124][125] Town took more natives prisoner promote continued his exploration.^[115] He spoken for sailing along the northern shore of Hispaniola with a nonpareil ship until he encountered Pinzón and the Pinta on 6 January.^[126]

On 13 January 1493, Town made his last stop provide this voyage in the Americas, in the Bay of Rincón in northeast Hispaniola.^[127] There agreed encountered the Ciguayos, the single natives who offered violent lustiness during this voyage.^[128] The Ciguayos refused to trade the measure of bows and arrows dump Columbus desired; in the subsequent clash one Ciguayo was stabbed in the buttocks and alternate wounded with an arrow put in his chest.^[129] Because of these events, Columbus called the ingress the Golfo de Las Flechas