Photographs of Columbus discovery of America. Christopher Columbus - biography, information, personal life

The era of the great geographical discoveries was one of the most romantic periods in the life of mankind. The rapid development of navigation not only opened the map of the world for Europe, but also raised a huge number of all sorts of dark personalities from the social lowlands to the heights of glory.

If you look closely at the participants of those very expeditions, then we will practically not find scientists there. With great difficulty we will find merchants (although about half of the expeditions were carried out precisely with the money of private individuals, large and medium-sized businessmen). There were no priests there, thirsting for glory on the basis of missionary work. Excuse me, but who was there then? And there were adventurers, rogues and swindlers of all stripes and varieties, gentlemen of fortune, romance of the high road, and so on and so forth ...

Moreover, they were not only simple sailors. The commanders and inspirers of most expeditions: Drake, Magellan, Cortes - they were all either condottieres or just robbers.

The most important of the discoveries of that period was the discovery of America. The man who did this covered himself with unfading glory. His name was Christopher Columbus. And what is curious: almost all sources, describing his life path, begin their narrative precisely from the moment of his first expedition, modestly silent about what happened before. In addition, the events that took place around him after the start of his expeditions absolutely defy logical explanation.

This is somehow strange: one gets the impression that much of the biography of the great navigator is deliberately overlooked. If you understand his life path in more detail, then the reasons for such “shyness” of the authors become quite clear. Columbus was such an extraordinary person that it would be somewhat “inconvenient” to describe all his deeds ...

No one knows exactly where Columbus came from, however, the names of his parents are known, in any case, they are mentioned in the metrics and in the writings of historians. For a long time it was believed that our hero was born in Genoa. To date, 2 Italian, 2 Portuguese and 4 Spanish cities dispute the right to be called the birthplace of Columbus.

It is known that from about the age of 12, Columbus definitely lived in Genoa, where he could observe the peculiarities of social life and business of that time. Christopher perfectly mastered the rules of this game, in which business was closely intertwined with power structures, and by the age of 25, after graduating from the University of Pavia, gaining some experience in maritime trade and acquiring the necessary connections, he moved with his family to Portugal. The reason for the move was a conflict with the authorities of Genoa. Columbus, who by that time had his own enterprise, tried to deceive his partner, who later became Doge. Even today, businessmen who "throw" power, then regret it for a long time, and then it was generally like death.

In Portugal, Columbus develops extensive activities: he participates in many trading expeditions, visits almost all European countries, travels a lot to Africa. It is here that the first thoughts come to his mind about another route to India, different from those that the Portuguese sailors were trying to find (bypassing Africa).

The problem was that one of the crown princes of Portugal, Enrique, nicknamed the "navigator" promoted this idea so long and stubbornly that even under the current king of Portugal, João 2nd, who was Enrique's grand-nephew, there were no other ways to get to India not even considered. That's what authority means, especially royal!

However, even the devil could envy the stubbornness of Columbus. The cunning Genoese was able to convey his ideas to King Juan, but what Columbus wanted for himself, the king did not really like, and he did not give permission for this enterprise. That, however, did not prevent him from giving Columbus the opportunity to earn on some government orders.

Juan could not even imagine what a cunning rogue he allows for the development of public funds. In three years, Columbus earns several times more than in his entire previous life. Juan 2nd was a politician, primarily engaged in strengthening royal power and not particularly interested in the finances of the state (fortunately, the then Portuguese economy was quite stable), so no one paid much attention to the dark deeds of Columbus.

But no matter how much the rope does not twist, it will twist into a loop. The last successful scam of our hero was a contract to supply the construction of the Elmina fortress in Ghana. In less than two years, the fortress was built, but Diogo de Azambuja, the head of construction and the first commandant of the fortress, made a sudden revision and found out that several hundred thousand reais had stuck to the unclean hands of our hero. And since the king himself paid special attention to the first fortress of "Black Africa", a serious scandal erupted.

However, things did not come to the loop, but in 1485 Christopher and his family had to urgently flee from Portugal, which suddenly became very uncomfortable, to Spain. That, however, did not prevent him from keeping almost all the funds "earned" in Portugal. By this time, he had already finally thought out ideas on how to sail to India directly, and not through southern Africa.

Business in Spain did not follow the rules that Columbus was used to in Genoa and Portugal, in addition, the Granada War, which the King of Spain, Ferdinand II personally led, left a certain imprint on all processes in the kingdom.

It must be said that Ferdinand was a very intelligent monarch and the affairs of the kingdom were kept in relative order under him, and all kinds of dubious events were not particularly encouraged. After spending about a year and a half all his money in unsuccessful ventures, Columbus was left with almost nothing, and the only idea that remained with him was sailing to India across the Atlantic Ocean.

Supported by the authority of his new Spanish friends, he submits his business plan for a trade route to India to the King of Spain, but again does not find support. And again, as in the case of the Portuguese king, everything rests on the ambitions of the “Genoese upstart”.

What did Columbus want? Firstly, to be the viceroy of all the lands he discovered, which meant formally submitting to the Spanish Crown, but in fact - to no one. Secondly, to receive the title of "chief admiral", which, again, did not oblige him to anything, but provided him with a very good allowance. No wonder the kings refused him.

However, in terms of finances, the plan was really very good. And so much so that even Juan the 2nd, the king whom Columbus actually “threw”, wrote him a letter that he could return to Portugal without fear of persecution by the authorities, if only he would carry out his plan.

But, Columbus was no longer up to the Portuguese king. Ferdinand's wife, Queen Isabella, became interested in his plan. Being a very zealous Catholic, she appreciated the missionary part of Columbus's plan, as well as the benefits that the way to India gave bypassing the Ottoman Empire. In general, the royal couple finally gave Columbus the go-ahead for his expedition.

And again the "cunning" nature of our hero appeared. Recruiting sponsors for the expedition, he pretended to be a "poor relative" who had absolutely no money. It got to the point that, when budgeting for the expedition, he borrowed half of its cost from Martin Pinson, which he contributed to its statutory fund on his own behalf, promising to pay off at the end. Pinson, on the other hand, joined the expedition as an ordinary shareholder with a share much smaller than that of Columbus.

During the first voyage, Columbus teased Pinson in every possible way, eventually forcing him to lose his temper and go home on his own. This subsequently played a fatal role in his fate. Having preceded Pinson's ship by only a few hours, Columbus presented the matter before the king in such a way that Pinson was generally forbidden to appear at court, as a person who had lost royal confidence. From the resulting stress, Pinson fell ill and died a few months later, giving Columbus the full right not to return the money borrowed from him.

Having discovered new lands, Collumbus quickly realized that this was not India at all, however, to admit this openly was tantamount to death. And Columbus decided to pull to the last, along the way using his status as Viceroy to the fullest.

For the rapid development of open lands, the newly minted Viceroy did not shun any means. He wrested from the king the right to recruit settlers from prisoners, since they did not have to pay a salary - they worked for their freedom. In addition, for new expeditions, he received huge loans from the rich of that time, promising to pay them off with spices and jewelry that had not yet been found. And “on the ground” our financial genius has created such a wonderful state that future dictatorships will seem like just innocent holiday camps. Local Indians were first "tied" to land plots, like serfs, and then they were actually turned into slaves.

The most interesting thing was that Columbus did not let go of almost all the income, paying off only with the king, and then only slightly covering the amounts given to him. There was no question of any profits "ten doubloons for one invested".

For almost six years, he misled the public, until Vasco da Gama, without going around Africa from the south, found a real sea route to India. The indignation of the deceived aristocrats was so great that a special fleet was sent for Columbus, whose team arrested the adventurer and brought him to Spain in shackles.

However, the financial circles of Spain, who had already begun to develop new lands, and seeing considerable potential in them, petitioned the king for the innocence of Columbus, and he was quickly released.

The last journey of Columbus was a kind of "redemption". In it, he really behaved like a real explorer, not caring about his pocket. For two and a half years, he explores the coast of Mexico and creates a map of it. And two years later he dies in Seville.
A few years after the death of Columbus, both of his sons make a kind of coming out. However, we are not talking about what our contemporaries understand by this. The heirs simply show what the unforgettable dad left them.

The combined fortune of Diego and Fernand Columbus was such that it exceeded the annual income of all of Spain five times over. Absolutely all the money that Columbus somehow “knocked out” from sponsors, the Crown and simply successful “geshefts” on the new continent, he sent to his good friend, Luis de Cerda, a Spanish aristocrat, who, in fact, helped Columbus present his project to the royal couple of Spain. De Cerda died a few years before the death of Columbus, however, his heirs continued to help Columbus. And then they transferred all the finances to both of his sons.

Christopher Columbus was one of the most controversial personalities in human history. It was a brilliant discoverer, ahead of his time. However, do not forget about the dark side of his nature. Excessive love for easy enrichment brought happiness to few people. Perhaps that is why the open lands were named not in his honor, but in honor of a person who thoroughly explored them and proved that this is not just “not India”, but in general the New World. That man was Amerigo Vespucci, but that's another story...

(Christopher Colombo, in Spanish Colon, Colon) - the famous navigator who discovered America.

Little is known about Columbus' life prior to his ascension as a Spanish admiral. Ten Italian cities and towns argued among themselves about the glory of being the birthplace of Columbus. But now it is proven that he was born in Genoa. The year of his birth is less certain; different news about this diverge among themselves for more than 20 years. Roselli de Lorgues, author of a biography of Columbus, proves that he was born about 1435; but more reliable is the news that he was born in 1456. Information about who his father was is also unreliable, but it is more likely than others that he was the son of a wealthy clothier. There is news that Columbus himself was engaged in this craft for up to twenty years. However, Columbus' own statement that he became a sailor from the age of 14 does not fit with this indication, based on data from the Genoese archives. Where Columbus studied as a boy and a young man is unknown; the tradition that he was educated at the universities of Pavia or Pisa is not supported by any documents. Be that as it may, he acquired a certain education for himself: he read and wrote in Latin, was familiar with geometry, astronomy, geography, possessed the art of drawing maps, and was a good calligrapher. There is news that in his youth he sailed in the Mediterranean; on merchant ships - he visited the island of Chios, near the coast of Tunisia, etc. But they were not known to him at all or were known only from vague fairy-tale legends of the Normans sailing from Greenland to Vinland, that is, to the northern part of North America. If he had certain information about this discovery of the Normans, then on his first trip he would not have headed from the Canary Islands to the southwest, but would have sailed to the northwest. He could not be interested in stories about Vinland, for he was looking for ways to the rich cultural lands of southern Asia.

Portrait of Christopher Columbus. Artist S. del Piombo, 1519

At that time, the Italians were the best European sailors, and many of them moved to Portugal, which then also began to act as a maritime power. Looking for a job, moved to Lisbon and the brother of Columbus, Bartholomew (Bartolomeo), and Christopher followed him. Columbus stayed in Portugal for about ten years (1470s and 1480s), continuing to sail on merchant ships north to England and south to Guinea, and also engaged, together with his brother, in drawing and selling maps. In Portugal, Columbus married Dona Philippa Moniz and, according to legend, lived for some time on the island of Porto Santo, where Philippa had a small estate. Here in Portugal, Columbus had a firm conviction about the possibility of sailing west to the shores of Asia. In particular, Columbus was influenced by the letter of Paolo Toscanelli, the famous Florentine scientist, cosmographer and physician, to whom he turned for guidance. Toscanelli sent Columbus a map from which one could see that the distance between the western coasts of Europe and the eastern shores of Asia, as described by the famous traveler Marco Polo, was not particularly significant. At that time, in general, there were rather vague ideas about the relationship on the earth's surface of the spaces occupied by land and sea; Columbus even believed that the land occupies a much larger space than the sea. In addition to the map and letter of Toscanelli, Columbus was guided in his views by the authority of Marco Polo and Peter d'Aglia, a medieval compiler, from whom Columbus could get acquainted with the opinions of the ancients - Aristotle, Seneca, Pliny, Ptolemy, about the possibility of the existence of countries overseas, in the west.

Having considered his plan for a sea expedition, Columbus turned with him to the Portuguese king John II, who, however, after asking his court doctors and dignitaries for an opinion on this matter, rejected his proposal. There is reason to believe that the Portuguese government, which at that time was engaged in exploration along the western coast of Africa, did not want to leave them or split their forces in order to set sail for the unknown west, especially since the distance separating the countries of "spices and aromas ", could turn out to be much more significant than Columbus claimed. Having failed, Columbus moved to Spain with his eldest son Diego (a child of 5-6 years old). It seems that Columbus escaped from Portugal secretly, avoiding any prosecution, leaving there a wife and other children whom he never met again and whom he refers to in his will as having already died. There are stories that Columbus offered his plan to the Genoese government; but now they have been proven wrong. Genoa, agitated by strife and exhausted by the war with the Turks, did not have the opportunity to engage in such an enterprise as Columbus thought about.

In Spain, Columbus had to live for seven years in moving, searching, vain efforts. His financial situation at that time was not brilliant; he was still engaged in drawing maps, asked for handouts from the court, or enjoyed the hospitality of the Spanish grandees. In the autumn of 1491, having achieved nothing from the Spanish government, Columbus decided to leave Spain, and appeared as a tired wanderer-pedestrian in front of the gates of the Franciscan monastery della Rabida, near Palos, where he asked the porter for water and bread to strengthen his strength. In the monastery, the position of Columbus caused the participation of prior abbot Juan Perez, who believed in the plan of Columbus and came to the conclusion that every effort should be made to ensure that the glory of the great discovery did not pass Spain. Juan Pérez (the Queen's former confessor) wrote a letter to Queen Isabella that had its effect. Formal negotiations were started with Columbus, which almost broke off, however, due to the exorbitant conditions set by him, and which he demanded to be included in a written contract. Finally, the monarchs (Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon) expressed their consent and signed a contract that granted Columbus and his heirs the noble dignity and the title of admiral, in addition, he personally - the title of Viceroy of all the lands and islands that he discovers - the right to leave a tenth of all the valuables that can be obtained within his admiralty - the right to contribute one eighth of the cost of equipping ships and receive, respectively, an eighth of all income, etc. It was decided to organize the expedition in the city of Palos, partly at the expense of the queen, partly due to this city. Significant assistance in the first voyage was provided to Columbus by the wealthy Palos sailor M. A. Pinson, who, together with his brother, took command of the two ships; the third ship, a larger one ("Santa Maria"), was commanded by Columbus himself.

Replica of Columbus' Santa Maria

In August 1492, three caravels weighed anchor and headed for the Canary Islands, from where on September 8 they moved west between 27-28 ° latitude. From that day on, Columbus began to keep two diaries, one for himself, the other for the team, and in the latter he reduced the distances traveled by a quarter or a third, as if in order to less frighten his companions. On September 16, ships entered the so-called Sargasso Sea, southwest of the Azores. The weather was generally favorable and most of the time a fair wind (trade wind) blew. If Columbus had kept his course due west, he would have reached the coast of Florida, but he deviated to the southwest and came out to one of the Bahamas.

Signs of land had already appeared a few days before: birds had flown by, floating trunks, reeds, even branches with flowers could be seen on the surface of the sea. On October 11, in the evening, Columbus noticed some kind of moving light in the distance, but it soon disappeared; the next day, early in the morning, one of the sailors was the first to notice the sandy shore, which caused, according to the order given in advance, a volley from the gun. Subsequently, this sailor demanded for himself a reward appointed by the queen to the one who first saw the land, but Columbus declared that he had seen the land before; it came to court, which recognized the right of Columbus - a dark fact that caused, by some of the latest researchers, the accusation of Columbus in "disgusting greed." The whole voyage lasted 33 days - from the Canary Islands and 69 days, if you count from the day you left Palos. To stay for more than a month without seeing the land was, of course, terrifying for the then Spanish sailors; however, the legend of a riot that allegedly rose on the ships against Columbus is not supported by any evidence.

On the morning of October 12, Columbus, with two Pinsons, the "scribe" of the squadron R. Escobedo and the treasurer R. Sanchez, landed with an escort ashore and, unfolding the royal banner, took the island into the possession of Spain. A crowd of natives had gathered on the shore, naked, swarthy, with black, long hair, painted over their bodies, armed with spears, with bone and stone tips. According to Columbus, this island was called Gwanaani; Columbus named it San Salvador. Later it was found out that the natives called it "Kayos", hence the subsequent name of the whole group among the Spaniards - "Lucay Islands". At the beginning of the XVI century. the entire population of these islands (Bahamas) was caught, enslaved and transferred to the island of Cuba, where they soon died from overwork. From San Salvador, Columbus went southwest, met other islands of the same group, then reached the land he called "Juana" (after the Spanish Infanta) and in which he recognized part of the Asian mainland, while in reality it was an island Cuba. After passing along the northern coast of Cuba some distance to the west and then turning back to the east, Columbus reached the eastern tip of the island and saw another island to the east of it, which he called "Haiti" (Haiti). Here, near Cape Gvariko, Columbus's ship ran into a shallow, got a hole and sank. Columbus was forced to move to a smaller ship - "Ninya", and leave most of the crew on the shore, where a wooden fortification was built in a convenient harbor and a garrison of 40 people was left in it. After that, Columbus went on a small "Nina" back to Spain; another ship of his squadron, the Pinta, overtook him, and, returning earlier to Spain, Pinson tried to inform the first monarchs about the discovery, but was ordered to wait for Columbus. From Palos, Columbus was invited to Barcelona, ​​where Ferdinand and Isabella received him with great honor; the report on the new discovery made a great sensation, which was facilitated by the 6 Indians brought by Columbus, parrots, samples of gold and other West Indian products. At the same time, it was immediately decided to equip a second expedition, in Cadiz; this time, a whole fleet of 17 ships with 1200 or more crew members was put under the command of Columbus.

Columbus before Kings Ferdinand and Isabella. Painting by E. Leutse, 1843

The new expedition went to the Canary Islands, then to the west, but along the path of 12 degrees to the south taken on the first trip. 20 days after leaving Ferro Island, one of the Lesser Antilles (La Desirade) was seen, and then the islands of Maria Galante, Dominica, Guadeloupe to the island of Puerto Rico. From here, Columbus went to Hispaniola (Haiti), where the fort he left was destroyed and the entire garrison exterminated by the Indians; I had to found a new city - Isabella - in another place. After lying in a fever for 3 months, Columbus sent 12 ships to Spain with a request for the delivery of supplies, seeds, livestock, and he himself, leaving his brother, Diego, as governor, went on a new search to the west, along the southern coast of Cuba. In this voyage, Jamaica and many small islands were discovered south of Cuba, but Columbus did not have to be convinced of the island character of which, however, because contrary winds and the poor condition of the ships forced him to turn back. Returning to Isabella, Columbus was delighted by the arrival of his brother Bartholomew, with three courts, but also saddened by strife among the Spaniards and unrest among the oppressed Indians. Part of the dissatisfied Spaniards managed to return to their homeland without permission and insist there on sending a special commissioner to Hispaniola to investigate cases. Columbus decided to personally defend his actions and went to Spain.

The Lord made me the messenger of a new heaven and a new earth,
created by him, the very ones about which St.
John... and there the Lord showed me the way.

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus (born around August 26 and October 31, 1451 - death May 20, 1506) - Italian navigator who discovered America in 1492.

Columbus is eternal. Even schoolchildren in our time, who find it difficult to answer who Stalin is and why Lenin is lying on Red Square, can connect such a concept as Columbus and America. And some, perhaps, will be able to tell the sad story of his life - the life of a discoverer without discoveries, a great, fearless, erring one ... For, as Jules Verne argued, if Columbus had not had these three qualities, he might not have dared to overcome the endless expanse of the sea and go in search of lands previously mentioned only in myths and sagas.

The story of Columbus is an ongoing story of mystery. Absolutely everything is questioned - the date of his birth, his origin and the city where he was born. 7 Greek cities argued for the right to consider themselves the birthplace of Homer. Columbus was "lucky" more. At different times and in different places, 26 claimants (14 Italian cities and 12 nations) put forward such claims, entering into a lawsuit with Genoa.

More than 40 years ago, Genoa seems to have finally won this centuries-old process. But to this day, the voices of advocates of false versions about the homeland and nationality of Columbus do not stop. Until 1571, no one doubted the origin of Columbus. He himself called himself a Genoese more than once. The first to question the Genoese origin of Columbus was Ferdinando Colon. He was guided by "noble" intentions to introduce noble ancestors into the genealogy of the great navigator. Genoa was not suitable for such experiments: this name did not appear on the lists even of plebeian families. Therefore, the author took the grandfathers of Columbus to the Italian city of Piacenza, where noble people from the local family of Columbus lived in the XIV and XV centuries. The example of Ferdinand Colon inspired this kind of search for historians of subsequent centuries.

Childhood. Adolescence. Youth

Christopher Columbus was born into the family of a weaver who also traded in cheese and wine. The embarrassment that occurred at the wedding of Christoforo Bianchinetta's sister speaks about the financial situation of the family and the not entirely honest father of the navigator Domenico Colombo. The son-in-law, a cheese merchant, accused Domenico of not giving the dowry promised for his daughter. Notarial deeds of those times confirm that the situation of the family was actually deplorable. In particular, major disagreements with creditors arose over the house where they settled 4 years after the birth of Christoforo.

Although Christoforo spent his childhood at his father's loom, the boy's interests were directed in a different direction. The greatest impression on the child was made by the harbor, where people with different skin colors, in burnous, caftans, and European dress, jostled and called to one another. Christoforo did not remain an outside observer for long. Already at the age of 14, he sailed as a cabin boy in Portofino, and later on to Corsica. In those days, on the Ligurian coast, the most common form of trade was barter. Domenico Colombo also took part in it, and his son helped: he accompanied a small vessel loaded with fabrics with Latin equipment to nearby shopping centers, and from there delivered cheese and wine.

In Lisbon, he met the girl Felipa Moniz da Perestrello and soon married her. For Christopher Columbus, this marriage was a happy lot. He entered a noble Portuguese house and intermarried with people who took the most direct part in the overseas campaigns organized by Prince Henry the Navigator and his successors.

Felipa's father in his youth was included in the retinue of Henry the Navigator. Columbus gained access to various documents that recorded the history of the Portuguese voyages in the Atlantic. In the winter of 1476-1477, Columbus left his wife and went to England and Ireland, in 1478 he ended up in Madeira. Columbus went through the elementary school of practical navigation in Porto Santo and Madeira, traveling to the Azores, and then completed a course in marine science in Guinean expeditions. During his leisure hours he studied geography, mathematics, Latin, but only to the extent necessary for his purely practical purposes. And more than once, Columbus admitted that he was not very versed in the sciences.

But in particular, the book of Marco Polo struck the young sailor's imagination, which spoke of the gold-roofed palaces of Sipangu (Japan), the splendor and splendor of the court of the great khan, and the birthplace of spices - India. Columbus had no doubt that the Earth had the shape of a ball, but it seemed to him that this ball was much smaller than in reality. That is why he believed that Japan was relatively close to the Azores.

Stay in Portugal

Landing of Columbus in America

Columbus decided to make his way to India by the western route and in 1484 presented his plan to the king of Portugal. Columbus' idea was simple. It was based on two premises: one completely true and one false. The first (true) one is that the Earth is a sphere; and the second (false) - that most of the earth's surface is occupied by land - a single array of three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa; the smaller one - by sea, because of this, the distance between the western shores of Europe and the eastern tip of Asia is small, and in a short period of time it is possible, following the western route, to reach India, Japan and China - this corresponded to the geographical ideas of the Columbus era.

The idea of ​​the possibility of such a voyage was expressed by Aristotle and Seneca, Pliny the Elder, Strabo and Plutarch, and in the Middle Ages the theory of the One Ocean was consecrated by the church. It was recognized by the Arab world and its great geographers: Masudi, al-Biruni, Idrisi.

While living in Portugal, Columbus offered his project to King João II. It happened at the end of 1483 or at the beginning of 1484. The time for awarding the project was not chosen very well. In 1483-1484, João II thought least of all about long-distance expeditions. The king extinguished the revolts of the Portuguese magnates and dealt with the conspirators. He attached more importance to further discoveries in Africa, but much less interested in Atlantic voyages to the west.

The history of the negotiations between Columbus and King João II is not entirely clear. It is known that Columbus asked for a lot in return for his services. Lots of embarrassing. As much as no mortal had asked the crowned bearers before. He demanded the title of Chief Admiral of the Ocean and a noble rank, the position of viceroy of the newly discovered lands, a tenth of the income from these territories, an eighth of the profits from future trade with new countries and golden spurs.

All these conditions, except for the golden spurs, he subsequently included in his contract. King Juan never made rash decisions. He passed on Columbus's proposal to the "Mathematical Junta" - a small Lisbon academy, in which outstanding scientists and mathematicians met. It is not known exactly what decision the council made. At least it was unfavorable - it happened in 1485. In the same year, Columbus's wife died, and his financial situation deteriorated sharply.

Stay in Spain

1485, summer - he decided to leave Portugal for Castile. Columbus took his seven-year-old son Diego with him and sent his brother Bartolomeo to England in the hope that he would be interested in Henry VII's western route project. From Lisbon, Christopher Columbus went to Palois to settle in with the relatives of his wife Diego in the neighboring city of Huelva. Exhausted by long wanderings, with a small child in his arms, Columbus decided to seek refuge in a monastery, near which the forces finally left him.

So Columbus ended up in the monastery of Rabidu and, in a fit of revelation, poured out his soul to the abbot Antonio de Marchena, a powerful man at the Spanish court. The Columbus project delighted Antonio. He gave Columbus letters of recommendation to those close to the royal family - he had connections at court.

Inspired by a warm welcome in the monastery, Columbus went to Cordoba. The court of their highnesses temporarily stayed there (the Castilian and Aragonese kings until 1519 bore the title of highnesses) - Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon.

However, in Spain, Cristobal Colon (as Columbus was called in Spain) was expected for many years of need, humiliation and disappointment. Royal advisers believed that the project of Columbus was impossible.

In addition, all the forces and attention of the Spanish rulers were absorbed in the fight against the remnant of Moorish domination in Spain - a small Moorish state in Grenada. Columbus was refused. Then he proposed his plan to England, and then again to Portugal, but nowhere was it taken seriously.

Only after the Spaniards had taken Grenada was Columbus, after much trouble, able to obtain three small ships from Spain for his voyage.

First expedition (1492 - 1493)

With incredible difficulty, he managed to assemble a team, and, in the end, on August 3, 1492, a small squadron left the Spanish port of Paloe and went west to look for India.

The sea was calm and deserted, a fair wind was blowing. So the ships went for more than a month. On September 15, Columbus and his companions saw a green strip in the distance. However, their joy was soon replaced by chagrin. It was not a long-awaited land, so began the Sargasso Sea - a giant accumulation of algae. On September 18–20, sailors saw flocks of birds flying west. “Finally,” the sailors thought, “the land is close!” But this time, too, the travelers were disappointed. The crew began to worry. In order not to frighten people with the range of the distance traveled, Columbus began to underestimate the distance traveled in the ship's log.

On October 11, at 10 pm, Columbus, eagerly peering into the darkness of the night, saw a light flickering in the distance, and on the morning of October 12, 1492, the sailor Rodrigo de Triana shouted: “Earth!” The sails were removed from the ships.

In front of the travelers was a small island overgrown with palm trees. Naked people ran along the sand along the shore. Columbus put on a scarlet dress on the armor and, with the royal flag in his hands, went down to the shores of the New World. It was Watling Island from the Bahamas. The natives called it Guanagani, and Columbus called it San Salvador. This is how America was discovered.

Expeditions of Christopher Columbus

True, Columbus was sure until the end of his days that he did not discover any "New World", but only found a way to India. And with his light hand, the natives of the New World began to be called Indians. The natives of the newly discovered island were tall, handsome people. They did not wear clothes, their bodies were colorfully painted. Some of the natives had shiny sticks in their noses, which delighted Columbus: after all, it was gold! This means that the country of golden palaces, Sipangu, was not far away.

In search of the golden Sipangu, Columbus left Guanagani and traveled further, discovering island after island. Everywhere the Spaniards were amazed by the lush tropical vegetation, the beauty of the islands scattered in the blue ocean, the friendliness and meekness of the natives, who gave the Spaniards gold, colorful birds and hammocks never seen before by the Spaniards for trinkets, molasses and beautiful rags. On October 20, Columbus reached Cuba.

The Cuban population was more cultured than the inhabitants of the Bahamas. In Cuba, Columbus found statues, large buildings, bales of cotton and for the first time saw cultivated plants - tobacco and potatoes, products of the New World, which later conquered the whole world. All this further strengthened Columbus's confidence that Sipangu and India were somewhere nearby.

1492, December 4 - Columbus discovered the island of Haiti (the Spaniards then called it Hispaniola). On this island, Columbus built Fort La Navidad (“Christmas”), left 40 garrison men there, and on January 16, 1493, headed for Europe on two ships: his largest ship, the Santa Maria, was wrecked on December 24.

On the way back, a terrible storm broke out, and the ships lost sight of each other. Only on February 18, 1493, the exhausted sailors saw the Azores, and on February 25 they reached Lisbon. On March 15, after an 8-month absence, Columbus returned to the port of Paloe. Thus ended the first expedition of Christopher Columbus.

The traveler was received in Spain with enthusiasm. He was granted a coat of arms with a map of the newly discovered islands and with the motto:
"For Castile and León, Colón opened the New World."

Second expedition (1493 - 1496)

A new expedition was quickly organized, and already on September 25, 1493, Christopher Columbus set off on a second expedition. This time he led 17 ships. With him went 1500 people, seduced by stories of easy money in the newly discovered lands.

On November 2, in the morning, after a rather exhausting voyage, the sailors saw a high mountain in the distance. It was the island of Dominica. It was covered with forest, the wind brought spicy aromas from the shore. The next day, another mountainous island, Guadeloupe, was discovered. There, the Spaniards, instead of the peaceful and affectionate inhabitants of the Bahamas, met warlike and cruel cannibals, Indians from the Carib tribe. There was a fight between the Spaniards and the Caribs.

Having discovered the island of Puerto Rico, on November 22, 1493, Columbus sailed to Hispaniola. At night, the ships approached the place where the fort they laid on their first voyage stood.

Everything was quiet. There were no lights on the beach. The arrivals fired a volley of bombards, but only the echo rolled in the distance. In the morning, Columbus learned that the Spaniards, with their cruelty and greed, so revolted the Indians against themselves that one night they suddenly attacked the fortress and burned it, killing the rapists. So America met Columbus during his second voyage!

The second expedition of Columbus was unsuccessful: the discoveries were insignificant; despite careful searches, little gold was found; disease was rampant in the newly built Isabella colony.

When Columbus went in search of new lands (during this voyage he discovered the island of Jamaica), the Indians in Hispaniola, outraged by the oppression of the Spaniards, rebelled again. The Spaniards were able to suppress the uprising and brutally cracked down on the rebels. Hundreds of them were enslaved, sent to Spain or forced to do backbreaking work in plantations and mines.

1496, March 10 - Columbus set off on his return journey, and on June 11, 1496, his ships entered the harbor of Cadiz.

The American writer Washington Irving spoke of the return of Columbus from the second expedition:

“These unfortunates crawled out, exhausted by diseases in the colony and severe hardships of travel. Their yellow faces, in the words of an ancient writer, were a parody of the gold that was the subject of their aspirations, and all their stories about the New World were reduced to complaints of illness, poverty and disappointment.

Third expedition (1498 - 1500)

Return of Christopher Columbus

In Spain, Columbus was not only received very coldly, but also deprived of many privileges. Only after long and humiliating troubles was he able in the summer of 1498 to equip ships for the third expedition.

This time, Columbus and his crew had to endure a long calm and terrible heat. On July 31, the ships approached the large island of Trinidad, and soon a grassy coast appeared in front of Columbus.

Christopher Columbus took it for an island, in fact it was the mainland - South America. Even when Columbus got to the mouth of the Orinoco, he did not realize that he had a huge mainland in front of him.

In Hispaniola at that time there was a tense situation: the colonists quarreled among themselves; relations with the natives were damaged; the Indians responded to oppression with uprisings, and the Spaniards sent one punitive expedition after another to them.

The intrigues that had long been waged against Columbus at the Spanish court finally had their effect: in August 1500, a new government representative, Babadilla, arrived on the island of Hispaniola. He demoted Columbus and, having chained him and his brother Bartolomeo, sent him to Spain.

The appearance of a famous traveler in shackles caused such indignation among the Spaniards that the government was forced to immediately release him. The shackles were removed, but the mortally offended admiral did not part with them until the end of his days and ordered to put them in his coffin.

Almost all privileges were taken away from Columbus, and expeditions to America began to be equipped without his participation.

Fourth expedition (1502 - 1504)

Only in 1502 was Columbus able to set off on four ships on his fourth and last expedition. This time he went along the coast of Central America, from Honduras to Panama. It was his most unfortunate journey. The travelers endured all sorts of hardships, and in 1504 the admiral returned to Spain on the same ship.

Columbus ended his life in a struggle. The admiral began to dream about the deliverance of Jerusalem and Mount Zion. At the end of November 1504, he sent a lengthy letter to the royal couple, in which he outlined his "crusading" creed.

Death of Columbus and posthumous journey

Columbus was often sick.

“Exhausted by gout, grieving over the loss of his property, tormented by other sorrows, he gave his soul with the king for the rights and privileges promised to him. Before his death, he still considered himself the king of India and advised the king on how best to rule the overseas lands. He gave his soul to God on the day of the Ascension, May 20, 1506 in Valladolid, accepting the holy gifts with great humility.

The admiral was buried in the church of the Valladolid Franciscan monastery. And in 1507 or 1509, the admiral set off on his longest journey. It lasted 390 years. Initially, his ashes were transported to Seville. In the middle of the 16th century, his remains were brought from Seville to Santo Domingo (Haiti). Columbus' brother Bartolomeo, his son Diego and grandson Luis were also buried there.

1792 - Spain cedes the eastern half of the island of Hispaniola to France. The commander of the Spanish flotilla ordered the ashes of the admiral to be delivered to Havana. The fourth funeral took place there. 1898 - Spain lost Cuba. The Spanish government decided to move the ashes of the admiral back to Seville. Now he rests in the Seville Cathedral.

What was Christopher Columbus looking for? What hopes drew him west? The treaty that Columbus made with Ferdinand and Isabella does not clarify this.

“Since you, Christopher Columbus, are sent by our order on our ships and with our subjects to discover and conquer certain islands and the mainland in the ocean ... it is fair and reasonable ... that you be rewarded for this.”

What islands? What mainland? Columbus took his secret with him to the grave.

autumn 1451, the island of Corsica, the Republic of Genoa (according to one version) - May 20, 1506, Valladolid, Spain

Christopher Columbus - Spanish navigator and discoverer of new lands. He is best known for his discovery of America (1492).

Columbus was the first of the reliably known travelers to cross the Atlantic Ocean in the subtropical and tropical strip northern hemisphere and was the first European to sail in the Caribbean. He laid the foundation for the discovery of the mainland of South America and the isthmuses of Central America. He discovered all the Greater Antilles - the central part of the Bahamas, the Lesser Antilles (from Dominica to the Virgin Islands inclusive), as well as a number of small islands in the Caribbean and the island of Trinidad off the coast of South America.

Since Europeans represented by the Icelandic Vikings (Leif Eriksson and others) visited North America as early as the 11th century, Columbus, strictly speaking, cannot be called the discoverer of America. However, since the expeditions of Columbus were essential to the subsequent colonization of the Americas, this terminology is widely used.

Italian by birth. Born in Genoa between August 25 and October 31, 1451 in the family of woolen weaver Domenico Colombo.
In 1470 he began to actively participate in commercial transactions (until 1473 under the leadership of his father). In 1474-1479 he made several voyages as part of the trading expeditions of the Genoese company Centurione Negro: he visited the island of Chios, England, Ireland, the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira. In 1476 he settled in Portugal. In 1482-1484 he visited the Azores and the Guinean coast (fort Sao Jorge da Mina).

Columbus was born into a poor Genoese family: father - Domenico Colombo, mother - Susanna Fontanarossa. In addition to Christopher, there were other children in the family: Giovanni (died in childhood, in 1484), Bartolomeo, Giacomo, Bianchella (married Giacomo Bavarello). Studied at the University of Pavia. Around 1470 he marries Doña Felipe Moniz de Palestrello. Her father was a famous navigator from the time of Prince Enrique. Until 1472, Columbus lived in Genoa, and from 1472 - in Savona. In the 1470s, he participated in sea trading expeditions. It is believed that as early as 1474, the astronomer and geographer Paolo Toscanelli told him in a letter that, in his opinion, India can be reached by a much shorter sea route if you sail west. Apparently, already then Columbus thought about his project of a sea voyage to India. Having made his own calculations based on the advice of Toscanelli, he decided that it was most convenient to sail through the Canary Islands, from which, in his opinion, there were about five thousand kilometers to Japan.

Christopher Columbus

From 1476, Columbus moved to Portugal, where he lived for nine years. It is known that in 1477 Columbus visited England, Ireland and Iceland, where he could get acquainted with the data of the Icelanders about the lands in the west. During this time, he also manages to visit Guinea as part of the expedition of Diogo de Azambuja, who went there in 1481 to build the Elmina fortress (Sao Jorge da Mina)

The first appeal of Columbus with a proposal to sail to India to the west was in 1475-1480. He addressed it to the government and merchants of his native Genoa. There was no response.

1480s - during this period, the Portuguese were preoccupied with finding a sea route to Asia. The interest in this part of the world is explained quite simply: at that time, Asian spices alone often replaced money, but there were also incense, silk, carpets, luxury items ... There was no land route to Asia then - it was blocked by the powerful Ottoman Empire. I had to buy spices, silk and other exotic oriental goods from Arab merchants, losing big profits. The Portuguese saw only one route: rounding Africa, climbing into the Indian Ocean, and at the beginning of the decade, the king of Portugal, João II, equipped and sent an appropriate expedition. Columbus offered an alternative: reach Asia by moving west. Columbus's theory was based on the navigator's own calculations. But in fairness, it must be said that Columbus was not an innovator - the idea of ​​a western route to India was put forward in the ancient world by Aristotle and Protagoras.

Cristobal Colon

Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio .: This Portrait was made by the Florentine painter Ridolfo Ghirlandaio (1483-1561). This illustration may be considered to be in the public domain. This portrait was executed in the first half of the sixteenth century, after the death of Columbus. It is displayed in a showcase of the Museum of the sea and navigation of Genoa, "It Padiglione del Mare e della Navigazione."

In 1483, he proposes his project to the Portuguese king João II, but after a long study, the project is rejected.

In 1485, Columbus moved to Spain with his son Diego (apparently, he was fleeing persecution. In the winter of 1485-1486, he finds shelter in the monastery of Santa Maria da Rabida in the status of a beggar. Abbot Juan Perez de Marchena accepted him and actually saved from starvation. He also organized the first letter to Fernando de Talavera, his friend, the queen's confessor, with a summary of the ideas of Columbus. The king of Spain was at that time in the city of Cordoba, where preparations were made for the war with Granada with the personal participation of sovereigns. Columbus establishes contacts with royal financial advisers, merchants and bankers in 1486. ​​It was not until the winter of 1486 that Columbus was introduced to Pedro González de Mendoza, Archbishop of Toledo and Grand Cardinal of Spain, who in turn facilitated an audience with the King of Spain. theologians, cosmographers, jurists, monks, courtiers reject him, considering his demands excessive.

Christopher Columbus, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing slightly right.

On April 20, 1488, Columbus unexpectedly received a letter from the Portuguese king with an offer to return to Portugal. The most interesting here were the following words of Their Majesty:

“And if you fear Our justice for some of your obligations, then know that neither after your arrival, nor during your stay in Portugal, nor after your departure, you will be arrested, detained, charged, convicted, or persecuted. for any reason arising from civil, criminal or any other law. »

Columbus sends his proposals to other addresses: from King Henry VII of England in February 1488, he received a favorable answer, but without any specific proposals.

Columbus and the Indian Maiden

1488 - a certain Beatriz Henriquez de Arana gives birth to Columbus's son Fernando. Columbus not only recognized the child, but also did not forget him later, after thirteen years he took him on one of his expeditions. It was Fernando who would later write a biography of his father, which would become the main source of information about the great navigator.

1492 - Spain is liberated from the Moors, and King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finally make a final decision about funding the search for a western route to Asia. In case of failure, they lost only the funds invested in the enterprise. In case of success, dizzying prospects opened up before Spain. Columbus was promised: a noble rank, the titles of admiral, viceroy and governor-general of all the islands and continents discovered on the expedition.

Christopher Columbus kneeling in front of Queen Isabella I.

On April 30, 1492, the royal couple grants Columbus and his heirs the title of “don” (that is, they make him a nobleman) and confirms that, if the overseas project is successful, he will be Admiral of the Sea-Ocean and Viceroy of all the lands that he discovers or will acquire, and be able to pass on these titles by inheritance. True, Columbus had to look for money to equip the expedition on his own due to the lost state tax payments of Her Majesty the Queen of Castile. In addition, according to the agreement, Columbus himself, who did not have a penny, had to bear an eighth of the costs.

Christopher Columbus being greeted by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella on his return to Spain.

However, Columbus was helped by Martin Alonso Pinson. One of the ships - "Pinta" - was his own, and he equipped it at his own expense; he gave money for the second ship to Christopher, so that Columbus could make his formal contribution under the agreement. The money for the third ship, under his own guarantee, was given out by local Marranos (baptized Jews) as an offset of their payments to the budget. Among them was the rabbi and royal treasurer, the Castilian tutor Abraham Senior (Coronel) and his son-in-law Mayer Melomedes.

Between 1492 and 1504, Christopher Columbus undertook four exploratory expeditions at the behest of the Spanish king. He described the events of these expeditions in his logbook. Unfortunately, the original of the journal has not been preserved, but Bartolome de Las Casas made a partial copy of this journal, which has survived to this day, thanks to which many details of the expeditions described have become known.

Map of the four expeditions of Columbus

First journey (August 3, 1492 - March 15, 1493).
Second journey (September 25, 1493 - June 11, 1496).
Third journey (May 30, 1498 - November 25, 1500).
Fourth journey (May 9, 1502 - November 1504).

Dagli Orti "PINTA", "NINA" AND "SANTA MARIA" - the ships on which Christopher Columbus made his first voyage to the shores of America

First journey (1492-1493).
Early in the morning of August 3, 1492, the Columbus flotilla of three ships (the caravels Pinta and Nina and the four-masted sailing ship (nao) Santa Maria) with a crew of 90 people. left the port of Palos de la Frontera (near the confluence of the Rio Tinto in the Gulf of Cadiz).
On August 9, she approached the Canary Islands. After the repair of the "Pint" on the island of Homer, on September 6, 1492, heading west, the ships began crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Having passed the Sargasso Sea, Columbus turned to the southwest on October 7. On October 12, the Spaniards reached the island of Guanahani (modern Watling) in the Bahamas - the first land they encountered in the Western Hemisphere. Columbus Island called San Salvador (St. Savior), and its inhabitants - Indians, believing that he was off the coast of India. This day is considered the official date of the discovery of America.

Columbus announces open land property of the Spanish king

Having learned from the natives about the existence of a rich island in the south, Columbus left the Bahamas on October 24 and sailed further to the southwest. On October 28, the flotilla approached the shores of Cuba, named by Columbus "Juan". Then the Spaniards, inspired by the stories of local Indians, spent a month looking for the golden island of Baneke (modern Great Inagua).

The Landing of Columbus. Christopher Columbus and others showing objects to Native American men and women on shore.

On November 21, the captain of the Pinta, M.A. Pinson, took his ship away, deciding to search for this island on his own. Having lost hope of finding Baneke, Columbus turned east with the two remaining ships and on December 5 reached the northwestern tip of the island of Bohio (modern Haiti), which he named Hispaniola ("Spanish"). Moving along the northern coast of Hispaniola, on December 25, the expedition approached the Holy Cape (modern Cap Haitien), where the Santa Maria crashed and sank. This forced Columbus to leave part of the team (39 people) in the fort Navidad (“Christmas”) he founded and set off on the Nina on the way back (January 2, 1493). On January 6, he met "Pint".
On January 16, both ships headed northeast, using a favorable current - the Gulf Stream. On February 11-14, they fell into a severe storm, during which the Pint was lost.
On February 15, Nina reached the island of Santa Maria in the Azores, but only on February 18 did she manage to land on the shore. The Portuguese governor of the island tried to detain the ship by force, but ran into the determined resistance of Columbus and let the travelers go.
On February 24, Nina left the Azores. On February 26, she again fell into a storm, which washed her on the coast of Portugal on March 4 near the mouth of the Tagus (Tajo). Juan II gave an audience to Columbus, at which he informed the king about the discovery of a western route to India and reproached him for refusing to support his project in 1484. Despite the advice of the courtiers to kill the admiral, Juan II did not dare to go into conflict with Spain, and on March 13, the Nina was able to sail home. March 15, on the 225th day of the voyage, she returned to Palos. Later, "Pinta" also came there. Isabella and Ferdinand gave Columbus a solemn reception and gave permission for a new expedition.

First Voyage, Departure for the New World, August 3, 1492

Second journey (1493-1496).
On September 25, 1493, Columbus' flotilla of 17 caravels (except for ship crews, there were soldiers, officials, monks and colonists on board) left Cadiz and reached the Canary Islands on October 2.
On October 11, Columbus began crossing the Atlantic, heading more southerly than on his first voyage, as he planned to reach Hispaniola from the southeast. On November 3, the ships approached one of the Lesser Antilles, which Columbus gave the name Dominica (it was Sunday - “the day of the Lord”); Aboriginal people who practiced ritual cannibalism, he called "cannibals." Then sailors discovered a number of other islands in the northern part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago - Montserrat, Antigua, Nevis, San Cristobal (modern St. Christopher), San Eustasio (modern Sint Eustatius), Santa Cruz and the "Islands of Eleven Thousand Virgins "(Virgin Islands), and the large island of Boriken, renamed by the admiral to San Juan Batista (modern Puerto Rico).
Approaching the eastern tip of Hispaniola, the flotilla moved along its northern coast and on November 27 reached Fort Navidad, which was ruined; not a single colonist survived. To the east of the fort (in a very unfortunate location), Columbus founded a new settlement, naming it La Isabela in honor of the Queen of Spain. In January 1494, he sent an expedition inland under the command of A. de Ojeda, who obtained a huge amount of gold objects from the Indians. On February 2, the admiral sent twelve ships with booty home. In the spring of 1494, the Spaniards switched to a policy of systematic robbery and extermination of the local population.

Cristobal Colon apaciguando una rebelion a bordo.

Cristoforo Colombo in mezzo agli indigen

Leaving his brother Diego to manage Hispaniola, Columbus sailed west on April 24, 1494 with three ships, continuing to search for a route to Asia (China). April 29, he approached the eastern tip of Cuba. Moving along its southern coast, the flotilla reached Guantanamo Bay, and then turned south and on May 5 anchored off the northern coast of Jamaica. Faced with the open hostility of the natives, Columbus returned to the Cuban coast, headed west and reached Cortez Bay near the western tip of the island. Deciding that the Malacca Peninsula was in front of him, he turned back (June 13). Bypassing Jamaica from the south, the flotilla returned to La Isabela on September 29.

Christopher Columbus and his crew leaving the port of Palos, Spain, for the New World; crowd of well wishers looks on.

Throughout 1495, Columbus suppressed the uprising of the Indians that broke out in Hispaniola. In the same year, under the influence of complaints about the admiral from the colonists who fled to Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella deprived him of his monopoly on discovering overseas lands and sent their plenipotentiary J. Aguado to the island. After a conflict with J. Aguado, Columbus left Hispaniola on March 10, 1496, transferring power to his brother Bartolome. On June 11 he arrived in Cadiz.

Columbus and son at the convention of La Rábída, approaching prior Juan Pérez, who is surrounded by poor people.

The First Sight of the New World

Third journey (1498-1500).
Although Ferdinand and Isabella had serious doubts about the profitability of the discoveries of Columbus, the preparation by the Portuguese of a flotilla under the command of Vasco da Gama for a decisive throw into the Indian Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope forced them to agree to organize a third expedition to the west.

The Landing of Columbus at San Salvador, October 12, 1492.

The Landing of Columbus, 1492.

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