In 1492, after years of rejection, the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus finally secured his chance to change the world. A royal council had argued he'd vastly underestimated the Earth's size, but he was persistent. On April 17, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II of Spain signed the Capitulations of Santa Fe. This contract authorized his audacious plan: to find a westward sea route to Asia. In return for success, Columbus was granted the hereditary title of 'Admiral of the Ocean Sea' and promised one-tenth of all riches he found, from gold to spices. The mission was funded not by the Queen’s jewels, a popular myth, but largely by Italian bankers. Columbus himself provided a portion. The voyage was on.
Christopher Columbus
The life of Christopher Columbus, from his 1492 contract with Spain's monarchs and first Atlantic crossing to his arrest in chains and death still believing he had reached Asia.
Chapter 1
The Contract
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Queen Isabella really sell her jewels to fund Columbus's voyage?
No, this is a popular myth that originated in the 16th century. The expedition was primarily financed by Genoese and Florentine bankers, with Columbus himself contributing about one-eighth of the total cost.
Why is America named after Amerigo Vespucci and not Columbus?
Columbus died believing he had reached Asia. Amerigo Vespucci was the explorer who correctly identified the lands as a "New World." A German mapmaker, Martin Waldseemüller, honored Vespucci by naming the continent "America" on a 1507 map.
What happened to the first European settlement, La Navidad?
When Columbus returned on his second voyage in November 1493, he found the fort completely destroyed. All 39 men he had left behind were dead, having been killed following conflicts with the local Taino population.
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