The World of Columbus

1. The World of Columbus Geography, Exploration, and Encounter in the 15th Century

2. Why Columbus? • Extremely well-known yet his import is frequently misunderstood: • “he discovered America” • “he proved the Earth was round” • “he sailed on the Mayflower” • Appealing story a good way to introduce larger issues: • Columbian Exchange • Environment and history • New knowledge • Leaves behind rich set of texts for analysis

3. Cristobal Colón “But this illustrious man, renouncing the name established by custom, chose to be called Colón, restoring the ancient form less for this reason (that it was the ancient name) than it would seem, because he was moved by the divine will which had elected him to achieve what his surname and given name signified … [T]he Philosopher [Aristotle] says in chapter IV of his Metaphysics, ‘Names should accord with the qualities and uses if things.’ This is why he was called Cristobal, which is to say Christum Ferens, which means the bearer of the Christ, and it was thus that he often signed his name; for in truth he was the first to open the gates of the Ocean Sea, in order to bear our Savior Jesus Christ over the waves to those remote lands and those realms hitherto unknown … His surname was Colón, which means repopulator, a name befitting the man whose enterprise brought about the discovery of these peoples … who, thanks to the preaching of the Gospel … have proceeded and will every day proceed to repopulate the glorious city of Heaven. It also befits this man, in that he was the first to bring the people of Spain to found colonies, or new populations … amid the original inhabitants” -- Bartolomé de las Casas, Historia de las Indias

4. Geographical and Astronomical Assumptions • The Earth was spherical, fixed in place, and sat at the center of the universe. • Symmetry governed the placement of land and water: • Land on one side water on the other • Two northern continents and two southern • Two eastern continents and two western • The circumference of the Earth at the equator was roughly 25,000 miles.

5. The “Old World”

6. Recreation of Ptolemaic world map, ≈ 150 C.E.

7. Hereford Mappa Mundi, 1285 CE

8. World Map of Al-Idrisi for Roger II of Siciliy, 1154 C.E. (modern reproduction)

9. World map from 1482 edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia

10. HenricusMartellus’ Map, 1489

11. Why go west?

12. “Conquest held a special place for the Spanish.”

13. Iberian Peninsula, 1491

14. Caravel

15. The Ships

16. Crew of the Santa Maria • Cristobal Colon captain-general • Juan de la Cosa owner & master • Diego de Arana master-at-arms • Pedro de Gutierrez royal steward • Rodrigo de Escobedo secretary • Rodrigo Sanchez comptroller • Diego de Salcedo servant • Luis de Torres interpreter • Antonio de Cuellar carpenter • Bartolome Garcia boatswain • Chachu boatswain • Cristobal Caro goldsmith • Diego Perez painter • Domingo Vizcaino cooper • Juan Sanchez physician • Pedro de Terreros cabin boy • Pero Nino pilot • Rodrigo Gallego servant • Rodrigo de Jerez • Alonso Chocero • Alonso Clavijo • Andres de Yruenes • Bartolome Biues • Bartolome de Torres • Diego Bermudez • Domingo de Lequeitio • Gonzalo Franco • Jacomel Rico • Juan, servant • Juan de Jerez • Juan de la Placa • Juan Martines de Acoque • Juan de Medina • Juan de Moguer • Juan Ruiz de la Pena • Lope, joiner • Maestre Juan • Marin de Urtubia • Pedro Yzquierdo • Pedro de Lepe

17. Crew of the Pinta (13 men from Palos) • Martin Alonso Pinzon captain • Francisco Martin Pinzon master • Cristobal Garcia Xalmiento pilot • Cristobal Quintero ship's owner • Garcia Hernandez steward • MaestreDiego surgeon • Bernal servant • Pedro Tegero • Sancho de Rama • Francisco Garcia Vallejo • Gomez Rascon • Anton Calabres • Juan Bermudez • Juan Quintero • Juan Rodriquez Bermejo • Pedro de Arcos • Alonso de Palos • Alvaro Perez • Diego Martin Pinzon • Fernando Mendes • Francisco Mendes • Gil Perez • Juan Quadrado • Juan Reynal • Juan Verde de Triana • Juan Vecano

18. Crew of the Niña • Vincente Yanez Pinzon captain • Juan Nino owner and master • Francisco Nino • Bartolome Roldan appre. pilot • Alonso de Morales carpenter • Andres de Huelva • Bartolome Garcia boatswain • Diego Lorenzo • Fernando de Triana • Garcia Alonso • Juan Arias cabin boy • Juan Arraes • Juan Romero • Maestre Alonso physician • Miguel de Soria servant • Pedro de Soria • Pero Arraes • Pero Sanches • Rodrigo Monge • Sancho Ruiz

20. The Route of Columbus, 1492-1493

21. Claiming the New World “At two hours after midnight the land was sighted at a distance of two leagues. They shortened sail, and lay by under the mainsail without the bonnets. The vessels were hove to, waiting for daylight; and on Friday they arrived at a small island of the Lucayos, called, in the language of the Indians, Guanahani. Presently they saw naked people. The Admiral [Columbus] went on shore in the armed boat, and Martin Alonso Pinzon, and Vicente Yañez, his brother, who was captain of the Niña. The Admiral took the royal standard, and the captains went with two banners of the green cross, which the Admiral took in all the ships as a sign, with an F and a Y and a crown over each letter, one on one side of the cross and the other on the other. Having landed, they saw trees very green, and much water, and fruits of divers kinds. The Admiral called to the two captains, and to the others who leaped on shore, and to Rodrigo Escovedo, secretary of the whole fleet, and to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, and said that they should bear faithful testimony that he, in presence of all, had taken, as he now took, possession of the said island for the king and for the queen, his Lords, making the declarations that are required, as is more largely set forth in the testimonies which were then made in writing.”

22. Columbus’Sources A page from Travels of Sir John Mandeville A page from The Travels of Marco Polo

23. European ideas of Difference Monopod Panotti Cynocephali Blemmyae

24. Illustration accompanying one of the first published editions of Columbus’ letter to Ferdinand and Isabela

25. CantinoPlanisphere, 1502