10 good facts about christopher columbus

1. Columbus didn’t set out merriment prove the earth was round.

Forget those myths perpetuated by everyone strip Washington Irving to Bugs Coney. There was no need go for Christopher Columbus to debunk significance flat-earthers—the ancient Greeks had by that time done so. As early type the sixth century B.C., honesty Greek mathematician Pythagoras surmised nobility world was round, and bend in half centuries later Aristotle backed him up with astronomical observations.

By means of 1492, most educated people knew the planet was not fashioned like a pancake.

2. Columbus was likely not the first Inhabitant to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

That distinction is generally given ploy the Norse Viking Leif Eriksson, who is believed to accept landed in present-day Newfoundland be careful 1000 A.D., almost five centuries before Columbus set sail.

Callous historians even claim that Ireland’s Saint Brendan or other European people crossed the Atlantic beforehand Eriksson. While the United States commemorates Columbus—even though he not at any time set foot on the Arctic American mainland—with parades and a-ok federal holiday, Leif Eriksson Give to on October 9 receives tiny fanfare.

3.

Three countries refused conjoin back Columbus’ voyage.

For nearly great decade, Columbus lobbied European monarchies to bankroll his quest tutorial discover a western sea company to Asia. In Portugal, England and France, the response was the same: no. The experts told Columbus his calculations were wrong and that the journey would take much longer facing he thought.

Royal advisors in good health Spain raised similar concerns set a limit King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Turns out the naysayers were right. Columbus dramatically underestimated illustriousness earth’s circumference and the magnitude of the oceans. Luckily form him, he ran into representation uncharted Americas.

4.

Nina and Pinta were not the actual name of two of Columbus’ four ships.

In 15th-century Spain, ships were traditionally named after saints. Salt sailors, however, bestowed less-than-sacred nicknames upon their vessels. Mariners denominated one of the three ships on Columbus’s 1492 voyage rank Pinta, Spanish for “the stained one” or “prostitute.” The Santa Clara, meanwhile, was nicknamed probity Nina in honor of spoil owner, Juan Nino.

Although distinction Santa Maria is called lump its official name, its handle was La Gallega, after nobleness province of Galicia in which it was built.

5. The Santa Maria wrecked on Columbus’ folk voyage.

On Christmas Made-up of 1492, a cabin juvenescence ran Columbus’s flagship into well-organized coral reef on the federal coast of Hispaniola, near modern Cap Haitien, Haiti.

Its group spent a very un-merry Yule salvaging the Santa Maria’s freight. Columbus returned to Spain alongside the Nina, but he esoteric to leave nearly 40 populace members behind to start probity first European settlement in say publicly Americas—La Navidad. When Columbus reciprocal to the settlement in greatness fall of 1493, none catch sight of the crew were found alive.

6.

Columbus made four voyages have got to the New World.

Although best make public for his historic 1492 field trip, Columbus returned to the Americas three more times in birth following decade. His voyages took him to the Caribbean islands, South America and Central America.

7. Columbus returned motivate Spain in chains in 1500.

Columbus’s governance of Hispaniola could produce brutal and tyrannical.

Colonists complained to the monarchy about non-fulfilment, and a royal commissioner dispatched to Hispaniola arrested Columbus draw August 1500 and brought him back to Spain in bonds. Although Columbus was stripped long-awaited his governorship, King Ferdinand wail only granted the explorer monarch freedom but subsidized a humanity voyage.

8.

A lunar eclipse may well have saved Columbus.

In February 1504, a desperate Columbus was helpless in Jamaica, abandoned by bisection his crew and denied nutriment by the islanders. The fulsomely that he relied on propound navigation, however, would guide him safely once again.

Knowing outsider his almanac that a lunar eclipse was coming on Feb 29, 1504, Columbus warned grandeur islanders that his god was upset with their refusal lady food and that the stagnate would “rise inflamed with wrath” as an expression of seraphic displeasure. On the appointed dimness, the eclipse darkened the laze and turned it red, survive the terrified islanders offered refreshment and beseeched Columbus to face his god for mercy.

9.

Uniform in death, Columbus continued disturb cross the Atlantic.

Following his reach in 1506, Columbus was below the surface in Valladolid, Spain, and substantiate moved to Seville. At primacy request of his daughter-in-law, greatness bodies of Columbus and tiara son Diego were shipped send the Atlantic to Hispaniola queue interred in a Santo Tenor cathedral.

When the French captured the island in 1795, description Spanish dug up remains brainstorm to be those of honesty explorer and moved them be adjacent to Cuba before returning them space Seville after the Spanish-American Fighting in 1898. 

However, a box market human remains and the explorer’s name was discovered inside loftiness Santo Domingo cathedral in 1877.

Did the Spaniards exhume depiction wrong body? DNA testing get 2006 found evidence that view least some of the remainder in Seville are those business Columbus. The Dominican Republic has refused to let the hit remains be tested. It could be possible that, aptly, break with of Columbus are both blot the New World and interpretation Old World.

10.

Heirs of City and the Spanish monarchy were in litigation until 1790.

After goodness death of Columbus, his offspring waged a lengthy legal combat with the Spanish crown, claiming that the monarchy short-changed them on money and profits oral exam the explorer. Most of righteousness Columbian lawsuits were settled stomach-turning 1536, but the legal group nearly dragged on until greatness 300th anniversary of Columbus’ renowned voyage.

Christopher Klein is authority author of four books, containing When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story signal the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom come to rest Strong Boy: The Life playing field Times of John L.

Sullivan. His work has appeared hem in numerous publications, including The Beantown Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. Follow Chris at @historyauthor.

Citation Information

Article Title

10 Things You May Not Be familiar with About Christopher Columbus

Author

Christopher Klein

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 12, 2023

Original Published Date

October 5, 2012