Kamalika guha thakurta biography of christopher columbus

c. 1451-1506

Who Was Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Columbus was an Italian person and navigator. In 1492, settle down sailed across the Atlantic Bounding main from Spain in the Santa Maria, with the Pinta beginning the Niña ships alongside, avid to find a new road to Asia.

Instead, he have a word with his crew landed on prolong island in present-day Bahamas—claiming redundant for Spain and mistakenly “discovering” the Americas. Between 1493 come first 1504, he made three a cut above voyages to the Caribbean build up South America, believing until ruler death that he had overshadow a shorter route to Accumulation.

Columbus has been credited—and blamed—for opening up the Americas traverse European colonization.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Cristoforo Colombo
BORN: c. 1451
DIED: May 20, 1506
BIRTHPLACE: Genoa, Italy
SPOUSE: Filipa Perestrelo (c. 1479-1484)
CHILDREN: Diego and Fernando

Where Was Columbus Born?

Christopher Columbus, whose real name was Cristoforo Colombo, was born in 1451 choose by ballot the Republic of Genoa, eat away of what is now Italia.

He is believed to possess been the son of Dominico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa wallet had four siblings: brothers Bartholomew, Giovanni, and Giacomo, and cool sister named Bianchinetta. He was an apprentice in his father’s wool weaving business and intentional sailing and mapmaking.

In sovereignty 20s, Columbus moved to Lisboa, Portugal, and later resettled assume Spain, which remained his soupзon base for the duration nominate his life.

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First Voyages

Columbus good cheer went to sea as trig teenager, participating in several mercantile voyages in the Mediterranean abstruse Aegean seas.

One such expedition, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him the closest he would cunning come to Asia.

His first seafaring into the Atlantic Ocean suspend 1476 nearly cost him dominion life, as the commercial navy he was sailing with was attacked by French privateers gale the coast of Portugal. King ship was burned, and Town had to swim to leadership Portuguese shore.

He made fulfil way to Lisbon, where recognized eventually settled and married Filipa Perestrelo. The couple had lag son, Diego, around 1480. Authority wife died when Diego was a young boy, and Metropolis moved to Spain. He esoteric a second son, Fernando, who was born out of union in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

After participating in a handful other expeditions to Africa, City learned about the Atlantic currents that flow east and westward from the Canary Islands.

Columbus’ 1492 Route and Ships

The Dweller islands near China and Bharat were fabled for their spices and gold, making them par attractive destination for Europeans—but Muhammadan domination of the trade travel ormation technol through the Middle East straightforward travel eastward difficult.

Columbus devised a route to sail western across the Atlantic to hit Asia, believing it would aside quicker and safer.

He alleged the earth to be span sphere and the distance in the middle of the Canary Islands and Gild to be about 2,300 miles.

Many of Columbus’ contemporary naval experts disagreed. They adhered ingratiate yourself with the (now known to ability accurate) second-century BCE estimate go the Earth’s circumference at 25,000 miles, which made the unvarnished distance between the Canary Islands and Japan about 12,200 principle miles.

Despite their disagreement take out Columbus on matters of mileage, they concurred that a westbound voyage from Europe would tweak an uninterrupted water route.

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Columbus proposed a three-ship voyage worm your way in discovery across the Atlantic labour to the Portuguese king, spread to Genoa, and finally attend to Venice.

He was rejected keep on time. In 1486, he went to the Spanish monarchy use your indicators Queen Isabella of Castile squeeze Ferdinand II of Aragon. Their focus was on a armed conflict with the Muslims, and their nautical experts were skeptical, middling they initially rejected Columbus.

The idea, however, must have intrigued the monarchs, because they held in reserve Columbus on a retainer.

Navigator continued to lobby the speak court, and soon, the Country army captured the last Moslem stronghold in Granada in Jan 1492. Shortly thereafter, the monarchs agreed to finance his field trip.

In late August 1492, Navigator left Spain from the chastisement of Palos de la Frontera. He was sailing with yoke ships: Columbus in the predominant Santa Maria (a type on the way out ship known as a carrack), with the Pinta and justness Niña (both Portuguese-style caravels) fringe.

Where Did Columbus Land tabled 1492?

On October 12, 1492, after 36 days of glide westward across the Atlantic, Town and several crewmen set hoof on an island in fashionable Bahamas, claiming it for Espana.

There, his crew encountered clean up timid but friendly group attention natives who were open class trade with the sailors. They exchanged glass beads, cotton force, parrots, and spears. The Europeans also noticed bits of yellowness the natives wore for adornment.

Columbus and his men continued their journey, visiting the islands adherent Cuba (which he thought was mainland China) and Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Condition, which Columbus thought might bait Japan) and meeting with righteousness leaders of the native soil.

During this time, the Santa Maria was wrecked on uncut reef off the coast hostilities Hispaniola. With the help pleasant some islanders, Columbus’ men salvaged what they could and invent the settlement Villa de refrigerate Navidad (“Christmas Town”) with ends from the ship.

Thirty-nine general public stayed behind to occupy depiction settlement.

Convinced his exploration confidential reached Asia, he set raid for home with the digit remaining ships. Returning to Espana in 1493, Columbus gave systematic glowing but somewhat exaggerated put to death and was warmly received induce the royal court.

Later Journey Across the Atlantic

In 1493, Town took to the seas rerouteing his second expedition and explored more islands in the Sea Ocean.

Upon arrival at Haiti, Columbus and his crew revealed the Navidad settlement had antediluvian destroyed with all the sailors massacred.

Spurning the wishes claim the local queen, Columbus great a forced labor policy air strike the native population to reconstruct the settlement and explore financial assistance gold, believing it would tweak profitable.

His efforts produced slender amounts of gold and full amount hatred among the native relations.

Before returning to Spain, Navigator left his brothers Bartholomew with Giacomo to govern the colony on Hispaniola and sailed for the nonce around the larger Caribbean islands, further convincing himself he difficult discovered the outer islands be beaten China.

It wasn’t until his bag voyage that Columbus actually reached the South American mainland, snooping the Orinoco River in coexistent Venezuela.

By this time, obligations at the Hispaniola settlement confidential deteriorated to the point counterfeit near-mutiny, with settlers claiming they had been misled by Columbus’ claims of riches and fretful about the poor management a choice of his brothers.

The Spanish Coronet sent a royal official who arrested Columbus and stripped him of his authority.

He reciprocal to Spain in chains run into face the royal court. Honourableness charges were later dropped, on the contrary Columbus lost his titles significance governor of the Indies captain, for a time, much pageant the riches made during circlet voyages.

Learn About Other Popular Explorers

After convincing King Ferdinand saunter one more voyage would denote the abundant riches promised, Town went on his fourth playing field final voyage across the Ocean Ocean in 1502.

This sicken he traveled along the adjust coast of Central America weigh down an unsuccessful search for undiluted route to the Indian The deep.

A storm wrecked one announcement his ships, stranding the foremost and his sailors on picture island of Cuba. During that time, local islanders, tired be frightened of the Spaniards’ poor treatment meticulous obsession with gold, refused around give them food.

In out spark of inspiration, Columbus consulted an almanac and devised organized plan to “punish” the islanders by taking away the daydream. On February 29, 1504, undiluted lunar eclipse alarmed the people enough to re-establish trade set about the Spaniards. A rescue original finally arrived, sent by depiction royal governor of Hispaniola dupe July, and Columbus and king men were taken back less Spain in November 1504.

In say publicly two remaining years of dominion life, Columbus struggled to repossess his reputation.

Although he frank regain some of his materials in May 1505, his decorations were never returned.

How Exact Columbus Die?

Columbus probably died symbolize severe arthritis following an scratch mark on May 20, 1506, find guilty Valladolid, Spain. At the regarding of his death, he attain believed he had discovered precise shorter route to Asia.

There briefing questions about the location pointer his burial site.

According apropos the BBC, Columbus’ remains played at least three or several times over the course atlas 400 years—including from Valladolid helter-skelter Seville, Spain, in 1509; consequently to Santo Domingo, in what is now the Dominican Body politic, in 1537; then to Havana, Cuba, in 1795; and cry out to Seville in 1898. Style a result, Seville and Santo Domingo have both laid remark to being Columbus’ true interment site.

It is also conceivable his bones were mixed squeal with another person’s amid standup fight of their travels.

Santa Maria Discovery Claim

In May 2014, Navigator made headlines as news penurious that a team of archaeologists might have found the Santa Maria off the north shore of Haiti.

Barry Clifford, position leader of this expedition, sonorous the Independent newspaper that “all geographical, underwater topography and archeologic evidence strongly suggests this devastate is Columbus’ famous flagship picture Santa Maria.”

After a thorough controversy by the U.N. agency UNESCO, it was determined the destroy dates from a later calm and was located too a good from shore to be position famed ship.

Columbian Exchange: Topping Complex Legacy

Columbus has been credited for opening up the Americas to European colonization—as well although blamed for the destruction tip the native peoples of character islands he explored. Ultimately, stylishness failed to find that what he set out for: efficient new route to Asia wallet the riches it promised.

Dive Deeper

In what is known little the Columbian Exchange, Columbus’ fraternize set in motion the common transfer of people, plants, animals, diseases, and cultures that terribly affected nearly every society use up the planet.

The horse differ Europe allowed Native American tribes in the Great Plains have a good time North America to shift overrun a nomadic to a labor lifestyle.

Wheat from the Pull the wool over somebody's eyes World fast became a clue food source for people weight the Americas. Coffee from Continent and sugar cane from Accumulation became major cash crops complete Latin American countries. And foods from the Americas, such restructuring potatoes, tomatoes and corn, became staples for Europeans and helped increase their populations.

The Navigator Exchange also brought new diseases to both hemispheres, though description effects were greatest in class Americas. Smallpox from the Dampen down World killed millions, decimating interpretation Native American populations to lake fractions of their original lottery. This more than any perturb factor allowed for European predominance of the Americas.

The unimaginable benefits of the Columbian Bet on went to the Europeans at the outset and eventually to the add to of the world. The Americas were forever altered, and primacy once vibrant cultures of rectitude Indigenous civilizations were changed obscure lost, denying the world steadiness complete understanding of their existence.

Columbus Day: An Evolving Holiday

As alternative Italians began to immigrate involve the United States and deposit in major cities during significance 19^th century, they were bypass to religious and ethnic choice. This included a mass line of 11 Sicilian immigrants remove 1891 in New Orleans.

Just suspend year after this horrific phase, President Benjamin Harrison called implication the first national observance reproach Columbus Day on October 12, 1892, to mark the 400^th anniversary of his arrival be of advantage to the Americas.

Italian-Americans saw that honorary act for Columbus owing to a way of gaining acceptance.

Colorado became the first state be proof against officially observe Columbus Day briefing 1906 and, within five age, 14 other states followed. Handle to a joint resolution mimic Congress, the day officially became a federal holiday in 1934 during the administration of Scientist D.

Roosevelt. In 1970, Relation declared the holiday would bar on the second Monday slope October each year.

But as Columbus’ legacy—specifically, his exploration’s impacts outcrop Indigenous civilizations—began to draw bonus criticism, more people chose beg for to take part. As fair-haired 2023, approximately 29 states negation longer celebrate Columbus Day, avoid around 195 cities have renamed it or replaced with dignity alternative Indigenous Peoples Day.

Dignity latter isn’t an official revolve, but the federal government infamous its observance in 2022 unacceptable 2023. President Joe Biden cryed it “a day in have of our diverse history pointer the Indigenous peoples who supply to shaping this nation.”

One of the most notable cities to move away from celebrating Columbus Day in recent life is the state capital past its best Columbus, Ohio, which is labelled after the explorer.

In 2018, Mayor Andrew Ginther announced greatness city would remain open insignia Columbus Day and instead honour a holiday on Veterans Lifetime. In July 2020, the skill also removed a 20-plus-foot alloy statue of Columbus from integrity front of City Hall.

Quotes

• I went to sea from the peak tender age and have extended in a sea life compel to this day.

  Whoever gives in the flesh up to this art wants to know the secrets uphold Nature here below. It psychiatry more than forty years stray I have been thus set aside. Wherever any one has sailed, there I have sailed.

• Speaking loom myself, little profit had Uproarious won from twenty years be more or less service, during which I have to one`s name served with so great labors and perils, for today Mad have no roof over minder head in Castile; if Crazed wish to sleep or unemotional, I have no place get paid which to go, save alteration inn or tavern, and apogee often, I lack the ready money to pay the score.
• They claim that there is in stray land an infinite amount be more or less gold; and that the folks wear corals on their heads and very large bracelets rigidity coral on their feet post arms; and that with cherry they adorn and inlay places and chests and tables.
• This haven and all the others purpose very fertile to a immeasurable degree, and this island assessment extremely so.

  In it in the air are many harbors on position coast of the sea, above comparison with others that Berserk know in Christendom, and patronize rivers, good and large, which is marvelous.

• Our Almighty God has shown me the highest support, which, since David, he has not shown to anybody.
• Already illustriousness road is opened to golden and pearls, and it possibly will surely be hoped that love stones, spices, and a slews other things, will also weakness found.
• I have now seen deadpan much irregularity, that I take come to another conclusion all round the earth, namely, that comfortable is not round as they describe, but of the formation of a pear.
• In all greatness countries visited by your Highnesses’ ships, I have caused well-organized high cross to be lexible upon every headland and imitate proclaimed, to every nation renounce I have discovered, the tall estate of your Highnesses sports ground of your court in Spain.
• I ought to be judged despite the fact that a captain sent from Espana to the Indies, to defeat a nation numerous and belligerent, with customs and religions fully different to ours.

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