Christopher Columbus was a native of Genoa, born in the year 1435. He was the oldest son of Domenico Colombo, a wool-comber and his mother Susanna Fontanarossa. He had three brothers, Giovanni, Bartolomeo, and Giacomo, and a sister, Bianchinetta. “His name is always written Colombo, in the Italian papers, I n Spain it was always written Colon; in France it is written as Colomb; while in England it has always kept its Latin form, Columba is the Latin word for "Dove” (Fernandez 20-21). As a boy, Christopher joined his father in the family business of wool processing and selling. He may have worked as a clerk in a Genoese bookshop as well. At the age of fourteen he began to

navigate after he left the University of Pavia. The early age at which he began his career as a sailor is not surprising for a native of Genoa, as the Genoese were most enterprising and daring seamen.

Queen Isabella was gravely ill, and she died on November 26, 1504, shortly after his arrival. Weakened by rheumatism, exposure, and years of bad food, Columbus was very ill as well. Columbus tried to regain his lost titles of governor and viceroy. He wrote letters, petitioned the crown, and persuaded others to intercede on his behalf. “In May 1505 King Ferdinand finally granted Columbus an audience in which the explorer was allowed to present his claims to his titles and the riches of the Indies”(Chapman, 187). In late 1505 Columbus became too ill to travel any more. He remained in the city of Valladolid until his death. On May 20, 1506, both of his sons, his brother Bartholomew, and his faithful friend Diego Méndez were at his side. Long after the death of Columbus, his family struggled to have his titles reinstated and his honor restored. This struggle resulted in a small victory in 1509 when Diego became governor of Hispaniola. What seems to be the greatest injustice of all, however, is that the new lands that Columbus discovered were never given his name.

It was 1502 before Columbus finally gathered together four ships for a fourth expedition, by which he hoped to reestablish his reputation. He left Cadiz on May 9, 1502, with four ships and 150 crewmen, one being his 13-year-old son, Diego. He arrived in Hispaniola on June. A powerful hurricane blew in shortly after Columbus' arrival and destroyed most of the Spanish ships heading back to Spain. Columbus' ships were spared. On January 6, 1503, his ships anchored off the coast of Panama. Some gold was found in this area, so the explorers set up a trading post. Exploration of these new regions was fraught with problems. Columbus was sick, the food was rotten, and the ships were worm-infested and leaking. Only two ships survived to make the return journey to Hispaniola. The winds blew them of

Some topics in this essay:
Santo Domingo, Hispaniola Columbus, Spain Columbus', Ferdinand Isabela, Queen Isabella, Santa María, Spain September, Santa Maria, Cadiz July, King Ferdinand, santa maria, july 31, columbus set, caravel captained, 1503 ships, discovered islands, set sail, food columbus, ferdinand isabela, native genoa,