Dates of Columbus's voyages. Columbus's four expeditions or how Europeans began to colonize America? Discovery of America: little-known facts
Christopher Columbus was a medieval navigator who discovered the Sargasso and Caribbean Seas, the Antilles, the Bahamas and the American continent for Europeans, and was the first known traveler to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
According to various sources, Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Genoa, in what is now Corsica. Six Italian and Spanish cities claim the right to be called his homeland. Almost nothing is known for certain about the navigator’s childhood and youth, and the origins of the Columbus family are also vague.
Some researchers call Columbus an Italian, others believe that his parents were baptized Jews, Marranos. This assumption explains the incredible level of education for those times that Christopher, who came from the family of an ordinary weaver and housewife, received.
According to some historians and biographers, Columbus studied at home until the age of 14, but had excellent knowledge of mathematics and knew several languages, including Latin. The boy had three younger brothers and a sister, all of whom were taught by visiting teachers. One of the brothers, Giovanni, died in childhood, sister Bianchella grew up and got married, and Bartolomeo and Giacomo accompanied Columbus on his travels.
Most likely, Columbus was given all possible assistance by his fellow believers, wealthy Genoese financiers from the Marranos. With their help, a young man from a poor family entered the University of Padua.
Being an educated man, Columbus was familiar with the teachings of ancient Greek philosophers and thinkers, who depicted the Earth as a ball, and not a flat pancake, as was believed in the Middle Ages. However, such thoughts, like Jewish origin during the Inquisition, which was raging in Europe, had to be carefully hidden.
At the university, Columbus became friends with students and teachers. One of his close friends was the astronomer Toscanelli. According to his calculations, it turned out that to the treasured India, full of untold riches, it was much closer to sail in a western direction, and not in an eastern direction, skirting Africa. Later, Christopher carried out his own calculations, which, although incorrect, confirmed Toscanelli's hypothesis. Thus was born the dream of a western journey, and Columbus devoted his whole life to it.
Even before entering university as a fourteen-year-old teenager, Christopher Columbus experienced the hardships of sea travel. The father arranged for his son to work on one of the trading schooners to learn the art of navigation and trade skills, and from that moment the biography of Columbus the navigator began.
Columbus made his first voyages as a cabin boy in the Mediterranean Sea, where trade and economic routes between Europe and Asia intersected. At the same time, European merchants knew about the riches and gold deposits of Asia and India from the words of the Arabs, who resold them wonderful silks and spices from these countries.
The young man listened to extraordinary stories from the lips of eastern merchants and was inflamed with a dream of reaching the shores of India in order to find its treasures and get rich.
Expeditions
In the 70s of the 15th century, Columbus married Felipe Moniz from a wealthy Italian-Portuguese family. The father-in-law of Christopher, who settled in Lisbon and sailed under the Portuguese flag, was also a navigator. After his death, he left nautical charts, diaries and other documents, which were inherited by Columbus. Using them, the traveler continued to study geography, while simultaneously studying the works of Piccolomini, Pierre de Ailly,.
Christopher Columbus took part in the so-called northern expedition, as part of which his route passed through the British Isles and Iceland. Presumably, there the navigator heard Scandinavian sagas and stories about the Vikings, Erik the Red and Leiv Eriksson, who reached the coast of the “Mainland” by sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
Columbus drew up a route that allowed him to reach India by the western route back in 1475. He presented an ambitious plan to conquer a new land to the court of the Genoese merchants, but did not meet with support.
A few years later, in 1483, Christopher made a similar proposal to the Portuguese King João II. The king assembled a scientific council, which reviewed the Genoese’s project and found his calculations incorrect. Frustrated, but resilient, Columbus left Portugal and moved to Castile.
In 1485, the navigator requested an audience with the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile. The couple received him favorably, listened to Columbus, who enticed them with the treasures of India, and, just like the Portuguese ruler, called the scientists to a council. The commission did not support the navigator, since the possibility of a western route implied the sphericity of the Earth, which contradicted the teachings of the church. Columbus was almost declared a heretic, but the king and queen relented and decided to postpone the final decision until the end of the war with the Moors.
Columbus, who was driven not so much by a thirst for discovery as by a desire to get rich, carefully concealing the details of his planned journey, sent messages to the English and French monarchs. Charles and Henry did not respond to the letters, being too busy with domestic politics, but the Portuguese king sent the navigator an invitation to continue discussing the expedition.
When Christopher announced this in Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella agreed to equip a squadron of ships to search for a western route to India, although the poor Spanish treasury did not have the funds for this enterprise. The monarchs promised Columbus a title of nobility, the titles of admiral and viceroy of all the lands that he would discover, and he had to borrow money from Andalusian bankers and merchants.
Four Expeditions of Columbus
- Christopher Columbus's first expedition took place in 1492-1493. On three ships, the caravels "Pinta" (owned by Martin Alonso Pinzon) and "Nina" and the four-masted sailing ship "Santa Maria", the navigator passed through the Canary Islands, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, discovering the Sargasso Sea along the way, and reached the Bahamas. On October 12, 1492, Columbus set foot on the island of Saman, which he named San Salvador. This date is considered the day of the discovery of America.
- Columbus's second expedition took place in 1493-1496. During this campaign, the Lesser Antilles, Dominica, Haiti, Cuba, and Jamaica were discovered.
- The third expedition dates from 1498 to 1500. The flotilla of six ships reached the islands of Trinidad and Margarita, marking the beginning of the discovery of South America, and ended in Haiti.
- During the fourth expedition, Christopher Columbus sailed to Martinique, visited the Gulf of Honduras and explored the coast of Central America along the Caribbean Sea.
Discovery of America
The process of discovering the New World lasted for many years. The most amazing thing is that Columbus, being a convinced discoverer and experienced navigator, believed until the end of his days that he had discovered the way to Asia. He considered the Bahamas, discovered in the first expedition, to be part of Japan, followed by the discovery of wonderful China, and behind it the treasured India.
What did Columbus discover and why did the new continent receive the name of another traveler? The list of discoveries made by the great traveler and navigator includes San Salvador, Cuba and Haiti, belonging to the Bahamas archipelago, and the Sargasso Sea.
Seventeen ships headed by the flagship Maria Galante set off on the second expedition. This type of ship with a displacement of two hundred tons and other ships carried not only sailors, but also colonialists, livestock, and supplies. All this time, Columbus was convinced that he had discovered Western India. At the same time, the Antilles, Dominica and Guadeloupe were discovered.
The third expedition brought Columbus's ships to the continent, but the navigator was disappointed: he never found India with its gold deposits. Columbus returned from this trip in shackles, accused of false denunciation. Before entering the port, the shackles were removed from him, but the navigator lost the promised titles and ranks.
The last voyage of Christopher Columbus ended with a shipwreck off the coast of Jamaica and a serious illness of the leader of the expedition. He returned home sick, unhappy and broken by failures. Amerigo Vespucci was a close comrade and follower of Columbus, who undertook four voyages to the New World. An entire continent is named after him, and one country in South America is named after Columbus, who never reached India.
Personal life
If you believe the biographers of Christopher Columbus, the first of whom was his own son, the navigator was married twice. The first marriage with Felipe Moniz was legal. The wife gave birth to a son, Diego. In 1488, Columbus had a second son, Fernando, from a relationship with a woman named Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.
The navigator took equal care of both sons, and even took the younger one with him on an expedition when the boy was thirteen years old. Fernando became the first to write a biography of the famous traveler.
Christopher Columbus with his wife Felipe Moniz Subsequently, both sons of Columbus became influential people and took high positions. Diego was the fourth Viceroy of New Spain and Admiral of the Indies, and his descendants were titled Marquesses of Jamaica and Dukes of Veragua.
Fernando Columbus, who became a writer and scientist, enjoyed the favor of the Spanish emperor, lived in a marble palace and had an annual income of up to 200,000 francs. These titles and wealth went to the descendants of Columbus as a sign of recognition by the Spanish monarchs of his services to the crown.
Death
After the discovery of America from his last expedition, Columbus returned to Spain as a terminally ill, aged man. In 1506, the discoverer of the New World died in poverty in a small house in Valladolid. Columbus spent his savings to pay off the debts of the participants of the last expedition.
Tomb of Christopher Columbus Soon after the death of Christopher Columbus, the first ships began to arrive from America, loaded with gold, which the navigator so dreamed of. Many historians agree that Columbus knew that he had discovered not Asia or India, but a new, unexplored continent, but did not want to share with anyone the glory and treasures, which were one step away.
The appearance of the enterprising discoverer of America is known from photographs in history textbooks. Several films have been made about Columbus, the latest being a film co-produced by France, England, Spain and the USA, “1492: The Conquest of Paradise.” Monuments to this great man were erected in Barcelona and Granada, and his ashes were transported from Seville to Haiti.
On August 3, 1492, the first expedition of the navigator Christopher Columbus began, discovering new lands for Europeans.
Born in Genoa, Columbus became a sailor at an early age, sailing the Mediterranean Sea on merchant ships. Then he settled in Portugal. Under the Portuguese flag, he sailed north to England and Ireland, and sailed along the west coast of Africa to the Portuguese trading post of São Jorge da Mina (modern Ghana). He was engaged in trade, mapping and self-education. During this period, Columbus had the idea of reaching India by a western route through the Atlantic Ocean.
At that time, many Western European countries were looking for sea routes to the countries of South and East Asia, which were then united under the common name “India”. From these countries, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and expensive silk fabrics came to Europe. Traders from Europe could not penetrate Asian countries by land, since Turkish conquests cut off traditional merchant connections with the East through the Mediterranean Sea. They were forced to purchase Asian goods from Arab merchants. Therefore, Europeans were interested in finding a sea route to Asia, which would allow them to purchase Asian goods without intermediaries. In the 1480s, the Portuguese tried to circumnavigate Africa to reach India across the Indian Ocean.
Columbus suggested that Asia could be reached by moving west across the Atlantic Ocean. His theory was based on the ancient doctrine of the sphericity of the Earth and the incorrect calculations of 15th century scientists who considered the globe to be much smaller in size and also underestimated the real extent of the Atlantic Ocean from west to east.
Between 1483 and 1484, Columbus tried to interest the Portuguese King João II with his plan for an expedition to Asia by the western route. The monarch handed over his project for examination to the scientists of the "Mathematical Junta" (Lisbon Academy of Astronomy and Mathematics). Experts recognized Columbus's calculations as "fantastic", and the king refused Columbus.
Having received no support, Columbus set off for Spain in 1485. There, at the beginning of 1486, he was presented to the royal court and received an audience with the king and queen of Spain - Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. The royal couple became interested in the project of the Western route to Asia. A special commission was created to consider it, which in the summer of 1487 issued an unfavorable conclusion, but the Spanish monarchs postponed the decision to organize the expedition until the end of the war they waged with the Emirate of Granada (the last Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula).
In the fall of 1488, Columbus visited Portugal, where he again proposed his project to John II, but was again refused and returned to Spain.
In 1489, he tried unsuccessfully to interest the regent of France, Anne de Beaujeu, and two Spanish dukes in the idea of sailing to the west.
In January 1492, unable to withstand a long siege by Spanish troops, Granada fell. After long negotiations, the Spanish monarchs, overriding the objections of their advisers, agreed to subsidize Columbus's expedition.
On April 17, 1492, the royal couple entered into a treaty (“capitulation”) with him in Santa Fe, granting him the title of nobility, the titles of admiral of the Sea-Ocean, viceroy and governor-general of all the islands and continents that he would discover. The title of admiral gave Columbus the right to rule in disputes arising in matters of trade, the position of viceroy made him the personal representative of the monarch, and the position of governor general provided the highest civil and military authority. Columbus was given the right to receive a tenth of everything found in the new lands and an eighth of the profits from trading operations with foreign goods.
The Spanish crown pledged to finance most of the expedition's expenses. Italian merchants and financiers gave part of the funds for it to the navigator.
He named the island San Salvador (St. Savior), and its inhabitants - Indians, believing that he was off the coast of India.
However, there is still ongoing debate about Columbus's first landing site. For a long time (1940-1982), Watling Island was considered San Salvador. In 1986, American geographer George Judge processed all the collected materials on a computer and came to the conclusion: the first American land Columbus saw was the island of Samana (120 km southeast of Watling).
On October 14-24, Columbus approached several more Bahamian islands. Having learned from the natives about the existence of a rich island in the south, the ships left the Bahamian archipelago on October 24 and sailed further to the southwest. On October 28, Columbus landed on the northeastern coast of Cuba, which he named “Juana.” After this, the Spaniards, inspired by the stories of the natives, spent a month searching for the golden island of Baneque (modern Great Inagua).
On November 21, the captain of the Pinta, Martin Pinson, took his ship away, deciding to search for this island on his own. Having lost hope of finding Baneke, Columbus with the two remaining ships turned east and on December 5 reached the northwestern tip of the island of Bohio (modern Haiti), to which he gave the name Hispaniola ("Spanish"). Moving along the northern coast of Hispaniola, on December 25 the expedition approached the Holy Cape (modern Cap-Haïtien), where the Santa Maria ran aground and sank, but the crew escaped. With the help of local residents, they managed to remove guns, supplies and valuable cargo from the ship. From the wreckage of the ship they built a fort - the first European settlement in America, named "Navidad" ("Christmas town") on the occasion of the Christmas holiday.
The loss of the ship forced Columbus to leave part of the crew (39 people) in the established settlement and set off on the Niña on the return journey. For the first time in the history of navigation, on his orders, Indian hammocks were adapted for sailor berths. To prove that he had reached a part of the world previously unknown to Europeans, Columbus took with him seven captive islanders, strange bird feathers and the fruits of plants unknown in Europe. Having visited the open islands, the Spaniards saw corn, tobacco, and potatoes for the first time.
On January 4, 1493, Columbus set out to sea on the Niña and sailed east along the northern coast of Hispaniola. Two days later he met "Pinta". On January 16, both ships headed northeast, taking advantage of a passing current - the Gulf Stream. On February 12, a storm arose, and on the night of February 14, the ships lost sight of each other. At dawn on February 15, the sailors saw land, and Columbus determined that he was near the Azores. On February 18, "Nina" managed to land on the shore of one of the islands - Santa Maria.
On February 24, Niña left the Azores. Two days later she was again caught in a storm, which washed her ashore on the coast of Portugal on March 4. On March 9, the Niña dropped anchor in the port of Lisbon. The team needed a break, and the ship needed repairs. King John II gave Columbus an audience, at which the navigator informed him of his discovery of the western route to India. On March 13, "Nina" was able to sail to Spain. On March 15, 1493, on the 225th day of the voyage, the ship returned to the Spanish port of Palos. On the same day, “Pinta” arrived there.
King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile gave Columbus a ceremonial welcome and, in addition to previously promised privileges, gave him permission for a new expedition.
During his first voyage, Columbus discovered America, which he mistook for East Asia and called the West Indies. Europeans first set foot on the Caribbean islands of Juan (Cuba) and Hispaniola (Haiti). As a result of the expedition, the width of the Atlantic Ocean became reliably known, the Sargasso Sea was discovered, the flow of ocean water from west to east was established, and the incomprehensible behavior of the magnetic compass needle was noted for the first time. The political resonance of Columbus's voyage was the "papal meridian": the head of the Catholic Church established a demarcation line in the Atlantic, which showed rival Spain and Portugal in different directions for the discovery of new lands.
In 1493-1504, Columbus made three more voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, as a result of which he discovered part of the Lesser Antilles and the coast of South and Central America. The navigator died in 1506, fully confident that the lands he discovered were part of the Asian continent, and not a new continent.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
(Christopher Colombo, in Spanish Colon, Colon) - the famous sailor who discovered America.
Little is known about Columbus's life before his appearance as a Spanish admiral. Ten Italian cities and towns argued among themselves about the glory of being the birthplace of Columbus. But now it has been proven that he was born in Genoa. The year of his birth is less certain; Different news about this differ from each other for more than 20 years. Rosely de Lorgues, the author of a biography of Columbus, proves that he was born about 1435; but more reliable information is that he was born in 1456. Information about who his father was is also unreliable, but more likely than others is that he was the son of a wealthy clothier. There is news that Columbus himself practiced this craft until he was twenty years old. This indication, based on data from the Genoese archives, does not, however, fit with Columbus’s own statement that he became a sailor at the age of 14. It is unknown where Columbus studied as a boy and young man; the legend 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 well-known education: 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 swam in the Mediterranean Sea; on merchant ships - he was on 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 sailing of the Normans from Greenland to Vinland, that is, to the northern part of North America. If he had had certain information about this discovery of the Normans, then on his first journey 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 work, Columbus's brother Bartholomew (Bartolomeo) also moved to Lisbon, followed by Christopher. 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 developed a firm conviction about the possibility of sailing west to the shores of Asia. Columbus was especially influenced by the letter of Paolo Toscanelli, a famous Florentine scientist, cosmographer and physician, to whom he turned for instructions. Toscanelli sent Columbus a map from which it could be seen that the distance between the western shores of Europe and the eastern shores of Asia, as they were described by the famous traveler Marco Polo, was not particularly significant. At that time, there were generally rather vague ideas about the relationship between the spaces occupied by land and sea on the earth’s surface; Columbus even believed that land occupied much more space than the sea. In addition to the map and letter from Toscanelli, Columbus was guided in his views by the authority of Marco Polo and Peter d'Agli, a medieval compiler, from whom Columbus could also familiarize himself with the opinions of the ancients - Aristotle, Seneca, Pliny, Ptolemy, on the possibility of the existence of countries overseas, in the west.
Having considered his plan for a naval expedition, Columbus approached the Portuguese King John II, who, however, having asked his court doctors and dignitaries for their opinion on this matter, rejected his proposal. There is reason to think that the Portuguese government, which at that time was engaged in research along the western coast of Africa, did not want to leave them or split up its forces in order to set sail to 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 and his eldest son Diego (a child of 5-6 years old) moved to Spain. It seems that Columbus fled Portugal secretly, avoiding any prosecution, leaving behind his wife and other children, whom he never met again and whom he speaks of in his will as already dead. There are stories that Columbus proposed his plan to the Genoese government; but they have now been proven wrong. Genoa, troubled by discord and exhausted by the war with the Turks, did not have the opportunity to undertake such an enterprise as Columbus was thinking about.
In Spain, Columbus had to live seven years of moving, searching, and futile efforts. His financial situation at that time was not brilliant; he was still busy drawing maps, asking for handouts from the court or enjoying the hospitality of Spanish grandees. In the fall of 1491, having achieved nothing from the Spanish government, Columbus decided to leave Spain, and appeared as a tired wanderer on foot in front of the gates of the Franciscan monastery della Rabida, near Palos, where he asked the gatekeeper for water and bread to strengthen his strength. In the monastery, Columbus's position aroused the participation of the prior, abbot Juan Perez, who believed in Columbus's plan and became convinced that every effort should be made to ensure that the glory of the great discovery did not escape Spain. Juan Perez (the queen's former confessor) wrote a letter to Queen Isabella, which had an effect. Formal negotiations were begun with Columbus, which were almost interrupted, 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, which granted Columbus and his heirs the noble dignity and rank of admiral, in addition, he personally - the title of viceroy of all lands and islands that he discovers - the right to leave for himself a tenth of all valuables that can be obtained within his admiralty, the right to contribute one-eighth of the costs of equipping the ships and to receive, accordingly, 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. Substantial assistance in the first voyage was provided to Columbus by the wealthy sailor of Palos M. A. Pinson, who, together with his brother, took command of two ships; the third ship, a larger one (Santa Maria), was commanded by Columbus himself.
Replica of Columbus's ship "Santa Maria"
In August 1492, three caravels lifted 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 frighten his companions less. On September 16, the ships entered the so-called Sargasso Sea, southwest of the Azores. The weather was generally favorable and most of the time there was a fair wind (trade wind). If Columbus had stayed straight west, he would have reached the coast of Florida, but he veered southwest and reached one of the Bahamas.
Signs of land had already appeared several days before: birds flew 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 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 a pre-given order, a salvo from a gun. Subsequently, this sailor demanded the reward assigned by the queen to the one who would be the first to see the land, but Columbus declared that he had seen the land first; the matter reached the court, which recognized the right of Columbus - a dark fact that caused, from some of the newest researchers, the accusation of Columbus of “disgusting greed.” The entire voyage lasted 33 days - from the Canary Islands and 69 days, if you count from the day you left Palos. Staying for more than a month without seeing land was, of course, terrible for the Spanish sailors of that time; however, the legend about a riot that supposedly broke out on 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 a convoy on the shore and, unfurling the royal banner, took the island into the possession of Spain. A crowd of natives, naked, dark-skinned, with black, long hair, painted all over their bodies, armed with spears with bone and stone tips, gathered on the shore. According to Columbus, this island was called Gwanaani; Columbus named it San Salvador. Later it was found out that the natives called it “Cayos”, hence the subsequent name of the entire group among the Spaniards - “Lucay Islands”. At the beginning of the 16th century. the entire population of these islands (the Bahamas) was overfished, enslaved and transferred to the island of Cuba, where they soon died from backbreaking work. From San Salvador, Columbus went southwest, met other islands of the same group, then reached the land he called “Juana” (named after the Spanish infanta) and which he recognized as part of the Asian continent, while in reality it was an island Cuba. Having walked along the northern coast of Cuba for 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 named “Hispaniola” (Haiti). Here, near Cape Gvariko, Columbus's ship hit a sandbank, received a hole and sank. Columbus was forced to move to a smaller ship, the Niña, 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 this, Columbus sailed on the little Niña back to Spain; another ship of his squadron, the Pinta, overtook him, and, having earlier returned 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 created a great sensation, which was facilitated by 6 Indians, parrots, gold samples and other West Indian products brought by Columbus. At the same time, it was immediately decided to equip a second expedition in Cadiz; this time, an entire fleet of 17 ships with 1,200 or more crew members was placed under the command of Columbus.
Columbus in front of Kings Ferdinand and Isabella. Painting by E. Leutze, 1843
The new expedition set off to the Canary Islands, then to the west, but along a route 12 degrees south of that 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 headed to Hispaniola (Haiti), where the fort he left behind was destroyed and the entire garrison exterminated by the Indians; 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, and livestock, and he himself, leaving his brother Diego as governor, set off on a new quest to the west, along the southern coast of Cuba. During this voyage, Jamaica and many small islands south of Cuba were discovered, the island nature of which Columbus, however, did not have to convince himself of, since 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 ships, but also saddened by the strife between the Spaniards and the unrest among the oppressed Indians. Some dissatisfied Spaniards managed to return to their homeland without permission and insist there on sending a special commissioner to Hispaniola to investigate the affairs. Columbus decided to personally speak out in defense of his actions and went to Spain.
The Age of Great Geographical Discovery completely transformed the Europeans' understanding of the world. New continents, islands, and straits began to appear on maps. It was during this glorious time that the discovery of America by Columbus took place - an event that still causes a lot of controversy, speculation and even myths. In the period from the 15th to the 17th centuries, previously unknown products, spices, jewelry, and fabrics were discovered in Europe. Great navigators were glorified, they were awarded ranks and important positions. However, this did not happen to everyone.
Discovery of America: historical information
The first journey of the cartographer, navigator and discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus, to the shores of the new continent began in 1492 (August 3). Three ships set sail from Spain into the unknown. Their names are forever preserved in the tablets of history: “Santa Maria”, “Pinta”, “Nina”. For more than two months, the crew and the great navigator himself suffered hardships. “Along the way” (September 16), the expedition discovered a new geographical object - the Sargasso Sea, which amazed Columbus and his companions with unprecedented masses of green algae.
Santa Maria, Pinta, Niña - schooners on which Columbus's expedition discovered America
On October 12 (13?) the caravels moored to the shore. Christopher Columbus and other participants in the journey were confident that they had finally reached India, because this was precisely the goal of the expedition. In reality, the Spaniards landed on the island of San Salvador. However, this significant day is officially considered the date of the discovery of America.
Portrait of Christopher Columbus - discoverer of America, Spanish subject
Stepping ashore, Christopher Columbus, the greatest, mysterious and unfortunate, as it turned out later, navigator of the Age of Discovery, hoisted the Castilian banner on an unknown piece of land and immediately declared himself the discoverer and formal owner of the island. A notarial deed was even drawn up. Columbus was sure that he had landed in the vicinity of China, Japan or India. In a word - in Asia. That is why for a very long time cartographers called the Bahamas archipelago the West Indies.
Columbus's landing on the American coast. Local natives mistook the Spanish sailors for gods
For two weeks, the caravels stubbornly moved south, skirting the shores of South America. Christopher Columbus marked on the map new islands of the Bahamas archipelago: Cuba and Haiti, which his fleet reached on December 6, but already on December 25 the Santa Maria ran aground. The grand expedition to uncharted shores, which resulted in the discovery of America, has come to an end. The Niña returned to Castile on March 15, 1493. Together with Columbus, the natives arrived in Europe, whom the navigator brought with him - they began to be called. Caravels brought potatoes, corn, tobacco to Spain - unprecedented products from another continent. But this was not the end of Columbus's discoveries.
Discovery of America: continuation of Columbus's sea voyages
The second expedition of Christopher Columbus, who discovered America, lasted 3 years (1493-1496). The great navigator of the Age of Discovery led it already with the rank of admiral. He was granted the post of Viceroy of America, or more precisely of those lands that he managed to discover during his first sea voyage. Not three caravels, as the first time, but a whole fleet, consisting of 17 ships, set sail from the Spanish shores. The crew number was 1.5 thousand people. During this voyage, Columbus discovered Guadeloupe, the island of Dominica and Jamaica, Antigua and Puerto Rico, completing the voyage by June 11, 1496.
Columbus's voyages to the American coast
Interesting fact. Columbus's third sea voyage to America was not so brilliant. He managed to discover “only” the islands of Trinidad and Margarita, discover the mouth of the Orinoco River and the Paria Peninsula, which became an important milestone in the discovery of America.
But Columbus didn't stop there. He obtained permission from the royal couple to organize another expedition to the mysterious continent. The fourth and, as it turned out, the last expedition in Columbus’s life to the shores of America lasted 2 years (1502-1504). The great navigator set off with 4 ships, and during the voyage he discovered Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama. In 1503 (June 25), the flotilla was wrecked off the coast of Jamaica.
Parting words of the august persons of Spain before the departure of Columbus's expedition
Only in 1504 did the great Christopher Columbus return to Castile. Sick, exhausted, practically destitute. A man who spent his entire life replenishing the coffers of the crowned heads of Spain spent all his savings on equipping a rescue expedition for the crew of one of his caravels. In 1506, the great explorer of the Age of Discovery and the man who discovered America died in poverty. The public learned about his death only 27 years later.
Discovery of America: little-known facts
Why did America, discovered by Columbus, receive the name of another person who was not even a navigator? It was Amerigo Vespucci, a merchant and participant in a maritime expedition to the shores of South America, who was the first to suggest that the new continent was not Asia, but an unknown land. The enterprising businessman did not hesitate to inform cartographers and the “powers of this world” about his guess in letters. In 1506, an atlas was published in France, where the new land was indicated, and it bore the name Amerigo. A little later, a division into the Central and Northern parts appeared.
The first meeting of Spanish sailors with American Indians
Interesting fact. It is generally accepted that Christopher Columbus discovered America on October 12th. In fact, at this time he landed in the Bahamas, but reached the continent only a month later. Only during the second expedition was America discovered - in 1493, when the shores of a new land were reached - Colombia, which bears the name of the navigator.
Before Christopher Columbus, a huge number of ships landed on the shores of America. This is not fiction, but a long-proven fact. We can assume that America was discovered by the Norwegian Vikings, and this happened several centuries before the first expedition of the great navigator. The sites of brave warriors were found on the territory of modern Canada.
Santa Maria - Columbus's ship on which he discovered America
Another version, not without foundation, says that America was discovered by the Templars. The Knights of the Order, founded back in 1118, constantly made pilgrimages around the world on their ships. During one of their wanderings they landed on the shores of a new continent.
Interesting fact. It was the Templar fleet that served as the basis of the world pirate flotilla. The flag that is familiar to everyone is a black cloth with a skull and crossbones - the battle banner of the knights of the ancient Order.
The Incas and Mayans were the first aborigines whom Columbus met when he discovered America.
Is there evidence that it was the Templars who discovered America? If we do not take into account the fact that it was after several trips to the shores of an unknown continent that the Order’s treasury was significantly replenished, then we can turn to more significant evidence. In the small town of Roslyn (near Edinburgh) there is an ancient chapel. Among the images that decorate its walls are drawings of maize and aloe - typical representatives of the flora of the American continent. The construction of the chapel was completed long before Columbus discovered America.
In contact with
- one of the most mysterious personalities of the period of great travels and geographical discoveries. The life of every outstanding person is full of dark spots, mysteries, inexplicable actions and coincidences. This is easily explained by the fact that humanity begins to take an interest in the life of a great man only after his death, after about 100 - 150 years. When documents are lost, eyewitnesses are dead, and only gossip, speculation and secrets remain alive. And if the celebrity herself hides her origin all her life, the true motives of her actions, even her thoughts, everything becomes a thousand times more complicated. Such a person was the well-known Christopher Columbus.
Mystery one: origin
Until now, no one can indicate the exact date of birth of the great navigator. Even the year of birth - 1451 - does not have a strong enough basis. Only known for sure birthplace of Christopher Columbus- Republic of Genoa. Columbus's parents were the most ordinary city residents: his father was a weaver, his mother was a housewife. The question of the nationality of Columbus remains open. Researchers are considering several versions: Spanish, Italian, German, Slavic and Jewish. It is the latter version that seems most likely. It is known that the Columbuses were quite reserved; sometimes the whole family left for several days to an unknown destination. Diligently, even too diligently for Catholic Genoa, the family of the future navigator attended church, they regularly received communion and confession, and never missed a Sunday or holiday mass, as if fulfilling an important duty. The family had a special relationship with financiers from wealthy families of baptized Jews (Marranos). All of the above speaks in favor of the “Jewish” version. This assumption is confirmed by the fact that Columbus never wrote about his roots, although he left behind a solid literary archive. Since the 15th century was the height of the Inquisition in Europe, "un-Christian" could have a negative impact on his career. The family had to hide their history.
Secret two: education
According to the tradition of that time, the future traveler and discoverer received home education. Apparently, his teachers were wonderful. Young Columbus amazed his acquaintances with his knowledge of languages and broad outlook at the age of 14. It has been reliably established that he studied at the University of Padua. This is where questions arise: why would a weaver’s son gravitate towards the intellectual elite? And the cost of education and living was too much for the weaver-father, who had to feed three more children (Columbus had two brothers and a sister). However, if Christopher was supported by other relatives from the merchants, then everything looks very plausible. One thing is certain: Columbus was distinguished by outstanding abilities from childhood.
Mystery three: how did the idea of searching for India in the West come about?
As an educated person, Christopher Columbus could not help but know that the idea of the spherical shape of the Earth was expressed by very authoritative scientists back in antiquity. On the other hand, as a man of the 15th century, Columbus understood that public recognition of the truth of these assumptions is fraught with misunderstanding and mistrust of a society long accustomed to the idea that the Earth is flat as a pancake. In this situation, attempts to find a sea route to the “land of spices” by circumnavigating Africa look much more realistic and understandable. What prompted Christopher Columbus to the idea of looking in the West? And was he really looking for India?
Start: University Company
As a sociable and extraordinary person, Christopher Columbus made numerous friends while still at the university, both among students and among professors. The astronomer Toscanelli, well known to the future navigator, tells his friends that, according to his calculations, India is much closer to Europe if one sails to the West. Based on his friend's calculations, Columbus makes his own. The result amazes him: it turns out that from the Canary Islands to Japan is no more than three thousand miles. The calculations were wrong, but the idea turned out to be tenacious.
Continuation: own experience
Sea voyages began in the life of Christopher Columbus at the age of 14. According to tradition, the father sent his eldest son to gain experience by placing him as a cabin boy on the merchant ship of a merchant he knew. Christopher not only studied languages, navigation, and the art of trade, but also earned money to help his family. The first voyages were limited to the Mediterranean Sea, but it was this sea that was the focus of all economic relations between Europe and Asia. Therefore, Christopher Columbus had the opportunity to meet with Arab merchants, for whom India was a very familiar country. Greedily absorbing the stories of the Arabs about the wealth of a distant country, about the morals and customs of the population, about the rulers and government structure, young Christopher is increasingly interested in finding ways to a country that will make him fabulously rich. After a very profitable marriage, Columbus moved with his wife to. At this time, Christopher Columbus took part in several trade voyages; he visited West Africa (Guinea), Northern Europe (Ireland, Iceland). The northern journey played a special role in life the great explorer Christopher Columbus. It has long been known that the Vikings visited America long before the Spaniards and Portuguese. But in the 15th century, enlightened Europe preferred not to notice the ancient chronicles of the northern peoples, considering them barbaric and unreliable. Columbus was not so arrogant, moreover, he was distinguished by extraordinary curiosity. While in Iceland, the traveler gets acquainted with the sagas telling about the travels of Erik the Red and Leiv Eriksson. From that moment on, the confidence that the “mainland” was located beyond the Atlantic never left Christopher Columbus.
The path of Christopher Columbus: from idea to implementation
It is known that Christopher Columbus proposed an expedition to the west of the Canary Islands five times. He first addressed this proposal back in 1475 to the government of the Genoese Republic and the richest merchants, promising unprecedented profits and wealth in India. The proposal was heard, but did not arouse enthusiasm. In the eyes of seasoned Genoese, the ardor of the 24-year-old weaver's son was the result of youth, a thirst for adventure and a lack of experience. 
The second attempt was made in 1483, this time Christopher Columbus wanted to seduce the Portuguese king with the treasures of India. The tight-fisted and sensible ruler ordered a careful study of the proposal, but as a result also refused support. The thing is that by this time Columbus had acquired quite large debts and, in the eyes of the monarch, could not be considered a trustworthy person. Christopher Columbus made a third proposal to the Spanish crown. In dire need of gold, she was painfully worried about her “provincialism.” An entire commission was created to consider the “Genoese” proposal. Financiers and theologians met for four years, and Columbus tried his best to hide the details of the upcoming journey, he was afraid that the idea would be stolen from him. To “insure himself”, tireless and obsessed with his idea, the traveler turns to the English and French kings. But the English Henry was busy with the internal problems of the country, and the young and confused Charles simply did not attach any importance to the message. While the Spaniards were deciding what to do with Columbus's proposal, the Portuguese king sent the navigator an invitation to return to Portugal and continue negotiations. Christopher Columbus makes no secret of this message; the Spaniards were in a hurry. Finally, the conditions of the expedition were announced: the initiator of the expedition must pay an eighth of the expenses, the rest of the money will come from the “queen’s uncollected taxes.” In other words, there was no money at all. The monarchs flavored the strange financing scheme with the promotion of Christopher Columbus to the dignity of nobility and the promise to make him viceroy of all the lands that he would discover. On the other hand, the royal attention to the journey helped to quickly find sponsors, creditors, assistants and associates.
Four expeditions of Christopher Columbus: how the discovery of America took place
Christopher Columbus's first expedition
Contrary to popular belief, he did not go to India, but to Japan and China. It was these countries that were supposed to meet on his way according to his calculations. 
Three ships - "Santa Maria", "Pinta" and "Nina" - set off towards the unknown in early August 1492. After a short repair in the Canary Islands, the expedition moved to the West. On October 12, 1492, the cry of the sailor Rodrigo de Triana: “Earth! Earth!” - ended the Middle Ages in Europe and gave rise to the New Age. A small island in the Bahamas archipelago, named San Salvador by Columbus, became the first landmass of America discovered by Europeans for the second time, after the Vikings. Alas, no gold placers were discovered on the island. Columbus sails on... The coast is open, Haiti. Good contact has been established with the aborigines, who have a certain amount of gold jewelry, but do not value it at all and willingly exchange it for glass beads. Natural beauties delight the Spaniards, but... They didn’t come here for nature. Having learned from the inhabitants of the open islands that the “yellow stone” is found in large quantities in the “southern lands,” Christopher Columbus decides to stop the “discovery of America.” For the first time, what was seen and collected was enough to awaken the “appetites” of the Spanish crown and obtain funding for a second expedition, more serious and thorough.
The second voyage of Christopher Columbus
Despite the fact that the results of the first voyage were much more modest than previously announced, the royal family, impressed by the stories of Christopher Columbus, willingly finances the next expedition. This time, 17 ships are setting off, carrying up to one and a half thousand crew members, livestock, a huge amount of supplies, grain, and seeds. This is no longer exploration, this is an expedition to colonize open lands. Among the passengers of the ships are several dozen knights, priests, artisans, doctors, and officials. Everyone goes on a journey with the hope of getting rich... The journey goes quickly, the weather is favorable. After only 20 days of travel (November 3, 1493), land was spotted. And again the island. This time they managed to put the Antilles and Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico on the world map. Previously discovered Cuba and Haiti were explored. All participants understand that the discovered lands do not in any way point to India or China, but Columbus (by this time an admiral and viceroy) continues to insist that they are in Asia, and riches will be discovered very soon. 
In order to somehow justify the expenses of the expedition, Columbus sent ships to Spain with the gold he found, valuable timber and native slaves. The resulting “trophies” are so insignificant that the Spanish royal family decides to stop cooperating with Columbus, entrusting the task of supplying the colonists to Amerigo Vespucci. Having learned about this, the discoverer drops everything and hurries to Spain. During a reception with the royal couple, Christopher Columbus lies colorfully and emotionally: he found the mines of King Solomon, he brings the light of Christianity to hundreds of thousands of lost people. As proof, he provides cleverly compiled maps that prove that he reached Asia (the island of Cuba was shown on the map, but who at court understands this?) ... Finally, he demands that all rights to manage open lands, titles, be returned to him and ranks. And he will very soon fill Spain with gold... Christopher Columbus Map makes some impression on the king, and stories about natives converted to Christianity on the queen, and promises to “fill with gold” impress the entire Spanish court. This time I got out...
The third voyage of Christopher Columbus
Disastrous trip. The result was only the discovery of the island of Trinidad. Christopher Columbus's illness (yellow fever killed at least a third of the admiral's and viceroy's crew) prevented them from reaching the continental coast. The colonists who remained in Haiti were more engaged in internal disputes than in developing the land; they could not find a common language with the natives... Meanwhile, he is returning to Europe. Returns with a rich cargo of spices and silk, brocade and jewelry. The Portuguese are happy, Spain is shocked. So much money has been invested in the expeditions of the “Genoese”, but so far there has been nothing from him except colorful promises. All agreements with Christopher Columbus are broken. Francisco Bovadillo is sent for him, the order is to arrest and bring the “former viceroy” in shackles to Spain. The situation seemed hopeless. But here Christopher Columbus is helped by the main creditors of the Spanish crown - the Marranos. In essence, it was a ransom in the hope of future profits from the development of rich new lands. Forgetting about the claims, the king allows Columbus to set off on his fourth voyage in order to finally justify his trust. The crown does not give money, but there are still many people who want to get rich in Spain...
The fourth voyage of Christopher Columbus
Only on the fourth time did Columbus's expedition manage to reach the continental coast. What did Christopher Columbus discover? this time? Having passed the southern coast of Cuba, the Genoese ships approached the coast of Nicaragua and descended further south to Costa Rica and Panama. Here the Indians told the travelers that they could easily reach the South Sea by land, and there lived the warlike Incas, who owned huge gold reserves. Columbus didn't believe it. Yellow fever claimed the lives of sailors, and it became increasingly difficult to continue the expedition. The admiral's order is to turn north, to the already known lands. On the way to Haiti, the expedition ships ran aground. Only Columbus's diplomatic skills, his ability to persuade and negotiate, made it possible to send several natives for help by boat. Help came, but there was nothing to get to Spain. For a whole year, travelers waited for a ship from Europe, which Columbus had to pay for with his own money. The return was difficult, the ocean was constantly stormy. From his trip, Columbus brought back samples of gold sand collected on the continental coast, as well as several silver nuggets. Evidence of the wealth of the new lands justified the traveler in the eyes of the king, but did not bring happiness to Columbus.
Sunset
No one remembered that according to the agreement with the royal couple, it was Columbus who was the ruler of the open lands. Long and painful correspondence with the court and ministers led to nothing. Sick, tired and offended, Columbus was dying in a modest house in the city of Valladolid. He spent all his savings accumulated over the years of travel from 1492 to 1504 to pay off the participants of the last expedition. On May 20, 1506, Christopher Columbus died. No one noticed his death. The fact is that it was at this time that the first ships from the New World, filled with gold and silver, began to arrive in Spain. There was no time for the “Genoese” here...
Main mystery: Asia or America?
Why did the discoverer of the New World so stubbornly talk about opening the way to Asia? Did he really not understand that a new, previously unknown part of the World had appeared on his way? Everything is explained simply: Columbus sailed towards the New World from the very beginning. But the grandeur of this discovery had to remain a secret for the time being. The cunning "Genoese" wanted to be the ruler of the whole world, new, unknown, rich. That is why it was important for him to secure the title of viceroy, which is why, even with the modest results of the first expeditions, he is so persistent in confirming his rights. Columbus did not have enough time, he did not have enough health. A navigator and scientist, he failed to calculate his strength, failed to acquire associates and friends. He wanted to do everything himself. Discoveries of Christopher Columbus contemporaries seemed modest and expensive. Only descendants were able to appreciate the significance of his expeditions. Although the open part of the World was named after Columbus’s main competitor, Amerigo Vespucci.
The last voyage of Christopher Columbus
Dying, Christopher Columbus bequeathed to bury himself “where my heart and life remain,” meaning Haiti, the first large island discovered in America. The will gathered dust for a long time among Columbus’s papers until, 34 years after the navigator’s death, it caught the eye of his grandson. The significance of the “Genoese’s” discoveries was undeniable by that time, so the appeal to the king with a request to “help fulfill the will of his grandfather” met with warm support. Dust navigator Christopher Columbus went to Haiti in 1540, where he was solemnly buried in the main temple of the city of Santa Domingo. When Haiti was captured by the French, the Spaniards, as a valuable relic, transported the ashes of Columbus to Cuba. And after Cuba ceased to be the property of Spain, they returned it to Spain. This trip to America was the last, posthumous one for the great navigator.
Not so long ago, examining the remains of Columbus in , scientists determined that they did not belong to the navigator (the bones were miniature, and the “Genoese” had a heroic physique). The tomb of Christopher Columbus remains in Santa Domingo. However, during all the “moves”, the bones of Christopher Columbus could simply have been lost... Somewhere halfway from the New World to the Old World...
