Columbus, Christopher, 1451-1506

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Christopher Columbus was likely born in October 1451 in Genoa, Republic of Genoa. His name in Ligurian is Cristoffa Corombo. In one of his writings, he says he went to sea at the age of 10. In 1473, Columbus began his apprenticeship as business agent for the important Centurione, Di Negro and Spinola families of Genoa. Later, he allegedly made a trip to Chios, an Aegean island then ruled by Genoa. Columbus based himself in Lisbon from 1477 to 1485. Between 1482 and 1485, Columbus traded along the coasts of West Africa, reaching the Portuguese trading post of Elmina at the Guinea coast (in present-day Ghana). Ambitious, Columbus eventually learned Latin, Portuguese, and Castilian. He read widely about astronomy, geography, and history, including the works of Claudius Ptolemy, Cardinal Pierre d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, the travels of Marco Polo and Sir John Mandeville, Pliny's Natural History, and Pope Pius II's Historia Rerum Ubique Gestarum. Between 1492 and 1503, Columbus completed four round-trip voyages between Spain and the Americas, each voyage being sponsored by the Crown of Castile. On his first voyage, he independently discovered the Americas and magnetic declination. These voyages marked the beginning of the European exploration and colonization of the American continents, and are thus of enormous significance in Western history. Columbus always insisted, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, that the lands that he visited during those voyages were part of the Asian continent, as previously described by Marco Polo and other European travelers.
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn R. Don Oscarson papers, approximately 1954-2004 L. Tom Perry Special Collections
referencedIn Columbus, Christopher. Latin and Spanish letters [manuscript]. Libraries Australia
referencedIn Aaron W. Berg Papers, 1848-1977. Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Leonardo Olschki papers, 1910-1987 (bulk 1936-1986), Bulk, 1936-1986 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Robert Owen Collection, 1805-1858 National Co-operative Archive
referencedIn William Monson Naval Tracts [17th Century?] Monson, William Naval Tracts William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Columbus journal abstract, 1492-1493 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Autograph File, C Houghton Library
referencedIn Henry Harrisse papers, 1853-1924 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Henry Vignaud papers 1840-1922 1860-1915 Vignaud, Henry papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Catalog of Duke of Veragua collection of Columbus papers, 1894-1929 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Bartolomé de las Casas m. 1566. Viajes de Cristóbal Colón [Manuscrito]. Biblioteca Nacional de España, Biblioteca Nacional - Madrid
creatorOf Columbus miscellaneous collection, ca. 1500-ca. 1950 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Photographs Relating to the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Bartolomé de las Casas m. 1566. Viajes de Cristóbal Colón [Manuscrito]. Biblioteca Nacional de España, Biblioteca Nacional - Madrid
referencedIn Comparison between Chris[toba]l Columbus and Ambrosio O'Higgins. Dibam Biblioteca Nacional de Chile
referencedIn Exercise Books of Edmund Palmer, [ca. 1898-9] Bodleian Library, Oxford
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn William Roscoe Thayer papers, 1762-1927 (inclusive), 1872-1921 (bulk) Houghton Library
creatorOf Colón, Cristóbal. Carta de Cristóbal Colón a los Reyes Católicos [Manuscrito]. Biblioteca Nacional de España, Biblioteca Nacional - Madrid
referencedIn Cavallero, Joseph Augustin. Funeral sermon and translation, 1796-1838. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Koker, Octaviano. Den gesochten Philosophael-steen gevonden en door den aendringhenden geest vanden kloecken Zee-helt, ende onvergelyckelycken Stierman Alexander Colon ghegeven aen [Manuscrito] : karek de tweede van die naem, door Godst genade, Koninck van Spanien, Ert-hertoghe van Oostenryck, Grave van Vlaenderen, mynen genadighen, ende geduchten heere, ende meester studio ac labore Octaviani de Koker Gandensis. Biblioteca Nacional de España, Biblioteca Nacional - Madrid
referencedIn Columbian Quincentenary Collection, 1981-1995 (bulk 1990-1992) The University of New Mexico, University Libraries, Center for SouthwestResearch
referencedIn Boswell's Life of Johnson : including Boswell's Journal of a tour to the Hebrides and Johnson's Diary of a journey into North Wales, edited by George Birkbeck Hill, extra-illustrated, 1464-1897 (inclusive), 1724-1874 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Philipp Johann Josef Valentini papers, 1870-1899. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Johnsonian Miscellanies, extra-illustrated, 1538-1900 (inclusive);, 1738-1866 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn CONFIRMATION, after inspeximus, by Geoffrey [Plantagenet], Archbishop of York, of a settlement of suit between Mag. Robert de Ettona and Alan, "clericus," concerning the chapel of Leuerton [Liverton, in Easington, N.R. co. York], made before T[homas]... British Library
referencedIn Milton Caniff Collection, 1805-2007, 1910-1988 The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
referencedIn Christopher Columbus reproductions and notes, ca. 1492-ca. 1936 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Columbus : explorer for Christ, 1973-1976 L. Tom Perry Special Collections
referencedIn Gammell, Susanna Valentine Mitchell, 1896-1976. Papers, [ca. 1883-1960]. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Augustus and Alice Dixon Le Plongeon papers, circa 1840-1937, 1860-1910 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Posters Relating to the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 1921 - 2008. Audio Recordings. 1945 - 1965. Admiral of the ocean seas National Archives at College Park
referencedIn José Augusto Escoto Cuban history and literature collection, ca. 1574- 1922 (inclusive), ca.1715-1850 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn PH 327, E.G. Williams & Bro. (Engraver : N.Y.). Engraved portrait collection circa 1890 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Church History Library
referencedIn Papers Dealing with the Ancestry of Christopher Columbus, 1950-1992, bulk 1982-1992 American Sephardi Federation
referencedIn Obadiah Rich collection, 1450-1843 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Twelve Against the Gods: The Story of Adventure
Relation Name
associatedWith American Sephardi Federation corporateBody
associatedWith Anjou, René of, Count of Provence, Duke of Lorraine, titular King of Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily person
associatedWith Bartolomé de las Casas m. 1566. person
associatedWith Berg, Aaron W., 1903-1978 person
associatedWith Bigelow, John, 1854-1936 person
associatedWith Boswell, James, 1740-1795 person
associatedWith Casas, Bartolomé de las, 1484-1566 person
associatedWith Cavallero, Joseph Augustin. person
associatedWith Columbus, Christopher. person
associatedWith Escoto, José Augusto, collector. person
associatedWith Ferdinand V, King of Spain, 1452-1516 person
associatedWith Gammell, Susanna Valentine Mitchell, 1896-1976. person
correspondedWith Gibbs, George person
correspondedWith Gibbs, George J. person
associatedWith Harrisse, Henry, 1829-1910 person
associatedWith Hill, George Birkbeck Norman, 1835-1903 person
associatedWith Irving, Washington, 1783-1859 person
associatedWith Isabella I, Queen of Spain, 1451-1504 person
associatedWith John II, King of Portugal, 1455-1495 person
associatedWith Jones, Helen Hinckley, 1903- person
associatedWith Koker, Octaviano. person
associatedWith Le Plongeon, Alice D., (Alice Dixon), 1851-1910 person
associatedWith Le Plongeon, Augustus, 1826-1908 person
associatedWith Milton Caniff person
associatedWith Monson, William, Sir, 1569-1643 person
associatedWith Olschki, Leonardo, 1885-1961 person
associatedWith Oscarson, R. Don person
associatedWith Owen, Robert., 1777-1858 person
associatedWith Philipp Johann Josef, Valentini 1828-1899. person
associatedWith Rich, O. (Obadiah), 1777-1850 person
associatedWith Thayer, William Roscoe, 1859-1923 person
associatedWith University of New Mexico corporateBody
associatedWith Veragua, duque de person
associatedWith Vignaud, Henry, 1830-1922 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Genoa 08 IT
Valladolid 55 ES
Repubblica Italiana 00 IT
Genoa 08 IT
Subject
America
Discoveries in geography
Occupation
Explorers
Activity

Person

Birth 1451-10-31

Death 1506-05-20

Italians

Latin

Information

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SNAC ID: 84139215