Vipin mohan biography of christopher columbus

Columbus first went to sea as a teenager, participating in several trading voyages in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One such voyage, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him the closest he would ever come to Asia. His first voyage into the Atlantic Ocean in nearly cost him his life, as the commercial fleet he was sailing with was attacked by French privateers off the coast of Portugal.

His ship was burned, and Columbus had to swim to the Portuguese shore. He made his way to Lisbon, where he eventually settled and married Filipa Perestrelo. The couple had one son, Diego, around His wife died when Diego was a young boy, and Columbus moved to Spain. He had a second son, Fernando, who was born out of wedlock in with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

After participating in several other expeditions to Africa, Columbus learned about the Atlantic currents that flow east and west from the Canary Islands. The Asian islands near China and India were fabled for their spices and gold, making them an attractive destination for Europeans—but Muslim domination of the trade routes through the Middle East made travel eastward difficult.

Columbus devised a route to sail west across the Atlantic to reach Asia, believing it would be quicker and safer. He estimated the earth to be a sphere and the distance between the Canary Islands and Japan to be about 2, miles. Despite their disagreement with Columbus on matters of distance, they concurred that a westward voyage from Europe would be an uninterrupted water route.

Vipin mohan biography of christopher columbus

Columbus proposed a three-ship voyage of discovery across the Atlantic first to the Portuguese king, then to Genoa, and finally to Venice. He was rejected each time. Their focus was on a war with the Muslims, and their nautical experts were skeptical, so they initially rejected Columbus. The idea, however, must have intrigued the monarchs, because they kept Columbus on a retainer.

Columbus continued to lobby the royal court, and soon, the Spanish army captured the last Muslim stronghold in Granada in January Shortly thereafter, the monarchs agreed to finance his expedition. On October 12, , after 36 days of sailing westward across the Atlantic, Columbus and several crewmen set foot on an island in present-day Bahamas, claiming it for Spain.

There, his crew encountered a timid but friendly group of natives who were open to trade with the sailors. They exchanged glass beads, cotton balls, parrots, and spears. The Europeans also noticed bits of gold the natives wore for adornment. Uploaded by Public Resource on January 20, Hamburger icon An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon.

Web icon An illustration of a computer application window Wayback Machine Texts icon An illustration of an open book. Texts Video icon An illustration of two cells of a film strip. Video Audio icon An illustration of an audio speaker. Audio Software icon An illustration of a 3. In his twenties, he settled in Lisbon, where he married Filipa Perestrelo and fathered a son, Diego.

During this time, Columbus developed his expertise in sailing and navigation, gaining valuable experience that would later inform his transatlantic expeditions. His adventurous spirit led him to attempt a daring voyage across the Atlantic, motivated by his desire to find a westward route to Asia, which he believed would provide quicker access to the lucrative spice markets of the East.

Columbus's quest for a new maritime route faced significant challenges; his first major Atlantic expedition in was nearly fatal when his ship was attacked by French privateers. Undeterred, Columbus continued to refine his navigational techniques and studied ocean currents that could facilitate his planned voyage. After years of lobbying, he finally gained the support of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, who agreed to sponsor his journey.

Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer known for his ambitious voyages, achieved remarkable successes in his quest for a new route to Asia. His expedition marked a pivotal moment in history, as he became the first European to make contact with the Americas. His landfall in the Bahamas not only opened the door to further exploration but also signaled the start of European colonization in the New World.

Columbus' voyages prompted significant exchanges of culture and goods, now referred to as the Columbian Exchange, fundamentally altering global trade and interaction. However, Columbus faced numerous challenges during and after his expeditions. Despite his initial acclaim, his governance of the settlements he established was marred by poor leadership and harsh treatment of Indigenous peoples, resulting in conflict and resistance.

Subsequent voyages revealed the stark realities of colonial exploitation and the devastating impact of introduced diseases on native populations. Compounded by mismanagement, complaints from settlers led to his arrest and loss of authority, showcasing the difficulties of sustaining exploration efforts in the face of political and social obstacles.

Ultimately, Columbus' legacy is a complex tapestry—a journey of exploration intertwined with the consequences of colonization and the suffering of Indigenous cultures. Christopher Columbus's voyages in the late 15th century opened the Americas to European exploration and colonization, fundamentally altering the course of both European and Indigenous civilizations.

Want more? Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Publication date Topics columbus , island , voyage , diego , marco , king , account , leagues , discovery , coast , san salvador , marco polo , las casas , son diego , martin alonzo , peter martyr , long time , amerigo vespucci , terrestrial paradise , public domain , Columbus, Christopher , Explorers -- Spain -- Biography , Discoveries in geography -- Spanish , Explorers , America -- Discovery and exploration -- Spanish , America , Spain Publisher London : John Murray, Albemarle-Street Collection europeanlibraries Book from the collections of Oxford University Language English Item Size Book digitized by Google from the library of Oxford University and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb.

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