Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) was an Italian explorer, navigator and colonist who played a key role in shaping the history of the world as it was his voyages that initiated widespread contact between the Old World, i.e. [135] The sovereigns replaced him with Francisco de Bobadilla, a member of the Order of Calatrava. in. In a similar manner, but at a more exalted level, the Catholic Monarchs hoped that such an enterprise would gain them greater status among the monarchies of Europe, especially against their main rival, Portugal. Columbus based himself in Lisbon from 1477 to 1485.

Franciscans and others hoped that Columbus’s westward project would help to finance a Crusade to the Holy Land that might even be reinforced by, or coordinated with, offensives from the legendary ruler Prester John, who was thought to survive with his descendants in the lands to the east of the infidel. "Celebrating Columbus Day". Columbus made his transatlantic voyages under the sponsorship of Ferdinand II and Isabella I, the Catholic Monarchs of Aragon, Castile, and Leon in Spain.

Not everything you learned about Christopher Columbus is true. According to historian Edmund Morgan, Columbus was not a scholarly man. These matched corresponding DNA from Columbus's brother, supporting that both individuals had shared the same mother. In June of that year, the Spanish crown sent ships and supplies to the colony on Hispaniola, which Florentine merchant Gianotto Berardi had helped procure. [152][153] Reactive arthritis is a joint inflammation caused by intestinal bacterial infections or after acquiring certain sexually transmitted diseases (primarily chlamydia or gonorrhea). [q], According to the report, Columbus once punished a man found guilty of stealing corn by having his ears and nose cut off and then selling him into slavery. Some people think of him as the "discoverer" of America, but this is not strictly true. In 1470, the Columbus family moved to Savona, where Domenico took over a tavern. [43] He therefore would have estimated the circumference of the Earth to be about 30,200 kilometres (16,300 nmi) at the equator and 26,200 kilometres (14,100 nmi) at 30 degrees north (around where he was sailing), whereas the correct value is 40,075 kilometres (21,639 nmi) at the equator and 34,735 kilometres (18,755 nmi) at 30 degrees north. It was their considered opinion that Columbus's estimation of a travel distance of 2,400 miles (3,860 km) was far too low. Both biographies have serious shortcomings as evidence." Omissions? In subsequent years, he was plagued with what was thought to be influenza and other fevers, bleeding from the eyes, temporary blindness and prolonged attacks of gout. The king submitted Columbus's proposal to his experts, who rejected it. Arthur C. Aufderheide, Conrado Rodríguez-Martín, Odin Langsjoen (1998). He was influenced by Toscanelli's idea that there were inhabited islands even farther to the east than Japan, including the mythical Antillia, which he thought might lie not much farther to the west than the Azores. Columbus had always claimed the conversion of non-believers as one reason for his explorations, but he grew increasingly religious in his later years. [121] The Arawaks attempted to fight back against Columbus's men but lacked their armor, guns, swords, and horses. [23] He returned to Portugal to settle her estate and take his son Diego with him. 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The name Columbia for "America" first appeared in a 1738 weekly publication of the debates of the British Parliament. Monuments like the Columbus Circle in New York City were erected throughout the United States and Latin America extolling him. Here Bartolomeo found native merchants and a large canoe, which was described as being "long as a galley" and filled with cargo. At around 10:00 in the evening he thought he saw a light "like a little wax candle rising and falling". 39, 45, 47. [4][19][20] It is known that in the autumn of 1477, he sailed on a Portuguese ship from Galway to Lisbon, where he found his brother Bartolomeo, and they continued trading for the Centurione family. His patrons, Ferdinand II and Isabella I of Spain, hoped that his success would bring them greater status. Columbus recognized the boy as his offspring. Columbus's brother Diego warned Margarit to follow the admiral's orders, which provoked him to take three caravels back to Spain. [163][t] These remains were kept at the Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor before being moved to the Columbus Lighthouse (inaugurated in 1992). [175][176] These explorations resulted in the permanent contact between the two hemispheres. Columbus went to meet with John at Vale do Paraíso. At least one European was fatally wounded, and all of the inhabitants of the canoe were killed or captured. While he was governor of what is now the Dominican Republic, Columbus killed many natives in response to their revolt, according to History.com. On 13 September 1492, Columbus observed that the needle of his compass no longer pointed to the North Star. Both were employed as chart makers, but Columbus was principally a seagoing entrepreneur. [11][12] In one of his writings, he says he went to sea at the age of 10. [47][48], It is unclear whether Columbus learned about the winds from his own sailing experience or if he had heard about them from others. He never clearly renounced his belief that he had reached the Far East and gave the name indios ("Indians") to the indigenous peoples he encountered. Columbus entrusted his older, legitimate son Diego to take care of Beatriz and pay the pension set aside for her following his death, but Diego was negligent in his duties.[26]. "[209] Horwitz asserts that paternalistic attitudes were often characteristic of the colonists themselves. [75][76][77] He initially encountered the Lucayan, Taíno, and Arawak peoples.