Christopher Columbus was looking for India, but found America. The inhabitants of the New World greeted him friendly, but the brave sailor soon turned into a cruel tyrant.

In the early morning of October 12, 1492, ships under the command of Christopher Columbus anchored off the coast of the Bahamian island of Gwanagani (now San Salvador). And now the Spanish flag flutters over an unknown land. Naked, without weapons, the inhabitants of the island affably and with interest watch the arriving strangers.

If the natives had guessed what grief this man would bring them, they would hardly have met him so carelessly. Only two years will pass, and some of them will be killed, others will become slaves or die from infectious diseases brought by strangers - scarlet fever, typhoid, smallpox.

Columbus discovered the New World by accident. He grew up as the son of an ordinary weaver from Italian city Genoa. And he got his own bread, being engaged in the trade in sugar and drawing geographical maps. But he dreamed of something else: having circled the earth across the Atlantic Ocean, to find a short sea route from Europe to India.

Already in those distant times, scientists understood that this plan was complete nonsense. Columbus greatly underestimated the size of the Earth. Columbus's plan to reach India by western route caused a chuckle from the royal advisers. They called the sailor crazy. But he believed that the journey to India would take several days. Queen Isabella of Spain and her husband became interested in the project and were seduced by the promised fabulous wealth. In addition, they hoped to convert the "wild peoples" of India to Christianity. The royal family granted Columbus the title of "Admiral of the Ocean Seas" and provided him with three small ships.

On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail for the Atlantic. Many sailors were afraid of traveling, because they believed that the earth was flat, and were afraid to fall off its edge. After 10 weeks of sailing on the endless ocean, the sailor from the mast saw the land. But it was not India, as Columbus thought, but the Bahamas off the coast of the new continent - America.

Having landed on earth, Columbus studied new world with delight and curiosity. He marveled at the lush vegetation and mild climate. About the natives, mistakenly called "Indians", he writes in the ship's log - "there are no better and more affectionate people in the world." The Europeans were amazed when they saw how the natives smoked tobacco. Soon the whole of Europe lit up. However, neither gold nor any other riches could be obtained. The holds of the Spanish ships were empty. And then Columbus turned into a cruel tyrant. A year later, he again sailed to America on 17 ships, along with 1200 peasants, artisans and armed soldiers, but with the aim of plundering and capturing prisoners.

The first to experience the ruthlessness of the conquerors was the island of Hispaniola (now Haiti). The Spaniards killed children, cruelly dealt with the natives, who could not bring much gold. Then Columbus ordered 550 natives to be loaded in order to make money on the slave trade.

During the third expedition to the shores of America, Columbus was arrested on the denunciation of enemies. From the third trip, Columbus returned in chains. He was soon acquitted and made another trip to the new continent. But his fame has faded. Six years later, Columbus died alone. Even the new continent was not named after Columbus. And in honor of Amerigo Vespucci, who guessed that this was not India at all, but an unknown land.

Columbus travels changed world history. But for the American Indians, the time has come for suffering. Columbus was replaced by even more brutal invaders. In America, they sought the wealth of the Aztecs and Incas, sowing death and destruction around. And it all began for the Indians with the joyful meeting of Christopher Columbus on October 12, 1492 ...

In what year and where was Christopher Columbus born?

FOURTH EXPEDITION
(1502 - 1504): 4 ships. In June 1502, Columbus discovered the island of Martinique, then the lands of the Maya Indians (Honduras), the Mosquito Coast (Nicaragua) and the Gold Coast (Costa Rica). In 1502, ships came to the bay, which in 400 years would become the northern entrance to the Panama Canal. In April 1503, Columbus reached the Uraba Strait and turned back to Haiti. Along the way, they discovered the Cayman Islands, called "turtle"; and in May 1503 there was a wreck off the coast of Jamaica. Columbus returned to Spain in 1504 already a sick man ... and in May 1506 ... he was gone ...

Hi Hi! Today is the time of the great geographical discoveries and I want to talk about Columbus.

Christopher Columbus, whose biography is very fascinating, will help us better imagine the history of the discovery of America.

We will consider all his expeditions to the New World with the most interesting details.

(1451 - 1506) - the great Spanish navigator of Italian origin. He made four transatlantic expeditions to America.

Columbus was born in the Italian Republic of Genoa. His family included three younger brothers (Bartolomeo, Giovanni Pellegrino and Giacomo) and a younger sister (Biancinetta).

In the expeditions of Columbus to the new world after 1492, Bartolomeo and Giacomo took part and they were called in Spanish Bartolome and Diego. Christopher Columbus became a sailor very early and sailed in the Mediterranean on merchant ships in 1474 and 1475. from Genoa to about. Chios.

In May 1476, Columbus, as a clerk of a Genoese trading house, went to Portugal, where he lived for 9 years.

Columbus sailed under the Portuguese flag to Ireland and England, and possibly Iceland. He also visited the Canary Islands and Madeira and traveled along the west coast of Africa to the Portuguese trading post of San Jorjima Mina (modern Ghana).

In Portugal, he married and became a member of a mixed Italian-Portuguese family. He soon suggested that by moving west one could arrive in Asia.

Columbus, around 1483, tried to interest the Portuguese king João II with his plan of an expedition to Asia by the western route. But the king, for unknown reasons, refused Columbus.

Columbus left Portugal in 1485 and decided to try his luck in Spain. Early in 1486, while the royal court was in Alcalá de Henaresi, Columbus received an audience with the king and queen.

Queen Isabella of Castile and her husband, King Ferdinand of Aragon, became interested in the Columbus project.

They assured Columbus that they could support him after the end of the long war to free Granada from the Moors.

While he was waiting for the end of the war, he met a young woman, Beatriz Henriquez de Arana. Despite the fact that they never married, their son Hernando (Fernando) was born in 1488.

During the fourth voyage of Columbus across the Atlantic Ocean, Fernando accompanied him. He later wrote a biography of his father.

During the deposition of Granada in January 1492, he was invited to the court. In May, the monarchs agreed to support Columbus's project and promised to give him the title of nobility and the titles of admiral, viceroy and governor-general of all the continents and islands that he would discover.

Representatives of the Seville merchants gave money to equip the expedition. The sailors of the port city of Palos, at the request of the monarchs, provided two ships for the expedition of Columbus.

These were two caravels: "Pinta" and "Nina". In addition, he chartered a 4-masted sailboat (nao), which was named "Santa Maria".

Columbus, with the help of famous sailor Martin Alonso Pinzón, recruited a crew of 90 men. On August 3, 1492, 3 ships left Palos. First, a small flotilla headed for the Canary Islands.

In September 1492, the Columbus expedition repaired their ships and replenished provisions, after which they left the island of Homer in the Canary archipelago and headed west.

Columbus and other pilots used a navigation system that was based on calculating the direction, time and speed of movement while plotting the course of the ship and fixing its position.

The direction they determined by the compass(more about types of compass), time (about the concept of time) - with the help of an hourglass, and speed - by eye. In the logbook, Columbus kept two systems for calculating distances: one for himself and the other for the crew.

He didn't try to fool the team, contrary to legend. On the contrary, he apparently calculated the course first in units that he had learned in Portugal and Italy, and then translated these figures into measurements that were adopted by Spanish navigators.

The journey proceeded calmly, with fair winds and almost no quarrels on the part of the crew. The watchman on the "Pinta" J. Rodriguez Bermejo, on October 12, at two o'clock, saw a fire ahead. Vessels at dawn, near an island in the archipelago of the Bahamas, anchored.

The Tubilians from the Taino tribe called this island Guanahani, and Columbus renamed it San Salvador. Christopher Columbus called the Tubilians Indians, believing that he was in Asia(more about this part of the world).

The flotilla, with the help of the Indians, continued its journey in the waters of the Bahamas and reached Cuba on October 28.

Columbus all this time was looking for the rich ports of Asia in vain. Without the permission of Columbus, Captain Pinson left Cuba and went in search of new lands on the Pinta in order to establish trade with the Tubilians.

On the two remaining ships, Columbus went to a large island, which he called Hispaniola (translated as "Spanish Island", now Haiti), and explored its northern coast.

The Santa Maria, through the fault of a young shift sailor, ran aground on Christmas morning and crashed. Columbus, on the only ship "Nina", reached the shore and fell asleep for the first time in the New World of the settlement - Fort Navidad, in which he left 39 people.

On January 4, 1493, Columbus prepared to return to Spain on the Nina, and sailed east along the northern coast of Hispaniola. Soon Pinzón joined him, and on January 16, Nina and Pinta set off for Spain.

As proof that he had reached a part of the world previously unknown to Europeans, he took 7 Indians with him. A fair wind after a while drove his ship to the Azores.

The Spaniards reached the coast of Portugal on March 4, and stopped there to rest and repair ships. Columbus paid a courtesy call to King João II and sailed for Spain on March 13. Nina arrived in Palos 2 days later.

Columbus was warmly welcomed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. In addition to the privileges that they promised him earlier, they gave permission for a larger second expedition.

Christopher Columbus assured them that near the islands he had discovered, there was a rich Asian mainland, where he wanted to establish a colony.

Columbus's plans were supported by Ferdinand and Isabella, they provided him with people and ships to go to Hispaniola. The queen ordered that the Tubilians be converted to the Christian faith.

Columbus easily found 1,200 people who agreed to ride with him as future settlers. On September 25, 1493, a flotilla of 17 ships (including 3 large ships) set off from Cadiz and reached the Canary Islands on October 2, and 10 days later went across the Atlantic Ocean.

Columbus landed on one of the islands of the Caribbean on November 3, and named it Dominica. From there, to the coast of Hispaniola, he sailed along the Lesser Antilles and the Virgin Islands.

To the surprise of those who arrived, it turned out that all 39 people left in Navidad in January were killed (this was mainly due to clashes with the Tubilians).

Columbus, despite this, founded a new settlement, and named it La Isabella in honor of the Queen of Spain (January 1494). The place for the settlement, unfortunately, was chosen unsuccessfully: there was no nearby fresh water, and he was soon, therefore, left.

In addition to searching for gold and locating the ports of the "Great Khanate of China", Columbus was engaged in the slave trade.

He and his people, armed with arquebuses, along with horses and fighting dogs, marched through the territory of Hispaniola, changing gold, and if they met resistance, they beat off the gold by force and captured the prisoners.

Columbus left his brother Diego to manage Hispaniola. And in the spring of 1494 he made an expedition along the southern coast of Cuba, discovering a number of new islands, including Jamaica.

In Hispaniola, during the absence of Columbus, 3 ships arrived under the command of his brother Bartolome. He found the colony in a state of chaos.

These ships were captured by a group of disappointed colonists who fled to their homeland. In March 1495, Columbus began the conquest of Hispaniola using barbarian methods. During this conquest, thousands of Indians were captured or killed.

The Spanish monarchs were upset by this message, and J. Aguado was sent to check the cases, who, at the end of 1495, confirmed their worst expectations: among the Indians, the death rate was very high, mainly due to the cruel policy of the colonists.

The number of Europeans, in addition, significantly decreased due to disease and desertion. On March 10, 1496, Columbus went to Spain, and instead of himself on Hispaniola left his brother Bartolome, and on June 11, 1496 arrived in Cadiz.

Isabella and Ferdinand in 1496 no longer hoped that they would be able to quickly benefit from Columbus' projects.

Columbus, despite all the accusations of lack of management ability, managed to convince the monarchs to give permission for third expedition .

He could use 1 nao and 2 caravels to search for new lands, as well as 3 more caravels to bring new colonists and food to Hispaniola.

Near the island of Gomera, the flotilla was divided, which left the mouth of the Guadalquivir on May 30, 1498. The course for Espanyola was taken by 3 ships.

On the other three ships, Columbus went south, reached the Cape Verde Islands, and on July 7 turned west. On July 31, he discovered the island of Trinidad, and then headed northwest to the shores of America.

After that, he discovered a wide delta, some kind of river (in modern Venezuela, the Orinoco River), and realized that there was a huge landmass there.

After surveying the coast in the Orinoco Delta and discovering about. Margherita, Columbus went to Hispaniola, where Bartolome and Diego could not clean up.

Isabella and Ferdinand, concerned about Columbus' reports, sent F. de Bobadillo to investigate the affairs of the colony.

He quickly assessed the situation, and arrested all three brothers of Christopher Columbus, confiscated all their money, shackled them, and sent them to Spain in December 1500.

Immediately after their return, Columbus was called to Granada. The monarchs convinced the Genoese that they never ordered him to be kept in shackles. However, until September 1501, they delayed the consideration of his applications for the renewal of rights.

Ferdinand and Isabella returned all the property and part of the titles to Columbus, but did not leave any power. Also, the monarchs for a long time did not give their consent to a new expedition. They began to create a new structure for managing the colonies, and N. de Ovando was appointed governor of Hispaniola.

In February 1502, Owando sailed for the Caribbean region in 30 ships with a large group of settlers.

new expedition Columbus was allowed to lead only in March 1502. The flotilla of the fourth expedition of Columbus consisted of 4 small caravels.

On May 11, 1502, the admiral, who was 51 years old, and his 13-year-old son Hernando sailed from Cadiz on the flagship.

On May 25, they left the Canary Islands, crossed the Atlantic, and on June 15 reached the island that Columbus named Martinique.

The flotilla reached Hispaniola on June 29, passing along the islands of the Antilles archipelago. Columbus and his companions soon made a new journey, which took place mainly along the coasts of Central America.

The admiral no longer believed that he was in Asia. On the territory of modern Panama lived the Guai Indians, who traded gold with the expedition members, but they opposed all the methods of the Europeans to establish a settlement.

Guayami forced the Spaniards in May 1503 to leave the coast of Central America. One of the ships sank in the sea, and the remaining three ships barely kept afloat.

Columbus left another ship, and then went to Jamaica, near the coast of which, the ships ran aground.

Columbus spent a whole year in Jamaica until a ship from Hispaniola rescued him at the end of June 1504. Only in November 1504, Columbus was able to return to Spain.

On May 21, 1506, Columbus died in the Spanish city of Valladolidi. He died never knowing that he was the discoverer of the New World.

In 1513, his coffin was transferred to Seville, and then, around 1542, it was reburied in the cathedral of the city of Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic).

Yes, the process of discovery and development of the New World by the colonists was so interesting and difficult. And Christopher Columbus helped us get acquainted with this, whose biography told us everything🙂

He was immortalized by his expeditions, during which he was the first European traveler to enter the Caribbean Sea and the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean. And, of course, the honor of discovering America also belongs to him, although the continent was not named after him. In total, the traveler undertook 4 expeditions organized by order of the Spanish kings.

First expedition. It was attended by three ships and 100 crew members. The ships sailed in August 1492. Columbus' original target was Japan (then known as "Chipangu"), not India, as many believe. During the voyage, the ships entered the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas, Haiti, as well as several islands that later belonged to Cuba were discovered. During this particular expedition, the foot of a European first set foot on the land of South America. However, all open lands were considered East Asia- the environs of India, China or Japan, which is why for a very long time these territories were called the West Indies.

Second journey. This expedition was truly grandiose - 17 ships and more than 1500 team members left Spain on September 25, 1493. Since the purpose of the voyage was to organize a permanent colony, the team included not only sailors, but also priests, nobles, courtiers, officials. They brought cattle, seeds and vines with them. The result was the conquest of Hispaniola and the beginning of the extermination of the natives. Columbus also managed to pave the most convenient way to the West Indies, discover the Virgin and Lesser Antilles, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The southern coast of Cuba was carefully explored. At the same time, all participants were sure that they were in Western India.

Third voyage. At this time, Columbus was limited in funds for the expedition, so the flotilla consisted of 6 small ships, on which there were approximately 300 crew members, some of whom were prisoners. The ships left Spain at the end of May 1498. Columbus' goal this time was gold, which he hoped to find near the equator. On reaching the Canary Islands, he sent half of the ships to Hispaniola, he himself led the remaining three to the Cape Verde Islands, and then to the south-west. So Trinidad was discovered, and soon after that Columbus was forced to return to Hispaniola due to illness. At this time, the colonists raised a rebellion in Hispaniola, which ended with the introduction of enslavement of the Indians for the colonists. After he opened the way to India, the Spanish king abolished Columbus' monopoly on the lands of Hispaniola and declared that they were the property of the Spanish crown.

Fourth voyage. Columbus made a new attempt to prove that the path from the lands he discovered to South Asia exists, on May 9, 1502. The expedition included 5 ships. It was possible to open the island of Martinique, as well as reach the coast of Central America. Columbus also proved that it was impossible to get into the South Sea (which the Indians told him about) through the Atlantic Ocean. In 1503, Columbus was forced to land in Jamaica, from where he and the surviving members of the expedition only at the end of June 1504 were taken by a ship equipped at the expense of the navigator himself.

- one of the most mysterious personalities of the period of great travels and geographical discoveries. The life of any outstanding person is full of dark spots, mysteries, inexplicable actions and coincidences. This is easily explained by the fact that humanity begins to be interested in the life of a great man only after his death, after 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. Christopher Columbus was such a person.

Mystery one: origin

Until now, no one can specify the exact date of the birth of the great navigator. Even the year of birth - 1451 - does not have a sufficiently good reason. It is only known for sure Birthplace of Christopher Columbus— Republic of Genoa. Columbus's parents were the most ordinary city dwellers: his father was a weaver, his mother was a housewife. The question of the nationality of the Columbuses remains open. Researchers are considering several versions: Spanish, Italian, German, Slavic and Jewish. Exactly latest version seems to be the most likely. It is known that the Columbuses were quite closed, sometimes the whole family left for a few days to no one knows where. Diligently, even too much for the Catholic Genoa, the family of the future navigator attended church, they regularly received communion and confession, never missed Sunday or festive 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 also confirmed by the fact that Columbus never wrote about his roots, although he left behind a solid literary archive. Since the 15th century became the rampant of the Inquisition in Europe, "non-Christian" could have a negative impact on his career. The family had to hide their history.

Mystery Two: Education

According to the tradition of that time, the future traveler and discoverer was educated at home. Apparently, his teachers were wonderful. Young Columbus impressed his acquaintances with his knowledge of languages ​​and a broad outlook being 14 years old. It is reliably established that he studied at the University of Padua. This is where the questions arise: why would the weaver's son reach out for the intellectual elite? And the cost of education and living is an unbearable burden 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 merchants, then everything looks very plausible. One thing is certain, Columbus was distinguished by outstanding abilities from childhood.

Mystery three: how was the idea of ​​looking for India in the West born?

As an educated person, Christopher Columbus could not help but know that the idea of ​​the sphericity of the Earth was expressed even in antiquity by very authoritative scientists. 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 distrust of a society that has long been 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 circling Africa look much more real 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 outstanding person, Christopher Columbus made numerous friends at the university, both among students and professors. The astronomer Toscanelli, well known to the future navigator, informs his friends that, according to his calculations, India is much closer to Europe if one sails to the West. Based on the calculations of a friend, Columbus makes his own. The result strikes him: it turns out that from the Canary Islands to Japan there are no more than three thousand miles. The calculations were wrong, but the idea turned out to be tenacious.

Continued: own experience

Sea travel 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 attaching him as a cabin boy on a merchant ship of a familiar merchant. Christopher not only studied languages, navigation, the art of trade, but also earned money to help his family. The first voyages were limited mediterranean sea, but after all, it was this sea that was the focus of all economic ties between Europe and Asia. Therefore, Christopher Columbus had the opportunity to meet with Arab merchants, for whom India was a well-known country. Eagerly absorbing the stories of the Arabs about the wealth of a distant country, about the customs and customs of the population, about the rulers and the state system, the young Christopher is increasingly interested in finding ways to a country that will make him fabulously rich. After a very profitable marriage, Columbus moves with his wife to. At this time, Christopher Columbus takes part in several trading voyages, he visits West Africa (Guinea), Northern Europe (, Ireland, Iceland). Northern travel has played a special role in life great traveler Christopher Columbus. The fact that the Vikings visited America long before the Spaniards and the Portuguese was known for a long time. 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 that tell about the travels of Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson. From that moment on, the certainty that " big land"is located across the Atlantic, never left Christopher Columbus.

The path of Christopher Columbus: from idea to implementation

It is known that Christopher Columbus offered five times to organize an expedition west of the Canary Islands. For the first time, he addressed this proposal back in 1475 to the government of the Republic of Genoa and the richest merchants, promising unprecedented profits and riches of India. The proposal was heard, but did not arouse enthusiasm. In the eyes of the seasoned Genoese, the fervor of the 24-year-old weaver's son was the result of youth, a thirst for adventure and lack of experience. The second attempt was made in 1483, this time to seduce the treasures of India, Christopher Columbus wanted the Portuguese king. The tight-fisted and sane ruler ordered the proposal to be carefully studied, but as a result he also refused support. The thing is that by this time Columbus had acquired rather large debts and, in the eyes of the monarch, could in no way be considered a trustworthy person. The third proposal Christopher Columbus made to the Spanish crown. Acutely in need of gold, painfully experienced her "provinciality". A whole commission was created to consider the proposal of the "Genoese". The financiers and theologians met for four years, and Columbus did his best to hide the details of the upcoming trip, he was afraid that the idea would be stolen from him. To "insure", tireless and obsessed with his idea, the traveler turns to the English and French kings. But the English Henry is busy with the internal problems of the country, and the young and confused Karl simply did not attach any importance to the message. While the Spaniards were deciding what to do with the proposal of Columbus, the Portuguese king sent an invitation to the navigator to return to Portugal and continue negotiations. Christopher Columbus makes no secret of this message, the Spaniards hurried. Finally, the terms of the expedition were announced: an eighth of the expenses must be paid by the initiator of the expedition himself, the rest of the money will come from the "uncollected taxes of the queen." In other words, there was no money at all. The monarchs flavored the strange financing scheme with the work of Christopher Columbus in noble dignity and the promise to make him viceroy of all the lands that he discovers. On the other hand, the royal attention to travel helped to find sponsors, creditors, assistants and associates quite quickly.

Four expeditions of Christopher Columbus: how did the discovery of America

First expedition of Christopher Columbus

Contrary to popular belief, he did not go to India, but to Japan and China. It was these countries that were to meet him on the 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 west. On October 12, 1492, the cry of the sailor Rodrigo de Triana: "Earth! Earth!" - completed the era of the Middle Ages in Europe and launched the New Age. A small island in the Bahamas archipelago, named San Salvador by Columbus, became the first dry land in America, discovered by Europeans for the second time, after the Vikings. Alas, no gold placers were found on the island. Columbus sails on... The coast is open, Haiti. A good contact has been established with the natives, who have a certain amount of gold jewelry, but do not appreciate it at all, willingly exchange it for glass beads. Natural beauties delight the Spaniards, but ... They did not sail here for nature. Having learned from the inhabitants of the open islands that the "yellow stone" in large quantities found in the "southern lands", Christopher Columbus "discovery of America" ​​decides to suspend. For the first time, what was seen and collected was enough to awaken the "appetites" of the Spanish crown and get funding for a second expedition, more serious and thorough.

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 on their way, carrying up to one and a half thousand crew members, livestock, great amount supplies, grain, seeds. This is no longer intelligence, this is an expedition to colonize open lands. Among the passengers of the ships are several dozen knights, priests, artisans, doctors, officials. Everyone goes on a journey with the hope of getting rich ... The journey is fast, the weather is favorable. Already after 20 days of travel (November 3, 1493) the land was seen. And again the island. This time, the Antilles and Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico were put on the world map. Previously discovered Cuba and Haiti were explored. All participants understand that the open lands do not "pull" to India or China, but Columbus (by this time the admiral and viceroy) continues to insist that they are in Asia, and riches will be discovered very soon. In order to somehow justify the cost of the expedition, Columbus sends ships to Spain with found gold, valuable timber and slaves from among the natives. The resulting "trophies" are so insignificant that the Spanish royal family decides to stop cooperating with Columbus, entrusting the supply of the colonists to Amerigo Vespucci. Upon learning of this, the discoverer drops everything and hurries to Spain. During a reception with the royal couple, Christopher Columbus colorfully and emotionally lies: he found the mines of King Solomon, he brings the light of Christianity to hundreds of thousands of the lost. As proof, he provides cunningly drawn maps that prove that he reached Asia (the island of Cuba was marked on the map, but who in the court understands this?) ... Finally, he demands to return to him all the rights to manage open lands, titles and titles. And he will soon overwhelm Spain with gold ... Christopher Columbus map makes some impression on the king, and stories about the natives converted to Christianity on the queen, and promises to "fill up with gold" impress the entire Spanish court. Got out this time...

Third Voyage of Christopher Columbus

Disastrous trip. The result of it was only the discovery of the island of Trinidad. The illness of Christopher Columbus (and yellow fever wiped out at least a third of the team of the admiral and the viceroy) did not allow them to reach the continental coast. The colonists who remained in Haiti were more engaged in internal disassembly than land development, common language they could not find it with the natives ... Meanwhile, he returns to Europe. Returns with a rich cargo of spices and silk, brocade and jewels. The Portuguese are happy, Spain is in shock. So much money has been invested in the expeditions of the "Genoese", but apart from colorful promises, there is nothing from him so far. 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 to be hopeless. But here Christopher Columbus is helped by the main creditors of the Spanish crown - the Marranos. In fact, 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 go on the fourth voyage in order to finally justify the trust. The crown does not give money, but there are still many people who want to get rich in Spain...

Fourth Voyage of Christopher Columbus

Only the fourth time the Columbus expedition managed to reach the continental coast. What did Christopher Columbus discover? this time? Having passed the southern coast of Cuba, the ships of the "Genoese" approached the coast of Nicaragua, descended further south - to Costa Rica and Panama. Here the Indians told the travelers that by land one could easily reach the South Sea, and there live the militant Incas, who own huge gold reserves. Columbus didn't believe it. Yellow fever claimed the lives of sailors, it was 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 ships of the expedition ran aground. Only the diplomatic skills of Columbus, his ability to convince 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 the trip, Columbus brought samples of golden 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 even remembered that, under an agreement with the royal couple, it was Columbus who was the ruler of the open lands. A long and painful correspondence with the court and ministers led nowhere. Sick, tired and offended, Columbus was dying in a modest house in the city of Valladolid. All his savings, accumulated over the years of wandering from 1492 to 1504, he spent to pay off the participants of the last expedition. On May 20, 1506, Christopher Columbus passed away. Nobody noticed his death. The fact is that it was at this time that the first ships from the New World, stuffed with gold and silver, began to arrive in Spain. There was no time for the "Genoese" ...

Main secret: Asia or America?

Why did the discoverer of the New World speak so stubbornly that he opened the way to Asia? Did he really not understand that a new, previously unknown part of the World appeared on his way? Everything is explained simply: from the very beginning, Columbus sailed towards the New World. But the grandeur of this discovery for the time being was to remain a mystery. 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, 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 the main competitor of Columbus - Amerigo Vespucci.

Last Voyage of Christopher Columbus

Dying, Christopher Columbus bequeathed to bury himself "where my heart and life remain," referring to Haiti, the first major island discovered in America. The will was gathering dust among the papers of Columbus for a long time, until, 34 years after the death of the navigator, it caught the eye of his grandson. The significance of the discoveries of the "Genoese" by that time was undeniable, so the appeal to the king with a request to "help fulfill the will of his grandfather" met with enthusiastic support. Dust navigator Christopher Columbus went in 1540 to Haiti, 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 to, to Spain. This trip to America was the last, posthumous for the great navigator.

Not so long ago, examining the remains of Columbus in, scientists found that they did not belong to the navigator (the bones are miniature, and the "Genoese" was distinguished by a heroic physique). The grave of Christopher Columbus remained in Santa Domingo. However, during all the "moves", the bones of Christopher Columbus could simply be lost ... Somewhere halfway from the New World to the Old World ...