Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa in 1451, eldest son of easy going weaver and tavern keeper. He was a tall, good looking, hawk nosed, wool-carder, map maker, book salesman, sugar trader, and most of all a first-rate sailor. Genoa was a great seafaring city, its harbour crowded with ships. Since he was bright, he had an obvious opportunity to learn the art of sailing and chart making. He was an intelligent man who could talk confidently and convincingly. His discovery of America was the most important single feat of courage in history. There are records of a number of Columbus? cruises, including one to Iceland, but his luckiest voyage was that which brought him to Portugal.
In the year 1476, he was sailing on a ship when it was attacked by a French task force. The ship sank, but Columbus though wounded, jumped overboard and swam ashore at Lagos, later ending up at Lisbon.
Lisbon was a good place for a man with a dream of seafaring adventure. Any type of wild proposal for exploration received backing from this port. It was also a place to learn mathematics, astronomy, ship building and rigging ? the knowledge a master mariner needed. This was the push that Columbus needed to realise his dream, to reach the Orient by sailing west. He settled down in Lisbon and set up a map making shop. He did well and married a wealthy woman. But he being a restless soul, was not happy with domesticity as he clung to his challenging idea with great determination. He was convinced and he knew there was land out yonder for a brave sailor to come and get. He wanted to sail desperately, but he was forced to wait a long time before anyone would give him the ships. In the meantime, he talked of his idea to anyone who would listen and show some interest.
John the 2nd, the King of Portugal was interested and referred the idea to his committee of experts; they turned it down. The King was more interested in the Eastern route opened up by a Portuguese sailor who sailed round the Cape of Good Hope to the treasure places of the Orient and thus the King lost his interest in the western route and Columbus. Dejected, Christopher Columbus left for Spain after his wife?s death. At that time, Spain was fighting a costly war with the Moors. Queen Isabella though preoccupied with the war, displayed some interest in his plan and kept him on a pension while being reviewed by the committee of experts.
For 2 years, he lived on that pension which was not much. What kept him going was his burning desire. Later the pension was cut off completely and he eked out a living by selling books and drawing maps. He waited patiently for Spain?s war with the Moors to end. By then, his hair had turned silver and he suffered from arthritis. In 1491, finally discouraged with Spain, he decided to try his luck in France. Before reaching France, a chanced meeting with the Prior of a Monastery changed his destiny. He poured out his woes and dreams to the Prior and he took him to the doorsteps of the Queen of Spain once again. The kind Prior arranged another audience with the Queen.
The Queen heard him out and discovered that his price for the discovery was a little too high. Christopher Columbus asked the Queen to make him Admiral of the Ocean Sea and Viceroy of all the lands he discovers. He also told her that she should give 10% of all trade during his Admiralty. When the Queen refused, he left the court and was in no mood to haggle over his price after 6 years of waiting.
Better sense prevailed when the Queen felt that she might gain more by this proposal in the form of 1000s of converts, glory for Spain and plentiful of gold. Christopher Columbus was ordered to come back and undertake the voyage for Spain?s glory.
Christopher Columbus? first voyage cost the Queen 3000 pounds. He was equipped with 3 ships, Pinta, Nina and Santa Maria. They were stout little vessels which in good weather, averaged 6 to 7 knots and could be rowed by means of long sweeps when the wind died. There were 87 men in the 3 ships including 3 doctors, a chief steward, an interpreter and a man in charge of security.
Christopher Columbus was an expert navigator and was admired by one and all. The Portuguese, in their attempt to find waterways to the Orient, had started far to the north and were caught in Westerly winds. But Christopher Columbus started well to the south and thus caught the good east winds which pushed him straight across the ocean. It took him 33 days to make a landfall. He kept riding westward. He turned south-west once to follow a flight of birds which he judged correctly were heading for land. Had he not made this switch, he might have made a landing somewhere in the Florida Keys.
By now, the crew became rebellious. He pacified them and on October 12, landed on San Salvador (Now Watlings Island in the Bahamas). The natives were simple, kind, and friendly people. There he took possession of that island in the name of Spain.
From San Salvador, Christopher Columbus sailed south discovering other islands including Cuba. He finally landed in Hispaniola ? the island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are now situated. He lost one of his ships, Santa Maria when it ran aground. He took possession of all these islands, left behind 40 men and sailed back to Spain. There back in Spain, this discoverer created a sensation by recounting the tales of the New World to the Queen and the King. The Queen asked him to get ready for another voyage, this time with priests, soldiers and artisans to consolidate and extent his discoveries.
His second voyage was in 1493.
On his third voyage which was 5 years later, he sighted South America. Finally, in 1502, he was given 4 ships and began his fourth and final journey. He steered along the cost of Central America, but because of his preoccupation with finding a passage to the Pacific, he missed 2 things ? the Pearls fisheries of the Honduras and one of the world?s richest gold mines. He reached the Caribbean Islands. Bed ridden with arthritis, with the ships rotting, he was forced to wait at Jamaica for a rescue party. Meanwhile, his greatest supporter, Queen Isabella died and King Ferdinand ignored him. He always believed he had touched the East Indies. To the end, he thought that the palace of the great Khan of China was somewhere in Costa Rica. He wanted to find a passage that would lead him to the places Marco Polo mentioned in his books.
This in brief, is the story of the man who gave Spain control of more territory than its rulers had ever imagined and whose discovery turned the eyes of Europe westward. Christopher Columbus died at the age of 55, but his heroic figure looms ever grandeur through the successive centuries.
" /> Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa in 1451, eldest son of easy going weaver and tavern keeper. He was a tall, good looking, hawk nosed, wool-carder, map maker, book salesman, sugar trader, and most of all a first-rate sailor. Genoa was a great seafaring city, its harbour crowded with ships. Since he was bright, he had an obvious opportunity to learn the art of sailing and chart making. He was an intelligent man who could talk confidently and convincingly. His discovery of America was the most important single feat of courage in history. There are records of a number of Columbus? cruises, including one to Iceland, but his luckiest voyage was that which brought him to Portugal.
In the year 1476, he was sailing on a ship when it was attacked by a French task force. The ship sank, but Columbus though wounded, jumped overboard and swam ashore at Lagos, later ending up at Lisbon.
Lisbon was a good place for a man with a dream of seafaring adventure. Any type of wild proposal for exploration received backing from this port. It was also a place to learn mathematics, astronomy, ship building and rigging ? the knowledge a master mariner needed. This was the push that Columbus needed to realise his dream, to reach the Orient by sailing west. He settled down in Lisbon and set up a map making shop. He did well and married a wealthy woman. But he being a restless soul, was not happy with domesticity as he clung to his challenging idea with great determination. He was convinced and he knew there was land out yonder for a brave sailor to come and get. He wanted to sail desperately, but he was forced to wait a long time before anyone would give him the ships. In the meantime, he talked of his idea to anyone who would listen and show some interest.
John the 2nd, the King of Portugal was interested and referred the idea to his committee of experts; they turned it down. The King was more interested in the Eastern route opened up by a Portuguese sailor who sailed round the Cape of Good Hope to the treasure places of the Orient and thus the King lost his interest in the western route and Columbus. Dejected, Christopher Columbus left for Spain after his wife?s death. At that time, Spain was fighting a costly war with the Moors. Queen Isabella though preoccupied with the war, displayed some interest in his plan and kept him on a pension while being reviewed by the committee of experts.
For 2 years, he lived on that pension which was not much. What kept him going was his burning desire. Later the pension was cut off completely and he eked out a living by selling books and drawing maps. He waited patiently for Spain?s war with the Moors to end. By then, his hair had turned silver and he suffered from arthritis. In 1491, finally discouraged with Spain, he decided to try his luck in France. Before reaching France, a chanced meeting with the Prior of a Monastery changed his destiny. He poured out his woes and dreams to the Prior and he took him to the doorsteps of the Queen of Spain once again. The kind Prior arranged another audience with the Queen.
The Queen heard him out and discovered that his price for the discovery was a little too high. Christopher Columbus asked the Queen to make him Admiral of the Ocean Sea and Viceroy of all the lands he discovers. He also told her that she should give 10% of all trade during his Admiralty. When the Queen refused, he left the court and was in no mood to haggle over his price after 6 years of waiting.
Better sense prevailed when the Queen felt that she might gain more by this proposal in the form of 1000s of converts, glory for Spain and plentiful of gold. Christopher Columbus was ordered to come back and undertake the voyage for Spain?s glory.
Christopher Columbus? first voyage cost the Queen 3000 pounds. He was equipped with 3 ships, Pinta, Nina and Santa Maria. They were stout little vessels which in good weather, averaged 6 to 7 knots and could be rowed by means of long sweeps when the wind died. There were 87 men in the 3 ships including 3 doctors, a chief steward, an interpreter and a man in charge of security.
Christopher Columbus was an expert navigator and was admired by one and all. The Portuguese, in their attempt to find waterways to the Orient, had started far to the north and were caught in Westerly winds. But Christopher Columbus started well to the south and thus caught the good east winds which pushed him straight across the ocean. It took him 33 days to make a landfall. He kept riding westward. He turned south-west once to follow a flight of birds which he judged correctly were heading for land. Had he not made this switch, he might have made a landing somewhere in the Florida Keys.
By now, the crew became rebellious. He pacified them and on October 12, landed on San Salvador (Now Watlings Island in the Bahamas). The natives were simple, kind, and friendly people. There he took possession of that island in the name of Spain.
From San Salvador, Christopher Columbus sailed south discovering other islands including Cuba. He finally landed in Hispaniola ? the island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are now situated. He lost one of his ships, Santa Maria when it ran aground. He took possession of all these islands, left behind 40 men and sailed back to Spain. There back in Spain, this discoverer created a sensation by recounting the tales of the New World to the Queen and the King. The Queen asked him to get ready for another voyage, this time with priests, soldiers and artisans to consolidate and extent his discoveries.
His second voyage was in 1493.
On his third voyage which was 5 years later, he sighted South America. Finally, in 1502, he was given 4 ships and began his fourth and final journey. He steered along the cost of Central America, but because of his preoccupation with finding a passage to the Pacific, he missed 2 things ? the Pearls fisheries of the Honduras and one of the world?s richest gold mines. He reached the Caribbean Islands. Bed ridden with arthritis, with the ships rotting, he was forced to wait at Jamaica for a rescue party. Meanwhile, his greatest supporter, Queen Isabella died and King Ferdinand ignored him. He always believed he had touched the East Indies. To the end, he thought that the palace of the great Khan of China was somewhere in Costa Rica. He wanted to find a passage that would lead him to the places Marco Polo mentioned in his books.
This in brief, is the story of the man who gave Spain control of more territory than its rulers had ever imagined and whose discovery turned the eyes of Europe westward. Christopher Columbus died at the age of 55, but his heroic figure looms ever grandeur through the successive centuries.
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