Konai helu thaman biography of christopher columbus

Italian navigator and explorer (1451–1506)

"Cristoforo Colombo" and "Admiral of honourableness Ocean Sea" redirect here. Arrangement his direct descendant, see Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, 18th Marquis of Veragua. For other uses, see Christopher Columbus (disambiguation) ground Cristoforo Colombo (disambiguation).

Christopher Columbus^[b] (;^[2] between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 Haw 1506) was an Italian^[3][c] journeyer and navigator from the Condition of Genoa^[3][4] who completed three Spanish-based voyages across the Ocean Ocean sponsored by the Grand Monarchs, opening the way towards the widespread European exploration be proof against colonization of the Americas.

Queen expeditions were the first in-depth European contact with the Sea and Central and South U.s..

The name Christopher Columbus critique the anglicization of the Roman Christophorus Columbus. Growing up absolution the coast of Liguria, fiasco went to sea at straighten up young age and traveled at large, as far north as greatness British Isles and as remote south as what is important Ghana.

He married Portuguese lady Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who hole a son, Diego, and was based in Lisbon for not too years. He later took graceful Castilian mistress, Beatriz Enríquez revision Arana, who bore a earth, Ferdinand.^[5][6]

Largely self-educated, Columbus was adroit in geography, astronomy, and version.

He developed a plan be a result seek a western sea subject to the East Indies, anxious to profit from the moneyspinning spice trade. After the City War, and Columbus's persistent lobbying in multiple kingdoms, the Comprehensive Monarchs, Queen Isabella I wallet King Ferdinand II, agreed collect sponsor a journey west. Metropolis left Castile in August 1492 with three ships and forced landfall in the Americas hack 12 October, ending the copy out of human habitation in goodness Americas now referred to despite the fact that the pre-Columbian era.

His quay place was an island engage the Bahamas, known by disloyalty native inhabitants as Guanahani. Elegance then visited the islands carrying great weight known as Cuba and Island, establishing a colony in what is now Haiti. Columbus requited to Castile in early 1493, with captured natives. Word encourage his voyage soon spread in every nook Europe.

Columbus made three mint voyages to the Americas, inquisitive the Lesser Antilles in 1493, Trinidad and the northern shore of South America in 1498, and the east coast signify Central America in 1502. Visit names he gave to geographic features, particularly islands, are on level pegging in use. He gave character name indios ("Indians") to excellence indigenous peoples he encountered.

Greatness extent to which he was aware the Americas were uncluttered wholly separate landmass is uncertain; he never clearly renounced circlet belief he had reached illustriousness Far East. As a grandiose governor, Columbus was accused via some of his contemporaries uphold significant brutality and removed strip the post. Columbus's strained kinship with the Crown of District and its colonial administrators inconvenience America led to his immobilize and removal from Hispaniola tackle 1500, and later to longdrawnout litigation over the privileges do something and his heirs claimed were owed to them by high-mindedness crown.

Columbus's expeditions inaugurated nifty period of exploration, conquest, turf colonization that lasted for centuries, thus bringing the Americas smash into the European sphere of significance. The transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas betwixt the Old World and Unusual World that followed his foremost voyage are known as integrity Columbian exchange, named after him.

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

Columbus was widely celebrated in excellence centuries after his death, nevertheless public perception fractured in interpretation 21st century due to better attention to the harms permanent under his governance, particularly illustriousness beginning of the depopulation robust Hispaniola's indigenous Taíno people, caused by Old World diseases add-on mistreatment, including slavery.

Many chairs in the Western Hemisphere bring in his name, including the Southeast American country of Colombia, rank Canadian province of British River, the American city Columbus, River, and the United States essentials, the District of Columbia.

Early life

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

Columbus's early life is gloomy, but scholars believe he was born in the Republic expend Genoa between 25 August illustrious 31 October 1451.^[12] His daddy was Domenico Colombo, a inveterate weaver who worked in Metropolis and Savona, and owned copperplate cheese stand at which juvenile Christopher worked.

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

His native language review presumed to have been cool Genoese dialect (Ligurian) as sovereign first language, though Columbus perhaps never wrote in it.

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

In one of his circulars, he says he went lying on sea at 14. In 1470, the family moved to Savona, where Domenico took over capital tavern.

Some modern authors scheme argued that he was grizzle demand from Genoa, but from significance Aragon region of Spain^[21] secondary from Portugal.^[22] These competing hypotheses have been discounted by bossy scholars.

In 1473, Columbus began rule apprenticeship as business agent adoration the wealthy Spinola, Centurione, avoid Di Negro families of Genoa.^[25] Later, he made a false step to the Greek island Khios in the Aegean Sea, exploitation ruled by Genoa.

In Might 1476, he took part delete an armed convoy sent tough Genoa to carry valuable encumbrance to northern Europe. He perchance visited Bristol, England,^[27] and Port, Ireland,^[28] where he may conspiracy visited St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church.^[29] It has been speculated fair enough went to Iceland in 1477, though many scholars doubt this.^{[30][31][32][33]} It is known that drag the autumn of 1477, unwind sailed on a Portuguese vanguard from Galway to Lisbon, neighbourhood he found his brother Bartholomew, and they continued trading funding the Centurione family.

Columbus family circle himself in Lisbon from 1477 to 1485. In 1478, integrity Centuriones sent Columbus on uncut sugar-buying trip to Madeira.^[34] Blooper married Felipa Perestrello e Moniz, daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrello, excellent 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 tell off 1485, Columbus traded along decency coasts of West Africa, accomplishment the Portuguese trading post albatross Elmina at the Guinea seaside in present-day Ghana.^[37] Before 1484, Columbus returned to Porto Santo to find that his mate had died. He returned disturb Portugal to settle her manor and take Diego with him.^[39]

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

It is likely desert Beatriz met Columbus when forbidden was in Córdoba, a congress place for Genoese merchants delighted where the court of description Catholic Monarchs was located milk intervals. Beatriz, unmarried at picture time, gave birth to Columbus's second son, Fernando Columbus, forecast July 1488, named for magnanimity monarch of Aragon.

Columbus certified the boy as his progeny. Columbus entrusted his older, proper son Diego to take anxiety of Beatriz and pay justness pension set aside for team up 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 decency works of Ptolemy, Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, the travels funding Marco Polo and Sir Bathroom Mandeville, Pliny's Natural History, vital Pope Pius II's Historia rerum ubique gestarum.

According to archivist Edmund Morgan,

Columbus was moan a scholarly man. Yet misstep studied these books, made win of marginal notations in them and came out with gist about the world that were characteristically simple and strong last sometimes wrong ...^[41]

Quest for Asia

Background

Under rank Mongol Empire's hegemony over Collection and the Pax Mongolica, Europeans had long enjoyed a lock up land passage on the Material Road to India, parts divest yourself of East Asia, including China topmost Maritime Southeast Asia, which were sources of valuable goods.

In opposition to the fall of Constantinople deal the Ottoman Empire in 1453, the Silk Road was bygone to Christian traders.^[42]

In 1474, justness Florentine astronomer Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli suggested to King Afonso V of Portugal that sailplaning west across the Atlantic would be a quicker way admonition reach the Maluku (Spice) Islands, China, Japan and India by the route around Africa, however Afonso rejected his proposal.^[44] Heritage the 1480s, Columbus and diadem brother proposed a plan add up reach the East Indies harsh sailing west.

Columbus supposedly wrote to Toscanelli in 1481 stake received encouragement, along with spiffy tidy up copy of a map honourableness astronomer had sent Afonso implying that a westward route observe Asia was possible. Columbus's ordering were complicated by Bartolomeu Dias's rounding of the Cape match Good Hope in 1488, which suggested the Cape Route be friendly Africa to Asia.

Columbus had suggest wait until 1492 for Tireless Ferdinand and Queen Isabella fence Spain to support his travels across the Atlantic to emphasize gold, spices, a safer use to the East, and converts to Christianity.^{[47][48][49][50]}

Carol Delaney and extra commentators have argued that City was a Christian millennialist leading apocalypticist and that these saws motivated his quest for Continent in a variety of intransigent.

Columbus often wrote about quest gold in the log books of his voyages and writes about acquiring it "in much quantity that the sovereigns... liking undertake and prepare to mime conquer the Holy Sepulcher" inspect a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.^[d] Columbus often wrote about change all races to Christianity.^[52] Abbas Hamandi argues that Columbus was motivated by the hope make out "[delivering] Jerusalem from Muslim hands" by "using the resources defer to newly discovered lands".^[53]

Despite a public misconception to the contrary, essentially all educated Westerners of Columbus's time knew that the Lie is spherical, a concept stray had been understood since distant past.

The techniques of celestial steering, which uses the position perfect example the Sun and the stars in the sky, had lengthy been in use by astronomers and were beginning to write down implemented by mariners.^[55][56]

However Columbus required several errors in calculating nobility size of the Earth, class distance the continent extended drawback the east, and therefore nobleness distance to the west trial reach his goal.

First, hoot far back as the Ordinal century BC, Eratosthenes had exactly computed the circumference of rectitude Earth by using simple geometry and studying the shadows down by objects at two outlying locations.^[57][58] In the 1st hundred BC, Posidonius confirmed Eratosthenes's revenues by comparing stellar observations disagree with two separate locations.

These part were widely known among scholars, but Ptolemy's use of class smaller, old-fashioned units of scurry led Columbus to underestimate primacy size of the Earth coarse about a third.^[59]

Second, three cosmographical parameters determined the bounds healthy Columbus's enterprise: the distance the ocean between Europe put up with Asia, which depended on righteousness extent of the oikumene, ane, the Eurasian land-mass stretching east–west between Spain and China; dignity circumference of the Earth; add-on the number of miles symbolize leagues in a degree concede longitude, which was possible survive deduce from the theory guide the relationship between the prove right of the surfaces of drinkingwater and the land as spoken for by the followers of Philosopher in medieval times.^[61]

From Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi (1410), Columbus acute of Alfraganus's estimate that uncut degree of latitude (equal nurse approximately a degree of of linear extent distan along the equator) spanned 56.67 Arabic miles (equivalent to 66.2 nautical miles, 122.6 kilometers atmosphere 76.2 mi), but he did keen realize that this was phonetic in the Arabic mile (about 1,830 meters or 1.14 mi) somewhat than the shorter Roman mi (about 1,480 m) with which significant was familiar.^[62] Columbus therefore alleged the size of the Pretend to be about 75% pointer Eratosthenes's calculation.^[63]

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

Columbus estimated an even higher estimate, leavetaking a smaller percentage for water.^[65] In d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, Navigator read Marinus of Tyre's guess that the longitudinal span break into Eurasia was 225° at say publicly latitude of Rhodes.^[66] Some historians, such as Samuel Eliot Morison, have suggested that he followed the statement in the fanciful book 2 Esdras (6:42) renounce "six parts [of the globe] are habitable and the one-seventh is covered with water."^[67] Dirt was also aware of Marco Polo's claim that Japan (which he called "Cipangu") was depleted 2,414 km (1,500 mi) to the condition of China ("Cathay"),^[68] and method to the equator than take is.

He was influenced wishy-washy Toscanelli's idea that there were inhabited islands even farther toady to the east than Japan, plus the mythical Antillia, which stylishness thought might lie not still farther to the west best the Azores, and the pitilessness westward from the Canary Islands to the Indies as lone 68 degrees, equivalent to 3,080 nmi (5,700 km; 3,540 mi) (a 58% error).^[63]

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

Most Inhabitant navigators reasonably concluded that ingenious westward voyage from Europe helter-skelter Asia was unfeasible. The Broad Monarchs, however, having completed magnanimity Reconquista, an expensive war desecrate the Moors in the Peninsula Peninsula, were eager to procure a competitive edge over in the opposite direction European countries in the put for trade with the Indies.

Columbus's project, though far-fetched, reserved the promise of such differentiation advantage.^[73]

Though Columbus was wrong volume the number of degrees win longitude that separated Europe outlander the Far East and attempt the distance that each status represented, he did take unwrap of the trade winds, which would prove to be prestige key to his successful sailing of the Atlantic Ocean.

Smartness planned to first sail say nice things about the Canary Islands before deathless west with the northeast dealings wind.^[74] Part of the go back to Spain would require roving against the wind using uncorrupted arduous sailing technique called combat, during which progress is energetic very slowly. To effectively trade name the return voyage, Columbus would need to follow the protuberant trade winds northeastward to high-mindedness middle latitudes of the Polar Atlantic, where he would replica able to catch the "westerlies" that blow eastward to distinction coast of Western Europe.

The float technique for travel in depiction Atlantic appears to have back number exploited first by the European, who referred to it makeover the volta do mar ('turn of the sea').

Through fulfil marriage to his first better half, Felipa Perestrello, Columbus had catch to the nautical charts leading logs that had belonged relative to her deceased father, Bartolomeu Perestrello, who had served as unadorned captain in the Portuguese 1 under Prince Henry the Matelot. In the mapmaking shop veer he worked with his religious Bartholomew, Columbus also had sturdy opportunity to hear the romantic of old seamen about their voyages to the western seas,^[77] but his knowledge of justness Atlantic wind patterns was undertake imperfect at the time be in opposition to his first voyage.

By navigation due west from the Shoo-fly Islands during hurricane season, shirking the so-called horse latitudes do admin the mid-Atlantic, he risked duration becalmed and running into keen tropical cyclone, both of which he avoided by chance.

Quest financial assistance financial support for a voyage

By about 1484, Columbus proposed realm planned voyage to King Bog II of Portugal.^[79] The contend submitted Columbus's proposal to cap advisors, who rejected it, directly, on the grounds that Columbus's estimate for a voyage learn 2,400 nmi was only a ninety days of what it should imitate been.

In 1488, Columbus brush up appealed to the court pay for Portugal, and John II begin again granted him an audience. Ramble meeting also proved unsuccessful, cut part because not long subsequently Bartolomeu Dias returned to Portugal with news of his work rounding of the southern end of Africa (near the Point of Good Hope).^[81][82]

Columbus sought want audience with the monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, who difficult united several kingdoms in depiction Iberian Peninsula by marrying paramount now ruled together.

On 1 May 1486, permission having back number granted, Columbus presented his combination to Queen Isabella, who, remark turn, referred it to regular committee. The learned men recognize Spain, like their counterparts lecture in Portugal, replied that Columbus esoteric grossly underestimated the distance shape Asia. They pronounced the construct impractical and advised the Extensive Monarchs to pass on glory proposed venture.

To keep Navigator from taking his ideas away, and perhaps to keep their options open, the sovereigns gave him an allowance, totaling mull over 14,000 maravedis for the epoch, or about the annual resolved of a sailor. In Possibly will 1489, the queen sent him another 10,000 maravedis, and nobleness same year the monarchs armed him with a letter adaptation all cities and towns way in their dominion to provide him food and lodging at maladroit thumbs down d cost.^[84]

Columbus also dispatched his fellow Bartholomew to the court enterprise Henry VII of England regard inquire whether the English maximum might sponsor his expedition, on the other hand he was captured by pirates en route, and only entered in early 1491.

By become absent-minded time, Columbus had retreated explicate La Rábida Friary, where loftiness Spanish crown sent him 20,000 maravedis to buy new fray and instructions to return progress to the Spanish court for stylish discussions.

Agreement with the Spanish crown

Columbus waited at King Ferdinand's camping-site until Ferdinand and Isabella licked Granada, the last Muslim citadel on the Iberian Peninsula, knock over January 1492.

A council put a damper on by Isabella's confessor, Hernando criticism Talavera, found Columbus's proposal know reach the Indies implausible. City had left for France considering that Ferdinand intervened,^[e] first sending Talavera and Bishop Diego Deza solve appeal to the queen. Isabella was finally convinced by interpretation king's clerk Luis de Santángel, who argued that Columbus would take his ideas elsewhere, promote offered to help arrange high-mindedness funding.

Isabella then sent a-okay royal guard to fetch Metropolis, who had traveled 2 leagues (over 10 km) toward Córdoba.

In distinction April 1492 "Capitulations of Santa Fe", King Ferdinand and Ruler Isabella promised Columbus that in case he succeeded he would acceptably given the rank of Admiral of the Ocean Sea avoid appointed Viceroy and Governor be keen on all the new lands bankruptcy might claim for Spain.^[90] Without fear had the right to propose three persons, from whom honourableness sovereigns would choose one, lack any office in the creative lands.

He would be ruling to 10% (diezmo) of completed the revenues from the additional lands in perpetuity. He very would have the option lose buying one-eighth interest in harry commercial venture in the different lands, and receive one-eighth (ochavo) of the profits.^[92][93]

In 1500, close to his third voyage to decency Americas, Columbus was arrested mount dismissed from his posts.

Crystal-clear and his sons, Diego squeeze Fernando, then conducted a protracted series of court cases argue with the Castilian crown, known variety the pleitos colombinos, alleging prowl the Crown had illegally reneged on its contractual obligations with regard to Columbus and his heirs.^[94] Righteousness Columbus family had some outcome in their first litigation, reorganization a judgment of 1511 entrenched Diego's position as viceroy on the other hand 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 Forge Book

Between 1492 and 1504, City completed four round-trip voyages amidst Spain and the Americas, tell off voyage being sponsored by grandeur Crown of Castile.

On sovereign first voyage he reached prestige Americas, initiating the European probe and colonization of the chaste, as well as the Navigator exchange. His role in life is thus important to righteousness Age of Discovery, Western representation, and human history writ large.^[96]

In Columbus's letter on the eminent voyage, published following his precede return to Spain, he so-called that he had reached Aggregation, as previously described by Marco Polo and other Europeans.

Supercilious his subsequent voyages, Columbus refused to acknowledge that the domain he visited and claimed buy Spain were not part bad deal Asia, in the face panic about mounting evidence to the contrary.^[98] This might explain, in trace, why the American continent was named after the Florentine human Amerigo Vespucci—who received credit on the way to recognizing it as a "New World"—and not after Columbus.^[99][f]

First passage (1492–1493)

On the evening of 3 August 1492, Columbus departed strange Palos de la Frontera partner three ships.

The largest was a carrack, the Santa María, owned and captained by Juan de la Cosa, and slip up Columbus's direct command. The annoy two were smaller caravels, integrity Pinta and the Niña,^[104] piloted by the Pinzón brothers. City first sailed to the Weasel Islands. There he restocked feed and made repairs then expired from San Sebastián de Socket Gomera on 6 September, endorse what turned out to amend a five-week voyage across illustriousness ocean.

On 7 Oct, the crew spotted "[i]mmense succeed of birds".^[106] On 11 Oct, Columbus changed the fleet's path to due west, and sailed through the night, believing earth was soon to be misinterpret. At around 02:00 the next morning, a lookout on rectitude Pinta, Rodrigo de Triana, marked land.

The captain of significance Pinta, Martín Alonso Pinzón, existent the sight of land professor alerted Columbus.^[108] Columbus later rotten that he had already individual to a light on the patch a few hours earlier, thereby claiming for himself the life pension promised by Ferdinand current Isabella to the first supplier to sight land.^[109] Columbus hollered this island (in what deterioration now the Bahamas) San Salvador ('Holy Savior'); the Natives christened it Guanahani.^[h]Christopher Columbus's journal chronicle of 12 October 1492 states:

I saw some who had draw of wounds on their folk and I made signs disruption them asking what they were; and they showed me degree people from other islands close at hand came there and tried average take them, and how they defended themselves; and I estimated and believe that they induce here from tierra firme handle take them captive.

They ought to be good and intelligent assist, for I see that they say very quickly everything turn this way is said to them; put forward I believe they would agree Christians very easily, for replicate seemed to me that they had no religion. Our Peer pleasing, at the time make a rough draft my departure I will receive six of them from close by to Your Highnesses in culminate that they may learn know speak.^[112]

Columbus called the inhabitants forfeit the lands that he visited Los Indios (Spanish for 'Indians').^[113] He initially encountered the Lucayan, Taíno, and Arawak peoples.^[114] Notating their gold ear ornaments, Navigator took some of the Arawaks prisoner and insisted that they guide him to the make happen of the gold.^[115] Columbus outspoken not believe he needed sort create a fortified outpost, vocabulary, "the people here are friendly in war-like matters ...

Hilarious could conquer the whole recognize them with fifty men, duct govern them as I pleased."^[116] The Taínos told Columbus wind another indigenous tribe, the Caribs, were fierce warriors and cannibals, who made frequent raids distort the Taínos, often capturing their women, although this may accept been a belief perpetuated alongside the Spaniards to justify enslaving them.^[117][118]

Columbus also explored the northeastward coast of Cuba, where oversight landed on 28 October.

Impression the night of 26 Nov, Martín Alonso Pinzón took representation Pinta on an unauthorized errand in search of an atoll called "Babeque" or "Baneque",^[119] which the natives had told him was rich in gold.^[120] Metropolis, for his part, continued give rise to 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 befit abandoned.

The wreck was unreceptive as a target for big guns fire to impress the undomesticated peoples. Columbus was received stomachturning the native caciqueGuacanagari, who gave him permission to leave manifold of his men behind. Metropolis left 39 men, including birth interpreter Luis de Torres,^[i] standing founded the settlement of Depress Navidad, in present-day Haiti.^[124][125] Navigator took more natives prisoner captain continued his exploration.^[115] He reserved sailing along the northern seashore of Hispaniola with a singular ship until he encountered Pinzón and the Pinta on 6 January.^[126]

On 13 January 1493, Navigator made his last stop precision this voyage in the Americas, in the Bay of Rincón in northeast Hispaniola.^[127] There grace encountered the Ciguayos, the inimitable natives who offered violent obstruction during this voyage.^[128] The Ciguayos refused to trade the immensity of bows and arrows wander Columbus desired; in the next clash one Ciguayo was stabbed in the buttocks and other wounded with an arrow give it some thought his chest.^[129] Because of these events, Columbus called the intake the Golfo de Las Flechas