christopher columbus biography
Christoforo Colombo (1451-1506) was born in the city of Genoa, Italy. The exact date of his birth is unknown, but it is believed to have occurred between August and October 1451. His father was a wool weaver. From this occupation, Colombo learned about the fine fabrics and spices of the East, which fueled his dream to find a new route to Asia. From a young age, he dreamed of sailing to the East, and eventually did so on the famous voyage of 1492.
Colombo set sail in search of the gold mines of the Hindu king, Rajah of Minkai, believing that he could reach the East by sailing west. He was a hardworking and studious person, but was not successful in his financial endeavors. Therefore, he had to lead a difficult life. His brother then lived in Lisbon city. Colombo got the letter of introduction from his brother, then he went to Lisbon city and settled there. At that time, Colombo was 25 years old.
Colombo soon found a small job and settled down. He would often visit Girga during his work. One day, he met a young man named Felipa Moniz, who was the son of Bartholomeu Dias, a high-ranking official in the navy of King Henry of Portugal. This encounter was a significant event in Colombo’s life. The friendship developed quickly and became very close in a short period of time.
After marriage, Colombo lived in Seville. He listened to his father-in-law’s stories about his first sea voyages, and spent time reading about the travels of various countries in the library. One day, he came across the account of Marco Polo’s journey to China. As he read, his dream of traveling to the East was reignited.
Two powerful forces drove Colombo: a deep desire for adventure on a far-off voyage, and a burning ambition for gold. At that time, people believed that the East was full of gold and that the people there had little value. He wanted to go there and find it by sailing west.
Columbus wrote in a letter that he knew of the famous geographer Pagolo Toscanelli in his time. In response, Pagolo wrote to Columbus – “I am delighted to hear of your desire. I have sent you a map of the sea route. Although this map is not perfect, it will still help you on your journey. Wherever the golden sand of gold and diamonds lies, the mountains of precious stones and the mines of gold and diamonds can be found.”
This letter made Kolumbas’ mind free of all doubts and he began preparing for his journey. Everyone was amazed by Kolumbas’ desire and some laughed at him. Some even called him crazy. No one supported him or helped him. Even the King of Spain Isabella rejected his request. Meanwhile, Kolumbas’ wife Felipa became ill. Despite all the treatment, her condition continued to worsen. In the end, Kolumbas’ desire for the distant land of gold and precious stones led him to embark on a journey that changed the world forever.”
All of Calumbas’ troubles in life have been resolved. He has now turned to a new venture and is moving forward in his campaign. He is knocking on the doors of almost every wealthy person in the country, looking for boats, ships, and money. Calumbas’ request was that the country should be developed and that he should be made the leader of that country and that he should be given a share of the wealth.
At this time, Calumbas is familiar with Fadar Piraz, who was a close friend of the royal family and was highly respected by Queen Isabella. Calumbas expressed his desire to Fadar Piraz himself and asked for his help in any way possible.
Fadar Piraz’s request was not granted by Queen Isabella. With the discovery of the new land, many people were becoming devout in Christianity and seeking to gain virtue. In addition to Fadar Piraz, several other kind individuals joined in supporting Calumbas. The King accepted all of Calumbas’ requests.
On April 17, 1492, an agreement was made between them. Calumbas would be given the governorship of the new land and would receive a tenth of the acquired wealth. Using the money received from the King, Calumbas built three ships: the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Niña, with the Santa Maria being the largest at 100 tons, the Pinta at 50 tons, and the Niña at 40
With the help of Columbus, 87 sailors were recruited. On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail on his three ships to an unknown sea. Most of those who were present at the port that day believed that none of them would return from that unknown land. Columbus sailed west, only to see water and water. Day by day, the situation became worse. There was no sign of land, and the sailors became restless. Everyone rebelled together, demanding that the ships be turned back.
On Columbus’s eyes, the green branches of a tree broke. The leaves were green. There was no difficulty in guessing that they had reached the spot. The sailors only made a request for one day. That day was October 12th. A sailor named Rodrigo de Triana first saw the land. All of them got up with joy and excitement. The next day, Columbus named the unknown island of the Bahama archipelago. In the future, he kept the name of that island as San Salvador (current name is Watling Island). This day is still celebrated as Columbus Day in North and South America.
Columbus believed that he had reached Asia by sea, where there were vast amounts of gold and wealth. But where is that wealth? Day by day, he searched in all directions but could not find any signs of wealth. Columbus went to Cuba and Hispaniola Island. He established a temporary settlement and then returned to Spain. Later, other conquistadors would come and search for treasures.
In Hispaniola, Columbus established a permanent settlement and left 42 sailors there, while he returned to the homeland. He brought some of the local indigenous people with him to the new island. Although he returned empty-handed, Columbus was still honored by the King and Queen of Spain. They organized a grand banquet in his honor. Pope Alexander VI announced that all newly discovered lands would be considered as belonging to Spain.
Emperor Ferdinand of Spain organized a new expedition. The powerful navigator, with an army of countless people, crossed the Atlantic on September 24, 1493, on his second oceanic voyage. This news did not take long to reach Columbus. He did not wait long and in just over a year, on June 11, 1496, he returned to Spain. However, this time, he did not bring any significant achievements.
However, Columbus had a different mindset. He applied for a new expedition and even though he was initially denied, he ultimately received approval from the ruler.
In 1498, on May 30, Columbus embarked on his third voyage. This time, his companions were his son and brother. The days of Columbus’ success were gradually coming to an end. He made a statement against the atrocities of the Europeans against the local people of Hispaniola. Mentally exhausted, Columbus, like a ruthless conqueror, fiercely suppressed the rebellion of the locals. People were brutally killed in large numbers.
In 1498, on May 30th, Columbus launched his third voyage. This time, his companions were his son and brother. Columbus’s life had become increasingly difficult by this point. He had announced to the local inhabitants of Hispaniola that the Europeans were committing atrocities. Mentally and emotionally exhausted, Columbus resisted the oppression of the abusive rulers with determination. People were brutally killed left and right. His allies also began to tire of his work. Complaints were lodged against him with the sovereign, and he attempted to establish an independent state. Despite an investigation that found no evidence of wrongdoing, charges of misconduct were leveled against Columbus.
Because Columbus did not discover any wealthy countries, the amount of wealth of the king, the King, has been depleted. In this complaint, Columbus’s brother and son were first arrested. Then Columbus was arrested. Columbus was then taken to Spain.
He was kept in an uninhabited prison. From there, he wrote a letter to Roni Isabella. Roni Isabella was a nature lover. In addition, he had the same admiration for Colombo. After reading his letter, he gave a mercy order.
He gave up after fifty years, but with an unyielding courage he applied for a fourth sea voyage. The king approved, but imposed a ban on entering the capital. In 1502, he began his fourth sea voyage. He wanted to go even further west. Along the way, a storm broke out. Ultimately, Columbus took refuge on an unknown island. Columbus reached one of the islands of the West Indies. From there, he returned to Hispaniola and then to Jamaica. Eventually, his body broke down.
A man who had lost many of his loved ones to an unknown disease went to Spain and returned two years later, but only lived for another two years. Despite having wealth, he was not at peace. He was completely isolated by the king’s favor. The importance of his discovery was not recognized by the country’s people. In 1506, he died in the common house of a town called Valladolid and his dead body was taken to Demingot for burial.