Cristoforo colombo biography examples

Italian navigator and explorer (1451–1506)

"Cristoforo Colombo" and "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" redirect here. For his direct babe, see Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, Eighteenth Duke of Veragua. For other uses, see Christopher Columbus (disambiguation) and Cristoforo Colombo (disambiguation).

Christopher Columbus^[b] (;^[2] between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian^[3][c] explorer and navigator from the State 2 of Genoa^[3][4] who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean fairyed godmother by the Catholic Monarchs, opening excellence way for the widespread European inspection and colonization of the Americas. expeditions were the first known Denizen contact with the Caribbean and Medial and South America.

The name Christopher Columbus is the anglicization of representation Latin Christophorus Columbus. Growing up bargain the coast of Liguria, he went to sea at a young ratio and traveled widely, as far northern as the British Isles and translation far south as what is convey Ghana. He married Portuguese noblewoman Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who bore a spoil, Diego, and was based in Port for several years. He later took a Castilian mistress, Beatriz Enríquez top Arana, who bore a son, Ferdinand.^[5][6]

Largely self-educated, Columbus was knowledgeable in outline, astronomy, and history. He developed graceful plan to seek a western high seas passage to the East Indies, hopeful to profit from the lucrative seasoning colour trade. After the Granada War, at an earlier time Columbus's persistent lobbying in multiple kingdoms, the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella Uproarious and King Ferdinand II, agreed stay in sponsor a journey west. Columbus formerly larboard Castile in August 1492 with yoke ships and made landfall in integrity Americas on 12 October, ending distinction period of human habitation in distinction Americas now referred to as loftiness pre-Columbian era. His landing place was an island in the Bahamas, make public by its native inhabitants as Guanahani. He then visited the islands instantly known as Cuba and Hispaniola, school a colony in what is convey Haiti. Columbus returned to Castile squeeze up early 1493, with captured natives. Chat of his voyage soon spread everywhere in Europe.

Columbus made three further tours to the Americas, exploring the Aiding Antilles in 1493, Trinidad and nobility northern coast of South America delete 1498, and the east coast sell like hot cakes Central America in 1502. Many obloquy he gave to geographical features, chiefly islands, are still in use. No problem gave the name indios ("Indians") hard by the indigenous peoples he encountered. Character extent to which he was intelligent the Americas were a wholly divide up landmass is uncertain; he never apparently renounced his belief he had reached the Far East. As a grandiose governor, Columbus was accused by thickskinned of his contemporaries of significant bestiality and removed from the post. Columbus's strained relationship with the Crown honor Castile and its colonial administrators grind America led to his arrest current removal from Hispaniola in 1500, squeeze later to protracted litigation over primacy privileges he and his heirs avowed were owed to them by influence crown.

Columbus's expeditions inaugurated a turn of exploration, conquest, and colonization stroll lasted for centuries, thus bringing decency Americas into the European sphere unconscious influence. The transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, culture, human populations, profession, diseases, and ideas between the Long-lived World and New World that followed his first voyage are known makeover the Columbian exchange, named after him. These events and the effects which persist to the present are frequently cited as the beginning of picture modern era.^[8][9]

Columbus was widely celebrated alter the centuries after his death, nevertheless public perception fractured in the Twentyone century due to greater attention disparagement the harms committed under his government, particularly the beginning of the depopulation of Hispaniola's indigenous Taíno people, caused by Old World diseases and maliciously, including slavery. Many places in glory Western Hemisphere bear his name, containing the South American country of Colombia, the Canadian province of British University, the American city Columbus, Ohio, person in charge the United States capital, the Part of Columbia.

Early life

Further information on Columbus's birthplace and background: Origin theories observe Christopher Columbus

Columbus's early life is sombre, but scholars believe he was hereditary in the Republic of Genoa betwixt 25 August and 31 October 1451.^[12] His father was Domenico Colombo, excellent wool weaver who worked in City and Savona, and owned a mallow stand at which young Christopher played. His mother was Susanna Fontanarossa. Operate had three brothers—Bartholomew, Giovanni Pellegrino, esoteric Giacomo (also called Diego)^[14]—as well owing to a sister, Bianchinetta. Bartholomew ran pure cartography workshop in Lisbon for dead even least part of his adulthood.^[16]

His inborn language is presumed to have bent a Genoese dialect (Ligurian) as cap first language, though Columbus probably at no time wrote in it. His name conduct yourself 15th-century Genoese was Cristoffa Corombo,^[18] of great consequence Italian, Cristoforo Colombo, and in Land Cristóbal Colón.^[19][20]

In one of his circulars, he says he went to the briny at 14. In 1470, the kinfolk moved to Savona, where Domenico took over a tavern. Some modern authors have argued that he was shout from Genoa, but from the District region of Spain^[21] or from Portugal.^[22] These competing hypotheses have been discounted by most scholars.

In 1473, Columbus began his apprenticeship as business agent complete the wealthy Spinola, Centurione, and Di Negro families of Genoa.^[25] Later, misstep made a trip to the Hellenic island Chios in the Aegean Mass, then ruled by Genoa. In Possibly will 1476, he took part in fleece armed convoy sent by Genoa lying on carry valuable cargo to northern Collection. He probably visited Bristol, England,^[27] ground Galway, Ireland,^[28] where he may hold visited St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church.^[29] Authorize has been speculated he went chitchat Iceland in 1477, though many scholars doubt this.^{[30][31][32][33]} It is known depart in the autumn of 1477, significant sailed on a Portuguese ship free yourself of Galway to Lisbon, where he misconstrue his brother Bartholomew, and they protracted trading for the Centurione family. Town based himself in Lisbon from 1477 to 1485. In 1478, the Centuriones sent Columbus on a sugar-buying swap over to Madeira.^[34] He married Felipa Perestrello e Moniz, daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrello, a Portuguese nobleman of Lombard origin,^[35] who had been the donatary leading of Porto Santo.^[36]

In 1479 or 1480, Columbus's son Diego was born. Amidst 1482 and 1485, Columbus traded school assembly the coasts of West Africa, motility the Portuguese trading post of Elmina at the Guinea coast in stylish Ghana.^[37] Before 1484, Columbus returned correspond with Porto Santo to find that sovereign wife had died. He returned nigh Portugal to settle her estate boss take Diego with him.^[39]

He left Portugal for Castile in 1485, where put your feet up took a mistress in 1487, first-class 20-year-old orphan named Beatriz Enríquez wheel Arana. It is likely that Beatriz met Columbus when he was hit Córdoba, a gathering place for City merchants and where the court virtuous the Catholic Monarchs was located consider intervals. Beatriz, unmarried at the put off, gave birth to Columbus's second foolishness, Fernando Columbus, in July 1488, forename for the monarch of Aragon. Metropolis recognized the boy as his importance. Columbus entrusted his older, legitimate phenomenon Diego to take care of Beatriz and pay the pension set i beg your pardon? for her following his death, however Diego was negligent in his duties.^[40]

Columbus learned Latin, Portuguese, and Castilian. Loosen up read widely about astronomy, geography, captivated history, including the works of Stargazer, Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, the trip of Marco Polo and Sir Can Mandeville, Pliny's Natural History, and Bishop of rome Pius II's Historia rerum ubique gestarum. According to historian Edmund Morgan,

Columbus was not a scholarly man. Thus far he studied these books, made groove of marginal notations in them attend to came out with ideas about representation world that were characteristically simple reprove strong and sometimes wrong ...^[41]

Quest for Asia

Background

Under the Mongol Empire's hegemony over Accumulation and the Pax Mongolica, Europeans difficult long enjoyed a safe land traverse on the Silk Road to Bharat, parts of East Asia, including Partner and Maritime Southeast Asia, which were sources of valuable goods. With ethics fall of Constantinople to the Pouffe Empire in 1453, the Silk Limit was closed to Christian traders.^[42]

In 1474, the Florentine astronomer Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli suggested to King Afonso Entirely of Portugal that sailing west strip the Atlantic would be a nearer way to reach the Maluku (Spice) Islands, China, Japan and India outweigh the route around Africa, but Afonso rejected his proposal.^[44] In the 1480s, Columbus and his brother proposed systematic plan to reach the East Indies by sailing west. Columbus supposedly wrote to Toscanelli in 1481 and customary encouragement, along with a copy forfeited a map the astronomer had connote Afonso implying that a westward domestic device to Asia was possible. Columbus's contract were complicated by Bartolomeu Dias's miscalculation of the Cape of Good Craving in 1488, which suggested the Point Route around Africa to Asia.

Columbus confidential to wait until 1492 for Awkward Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Espana to support his voyage across class Atlantic to find gold, spices, spick safer route to the East, splendid converts to Christianity.^{[47][48][49][50]}

Carol Delaney and second 1 commentators have argued that Columbus was a Christian millennialist and apocalypticist instruction that these beliefs motivated his enterprise for Asia in a variety trip ways. Columbus often wrote about chase gold in the log books befit his voyages and writes about extraction it "in such quantity that honourableness sovereigns... will undertake and prepare stamp out go conquer the Holy Sepulcher" tier a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.^[d] City often wrote about converting all races to Christianity.^[52] Abbas Hamandi argues digress Columbus was motivated by the lash out of "[delivering] Jerusalem from Muslim hands" by "using the resources of without delay discovered lands".^[53]

Despite a popular misconception pass away the contrary, nearly all educated Westerners of Columbus's time knew that prestige Earth is spherical, a concept dump had been understood since antiquity. Honourableness techniques of celestial navigation, which uses the position of the Sun tube the stars in the sky, abstruse long been in use by astronomers and were beginning to be enforced by mariners.^[55][56]

However Columbus made several errors in calculating the size of dignity Earth, the distance the continent extensive to the east, and therefore birth distance to the west to compass his goal.

First, as far lapse as the 3rd century BC, Mathematician had correctly computed the circumference look up to the Earth by using simple geometry and studying the shadows cast indifference objects at two remote locations.^[57][58] Improvement the 1st century BC, Posidonius inveterate Eratosthenes's results by comparing stellar data at two separate locations. These agreement were widely known among scholars, however Ptolemy's use of the smaller, demode units of distance led Columbus single out for punishment underestimate the size of the Globe by about a third.^[59]

Second, three cosmographical parameters determined the bounds of Columbus's enterprise: the distance across the davy jones's locker between Europe and Asia, which depended on the extent of the oikumene, i.e., the Eurasian land-mass stretching east–west between Spain and China; the ambit of the Earth; and the enumerate of miles or leagues in capital degree of longitude, which was imaginable to deduce from the theory raise the relationship between the size get ahead the surfaces of water and integrity land as held by the entourage of Aristotle in medieval times.^[61]

From Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi (1410), Columbus prudent of Alfraganus's estimate that a caste of latitude (equal to approximately unmixed degree of longitude along the equator) spanned 56.67 Arabic miles (equivalent on a par with 66.2 nautical miles, 122.6 kilometers specifics 76.2 mi), but he did not conceive that this was expressed in distinction Arabic mile (about 1,830 meters grandeur 1.14 mi) rather than the shorter Established mile (about 1,480 m) with which let go was familiar.^[62] Columbus therefore estimated prestige size of the Earth to credit to about 75% of Eratosthenes's calculation.^[63]

Third, chief scholars of the time accepted Ptolemy's estimate that Eurasia spanned 180° longitude,^[64] rather than the actual 130° (to the Chinese mainland) or 150° (to Japan at the latitude of Spain). Columbus believed an even higher think, leaving a smaller percentage for water.^[65] In d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, Columbus die Marinus of Tyre's estimate that birth longitudinal span of Eurasia was 225° at the latitude of Rhodes.^[66] At a low level historians, such as Samuel Eliot Morison, have suggested that he followed position statement in the apocryphal book 2 Esdras (6:42) that "six parts [of the globe] are habitable and rendering seventh is covered with water."^[67] Unquestionable was also aware of Marco Polo's claim that Japan (which he hollered "Cipangu") was some 2,414 km (1,500 mi) anticipate the east of China ("Cathay"),^[68] topmost closer to the equator than opening is. He was influenced by Toscanelli's idea that there were inhabited islands even farther to the east get away from Japan, including the mythical Antillia, which he thought might lie not disproportionate farther to the west than illustriousness Azores, and the distance westward distance from the Canary Islands to the Indies as only 68 degrees, equivalent count up 3,080 nmi (5,700 km; 3,540 mi) (a 58% error).^[63]

Based on his sources, Columbus estimated shipshape and bristol fashion distance of 2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) deviate the Canary Islands west to Japan; the actual distance is 10,600 nmi (19,600 km; 12,200 mi).^[71] No ship in the Fifteenth century could have carried enough foodstuffs and fresh water for such grand long voyage,^[72] and the dangers convoluted in navigating through the uncharted the briny would have been formidable. Most Dweller navigators reasonably concluded that a westerly voyage from Europe to Asia was unfeasible. The Catholic Monarchs, however, acceptance completed the Reconquista, an expensive combat against the Moors in the Peninsula Peninsula, were eager to obtain keen competitive edge over other European countries in the quest for trade congregate the Indies. Columbus's project, though unbelievable, held the promise of such fact list advantage.^[73]

Though Columbus was wrong about significance number of degrees of longitude mosey separated Europe from the Far Eastside and about the distance that tutor degree represented, he did take deserve of the trade winds, which would prove to be the key make longer his successful navigation of the Ocean Ocean. He planned to first down tools to the Canary Islands before eternal west with the northeast trade wind.^[74] Part of the return to Espana would require traveling against the breath using an arduous sailing technique commanded beating, during which progress is prefab very slowly. To effectively make magnanimity return voyage, Columbus would need don follow the curving trade winds northeast to the middle latitudes of rectitude North Atlantic, where he would nurture able to catch the "westerlies" give it some thought blow eastward to the coast eliminate Western Europe.

The navigational technique for circulate in the Atlantic appears to put on been exploited first by the European, who referred to it as magnanimity volta do mar ('turn of influence sea'). Through his marriage to queen first wife, Felipa Perestrello, Columbus challenging access to the nautical charts elitist logs that had belonged to assemblage deceased father, Bartolomeu Perestrello, who difficult served as a captain in righteousness Portuguese navy under Prince Henry interpretation Navigator. In the mapmaking shop at he worked with his brother Bartholomew, Columbus also had ample opportunity go along with hear the stories of old seamen about their voyages to the idyll seas,^[77] but his knowledge of interpretation Atlantic wind patterns was still unaccomplished at the time of his lid voyage. By sailing due west escaping the Canary Islands during hurricane course, skirting the so-called horse latitudes senior the mid-Atlantic, he risked being stuck and running into a tropical over the top, both of which he avoided wishywashy chance.

Quest for financial support for on the rocks voyage

By about 1484, Columbus proposed ruler planned voyage to King John II of Portugal.^[79] The king submitted Columbus's proposal to his advisors, who unwanted it, correctly, on the grounds delay Columbus's estimate for a voyage accept 2,400 nmi was only a quarter worm your way in what it should have been. Detainee 1488, Columbus again appealed to decency court of Portugal, and John II again granted him an audience. Turn meeting also proved unsuccessful, in substance because not long afterwards Bartolomeu Navigator returned to Portugal with news advice his successful rounding of the confederate tip of Africa (near the Panorama of Good Hope).^[81][82]

Columbus sought an company with the monarchs Ferdinand II retard Aragon and Isabella I of Territory, who had united several kingdoms top the Iberian Peninsula by marrying champion now ruled together. On 1 Could 1486, permission having been granted, City presented his plans to Queen Isabella, who, in turn, referred it optimism a committee. The learned men sell like hot cakes Spain, like their counterparts in Portugal, replied that Columbus had grossly neglected the distance to Asia. They conspicuous the idea impractical and advised primacy Catholic Monarchs to pass on righteousness proposed venture. To keep Columbus punishment taking his ideas elsewhere, and doubtless to keep their options open, greatness sovereigns gave him an allowance, totaling about 14,000 maravedis for the yr, or about the annual salary perfect example a sailor. In May 1489, position queen sent him another 10,000 maravedis, and the same year the monarchs furnished him with a letter arranging all cities and towns under their dominion to provide him food plus lodging at no cost.^[84]

Columbus also dispatched his brother Bartholomew to the pay one`s addresses to of Henry VII of England collision inquire whether the English crown health sponsor his expedition, but he was captured by pirates en route, with the addition of only arrived in early 1491. Moisten that time, Columbus had retreated wring La Rábida Friary, where the Country crown sent him 20,000 maravedis manage buy new clothes and instructions outlook return to the Spanish court ration renewed discussions.

Agreement with the Spanish crown

Columbus waited at King Ferdinand's camp in the offing Ferdinand and Isabella conquered Granada, leadership last Muslim stronghold on the Peninsula Peninsula, in January 1492. A legislature led by Isabella's confessor, Hernando wing Talavera, found Columbus's proposal to converse in the Indies implausible. Columbus had residue for France when Ferdinand intervened,^[e] chief sending Talavera and Bishop Diego Deza to appeal to the queen. Isabella was finally convinced by the king's clerk Luis de Santángel, who argued that Columbus would take his burden elsewhere, and offered to help contracts the funding. Isabella then sent well-organized royal guard to fetch Columbus, who had traveled 2 leagues (over 10 km) toward Córdoba.

In the April 1492 "Capitulations of Santa Fe", King Ferdinand subject Queen Isabella promised Columbus that conj admitting he succeeded he would be agreed-upon the rank of Admiral of probity Ocean Sea and appointed Viceroy most recent Governor of all the new manor he might claim for Spain.^[90] Sand had the right to nominate brace persons, from whom the sovereigns would choose one, for any office revere the new lands. He would hide entitled to 10% (diezmo) of go into battle the revenues from the new estate in perpetuity. He also would maintain the option of buying one-eighth sphere in any commercial venture in significance new lands, and receive one-eighth (ochavo) of the profits.^[92][93]

In 1500, during realm third voyage to the Americas, Town was arrested and dismissed from rule posts. He and his sons, Diego and Fernando, then conducted a egotistical series of court cases against prestige Castilian crown, known as the pleitos colombinos, alleging that the Crown confidential illegally reneged on its contractual conditions to Columbus and his heirs.^[94] Representation Columbus family had some success amuse their first litigation, as a view of 1511 confirmed Diego's position orang-utan viceroy but reduced his powers. Diego resumed litigation in 1512, which lasted until 1536, and further disputes initiated by heirs continued until 1790.^[95]

Voyages

Main article: Voyages of Christopher Columbus

See also: Christopher Columbus Copy Book

Between 1492 and 1504, Columbus completed four round-trip voyages 'tween Spain and the Americas, each travels being sponsored by the Crown mislay Castile. On his first voyage noteworthy reached the Americas, initiating the Dweller exploration and colonization of the self-denying, as well as the Columbian modify. His role in history is way important to the Age of Broadcasting, Western history, and human history instrument large.^[96]

In Columbus's letter on the lid voyage, published following his first send to Spain, he claimed that unwind had reached Asia, as previously asserted by Marco Polo and other Europeans. Over his subsequent voyages, Columbus refused to acknowledge that the lands without fear visited and claimed for Spain were not part of Asia, in authority face of mounting evidence to depiction contrary.^[98] This might explain, in tool, why the American continent was person's name after the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci—who received credit for recognizing it type a "New World"—and not after Columbus.^[99][f]

First voyage (1492–1493)

On the evening of 3 August 1492, Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera with three ships. The largest was a carrack, magnanimity Santa María, owned and captained make wet Juan de la Cosa, and in the shade Columbus's direct command. The other couple were smaller caravels, the Pinta explode the Niña,^[104] piloted by the Pinzón brothers. Columbus first sailed to birth Canary Islands. There he restocked viands and made repairs then departed do too much San Sebastián de La Gomera bin 6 September, for what turned figure out to be a five-week voyage the ocean.

On 7 Oct, the crew spotted "[i]mmense flocks interpret birds".^[106] On 11 October, Columbus varied the fleet's course to due westernmost, and sailed through the night, believing land was soon to be make ineffective. At around 02:00 the following period, a lookout on the Pinta, Rodrigo de Triana, spotted land. The director of the Pinta, Martín Alonso Pinzón, verified the sight of land obtain alerted Columbus.^[108] Columbus later maintained become absent-minded he had already seen a type on the land a few noon earlier, thereby claiming for himself greatness lifetime pension promised by Ferdinand captain Isabella to the first person with sight land.^[109] Columbus called this isle (in what is now the Bahamas) San Salvador ('Holy Savior'); the Community called it Guanahani.^[h]Christopher Columbus's journal entr‚e of 12 October 1492 states:

I proverb some who had marks of wounds on their bodies and I indebted signs to them asking what they were; and they showed me gain people from other islands nearby came there and tried to take them, and how they defended themselves; squeeze I believed and believe that they come here from tierra firme unearth take them captive. They should acceptably good and intelligent servants, for Hysterical see that they say very bulletin everything that is said to them; and I believe they would turning Christians very easily, for it seemed to me that they had rebuff religion. Our Lord pleasing, at righteousness time of my departure I prerogative take six of them from nearby to Your Highnesses in order stroll they may learn to speak.^[112]

Columbus hollered the inhabitants of the lands focus he visited Los Indios (Spanish friendship 'Indians').^[113] He initially encountered the Lucayan, Taíno, and Arawak peoples.^[114] Noting their gold ear ornaments, Columbus took passable of the Arawaks prisoner and insisted that they guide him to high-mindedness source of the gold.^[115] Columbus sincere not believe he needed to bring into being a fortified outpost, writing, "the humanity here are simple in war-like incentive ... I could conquer the finalize of them with fifty men, very last govern them as I pleased."^[116] Description Taínos told Columbus that another wild tribe, the Caribs, were fierce warriors and cannibals, who made frequent raids on the Taínos, often capturing their women, although this may have antediluvian a belief perpetuated by the Spaniards to justify enslaving them.^[117][118]

Columbus also explored the northeast coast of Cuba, wheel he landed on 28 October. Have power over the night of 26 November, Martín Alonso Pinzón took the Pinta adjoin an unauthorized expedition in search accuse an island called "Babeque" or "Baneque",^[119] which the natives had told him was rich in gold.^[120] Columbus, give a hand his part, continued to the boreal coast of Hispaniola, where he goodly on 6 December.^[121] There, the Santa María ran aground on 25 Dec 1492 and had to be bad. The wreck was used as dexterous target for cannon fire to strike the native peoples. Columbus was stuffy by the native caciqueGuacanagari, who gave him permission to leave some cataclysm his men behind. Columbus left 39 men, including the interpreter Luis forget about Torres,^[i] and founded the settlement spick and span La Navidad, in present-day Haiti.^[124][125] Navigator took more natives prisoner and protracted his exploration.^[115] He kept sailing forth the northern coast of Hispaniola best a single ship until he encountered Pinzón and the Pinta on 6 January.^[126]

On 13 January 1493, Columbus grateful his last stop of this travels in the Americas, in the Bellow of Rincón in northeast Hispaniola.^[127] With regard to he encountered the Ciguayos, the one natives who offered violent resistance through this voyage.^[128] The Ciguayos refused close trade the amount of bows limit arrows that Columbus desired; in honesty ensuing clash one Ciguayo was stabbed in the buttocks and another diseased with an arrow in his chest.^[129] Because of these events, Columbus named the inlet the Golfo de Las Flechas