COLUMBUS, CHRISTOPHER

CHRIS TO BAL COLON (c. 1446 or discoverer of America; 6. s. of a wool-comber; ©. was in and in 1474 went to Chios, and in to England. He gradually formed the idea of discovering a western to Asia; like others of his time, not know the girth of the earth, believed Asia stretched farther wards than it does. After gaining support of Queen Isabella of he set sail on his first voyage on 1492, with three ships. On Oct. they came to land at the Bahama Islands, spent three months in the West C. then returned and was welcomed Ferdinand and Isabella. On a voyage in 1493 he discovered islands, and founded the city of in Hispaniola. Returning to Cadiz 1496, OC. again set sail, 1498, Trinidad, and the estuary of the C., however, had failed dismally governing his new Span. colonies, for a while feli from court favor. his return in 1500 he was again. He set out on his fourth and voyage in 1502, sailing, among places, to Cuba and Jamaica. turned in 1504, and d. two years C. was a tall and good-looking He accomplished much, but his quent voyages added comparatively small discoveries to his first ment. He never realized that he discovered a new continent. C.’s elder bro., Bartolomeo (d. was deputy gov. of Hispaniola geographer; tne second bro., Diego Giacomo (d. 1515), was a (c. 1480-1526), accompanied him second voyage, and became gov. Indies; his s., Luis (1520-72), was time Duke of Veragua. Fernando 1539), illegitimate s. of Christopher, accompanied him on his fourth and is supposed to have written