Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus as born in 1451 and died in MayColumbus worked for some time with his brother as
1506. He was a famous explorer and trader whosea draftsman, but soon returned to the sea, joining a
most significant voyage was crossing the AtlanticPortuguese fleet bound for Iceland , Ireland and also
Ocean and landing in the Americas on October 12,West Africa .
1492 .There are two sides to Columbus - some view him
Although his actual nationality is a question of debate,as a man who, through his explorations, encouraged
this most famous voyage was done sailing under thea Western expansion. Others, however, see him as
flag of Castilian Spain. Columbus is the man mostbeing responsible for the deaths of many indigenous
often believed as to having 'discovered' America ,people, through the European exploitation of the
although there is evidence that other explorers hadcontinent and the West Indian slave trade.
made the crossing before him. It was after ColumbusOne of Columbus ' conditions with the Spanish
' crossing that marked the start of the Spanish andmonarchs before his voyages was that he claimed
Portuguese colonisation of South America .governorship of the new territories. Columbus was an
Like many of the educated people of the period,excellent navigator, but his administrative skills were
Columbus believed that the earth was spherical inpoor and he was soon stripped of his governorship in
shape. He argued that he would be able to reach the1500.
Far East plotting a westward course. His mainChristopher Columbus was always a very religious
opposition to his notions was not that othersman, and he would often give 'the conversion of
believed the earth to be flat, but that nobody knewnon-believers' as one of the reasons for his
if it was possible to sail around the world withoutexplorations. In later life Columbus grew even more
running out of food or running into windless areas.religious and took to wearing a Franciscan habit. He
Columbus ' early career started in 1474, nearly 20would claim to hear divine voices and even lobbied
years before reaching America . He spent a year onfor a new crusade to capture Jerusalem .
a Genoese backed ship bound for the island of KhiosChristopher Columbus died in Valladolid on May 20,
, in the Aegean Sea and it was while he was there,1506 . He was quite a rich man thanks to all the gold
he began to recruit sailors of his own.he had gathered in his earlier years.
Two years later, Columbus embarked on his firstAfter his death, his body underwent excarnation -
foray into the Atlantic Ocean , which, sadly endedwhere the skin is removed so only bone is left. He
off the Cape of St. Vincent in Portugal , when hiswas first interred in Valladolid and was then moved
fleet came under attack from French Privateers, whoto a monastery in Seville . At the behest of his son,
burned his ship and Columbus was forced to swim sixColumbus ' remains were then moved to Santa
miles back to shore.Domingo. When the French took over 200 years
After this, he settled in Lisbon , in Portugal , whichlater, he was moved to Havana , and then in 1898
had become a hive of maritime activity with shipsafter Cuba 's independence, they were finally moved
setting sail to destinations across Europe and Africa .to the cathedral in Seville .