The first voyage of Christopher Columbus on the map. Christopher Columbus - First Voyage to the West Indies. Santa Maria, Pinta, Niña - schooners on which Columbus's expedition discovered America

(Christopher Colombo, in Spanish Colon, Colon) - the famous sailor who discovered America.

Little is known about Columbus's life before his appearance as a Spanish admiral. Ten Italian cities and towns argued among themselves about the glory of being the birthplace of Columbus. But now it has been proven that he was born in Genoa. The year of his birth is less certain; Different news about this differ from each other for more than 20 years. Rosely de Lorgues, the author of a biography of Columbus, proves that he was born about 1435; but more reliable information is that he was born in 1456. Information about who his father was is also unreliable, but more likely than others is that he was the son of a wealthy clothier. There is news that Columbus himself practiced this craft until he was twenty years old. This indication, based on data from the Genoese archives, does not, however, fit with Columbus’s own statement that he became a sailor at the age of 14. It is unknown where Columbus studied as a boy and young man; the legend that he was educated at the universities of Pavia or Pisa is not supported by any documents. Be that as it may, he acquired a well-known education: he read and wrote in Latin, was familiar with geometry, astronomy, geography, possessed the art of drawing maps, and was a good calligrapher. There is news that in his youth he swam in the Mediterranean Sea; on merchant ships - he was on the island of Chios, near the coast of Tunisia, etc. But they were not known to him at all or were known only from vague fairy-tale legends of the sailing of the Normans from Greenland to Vinland, that is, to the northern part of North America. If he had had certain information about this discovery of the Normans, then on his first journey he would not have headed from the Canary Islands to the southwest, but would have sailed to the northwest. He could not be interested in stories about Vinland, for he was looking for ways to the rich cultural lands of southern Asia.

Portrait of Christopher Columbus. Artist S. del Piombo, 1519

At that time, Italians were the best European sailors, and many of them moved to Portugal, which then also began to act as a maritime power. Looking for income, Columbus's brother Bartholomew (Bartolomeo) also moved to Lisbon, followed by Christopher. Columbus stayed in Portugal for about ten years (1470s and 1480s), continuing to sail on merchant ships north to England and south to Guinea, and also engaged, together with his brother, in drawing and selling maps. In Portugal, Columbus married Dona Philippa Moniz and, according to legend, lived for some time on the island of Porto Santo, where Philippa had a small estate. Here in Portugal, Columbus developed a firm conviction about the possibility of sailing west to the shores of Asia. Columbus was especially influenced by the letter of Paolo Toscanelli, a famous Florentine scientist, cosmographer and physician, to whom he turned for instructions. Toscanelli sent Columbus a map from which it could be seen that the distance between the western shores of Europe and the eastern shores of Asia, as they were described by the famous traveler Marco Polo, was not particularly significant. At that time, there were generally rather vague ideas about the relationship between the spaces occupied by land and sea on the earth's surface; Columbus even believed that land occupied much more space than the sea. In addition to the map and letter from Toscanelli, Columbus was guided in his views by the authority of Marco Polo and Peter d'Agli, a medieval compiler, from whom Columbus could also familiarize himself with the opinions of the ancients - Aristotle, Seneca, Pliny, Ptolemy, on the possibility of the existence of countries overseas, in the west.

Having considered his plan for a naval expedition, Columbus approached the Portuguese King John II, who, however, having asked his court doctors and dignitaries for their opinion on this matter, rejected his proposal. There is reason to think that the Portuguese government, which at that time was engaged in research along the western coast of Africa, did not want to leave them or split up its forces in order to set sail to the unknown west, especially since the distance separating the countries of “spices and aromas” ", could turn out to be much more significant than Columbus claimed. Having failed, Columbus and his eldest son Diego (a child of 5-6 years old) moved to Spain. It seems that Columbus fled Portugal secretly, avoiding any prosecution, leaving behind his wife and other children, whom he never met again and whom he speaks of in his will as already dead. There are stories that Columbus proposed his plan to the Genoese government; but they have now been proven wrong. Genoa, troubled by discord and exhausted by the war with the Turks, did not have the opportunity to undertake such an enterprise as Columbus was thinking about.

In Spain, Columbus had to live seven years of moving, searching, and futile efforts. His financial situation at that time was not brilliant; he was still busy drawing maps, asking for handouts from the court or enjoying the hospitality of Spanish grandees. In the fall of 1491, having achieved nothing from the Spanish government, Columbus decided to leave Spain, and appeared as a tired wanderer on foot in front of the gates of the Franciscan monastery della Rabida, near Palos, where he asked the gatekeeper for water and bread to strengthen his strength. In the monastery, Columbus's position aroused the participation of the prior, abbot Juan Perez, who believed in Columbus's plan and became convinced that every effort should be made to ensure that the glory of the great discovery did not escape Spain. Juan Perez (the queen's former confessor) wrote a letter to Queen Isabella, which had an effect. Formal negotiations were begun with Columbus, which were almost interrupted, however, due to the exorbitant conditions set by him, and which he demanded to be included in a written contract. Finally, the monarchs (Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon) expressed their consent and signed a contract, which granted Columbus and his heirs the noble dignity and rank of admiral, in addition, he personally - the title of viceroy of all lands and islands that he discovers - the right to leave for himself a tenth of all valuables that can be obtained within his admiralty, the right to contribute one-eighth of the costs of equipping the ships and to receive, accordingly, an eighth of all income, etc. It was decided to organize the expedition in the city of Palos, partly at the expense of the queen, partly due to this city. Substantial assistance in the first voyage was provided to Columbus by the wealthy sailor of Palos M. A. Pinson, who, together with his brother, took command of two ships; the third ship, a larger one (Santa Maria), was commanded by Columbus himself.

Replica of Columbus's ship "Santa Maria"

In August 1492, three caravels lifted anchor and headed for the Canary Islands, from where on September 8 they moved west between 27-28° latitude. From that day on, Columbus began to keep two diaries, one for himself, the other for the team, and in the latter he reduced the distances traveled by a quarter or a third, as if in order to frighten his companions less. On September 16, the ships entered the so-called Sargasso Sea, southwest of the Azores. The weather was generally favorable and most of the time there was a fair wind (trade wind). If Columbus had stayed straight west, he would have reached the coast of Florida, but he veered southwest and reached one of the Bahamas.

Signs of land had already appeared several days before: birds flew by, floating trunks, reeds, even branches with flowers could be seen on the surface of the sea. On October 11, in the evening, Columbus noticed some moving light in the distance, but it soon disappeared; the next day, early in the morning, one of the sailors was the first to notice the sandy shore, which caused, according to a pre-given order, a salvo from a gun. Subsequently, this sailor demanded the reward assigned by the queen to the one who would be the first to see the land, but Columbus declared that he had seen the land first; the matter reached the court, which recognized the right of Columbus - a dark fact that caused, from some of the newest researchers, the accusation of Columbus of “disgusting greed.” The entire voyage lasted 33 days - from the Canary Islands and 69 days, if you count from the day you left Palos. Staying for more than a month without seeing land was, of course, terrible for the Spanish sailors of that time; however, the legend about a riot that supposedly broke out on ships against Columbus is not supported by any evidence.

On the morning of October 12, Columbus with two Pinsons, the “scribe” of the squadron R. Escobedo and the treasurer R. Sanchez, landed with a convoy on the shore and, unfurling the royal banner, took the island into the possession of Spain. A crowd of natives, naked, dark-skinned, with black, long hair, painted all over their bodies, armed with spears with bone and stone tips, gathered on the shore. According to Columbus, this island was called Gwanaani; Columbus named it San Salvador. Later it was found out that the natives called it “Cayos”, hence the subsequent name of the entire group among the Spaniards - “Lucay Islands”. At the beginning of the 16th century. the entire population of these islands (the Bahamas) was overfished, enslaved and transferred to the island of Cuba, where they soon died from backbreaking work. From San Salvador, Columbus went southwest, met other islands of the same group, then reached the land he called “Juana” (named after the Spanish infanta) and which he recognized as part of the Asian continent, while in reality it was an island Cuba. Having walked along the northern coast of Cuba for some distance to the west and then turning back to the east, Columbus reached the eastern tip of the island and saw another island to the east of it, which he named “Hispaniola” (Haiti). Here, near Cape Gvariko, Columbus's ship hit a sandbank, received a hole and sank. Columbus was forced to move to a smaller ship, the Niña, and leave most of the crew on the shore, where a wooden fortification was built in a convenient harbor and a garrison of 40 people was left in it. After this, Columbus sailed on the little Niña back to Spain; another ship of his squadron, the Pinta, overtook him, and, having earlier returned to Spain, Pinson tried to inform the first monarchs about the discovery, but was ordered to wait for Columbus. From Palos, Columbus was invited to Barcelona, ​​where Ferdinand and Isabella received him with great honor; the report on the new discovery created a great sensation, which was facilitated by 6 Indians, parrots, gold samples and other West Indian products brought by Columbus. At the same time, it was immediately decided to equip a second expedition in Cadiz; this time, an entire fleet of 17 ships with 1,200 or more crew members was placed under the command of Columbus.

Columbus in front of Kings Ferdinand and Isabella. Painting by E. Leutze, 1843

The new expedition set off to the Canary Islands, then to the west, but along a route 12 degrees south of that taken on the first trip. 20 days after leaving Ferro Island, one of the Lesser Antilles (La Desirade) was seen, and then the islands of Maria Galante, Dominica, Guadeloupe to the island of Puerto Rico. From here Columbus headed to Hispaniola (Haiti), where the fort he left behind was destroyed and the entire garrison exterminated by the Indians; had to found a new city - Isabella - in another place. After lying in a fever for 3 months, Columbus sent 12 ships to Spain with a request for the delivery of supplies, seeds, and livestock, and he himself, leaving his brother Diego as governor, set off on a new quest to the west, along the southern coast of Cuba. During this voyage, Jamaica and many small islands south of Cuba were discovered, the island nature of which Columbus, however, did not have to convince himself of, since contrary winds and the poor condition of the ships forced him to turn back. Returning to Isabella, Columbus was delighted by the arrival of his brother Bartholomew, with three ships, but also saddened by the strife between the Spaniards and the unrest among the oppressed Indians. Some dissatisfied Spaniards managed to return to their homeland without permission and insist there on sending a special commissioner to Hispaniola to investigate the affairs. Columbus decided to personally speak out in defense of his actions and went to Spain.

Despite the fact that the famous navigator was able to discover America with the help of the Spanish king, he himself was from Italy. His early years were spent on the Apennine Peninsula. He was born in Genoa in 1451 and educated at the University of Pavia. From birth he lived near the sea and decided to devote himself to travel. The point is also that the years of Christopher Columbus’s life fell on the era of geographical discoveries, when Europeans left the Mediterranean Sea and began to look for a way to India.

The beginning of navigation

Christian governments financed sailors in order to gain access to expensive resources. Even before Columbus, Portuguese explorers traveled east along the coast of Africa. In the 70s, Christopher decided to find a way to a distant country via the Western route. According to his calculations, it was necessary to go in this direction along the latitude of the Canary Islands, after which it would be possible to reach the shores of Japan.

At this time he lived in Portugal, which was the center of all European navigation. He took part in an expedition to Guinea, where the Elmina fortress was built in 1481. At the same time, the ambitious explorer visited England, Iceland and Ireland, where he learned about local legends about Vinland. This is what the Vikings called the land they discovered in ancient times. These were the shores of North America. Because there were no strong ties between pagan Scandinavia and Christian Europe in the Middle Ages, this discovery went unnoticed.

Organizing a trip to the west

Many years of Christopher Columbus's life were spent convincing various governments or merchants to finance his planned expedition to the west. At first he tried to find a common language with merchants from his native Genoa, but they refused to risk their money. In 1483, the project was placed on the desk of John II. He also rejected the risky idea.

After this failure, Christopher left for Spain. There he managed to enlist the support of local dukes, who brought him together with the king and queen. Formally, Spain did not yet exist. Instead, there were two states - Castile and Aragon. The marriage of their rulers (Ferdinand and Isabella) allowed the two crowns to be united into one. The couple gave an audience to the navigator. A commission was appointed to evaluate the costs and how justified it was for the treasury. The first results were disappointing for Columbus. He was refused and asked to reconsider the project. Then he tried to negotiate with the king of England and Portugal (once again).

Treaty with Spain

In 1492, Spain captured Granada and ended the Reconquista, the expulsion of Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula. The king and queen were again freed from political issues and took up Columbus's expedition. The decisive word was spoken by Isabella, who even agreed to pawn all her personal treasures and jewelry in order to provide ships and provisions. The navigator was promised that he would become viceroy of all those lands that he would discover. He was also immediately given the title of nobleman and Admiral of the Sea-Ocean.

In addition to the authorities, Columbus was helped by the shipowner Martin Alonso Pinzon, who offered one of his ships (Pinta). The first expedition also included the carrack "Santa Maria" and the ship "Nina". In total, a team of one hundred people was involved.

First expedition

The years of Christopher Columbus's life were not wasted. He could finally realize his old dream. Many details of his first trip to the west are known to us thanks to the ship's log, which he kept every day. These invaluable records were preserved thanks to the fact that the priest Bartolomé de las Casas made a copy of the papers a few years later.

On August 3, 1492, the ships left Spanish harbor. On September 16, the Sargasso Sea was discovered. On October 13, an unknown land appeared on the ships' route. Columbus entered the island and planted the banner of Castile on it. It was named San Salvador. Here the Spaniards first saw tobacco, cotton, maize and potatoes.

With the help of the natives, Columbus learned about the existence of a large island, which was located somewhat to the south. It was Cuba. At that time, the expedition still believed that it was somewhere in East Asia. Pieces of gold were found in the possession of some of the Aboriginal people, which inspired the team to continue searching for the treasure.

Further discoveries

Second expedition

Even before this, the second voyage of Christopher Columbus began. This time there were already 17 ships under his command. This is not surprising, because the admiral now enjoyed the great favor of the king, queen and numerous Spanish feudal lords, who willingly began to give him money for travel.

The second voyage of Christopher Columbus differed from the first also in the composition of the crew. This time there were not only sailors on the ships. Monks and missionaries were added to them in order to baptize the local peoples. Also, officials and nobles took their place and had to organize the life of a permanent colony in the west.

After only 20 days of travel, Dominica and Guadeloupe were discovered, where the Caribs lived, distinguished by their aggressive attitude towards peaceful neighbors. The first clash with them occurred on the shores of the island of Santa Cruz. At the same time, the Virginia Archipelago and Puerto Rico were discovered.

Colonization of the islands

The team wanted to reach the sailors left behind in Haiti during the first expedition. Only corpses and remains were found at the site of the fort. The forts of La Isabela and Santo Domingo were founded at the same time. Meanwhile, in Spain, the government decided to transfer the exclusive rights of Columbus to another navigator - Amerigo Vespucci. Christopher, having learned about this, went to Europe to prove that he was right. At the royal court, he declared that he had already reached Asia (in fact it was Cuba). Christopher Columbus also briefly talked about the fact that there is definitely gold there and now in new expeditions it is possible to use the labor of prisoners for great economic benefit.

Third expedition

Thus began the third expedition of Christopher Columbus. In 1498, his ships rounded Haiti and went south, where, according to the captain’s ideas, there should be gold mines. This is how the mouth of what is now Venezuela was discovered. Having completed this voyage, the expedition returned to Haiti (Hispaniola), where the local colonists had already committed a riot. They did not like that they were given little land. Then it was decided to allow local Indians to be taken into slavery and to increase personal holdings.

However, this did not solve the main problem set by the discoveries of Christopher Columbus. Gold still did not arrive in Spain. Meanwhile, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama was able to reach the real India. In accordance with the treaty with Castile, he circumnavigated Africa and ended up in the long-awaited country. From there he brought expensive spices to Portugal that were not available in Europe. They were worth their weight in gold.

The Spanish government, realizing that it was losing the ocean race to its neighbor, decided to revoke Columbus's monopoly on exploration. He himself was returned to Europe in chains.

Fourth expedition

The story of Christopher Columbus could have ended very badly if during his successful expeditions he had not acquired many influential friends - magnates and nobles. They persuaded King Ferdinand to give the navigator another chance and go on a fourth voyage.

This time Columbus decided to go due west, passing numerous islands. So he discovered the coast of modern Central America - Honduras and Panama. It became clear that the Atlantic Ocean was enclosed by a certain vast territory. On September 12, 1503, Columbus left the islands he discovered forever and returned to Spain. There he became seriously ill.

Death and the meaning of discoveries

From that moment on, discoveries were made by other navigators, not Christopher Columbus. America has become a magnet for numerous adventurers and those wishing to get rich. Meanwhile, the life of Christopher Columbus was complicated by illness. He died on May 20, 1506, aged 54. This loss went virtually unnoticed in Spain. The value of Columbus's discoveries became clear only several decades later, when the conquistadors discovered gold in America. This allowed Spain to enrich itself and become the most influential European monarchy for several centuries.

- one of the most mysterious personalities of the period of great travels and geographical discoveries. The life of every outstanding person is full of dark spots, mysteries, inexplicable actions and coincidences. This is easily explained by the fact that humanity begins to take an interest in the life of a great man only after his death, after about 100 - 150 years. When documents are lost, eyewitnesses are dead, and only gossip, speculation and secrets remain alive. And if the celebrity herself hides her origin all her life, the true motives of her actions, even her thoughts, everything becomes a thousand times more complicated. Such a person was the well-known Christopher Columbus.

Mystery one: origin

Until now, no one can indicate the exact date of birth of the great navigator. Even the year of birth - 1451 - does not have a strong enough basis. We only know for sure birthplace of Christopher Columbus- Republic of Genoa. Columbus's parents were the most ordinary city residents: his father was a weaver, his mother was a housewife. The question of the nationality of Columbus remains open. Researchers are considering several versions: Spanish, Italian, German, Slavic and Jewish. It is the latter version that seems most likely. It is known that the Columbuses were quite reserved; sometimes the whole family left for several days to an unknown destination. Diligently, even too diligently for Catholic Genoa, the family of the future navigator attended church, they regularly received communion and confession, and never missed a Sunday or holiday mass, as if fulfilling an important duty. The family had a special relationship with financiers from wealthy families of baptized Jews (Marranos). All of the above speaks in favor of the “Jewish” version. This assumption is confirmed by the fact that Columbus never wrote about his roots, although he left behind a solid literary archive. Since the 15th century was the height of the Inquisition in Europe, "un-Christian" could have a negative impact on his career. The family had to hide their history.

Secret two: education

According to the tradition of that time, the future traveler and discoverer received home education. Apparently, his teachers were wonderful. Young Columbus amazed his acquaintances with his knowledge of languages ​​and broad outlook at the age of 14. It has been reliably established that he studied at the University of Padua. This is where questions arise: why would a weaver’s son gravitate towards the intellectual elite? And the cost of education and living was too much for the weaver-father, who had to feed three more children (Columbus had two brothers and a sister). However, if Christopher was supported by other relatives from the merchants, then everything looks very plausible. One thing is certain: Columbus was distinguished by outstanding abilities from childhood.

Mystery three: how did the idea of ​​searching for India in the West come about?

As an educated person, Christopher Columbus could not help but know that the idea of ​​the spherical shape of the Earth was expressed by very authoritative scientists back in antiquity. On the other hand, as a man of the 15th century, Columbus understood that public recognition of the truth of these assumptions is fraught with misunderstanding and mistrust of a society long accustomed to the idea that the Earth is flat as a pancake. In this situation, attempts to find a sea route to the “land of spices” by circumnavigating Africa look much more realistic and understandable. What prompted Christopher Columbus to the idea of ​​looking in the West? And was he really looking for India?

Start: University Company

As a sociable and extraordinary person, Christopher Columbus made numerous friends while still at the university, both among students and among professors. The astronomer Toscanelli, well known to the future navigator, tells his friends that, according to his calculations, India is much closer to Europe if one sails to the West. Based on his friend's calculations, Columbus makes his own. The result amazes him: it turns out that from the Canary Islands to Japan is no more than three thousand miles. The calculations were wrong, but the idea turned out to be tenacious.

Continuation: own experience

Sea voyages began in the life of Christopher Columbus at the age of 14. According to tradition, the father sent his eldest son to gain experience by placing him as a cabin boy on the merchant ship of a merchant he knew. Christopher not only studied languages, navigation, and the art of trade, but also earned money to help his family. The first voyages were limited to the Mediterranean Sea, but it was this sea that was the focus of all economic relations between Europe and Asia. Therefore, Christopher Columbus had the opportunity to meet with Arab merchants, for whom India was a very familiar country. Greedily absorbing Arab stories about the wealth of a distant country, about the morals and customs of the population, about rulers and government, young Christopher becomes increasingly interested in finding ways to a country that will make him fabulously rich. After a very profitable marriage, Columbus moved with his wife to. At this time, Christopher Columbus took part in several trade voyages; he visited West Africa (Guinea), Northern Europe (Ireland, Iceland). The northern journey played a special role in life the great explorer Christopher Columbus. It has long been known that the Vikings visited America long before the Spaniards and Portuguese. But in the 15th century, enlightened Europe preferred not to notice the ancient chronicles of the northern peoples, considering them barbaric and unreliable. Columbus was not so arrogant, moreover, he was distinguished by extraordinary curiosity. While in Iceland, the traveler gets acquainted with the sagas telling about the travels of Erik the Red and Leiv Eriksson. From that moment on, the confidence that the “mainland” was located beyond the Atlantic never left Christopher Columbus.

The path of Christopher Columbus: from idea to implementation

It is known that Christopher Columbus proposed an expedition to the west of the Canary Islands five times. He first addressed this proposal back in 1475 to the government of the Genoese Republic and the richest merchants, promising unprecedented profits and wealth in India. The proposal was heard, but did not arouse enthusiasm. In the eyes of seasoned Genoese, the ardor of the 24-year-old weaver's son was the result of youth, a thirst for adventure and a lack of experience. The second attempt was made in 1483, this time Christopher Columbus wanted to seduce the Portuguese king with the treasures of India. The tight-fisted and sensible ruler ordered a careful study of the proposal, but as a result also refused support. The thing is that by this time Columbus had acquired quite large debts and, in the eyes of the monarch, could not be considered a trustworthy person. Christopher Columbus made a third proposal to the Spanish crown. In dire need of gold, she was painfully worried about her “provincialism.” An entire commission was created to consider the “Genoese” proposal. Financiers and theologians met for four years, and Columbus tried his best to hide the details of the upcoming journey, he was afraid that the idea would be stolen from him. To “insure himself”, tireless and obsessed with his idea, the traveler turns to the English and French kings. But the English Henry was busy with the internal problems of the country, and the young and confused Charles simply did not attach any importance to the message. While the Spaniards were deciding what to do with Columbus's proposal, the Portuguese king sent the navigator an invitation to return to Portugal and continue negotiations. Christopher Columbus makes no secret of this message; the Spaniards were in a hurry. Finally, the conditions of the expedition were announced: the initiator of the expedition must pay an eighth of the expenses, the rest of the money will come from the “queen’s uncollected taxes.” In other words, there was no money at all. The monarchs flavored the strange financing scheme with the creation of Christopher Columbus as a nobleman and the promise to make him viceroy of all the lands that he would discover. On the other hand, the royal attention to the journey helped to quickly find sponsors, creditors, assistants and associates.

Four expeditions of Christopher Columbus: how the discovery of America took place

Christopher Columbus's first expedition

Contrary to popular belief, he did not go to India, but to Japan and China. It was these countries that were supposed to meet on his way according to his calculations. Three ships - "Santa Maria", "Pinta" and "Nina" - set off towards the unknown in early August 1492. After a short repair in the Canary Islands, the expedition moved to the West. On October 12, 1492, the cry of the sailor Rodrigo de Triana: “Earth! Earth!” - ended the Middle Ages in Europe and gave rise to the New Age. A small island in the Bahamas archipelago, named San Salvador by Columbus, became the first landmass of America discovered by Europeans for the second time, after the Vikings. Alas, no gold placers were discovered on the island. Columbus sails on... The coast is open, Haiti. Good contact has been established with the aborigines, who have a certain amount of gold jewelry, but do not value it at all and willingly exchange it for glass beads. Natural beauties delight the Spaniards, but... They didn’t come here for nature. Having learned from the inhabitants of the open islands that the “yellow stone” is found in large quantities in the “southern lands,” Christopher Columbus decides to stop the “discovery of America.” For the first time, what was seen and collected was enough to awaken the “appetites” of the Spanish crown and obtain funding for a second expedition, more serious and thorough.

The second voyage of Christopher Columbus

Despite the fact that the results of the first voyage were much more modest than previously announced, the royal family, impressed by the stories of Christopher Columbus, willingly finances the next expedition. This time, 17 ships are setting off, carrying up to one and a half thousand crew members, livestock, a huge amount of supplies, grain, and seeds. This is no longer exploration, this is an expedition to colonize open lands. Among the passengers of the ships are several dozen knights, priests, artisans, doctors, and officials. Everyone goes on a journey with the hope of getting rich... The journey goes quickly, the weather is favorable. After only 20 days of travel (November 3, 1493), land was spotted. And again the island. This time they managed to put the Antilles and Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico on the world map. Previously discovered Cuba and Haiti were explored. All participants understand that the discovered lands do not in any way point to India or China, but Columbus (by this time an admiral and viceroy) continues to insist that they are in Asia, and riches will be discovered very soon. In order to somehow justify the expenses of the expedition, Columbus sent ships to Spain with the gold he found, valuable timber and native slaves. The resulting “trophies” are so insignificant that the Spanish royal family decides to stop cooperating with Columbus, entrusting the task of supplying the colonists to Amerigo Vespucci. Having learned about this, the discoverer drops everything and hurries to Spain. During a reception with the royal couple, Christopher Columbus lies colorfully and emotionally: he found the mines of King Solomon, he brings the light of Christianity to hundreds of thousands of lost people. As proof, he provides cleverly compiled maps that prove that he reached Asia (the island of Cuba was shown on the map, but who at court understands this?) ... Finally, he demands that all rights to manage open lands, titles, be returned to him and ranks. And he will very soon fill Spain with gold... Christopher Columbus Map makes some impression on the king, and stories about natives converted to Christianity on the queen, and promises to “fill with gold” impress the entire Spanish court. This time I got out...

The third voyage of Christopher Columbus

Disastrous trip. The result was only the discovery of the island of Trinidad. Christopher Columbus's illness (yellow fever killed at least a third of the admiral's and viceroy's crew) prevented them from reaching the continental coast. The colonists who remained in Haiti were more engaged in internal disputes than in developing the land; they could not find a common language with the natives... Meanwhile, he is returning to Europe. Returns with a rich cargo of spices and silk, brocade and jewelry. The Portuguese are happy, Spain is shocked. So much money has been invested in the expeditions of the “Genoese”, but so far there has been nothing from him except colorful promises. All agreements with Christopher Columbus are broken. Francisco Bovadillo is sent for him, the order is to arrest and bring the “former viceroy” in shackles to Spain. The situation seemed hopeless. But here Christopher Columbus is helped by the main creditors of the Spanish crown - the Marranos. In essence, it was a ransom in the hope of future profits from the development of rich new lands. Forgetting about the claims, the king allows Columbus to set off on his fourth voyage in order to finally justify his trust. The crown does not give money, but there are still many people who want to get rich in Spain...

The fourth voyage of Christopher Columbus

Only the fourth time did Columbus's expedition manage to reach the continental coast. What did Christopher Columbus discover? this time? Having passed the southern coast of Cuba, the ships of the "Genoese" approached the coast of Nicaragua and descended further south - to Costa Rica and Panama. Here the Indians told the travelers that they could easily reach the South Sea by land, and there lived the warlike Incas, who owned huge gold reserves. Columbus didn't believe it. Yellow fever claimed the lives of sailors, and it became increasingly difficult to continue the expedition. The admiral's order is to turn north, to the already known lands. On the way to Haiti, the expedition ships ran aground. Only Columbus's diplomatic skills, his ability to persuade and negotiate, made it possible to send several natives for help by boat. Help came, but there was nothing to get to Spain. For a whole year, travelers waited for a ship from Europe, which Columbus had to pay for with his own money. The return was difficult, the ocean was constantly stormy. From his trip, Columbus brought back samples of gold sand collected on the continental coast, as well as several silver nuggets. Evidence of the wealth of the new lands justified the traveler in the eyes of the king, but did not bring happiness to Columbus.

Sunset

No one remembered that according to the agreement with the royal couple, it was Columbus who was the ruler of the open lands. Long and painful correspondence with the court and ministers led to nothing. Sick, tired and offended, Columbus was dying in a modest house in the city of Valladolid. He spent all his savings accumulated over the years of travel from 1492 to 1504 to pay off the participants of the last expedition. On May 20, 1506, Christopher Columbus died. No one noticed his death. The fact is that it was at this time that the first ships from the New World, filled with gold and silver, began to arrive in Spain. There was no time for the “Genoese” here...

Main mystery: Asia or America?

Why did the discoverer of the New World so stubbornly talk about opening the way to Asia? Did he really not understand that a new, previously unknown part of the World had appeared on his way? Everything is explained simply: Columbus sailed towards the New World from the very beginning. But the grandeur of this discovery had to remain a secret for the time being. The cunning "Genoese" wanted to be the ruler of the whole world, new, unknown, rich. That is why it was important for him to secure the title of viceroy, which is why, even with the modest results of the first expeditions, he is so persistent in confirming his rights. Columbus did not have enough time, he did not have enough health. A navigator and scientist, he failed to calculate his strength, failed to acquire associates and friends. He wanted to do everything himself. Discoveries of Christopher Columbus contemporaries seemed modest and expensive. Only descendants were able to appreciate the significance of his expeditions. Although the open part of the World was named after Columbus’s main competitor, Amerigo Vespucci.

The last voyage of Christopher Columbus

Dying, Christopher Columbus bequeathed to bury himself “where my heart and life remain,” meaning Haiti, the first large island discovered in America. The will gathered dust for a long time among Columbus’s papers until, 34 years after the navigator’s death, it caught the eye of his grandson. The significance of the “Genoese’s” discoveries was undeniable by that time, so the appeal to the king with a request to “help fulfill the will of his grandfather” met with warm support. Dust navigator Christopher Columbus went to Haiti in 1540, where he was solemnly buried in the main temple of the city of Santa Domingo. When Haiti was captured by the French, the Spaniards, as a valuable relic, transported the ashes of Columbus to Cuba. And after Cuba ceased to be the property of Spain, they returned it to Spain. This trip to America was the last, posthumous one for the great navigator.

Not so long ago, examining the remains of Columbus in , scientists determined that they did not belong to the navigator (the bones were miniature, and the “Genoese” had a heroic physique). The grave of Christopher Columbus remains in Santa Domingo. However, during all the “moves”, the bones of Christopher Columbus could simply have been lost... Somewhere halfway from the New World to the Old World...

“Columbus discovered America, he was a great sailor,” as one song says... However, before setting sail, the famous navigator spent many years looking for funding for his venture. And although many nobles of that time liked Christopher Columbus’s project, they were in no hurry to allocate money for its implementation. However, the future discoverer was an assertive man, and nevertheless collected the necessary funds and equipped three ships, each of which has its own amazing history.

Christopher Columbus

Before learning about the ships on which Columbus made his legendary journey, it is worth remembering the greatest navigator himself.

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451. Scientists argue especially hotly about his nationality. Christopher himself is considered a Spanish navigator, since the Spaniards equipped his expedition. However, different sources call him an Italian, a Catalan, and even a Jew who converted to Christianity.

In any case, Columbus was an extraordinary person, which gave him the opportunity to receive a decent education at the university of the Italian city of Pavia. After studying, Christopher began to swim often. Most often he participated in sea trade expeditions. Perhaps it was precisely because of his passion for sea travel that at the age of nineteen, Columbus married the daughter of the famous navigator Dona Felipe de Palestrello.

When the future discoverer of America turned twenty-three, he began to actively correspond with the famous Florentine scientist Paolo Toscanelli, who gave him the idea of ​​traveling to India across the Atlantic Ocean.

Having carried out his own calculations, Christopher Columbus was convinced that his pen pal was right. Therefore, in the coming years, he presented the travel project to the wealthiest people in Genoa. But they did not appreciate it and refused to finance it.

Disappointed in his compatriots, Columbus offers to organize an expedition and then to the nobles and clergy of Spain. However, years passed, and no one allocated funds for the Columbus project. In despair, the navigator even turned to the British king, but all in vain. And just when he was about to move to France and try his luck there, Queen Isabella of Spain undertook to finance the expedition.

Columbus's voyages

In total he made four voyages from Europe to America. All of them were carried out in the period from 1492 to 1504.

During Columbus's first expedition, about a hundred people went with him on three ships. In total, the round trip took about seven and a half months. During this expedition, navigators discovered the islands of Cuba, Haiti and the Bahamas in the Caribbean Sea. For many years, everyone called the lands discovered by Columbus the Western Indies. It is noteworthy that some researchers argue that the goal of Columbus's expedition was not India, but Japan.

Over time, due to various disputes, the open lands were no longer the property of the Spanish crown alone and were divided among European maritime powers.

While Christopher was on his third expedition, Vasco da Gama discovered the real route to India, thereby putting the mark of a deceiver on Columbus's reputation. After this, the navigator himself was sent home in shackles and wanted to be tried, but the Spanish rich, who had already made good money on open lands, defended Columbus and achieved his release.

Trying to prove that he was right, the navigator undertook a fourth expedition, during which he finally reached the very continent of America.

In the latter he tried to return the title of nobility granted to him by the crowned couple of Spanish monarchs, as well as privileges on open lands. However, he never managed to do this. After his death, the discoverer's remains were reburied several times, so that there are now several possible graves of Christopher Columbus.

Three ships of Columbus (carracks and caravels)

When Christopher Columbus finally secured funding for his first expedition, he began preparing ships.

First of all, it was necessary to decide on the quantity. Since his enterprise was quite risky, it was expensive to equip a large flotilla. At the same time, one or two ships is too few. Therefore, it was decided to equip three units. What were the names of Columbus's ships? The main one is the carrack "Santa Maria", and two caravels: "Nina" and "Pinta".

Karakka and caravel - what are they?

Christopher Columbus's ship "Santa Maria" was a carrack type. This was the name given to sailing ships with 3-4 masts, common in the 15th-16th centuries. It is noteworthy that in Europe they were the largest at that time. As a rule, such ships could easily accommodate from five hundred to one and a half thousand people. Considering that the entire crew of Columbus's three ships was one hundred people, the Santa Maria was probably a small carrack.

Columbus's other ships (their names were "Nina" and "Pinta") were caravels. These are 2-3 mast ships, common in the same years. Unlike the karakkas, they were less suitable for long expeditions. At the same time, they were distinguished by greater maneuverability, and were also light and cheap, so they soon undeservedly replaced the bulky carracks.

Columbus's ship Santa Maria

Like the portrait of the great navigator, the appearance of his first three ships has not been preserved. The description of Columbus's ships, as well as their drawings, are rather approximate and compiled from the words of surviving eyewitnesses many years later or according to the assumptions of scientists.

As is commonly believed, the Santa Maria was a small single-deck carrack with three masts. It is assumed that the length of the ship was up to 25 m, and the width was up to 8 m. Its displacement was about 1200 tons. The ship's hold was 3 m deep, and on the deck there was a two-tier extension where cabins and storage rooms were located. There was a triangular platform on the tank.

"Santa Maria" (Columbus's ship) was equipped with several cannons of different calibers, designed to fire stone cannonballs. It is noteworthy that in his notes the navigator periodically called his flagship either a carrack or a caravel. Columbus's flagship belonged to Juan de la Cosa, who was also its captain.

The fate of "Santa Maria"

Unfortunately, the Santa Maria was not destined to return home to Spain, since back in December 1492, during its first voyage, Columbus's flagship landed on reefs near Haiti. Realizing that it was impossible to save the Santa Maria, Christopher ordered everything that could be of value to be taken from her and transferred to the caravels. It was decided to dismantle the ship itself for building materials, from which Fort “Christmas” (“La Navidad”) was later built on the same island.

"Nina"

According to the discoverer's contemporaries, the Niña (Columbus's ship) was the favorite ship of the discoverer of new lands. During all his travels, he covered over forty-five thousand kilometers on it. After the death of the Santa Maria, it was she who became Columbus's flagship.

The real name of this ship was "Santa Clara", but the expedition members affectionately called her "baby", which sounds like "niña" in Spanish. The owner of this ship was Juan Niño. But on Columbus's first voyage, the captain of the Niña was Vicente Yáñez Pinzón.

According to scientists, the size of "Santa Clara" was about 17 m in length and 5.5 m in width. It is also believed that the Niña had three masts. According to the ship's log, initially this caravel had oblique sails, and after being in the Canary Islands they were replaced with straight ones.

Initially, there were just over twenty crew members on the ship, but after the death of the Santa Maria, their number increased. Interestingly, it was on it that sailors first began to sleep in hammocks, having adopted this tradition from the Indians.

The fate of "Nina"

Having safely returned to Spain after Columbus's first expedition, the Niña also took part in Christopher's second voyage to the shores of America. During the infamous hurricane of 1495, the Santa Clara was the only ship to survive.

Between 1496 and 1498, the favorite ship of the discoverer of America was captured by pirates, but thanks to the courage of her captain, she was freed and set off on Columbus's third voyage.

After 1501 there is no information about it, probably the caravel sank during one of the campaigns.

"Pint"

Accurate data on the appearance and technical characteristics of this ship have not been preserved in history.

It is only known that Columbus’s ship “Pinta” was the largest caravel in the first expedition. However, for unknown reasons, after the death of “Santa Maria”, the leader of the voyage did not choose her as the flagship. Most likely, it was the owner and captain of the ship, Martin Alonso Pinzon. Indeed, during the journey, he repeatedly challenged Columbus’ decisions. Probably, the great navigator feared a riot and therefore chose a ship where Martin’s brother, the more flexible Vicente, was the captain.

It is noteworthy that it was the sailor from the Pinta who was the first to see the land of the New World.

It is known that the ships returned home separately. Moreover, the captain of the Pinta did his best to ensure that his ship arrived first in Spain, hoping to convey the good news himself. But I was only a couple of hours late because of the storm.

The fate of "Pinta"

It is unknown what the fate of the Pinta ship was after Columbus's voyage. There is evidence that after returning, the ship's captain was received rather coldly at home. And due to health problems received during the expedition, he died a few months later. Probably, the ship was either sold and changed its name, or died during the next voyage.

Columbus's other ships

If during the first expedition Columbus's flotilla consisted of only three small ships, then in the second there were seventeen of them, in the third - six, and in the fourth - only four. This was due to the loss of confidence in Christopher Columbus. Ironically, just a few decades later, Columbus would become one of Spain's greatest heroes.

The names of most of these ships have not been preserved. It is only known that the flagship in the second expedition was a ship called “Maria Galante”, and in the fourth - “La Capitana”.

After so many years, after it was found out which ships Columbus took on his first voyage and discovered a new world for all mankind, it becomes surprising how they were able to sail there at all. After all, the Spanish crown had more powerful and voluminous ships at its disposal, but their owners did not want to risk them. The good news is that the owners of “Santa Maria”, “Santa Clara” (“Niña”), and also “Pinta” turned out to be different and risked going on Columbus’s expedition. It is thanks to this that they forever entered world history, as did the islands and two new continents they discovered.

One day, Christopher Columbus uttered the sacramental phrase: “It’s a small world,” which, in fact, became the leitmotif of his entire life. In just over 50 years of his life, this greatest navigator managed to make as many discoveries and bring untold riches for all of Europe, which would have been impossible to do in just a few centuries. The navigator did everything he could and begged the Catholic kings to achieve his main life goal - to make an expedition to the shores of the New World. In total, Columbus managed to make four voyages to the shores of America during his life.

Columbus made his first sea voyage in 1492-1493. Thus, three ships called “Santa Maria”, “Nina” and “Pinta”, with a total crew of 90 people, set sail in 1492, on August 3, from the port of Palos. The route was laid out as follows: after the Canary Islands, the expedition went west across the Atlantic Ocean, as a result of which the Sargasso Sea was discovered, and then landed on one of the islands belonging to the Bahamas archipelago. Columbus christened it San Salvador, and this happened on October 12, 1492, which is considered the official date of the discovery of America. What is noteworthy is that for a long time there was an opinion that San Salvador is the current Watling. However, in 1986, the geographer J. Judge, an American, made a computer model of the expedition, which showed that Columbus was the first to see the island of Samana, located 120 km southeast of the Watling Island.

From October 14 to October 24 of the same year, Columbus explored other Bahamian islands, but from October 28 to December 5, he discovered the territories of the northeast of the Cuban coast. December 6 was marked by the landing on the island of Haiti, after which the expedition proceeded along the northern coast. However, on the night of December 24-25, the Santa Maria vessel collided with a reef, but the flagship’s crew managed to escape, and the expedition was forced to turn to the shores of Spain.

On March 15, 1493, the Niña, whose crew was led by Columbus, and the Pinta return to Castile. The navigator brings with him trophies, including the natives, whom the Europeans called Indians, gold, unfamiliar vegetation, vegetables and fruits, and the plumage of some birds. Remarkably, Columbus was the first to use Indian hammocks instead of sailor berths. The first expedition caused such a powerful resonance that the so-called “Papal Meridian” was laid, which determined in which direction Spain would discover new lands, and in which direction Portugal would.

The second expedition took longer than the first - from September 25, 1493 to June 11, 1496, and it started from Cadiz. This time the flotilla included 17 ships, and their crew, according to various sources, numbered from 1.5 to 2.5 thousand people, which included colonists who decided to try their luck on open lands. In addition to the people themselves, the ships were loaded with livestock, seeds and seedlings, tools - everything that was necessary to create a public settlement. During this expedition, the colonists conquered Hispaniola and founded the city of Santo Domingo. The journey was marked by the discovery of the Virgin and Lesser Antilles Islands, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, in addition, the expedition continued to explore Cuba. What is noteworthy is that Columbus continued to be confident that he was exploring western India, but not the territories of the new continent.

The third expedition started on May 30, 1498. This time it consisted of 6 ships with 300 crew members. It was marked by the discovery of the island of Trinidad, the exploration of the Orinoco Delta and several other lands. On August 20, 1499, Christopher Columbus returned to Hispaniola, where things were going from bad to worse. What is noteworthy is that in 1498, real India was discovered by Vasco de Gama, from where he returned with irrefutable evidence - spices, and Columbus was declared a deceiver. So, in 1499, Columbus was deprived of his monopoly right to discover new territories, he himself was arrested and taken to Castile. He was saved from imprisonment only by the patronage of large financiers who had influence on the royal couple.

Columbus's fourth and final voyage

The last expedition was undertaken on May 9, 1502. This time the traveler was exploring the mainland of Central America, namely: Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. By the way, this expedition was marked by the first acquaintance with the Mayan tribe. The purpose of this voyage was to search for the South Sea, that is, the Pacific Ocean, but the attempts were unsuccessful, and Columbus had to return to Castile in October 1504.

In general, the importance of Columbus’s expeditions cannot be overestimated, but his contemporaries treated them very negligently, realizing their value only half a century after his death, when the ships began to bring huge amounts of gold and silver from Peru and Mexico. For reference, when recalculated, the royal treasury spent only 10 kg of gold on equipment for the first voyage, but it received many times more - 3 million kilograms of the treasured yellow metal.