Surely every schoolchild can easily answer the question of what Christopher Columbus discovered. Well, of course, America! However, let's think about whether this knowledge is not too scanty, because most of us have no idea where this famous discoverer came from, what his life path and in what era he lived.

This article is aimed at telling in detail about the discoveries of Christopher Columbus. In addition, the reader will receive unique opportunity get acquainted with interesting data and the chronology of events that took place several centuries ago.

What did the great navigator discover?

Christopher Columbus, a traveler now known to the entire planet, was originally an ordinary Spanish navigator who worked both on the ship and in the port and, in fact, was practically no different from the same always busy hard workers.

It was later, in 1492, that he would become a celebrity - the man who discovered America, the first European to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and visit the Caribbean Sea.

By the way, not everyone knows that it was Christopher Columbus who laid the foundation detailed research not only America itself, but also almost all nearby archipelagos.

Although here I would like to make an amendment. The Spanish navigator was far from the only traveler who set off to conquer unknown worlds. In fact, back in the Middle Ages, inquisitive Icelandic Vikings already visited America. But at that time widespread this information did not receive it, so the whole world believes that it was the expedition of Christopher Columbus that was able to popularize information about American lands and mark the beginning of the colonization of the entire continent by Europeans.

The story of Christopher Columbus. Secrets and mysteries of his biography

This man was and remains one of the most mysterious historical figures planets. Unfortunately, not many facts have survived that tell about his origin and occupation before the first expedition. In those days, Christopher Columbus, let us briefly note, was practically a nobody, that is, he did not differ significantly from the ordinary average sailor, and therefore it is practically impossible to single him out from the crowd.

By the way, this is precisely why, lost in conjecture and trying to surprise the readership, historians have written hundreds of books about him. Almost all such manuscripts are filled with assumptions and unverified statements. But in fact, not even the original ship's log of Columbus's first expedition has survived.

It is believed that Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 (according to another, unverified version - in 1446), between August 25 and October 31, in the Italian city of Genoa.

To date still a whole series Spanish and Italian cities take credit for being called the small homeland of the discoverer. As for his social status, all that is known is that Columbus’s family was not of noble origin at all; none of his ancestors were navigators.

Modern researchers believe that Columbus the Elder earned his living by hard work and was either a weaver or a wool carder. Although there is also a version that the navigator’s father served as the senior guard of the city gates.

Of course, Christopher Columbus's journey did not begin immediately. Probably from the very early childhood the boy began to earn extra money, helping his elders support their family. Perhaps he was a cabin boy on ships and that’s why he loved the sea so much. Unfortunately, there are no more detailed records about how he spent his childhood and youth famous person, not preserved.

Regarding education, there is a version that H. Columbus studied at the University of Pavia, but there is no documentary evidence of this fact. Therefore, it is quite possible that he was educated at home. Be that as it may, this man had excellent knowledge in the field of navigation, which includes far from superficial knowledge of mathematics, geometry, cosmography and geography.

It is also known that as an adult, Christopher Columbus worked as a cartographer, and then went to work in a local printing house. He spoke not only his native Portuguese, but also Italian and Spanish. A good command of Latin helped him in deciphering maps and chronicles. There is evidence that the navigator knew how to write a little in Hebrew.

It is also known that Columbus was a prominent man, whom ladies constantly looked at. Thus, while serving in Portugal in some Genoese trading house, the future discoverer of America met his future wife Doña Felipe Moniz de Palestrello. They married in 1478. Soon the couple had a son, Diego. His wife’s family was also not rich, but it was the noble origin of his wife that allowed Christopher to establish contacts and establish useful connections in the circles of the nobility of Portugal

As for the nationality of the traveler, there are even more mysteries. Some researchers prove Jewish origin Columbus, but there are also versions with Spanish, German and Portuguese roots.

Christopher's official religion was Catholic. Why can you say this? The fact is that, according to the rules of that era, otherwise he simply would not have been allowed into Spain. Although, it is quite possible that he hid his true religion.

Apparently, many mysteries of the navigator’s biography will remain unsolved for all of us.

Pre-Columbian America or what the discoverer saw when he arrived on the mainland

America, until the moment of its discovery, was a land where certain groups of people lived, who for centuries remained in a kind of natural isolation. All of them, by the will of fate, found themselves cut off from the rest of the planet. However, despite all this, they were able to create high culture, demonstrating unlimited capabilities and skill.

The uniqueness of these civilizations lies in the fact that they are considered natural-ecological in nature, and not man-made, like ours. The local aborigines, the Indians, did not seek to transform environment On the contrary, their settlements fit into nature as harmoniously as possible.

Experts say that all civilizations that arose in North Africa, Asia, and Europe developed approximately the same way. In pre-Columbian America, this development took a different path, therefore, for example, the contrast between the population of the city and the village was minimal. The cities of the ancient Indians also contained extensive agricultural land. The only one significant difference between the city and the village was the area of ​​occupied territory.

At the same time, the civilization of pre-Columbian America did not make much progress on what Europe and Asia were able to achieve. For example, the Indians were not very keen to improve metal processing technologies. If in the Old World bronze was considered the main metal and new lands were conquered for its sake, then in pre-Columbian America this material was used exclusively as decoration.

But the civilizations of the New World are interesting for their unique structures, sculptures and paintings, which were characterized by a completely different style.

The beginning of the journey

In 1485, after the categorical refusal of the King of Portugal to invest in a project to find the shortest sea route to India, Columbus moved to permanent place residence in Castile. There, with the help of Andalusian merchants and bankers, he was still able to organize a government naval expedition.

The first time Christopher Columbus's ship set off on a year-long voyage was in 1492. 90 people took part in the expedition.

By the way, contrary to a fairly common misconception, there were three ships, and they were called “Santa Maria”, “Pinta” and “Nina”.

The expedition left Palos at the very beginning of the hot August of 1492. From Canary Islands the flotilla headed west, where without special problems crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

Along the way, the navigator's team discovered the Sargasso Sea and successfully reached the Bahamas archipelago, where they landed on land on October 12, 1492. Since then, this very date has become the official day of the discovery of America.

In 1986, a geographer from the United States, J. Judge, carefully processed all the available materials about this expedition on a computer and came to the conclusion that the first land that Christopher saw was Fr. Samana. From about October 14, for ten days, the expedition approached several more Bahamian islands, and by December 5, it discovered part of the coast of Cuba. On December 6, the team reached about. Haiti.

Then the ships moved along the northern coast, and then luck changed for the pioneers. On the night of December 25, the Santa Maria suddenly landed on a reef. True, this time the crew was lucky - all the sailors survived.

Columbus's second voyage

The second expedition took place in 1493-1496, it was led by Columbus in the official position of viceroy of the lands he discovered.

It is worth noting that the team has increased significantly - the expedition already consisted of 17 ships. According to various sources, 1.5-2.5 thousand people took part in the expedition.

At the beginning of November 1493, the islands of Dominica, Guadeloupe and twenty Lesser Antilles were discovered, and on November 19 - about. Puerto Rico. In March 1494, Columbus, in search of gold, decided to make a military campaign on the island. Haiti, then opened Fr. Huventud and Fr. Jamaica.

For 40 days, the famous navigator carefully examined the south of Haiti, but in the spring of 1496 he nevertheless sailed home, completing his second voyage on June 11 in Castile.

By the way, it was then that H. Columbus notified the public about the opening of a new route to Asia.

Third expedition

The third trip took place in 1498-1500 and was not as numerous as the previous one. Only 6 ships took part in it, and the navigator himself led three of them across the Atlantic.

On July 31, in the first year of the trip, Fr. Trinidad, the ships entered the Gulf of Paria, as a result the peninsula of the same name was discovered. This is how South America was discovered.

Having entered the Caribbean Sea, Columbus landed in Haiti on August 31. Already in 1499, Christopher Columbus's monopoly on new lands was abolished; the royal couple sent their representative F. Bobadilla to the destination, who in 1500 arrested Columbus and his brothers following a denunciation.

The navigator, shackled, was sent to Castile, where local financiers persuaded the royal family to release him.

Fourth voyage to American shores

What continued to worry such a restless man as Columbus? Christopher, for whom America was already almost a passed stage, wanted to find new way from there to South Asia. The traveler believed that such a route existed, because he observed it off the coast of Fr. cubes strong current, which went west across the Caribbean Sea. As a result, he was able to convince the king to give permission for a new expedition.

Columbus went on his fourth trip with his brother Bartolomeo and his 13-year-old son Hernando. He was lucky enough to discover the mainland south of the island. Cuba is the coast of Central America. And Columbus was the first to inform Spain about the Indian peoples inhabiting the coast of the South Sea.

But, unfortunately, he never found the strait into the South Sea. I had to return home with practically nothing.

Unclear facts, the study of which continues

The distance from Palos to the Canaries is 1600 km, the ships participating in Columbus's expedition covered this distance in 6 days, i.e. they covered 250-270 km per day. The route to the Canary Islands was well known and did not present any difficulties. But it was precisely in this area that on August 6 (possibly 7) a strange breakdown occurred on the Pinta ship. According to some information, the steering wheel broke, according to others, there was a leak. This circumstance aroused suspicion, because then the Pinta crossed the Atlantic twice. Before that, she quite successfully covered about 13 thousand km, experienced terrible storms and arrived in Palos without damage. Therefore, there is a version that the accident was rigged by crew members at the request of the ship’s co-owner K. Quintero. Perhaps the sailors received part of their salary and spent it. They saw no more sense in risking their lives, and the owner himself had already received a lot of money for renting the Pinta. So it was logical to fake a breakdown and stay safe in the Canary Islands. It seems that the captain of the Pinta, Martin Pinson, finally saw through the conspirators and stopped them.

Already on Columbus's second trip, the intended colonists set sail with him; they loaded the ships with livestock, equipment, seeds, etc. The colonists founded their city somewhere in the vicinity of the modern city of Santo Domingo. The same expedition discovered Fr. Lesser Antilles, Virginia, Puerto Rico, Jamaica. But until the last, Christopher Columbus remained of the opinion that he had discovered western India, and not a new land.

Interesting data from the life of the discoverer

Of course, there is a lot of unique and very informative information. But in this article we would like to give examples of the most interesting facts.

• When Christopher lived in Seville, he was friends with the brilliant Amerigo Vespucci.
• King John II at first refused to allow Columbus to organize an expedition, but then sent his sailors to sail along the route proposed by Christopher. True, due to a strong storm, the Portuguese had to return home with nothing.
• After Columbus was shackled on his third expedition, he decided to keep the chains as a talisman for the rest of his life.
• By order of Christopher Columbus, for the first time in the history of navigation, Indian hammocks were used as sailor berths.
• It was Columbus who suggested to the Spanish king To save money, populate new lands with criminals.

Historical significance of the expeditions

Everything that Christopher Columbus discovered was appreciated only half a century later. Why is it so late? The thing is that only after this period, entire galleons filled with gold and silver began to be delivered from colonized Mexico and Peru to the Old World.

The Spanish royal treasury spent only 10 kg of gold on preparing the expedition, and in three hundred years Spain managed to export precious metals from America, the value of which was at least 3 million kg of pure gold.

Alas, stray gold did not benefit Spain; it did not stimulate the development of industry or the economy. And as a result, the country still fell hopelessly behind many European countries.

Today, not only numerous ships and vessels, cities, rivers and mountains are named in honor of Christopher Columbus, but also, for example, monetary unit El Salvador, Colombia, located in South America, as well as a famous state in the USA.

Christopher Columbus was born between August 26 and October 31, 1451 on the island of Corsica in the Republic of Genoa. The future discoverer received his education at the University of Pavia.

Brief biography Columba did not preserve exact evidence of his first voyages, but it is known that in the 1470s he made sea expeditions for trading purposes. Even then, Columbus had the idea of ​​traveling to India through the west. The navigator appealed to the rulers many times European countries with a request to help him organize an expedition - to King João II, Duke of Medina Seli, King Henry VII and others. It was not until 1492 that Columbus's voyage was approved by the Spanish rulers, most notably Queen Isabella. He was given the title of “don” and was promised rewards if the project was successful.

Four expeditions. Discovery of America

Columbus's first voyage took place in 1492. During the journey, the navigator discovered the Bahamas, Haiti, and Cuba, although he himself considered these lands to be “Western India.”

During the second expedition of Columbus's assistants there were such famous personalities like the future conqueror of Cuba Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, the notary Rodrigo de Bastidas, the pioneer Juan de la Cosa. Then the navigator's discoveries included the Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.

Christopher Columbus's third expedition took place in 1498. The navigator's main discovery was the island of Trinidad. However, at the same time, Vasco da Gama found the real route to India, so Columbus was declared a deceiver and sent under escort from Hispaniola to Spain. However, upon his arrival, local financiers managed to persuade King Ferdinand II to drop the charges.

Columbus never abandoned the hope of discovering a new shortcut to South Asia. In 1502, the navigator was able to obtain permission from the king for a fourth voyage. Columbus reached the coast of Central America, proving that a continent lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the South Sea.

Recent years

During his last voyage, Columbus became seriously ill. Upon his return to Spain, he failed to restore the privileges and rights granted to him. Christopher Columbus died on May 20, 1506 in Seville, Spain. The navigator was first buried in Seville, but in 1540, by order of Emperor Charles V, Columbus's remains were transported to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti), and in 1899 again to Seville.

Other biography options

• Historians still do not know the true biography of Christopher Columbus - there is so little factual material about his fate and expeditions that the navigator’s biographers introduce many fictitious statements into his biography.
• Returning to Spain after the second expedition, Columbus proposed settling on the newly open lands criminals.
• Columbus's dying words were: “In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum” (“Into your hands, Lord, I entrust my spirit”).
• The significance of the navigator's discoveries was recognized only in the middle of the 16th century.

Biography test

Your biography will be more interesting if you try to answer the test questions.

Name: Christopher Columbus

Date of birth: 08/26/1451

Place of birth: Genoa, Italy

Date of death: 20-11-1506

Activity: Spanish navigator who discovered America for Europeans in 1492

Biography of Christopher Columbus

It is difficult to say what kind of thirst attracts people to distant lands. Curiosity and profit grow from the same root. In his time, miracles were told about unknown lands. Countless treasures and bizarre creatures excited the imagination. Christopher Columbus ventures into the unknown because curiosity stronger than fear. As soon as he realized that the natives did not pose a threat, he proclaimed the “terra” he had discovered as the possession of the Spanish crown. Until the end of his days he believed that he had sailed to India, and with his light hand The natives of America began to be called Indians.

Genoese childhood

Christopher Columbus came from a humble Genoese family and was born in 1451. The exact date and place of his birth are unknown, which gives food for controversy to six cities in Spain and Italy. He was educated at the University of Pavia, married and continued his father's work, becoming a sailor. Participation in trade expeditions brings him some income, but not satisfaction. The young man dreams of unknown countries and dangerous journeys.

They say that the muse of wanderings begins to attract from internal dissatisfaction and mental discord. Such people find it boring or crowded to live among their fellow tribesmen. These dreamers want to find paradise on earth, where milk rivers flow and jelly banks shine. Enlightened minds already guess that the Earth is round, but this has yet to be proven by geographical discoveries. People know about India only by hearsay, but enlightened monarchs are ready to fight for its untold riches.

Crazy dream

We don’t know what was the reason, but in 1474 Columbus moved to Portugal, where he lived for 9 years. He is thoroughly preparing his “great escape” overseas. His inspiration was the astronomer and geographer Paolo Toscanelli, who suggested that fabulous India could be reached by sailing to the west. Columbus visits England, Ireland and Iceland, where he collects information about the travels of the Vikings and participates in an expedition to Guinea. His plan to circumnavigate the Earth and reach blessed India on the other side was so bold that it seemed absurd. The wise rulers of Genoa, England and Portugal did not dare to give him money, people and ships. And only the Catholic Majesties of Spain, a country that was still at war with the Moors on its southern outskirts, are ready to discuss the proposal of the madman from Genoa. In 1482, after the liberation of Granada, Queen Isabella agreed to finance Columbus' overseas project. He is appointed viceroy of undiscovered lands and admiral of endless sea deserts.

Unfortunately, apart from a high-profile title and sponsorship promises, he receives almost nothing from Isabella. Private individuals Martin Alonso Pinzon, Juan de la Cosa and Juan Niño supply him with money and ships. Three ships: "Santa Maria", "Pinta" and "Nina" set sail into the unknown on August 3, 1492.

Christopher Columbus's first expedition

In three months, the expedition crossed the Atlantic Ocean without incident, along the way discovering the Sargasso Sea, filled with algae. On October 12, 1482, the sailor Rodrigo de Triana discovered the “vanguard” of the new continent. The island where the first Europeans set foot is now called Guanahani and is part of the Bahamas. Local residents did not know the shame of nakedness, iron and fear of aliens. They were neither the Japanese whom Columbus expected to find, nor blacks, nor Indians. Ritual patterns on the body, pieces of gold and tobacco leaves were the first discoveries of the Spaniards.

Columbus gradually moves south along the Bahamas, discovering more advanced tribes. The inhabitants of these lands use a hammock and grow potatoes, maize, tobacco and cotton. Still believing that he had sailed to Southeast Asia, Columbus discovers Cuba. The natives live in reed huts and say that there is gold in mainland. On December 6, 1482, Columbus discovers Haiti and names the island Hispaniola.

The captain and owner of the Pinta takes his ship on an independent search, and the Santa Maria crashes on the reefs. Having hastily built a fortress in Haiti from the wreckage of the ship, Columbus leaves a garrison of sailors in it, and he sets off on the return voyage on the Niña, taking with him several natives. "Pinta" is waiting for them off the northern coast of Haiti. On March 9, 1493, the ships entered the harbor of Lisbon, where they were greeted with honors by the Portuguese king.

Gold rush

Columbus's discovery of new lands caused a stir among the maritime powers. Portugal felt deceived, because it was the popes who granted it the right to own lands in the west. The new acquisitions of Castile, as Spain was then called, disrupted the status quo. Pope Alexander Borgia reconciled both states by indicating the meridian separating the future possessions of Spain and Portugal.

Nothing inspires people more than gold and newness. Columbus's second expedition took place six months after the first. About two thousand warriors, priests, officials and nobles on seventeen ships set off to explore new lands and exterminate the local inhabitants. The city and port of San Domingo are being founded in Haiti. The Lesser Antilles and Virgin Islands, the islands of Puerto Rico, and Jamaica open. At the site of the fortress founded on the first voyage, traces of fire and corpses were found. Diseases, vices and revenge of the natives destroyed the sailors left here.

The logbook details yellow fever, encounters with the Caribbean, and the crew's muted discontent. The stifling heat prevents the development of new lands and spoils food supplies. Remaining in Haiti, Columbus tries to establish gold mining. Some of the Spaniards seize newly arrived ships with food and flee. Others wander around the island, robbing and raping local residents. The natives die from unknown diseases and flee to the mountains.

Meanwhile, the royal couple is unhappy with Columbus. No scatterings of treasures were discovered, and it was decided to send the surplus of passionaries who did not find themselves in a peaceful life after the end of the Reconquista to new possessions. The supply of India and new expeditions was entrusted to the enterprising merchant Amerigo Vespucci.

The third expedition of Christopher Columbus

Now he has to catch up with cunning entrepreneurs sailing to plunder no-man's lands. Columbus's third expedition consisted of 6 small ships and three hundred crew, many of whom were recruited from Spanish prisons. Arriving in Hispaniola (Haiti), which was left in the care of his brother Bartolomeo, Columbus observes the complete savagery of his relatives, who demand land plots and slaves. The seriously ill Viceroy is forced to allow slavery and plantations.

In 1498, the Portuguese Vasco de Gama paved the way to true India, returning with a cargo of spices. The royal couple believes that Columbus deceived them. The new governor of Hispaniola, Francisco de Bobadilla, is given unlimited powers and the order to arrest the unfortunate discoverer of America. Shackled, he arrives in Spain.

The last voyage of Christopher Columbus

Spanish financiers managed to convince the king of the innocence of Christopher Columbus. He goes on his fourth expedition, where he takes his brother Bartolomeo and his son Hernando. On this voyage, he discovers the island of Martinique, reaches Central America and describes the customs of the Indians, whose descendants live in the territories modern states Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. From the inhabitants of the country of Veragua, he learns that the Atlantic Ocean is separated from the South Sea (as they called Pacific Ocean) an insurmountable barrier.

Luck left the great navigator. The governor of Hispaniola does not allow Columbus to take refuge from a storm in the bay of San Domingo, the city he founded. He will never reach the Pacific coast, which would crown him with new glory. An attempt to establish a new colony on the continent fails due to the militancy of the local population. From the Indians living along the Gulf of Darien, he learns that white people have already been here. He sails to Jamaica and runs aground. The new boss of Hispaniola is in no hurry to come to the aid of his compatriot. Columbus manages to scare the native kings by predicting lunar eclipse. The Aborigines supply the sailors with provisions.

Only a year later it is possible to rescue the Spaniards stuck near Jamaica. In September 1504, having overcome the turbulent ocean, the brothers Christopher and Bartolomeo Columbus returned to Spain. Beggar and sick, the admiral of the endless seas dies in Seville on May 20, 1506. Known for it last words: “Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.”

Posthumous fame

Did he think that the peoples and lands he discovered were doomed to extermination? Crowds of greedy conquerors rushed along the route trodden by him to baptize and rob, kill and rape. To their credit, the Spaniards were not racists like the English. In the former Spanish colonies live the descendants of the former natives, who have adopted the culture of Catholic Europe. In the United States of America, former colony England, the Indians were almost completely exterminated.

The country to which he had given power and glory deprived him of his privileges during his lifetime and left him to die in poverty and obscurity. It was remembered only in the middle of the 16th century, when gold and silver Latin America flowed like a river to Spain.

The fate of his remains is symbolic. The admiral's restless spirit seems to drag lifeless bones along the routes he once traversed. Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, executing last will navigator, 2 1540 transports his ashes from Seville to Saint-Domingue (Haiti). When the French took away part of Hispaniola at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Spaniards transported the relics of Columbus to Havana (Cuba). Finally, in 1898, after the expulsion of the Spaniards from Cuba, his remains were again transported to San Domingo and then to Seville. The Viceroy of Spain reminded himself again at the end of the 19th century, when a box with bones was discovered in the main cathedral of San Domingo, on which it was inscribed that they belonged to Christopher Columbus. Seville and Saint-Domingue began a long dispute about where the great relic actually rested.

Historians and scientists still cannot obtain information about what kind of family the Columbus family comes from. The exact birthplace of the great navigator Christopher Columbus is also unknown. But enough information has been preserved about his achievements and discoveries.

Childhood and youth of the discoverer

According to one version, Columbus was born in 1451. The supposed place of birth of Christopher is called the territory of today's Corsica.

Many Italian and Spanish cities dream of finding evidence that Columbus's roots come from their lands. So far no such information has been found.

The navigator’s high-quality education leads researchers to believe that he was not an Italian, but a Jew who converted to Christianity with his parents. The boy's father worked as a weaver, his mother was a laundress.

To adolescence Christopher was educated at home. Together with his sister and three brothers, he studied languages, mathematics, as well as many areas of science that were relevant at that time.

As a child, Columbus lost his brother Giovanni. He died in early age. Christopher's sister later married. His brothers, when they reached the appropriate age, accompanied Christopher on expeditions across the seas.

The capable boy was not left without patrons on his path to discovery. Thanks to the rich Jewish community, he was able to study at the University of Padua.

Access to higher education allowed Columbus to study astronomy more deeply; at the university, Christopher learned that the earth is actually round. During his studies, his relationships with teachers and students were friendly.

After making calculations, Columbus learned that it was easier to sail to rich India through western direction. So a plan for a sea expedition to the Indian shores matured in his head.

Columbus and the navigator's career

At the request of his father, the young navigator was assigned to the schooner as a cabin boy. Columbus visited the Mediterranean Sea, mastered many of the subtleties of navigation, and got used to life on a ship.

Columbus married for convenience. He took Felipa Moniz as his wife because her father was a wealthy sailor. After the death of his father-in-law, Christopher inherited not only money, but also maps with ship diaries.

In the 70s, Columbus went on his first expedition to Iceland. The sea route lay through British Isles. On this voyage, Columbus learned about legends telling about the adventures of the mighty Vikings who crossed the Atlantic.

In 1483, the navigator turned to King João II of Portugal with a request to sponsor his expedition to India along the Western Sea Route.

The monarch did not support the traveler’s aspirations, because he did not believe that the earth was round. Other crowned heads did not support Columbus. Only the Spanish Queen Isabella saw a rational grain in Christopher’s plan.

Spain could not pay for the expedition; the state treasury was depleted, but if successful, Columbus was promised a title and lands. Christopher borrowed money for the trip from merchants from Andalusia.

Expeditions to distant shores

In addition to the discovery of America, the navigator made the following significant journeys:

• Voyage of 1492. The expedition took a year. Three ships passed the Canary Islands and sailed across the Atlantic. The ships sailed to the Bahamas. The landing took place on San Salvador. This fact is considered the discovery of America and causes a lot of controversy;
• Sailing 1943. The ships did not return to their native shores for three years. The Lesser Antilles, Cuba, as well as Dominica, Haiti and Jamaica were discovered precisely on this voyage;
• Voyage of 1498. It lasted for about two years. The result was the islands of Margarita and the islands of Trinidad discovered by the navigator;
• Fourth voyage exact date unknown. During the expedition, the coasts of South America and the Caribbean Sea were explored. The Gulf of Honduras was also discovered.

Because accurate geographical maps did not yet exist at that time, Columbus firmly believed that he had found the way to Asia. For example, he considered the Bahamas part of Japan.

This delusion did not allow Christopher to properly explore the continent he discovered, because he was looking for more easy way to India. The main goal The researchers were not at all interested in discovering new lands, but rather in a thirst for enrichment.

The true glory of the discoverer of America went to Christopher's comrade Amerigo Vespucci. It was he who tried again and again to explore New World. Maybe that’s why only one state in South America was named after Columbus, and Amerigo immortalized his name in the name of an entire continent.

Columbus, after the crash in Jamaica, returned to his homeland completely sick. He never made it big money. All the income that Christopher received from his last voyage he paid for his debts.

Personal life of the discoverer

Columbus was legally married son born Diego. His second unofficial union was with Beatriz Henriquez de Arana. In this union, Christopher also had a son, Fernando.

Despite the fact that Fernando was illegitimate, Columbus took care of him just like his first child.

It was Fernando who went on one of the expeditions with his father, where he wrote the first biography of the navigator.

Both of Christopher's sons subsequently occupied high positions and received titles from the Spanish crown. They had in life what their father wanted so much, wealth and fame.

It is known that Columbus died in 1506. Christopher lived out his life in poverty in a house located in Valladolid. The great navigator did not live one year until ships loaded with gold and other valuable goods began to sail from America.

Contents of the article

COLUMBUS, CHRISTOPHER(Cristoforo Colombo, Cristobal Colon) (1451–1506), Spanish navigator who discovered America. Italian by origin. Born in Genoa between August 25 and October 31, 1451 in the family of wool 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 trade 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 of São Jorge da Mina).

In the early 1480s, he began to develop a project for sailing to the shores of East Asia by a western route across the Atlantic Ocean; he was inspired by this idea from the works of Aristotle, Seneca, Pliny the Elder, Strabo, Plutarch, Albertus Magnus and Roger Bacon, but his main inspiration was the Florentine cartographer Paolo Toscanelli (1397–1482). In 1484 he presented his project to the Portuguese King João II (1481–1495). However, in the spring of 1485, the Mathematical Junta (Lisbon Academy of Astronomy and Mathematics) recognized Columbus’s calculations as “fantastic.” In the summer of 1485 he left for Spain (Castile) and in January 1486 he proposed his project to the Spanish royal couple - Ferdinand II of Aragon (1479–1516) and Isabella I of Castile (1474–1504), who created a special commission headed by E. de Talavera. In the summer of 1487, the commission issued an unfavorable conclusion, however, Ferdinand and Isabella postponed the decision until the end of the war with the Emirate of Granada.

In the fall of 1488, Columbus visited Portugal to re-offer his project to John II, but was again refused and returned to Spain. In 1489, he unsuccessfully tried to interest the regent of France, Anna de Beaujeu, and two Spanish grandees, Dukes Enrique Medinasidonia and Luis Medinaceli, in the idea of ​​sailing to the west. But after the fall of Granada, with the support of influential patrons at the Spanish court, he was able to achieve the consent of Ferdinand and Isabella: on April 17, 1492, the royal couple entered into an agreement (“capitulation”) with Columbus in Santa Fe, granting him the title of nobility, the titles of Admiral of the Sea-Ocean, Vice -king and governor-general of all the islands and continents that he will discover. The office of admiral gave Columbus the right to rule in disputes arising in matters of trade, the office of viceroy made him the personal representative of the monarch, and the office of governor general provided the highest civil and military power. 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 overseas goods. The Spanish crown pledged to finance most of the expedition's expenses.

Ivan Krivushin