Christopher Columbus Biography

(Explorer)

Birthday: October 31, 1451 (Scorpio)

Born In: Genoa, Italy

There are many explorers who have redefined history, however, there are few who have influenced the very establishment of certain countries. Christopher Columbus is one such historical figure who changed the perception of the American continents for the European countries. Through his four significant voyages he not only discovered new land masses, but also initiated Spanish colonization and the establishment of several new societies. After a lot of struggle to get the support of the Spanish and Portuguese governments, he finally succeeded in getting a grant which funded his travels. He set out to discover Asia for its spices and condiments. However, he ended up discovering Hispaniola. Even though he was not the first to discover America, he did open the gateway between Europe and America and paved the way for the exploration and conquest of America by the Europeans. A strained relationship with the Spanish crown, worked to his disadvantage and he was divested of the Governorship of the island of Hispaniola which he discovered himself. His life was a historical journey, which reflected his adventurous and righteous personality, and earned him a permanent place in the annals of explorations. To learn more interesting information pertaining to this great explorer’s personal life and achievements, continue reading his biography.

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Quick Facts

Italian Celebrities Born In October

Also Known As: Cristoforo Colombo, Admiral of the Ocean Sea

Died At Age: 54

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Filipa Moniz Perestrelo (m. 1479–1484)

father: Domenico Colombo

mother: Susanna Fontanarossa

siblings: Bartolomeo, Bianchinetta, Giacomo, Giovanni, Pellegrino

children: Diego Columbus, Ferdinand Columbus

Born Country: Italy

Poorly Educated Explorers

Died on: May 20, 1506

place of death: Valladolid, Spain

  • 1

    What was Christopher Columbus looking for when he set sail in 1492?

    Columbus was searching for a direct sea route to Asia to trade for valuable spices and other goods.

  • 2

    How did Christopher Columbus' voyages impact the indigenous populations of the Americas?

    Columbus' voyages led to the colonization of the Americas by Europeans, resulting in the decline and displacement of indigenous populations through disease, warfare, and forced labor.

  • 3

    How many voyages did Christopher Columbus make to the Americas?

    Columbus made a total of four voyages to the Americas, with his first voyage in 1492 and his last in 1502.

  • 4

    What were some of the major achievements of Christopher Columbus' expeditions?

    Columbus' expeditions opened up the Americas to European exploration and colonization, leading to the eventual establishment of European colonies and the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between the Old World and the New World.

  • 5

    How did Christopher Columbus' discoveries change the course of history?

    Columbus' discoveries sparked the Age of Exploration and the eventual establishment of European empires in the Americas, fundamentally altering global trade, politics, and cultures.

Childhood & Early Life:
Christopher Columbus was born in a middle-class family in Genoa which is now a part of Italy. His father, Domenico Colombo was a wool weaver and his mother was Susanna Fontanarossa. He had three brothers named Bartolomeo, Giovanni Pellegrino and Giacomo and a sister, Bianchinetta.
In 1473, he took a job as an apprentice and was a business agent for some families in Genoa. During this time, he also visited Chios which was Genoese colony.
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Later Life
During the 1470s, Columbus toured several places for trading, such as, Northern Europe and England. According to certain historical accounts, he also spent some time in Iceland.
In 1479, he met his brother Bartolomeo in Lisbon. He got married and settled there until his wife died in 1485. After the death of his wife, Columbus and his son moved to Spain. Here he made an effort to win a grant which would allow him to explore the western trade routes.
For a long time, he pursued the Portuguese and Spanish kings but they did not support his plans. Eventually, his plans were considered by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. He now set on to explore Asia promising to bring back condiments from China.
On August 3, 1492, Columbus embarked on his first voyage and set sail with three ships called the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria. He was also accompanied by 104 men. The first stop was at Canary Islands to pick up supplies and then he set out sailing across the Atlantic.
After five weeks of travel, many men died due to diseases and hunger. On October 14, 1492, a land was sighted by Rodrigo de Triana in the present day Bahamas. Columbus named this land San Salvador thinking it was Asian land.
As Columbus decided to continue sailing in search of China, he ended up reaching Cuba and Hispaniola. In November 1492, the crew on the ship Pinta was left to explore on its own.
In December 1492, Columbus’ ship Santa Maria crashed and wrecked off the coast of Hispaniola. The next year, in March, Columbus reached Spain completing his first voyage.
In September 1493, Columbus set on his second voyage with 17 ships and almost 1200 men. This time, he set sail towards the west aiming to establish colonies for Spain and search for land in the far East.
In November, the same year, his crew saw land and discovered the Dominica, Guadeloupe and Jamaica islands. He then went on to Hispaniola to check on his crew at the Fort of Navidad.
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The site of the fort was destroyed and after a battle in 1495, Columbus named this the colony of Santo Domingo and conquered the island of Hispaniola. In March, the next year, he set sail back to Spain and reached Cadiz after five months.
In May 1498, he started his third trip and left Spain with six ships heading towards Hispaniola. In July, the same year, he landed on the island of Trinidad. Next month, he explored the Gulf of Paria and finally touched South America.
In August that year, he returned back to Spain in bad health and found himself in the middle of Political turmoil.
He embarked on his fourth voyage in May 1502 and reached Hispaniola. He set sail again the same year, and discovered Central America. The next year, he reached Panama and even found a small amount of gold there. However, he was forced out of the area by the local people.
After facing a lot of problems with the ship and the crew, Columbus sailed back to Spain in 1504. After arriving there, he went on to settle in Seville with his son.
Major Works
Columbus’s voyages created general awareness in the Americas for the European nations. His major accomplishment was the discovery of Hispaniola where he also helped establish permanent settlements. This led to the beginning of Spanish colonization in the New World.
With the help of his son and brother, Columbus wrote two books. He wrote his first book titled ‘Book of Privileges’ in 1502. The book gave details of the rewards which he was entitled to from the Spanish Crown.
He wrote his second book titled ‘Book of Prophecies’ in 1505. In this book he used the passages from the Bible to fit his achievements as an explorer in the Christian context.
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Personal Life & Legacy
Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrello, the governor of the Porto Santo, in 1479 or 1480. The couple had a son, Diego Columbus. There are reports that Filipa died in 1485 but the death is not confirmed; however, Columbus did move on from his first wife to a mistress named Beatriz Enriquez de Arana in 1487.
Columbus died due to illness at the age of 54 in Valladolid, Crown of Castile which today lies in Spain.
In his honour, Columbus Day is celebrated in the Americas every year on the second Monday in the month of October.
Facts About Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus never actually set foot on the North American mainland during his voyages. Instead, he landed on islands in the Caribbean and Central America.

Columbus believed until his death that he had reached Asia, rather than a new continent. He never realized the true significance of his voyages.

Columbus was known to have a strong interest in astronomy and navigation, which helped him plan his famous voyages across the Atlantic.

Despite his historical significance, Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas. Norse explorers had reached North America centuries before his famous voyage.

Columbus was a skilled linguist and was known to have spoken multiple languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin.

See the events in life of Christopher Columbus in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Christopher Columbus Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/christopher-columbus-3854.php

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