The Explorers
Christopher Columbus Born in Genoa, Italy in 1451; first job was a helper with his father’s cheese stand Worked as a business agent after 1473 & sailed much of the Mediterranean Married Filipa Perestrelo in 1479, but she either died or CC left her in 1485 Very interested in the Bible & Christianity; came to see his voyages in apocalyptic terms Columbus was mostly wrong in his ideas: believed Japan was 2300 miles from Europe (actually 12,200) Knowledge of the trade winds was CC’s big advantage
In 1485, CC proposes western voyage to King John II of Portugal, but is rejected; eastern route to Asia soon discovered Italians reject CC in 1488, as does Henry VII of England; Ferdinand & Isabella of Spain agree to finance in 1492 CC will be made Viceroy of all lands he discovers; very generous terms bc monarchs doubt he’ll return Landed in Bahamas on first voyage; became governor of Hispaniola in 1490s Arrested for atrocities in 1499, dies in 1506
Prince Henry the Navigator 3rd child of the King of Portugal, born in 1394 Fascinated by Africa after capturing a Muslim port in Morocco Hopes to find source of the African gold trade, starts exploring west coast in 1420s Helps develop the caravel, a lighter ship that could sail further & faster Henry was NOT a sailor, but financed many expeditions Died in 1460
Vasco da Gama Born in Portugal in 1460 or 1469 Sailed to India, arriving on May 20, 1498; first European to reach India by sea Helped shape the extensive Portuguese Empire, which would cover large parts of 4 different continents
Ferdinand Magellan Born in northern Portugal in 1480, but served the King of Spain Charles I Searching for a westward route to the Indies, discovered the Pacific Ocean & completed first circumnavigation of the world Land in the Philippines in 1521, killed at the Battle of Mactan by a poisoned arrow shot by followers of Lapu-Lapu
Francisco Pizarro Born in Spain in 1471 or 1476 Mostly illiterate, he was a distant cousin of Hernan Cortes Sailed to the New World in 1519 and made several expeditions into South America Obsessed with finding riches, esp in Peru Battle of Cajamarca: Pizarro & his force of 168 men defeats last Incan emperor Atahualpa who commands a force of 80,000 Assassinated by political enemies in 1541