Biograpy Of Christopher Columbus

Biograpy of Christopher Columbus

On the origin of Christopher Columbus has been much speculation, but it is likely that he was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, son of Domenico and Susanna Fontanarrosa Columbus. He died on May 20, 1506 in Valladolid.

It is estimated that by age 21, and was captain of a galley, and that between 1472 and 1476 was privateer war activity in those years was considered lawful. Between 1476 and 1485 remained in Portugal, where he engaged in the atmosphere generated by the maritime expansion process featuring that country.

His studies led him to project a perilous journey to India, a goal to which Portuguese efforts were directed. In this endeavor he discovered America on October 12, 1492.

The Columbian project

The idea was that Columbus could reach India by sailing west, that is, through the Atlantic Ocean. He has insisted, wrongly, that he wanted to prove the sphericity of the Earth.

Columbus based his calculations on a curious mix of data arising from works such as Imago Mundi, Cardinal Pierre D? Ailly; Rerum Locate Gestarum History of Eneas Silvio Piccolomini (Pope Pius II), and data on the extent Atlantic had geographer Paolo Toscanelli.

His hope was to reach the islands of Cipangu? Japan? and Cathay? China?, territories that had long been visited by another route by the traveler Marco Polo.

Turn to the Catholic Kings

Columbus presented his project in Portugal, but was rejected, and his brother Bartholomew was murdered in England, decided to go to Spain and the January 20, 1486 he met with the Catholic Monarchs in Alcalá de Henares. The monarchs were interested in the idea, but the opinion of a board of scientists, led by Fray Hernando de Talavera, was unfavorable to the sailor.

However, the Kings did not close the door to future agreements. Columbus continued to refine their project with the help of Fray Antonio de Marchena, Fray Diego de Deza and, above all, Fray Juan Perez, who held him in the monastery of La Rabida, at the port of Palos in 1492, and managed another interview with Isabella.

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In early 1492, Columbus returned to Isabella meet again and was referred to a board of scholars who, for the second time, rejected the project. So, the Kings fired navigator. When Columbus was leaving Granada, was arrested by a bailiff, who had express orders to return with him to the Kings.

The chroniclers attributed to Luis de Santángel direct intervention in favor of Columbus before the Queen. In support of his friend Columbus Santángel argued that the project cost was not so high and carried out would be provided a service to the Church taking the word of God to distant lands. To these arguments? They reached to the spirit of Isabel? added another: the growth of the power of the kingdoms of Spain.

The same Santángel offered to provide the money required to organize the expedition. Elizabeth accepted and did not need to touch your jewelry, as legend initiated by Hernando Colón in biography of his father.

Preparations

The next step for the realization of the trip was to fix the economic conditions to be undertaken. On April 17, 1492 signed the capitulations of Santa Fe Reaching these agreements was not easy, because as Father Bartolome de Las Casas in his History of the Indies: "It was more difficult to accept how much business deste Christopher Columbus, as compensation for services and industry jobs and asked ".

In these documents, Columbus was granted the office of Admiral of the Ocean Sea for life and hereditary, and was appointed Viceroy and Governor of the lands they might discover. Also, it was agreed to give a tenth of all the profits that were obtained and the right to contribute to an eighth of the cost, receiving equal share of the profits.

A provision of Columbus were placed two caravels, the Pinta and the Nina, and a ship, the Santa Maria, also are recruited to the crew and also exempted from payment of customs duties to the ships carrying cargo and spread to Columbus appointing senior captain of the navy and a letter of introduction to the Great Khan, the ruler of China, or any other prince of India.

The Journey of Discovery

The Santa Maria was commanded by Columbus himself, the Pinta was under the command of Martin Alonso Pinzon, and Nina, at Vicente Yanez Pinzon. On August 3, 1492 the ships set sail from Palos to go to the Canary Islands, where food and water supplied themselves, and departed on September 6 westbound.

Time began to pass and no land appeared searched. Disappointment ensued, and between 6 and Oct. 7 Columbus faced a mutiny that began first in the Santa Maria and then spread to the other ships, including among the rioters to the brothers Pinzon, who gave Columbus three days term to arrive somewhere. Otherwise, it should return. Fortunately for Columbus, in those early days of October began

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