The admiral also adopted a mode of sanctification and autocratic leadership that made him many enemies. Columbus never openly acknowledged this gulf and so was quite incapable of bridging it. First and perhaps most damaging of all, the admiral’s apparently high religious and even mystical aspirations were incompatible with the realities of trading, competition, and colonization. On this first voyage many tensions built up that were to remain through all of Columbus’s succeeding efforts. These events left Columbus under the suspicion of collaborating with Spain’s enemies and cast a shadow on his return to Palos on March 15. There he was obliged to interview with King John II. After securing their freedom Columbus sailed on, stormbound, and the damaged ship limped to port in Lisbon. The Niña was driven to seek harbour at Santa Maria in the Azores, where Columbus led a pilgrimage of thanksgiving to the shrine of the Virgin however, hostile Portuguese authorities temporarily imprisoned the group. The westerlies did indeed direct them homeward, but in mid-February a terrible storm engulfed the fleet. On January 16, 1493, Columbus left with his remaining two ships for Spain. The accidental running aground of the Santa María on December 25, 1492, provided additional planks and provisions for the garrison. With the help of a Taino cacique, or Indian chief, named Guacanagarí, he set up a stockade on the northern coast of the island, named it La Navidad, and posted 39 men to guard it until his return. There Columbus found at least enough gold and prosperity to save him from ridicule on his return to Spain. He seems to have thought that Hispaniola might be Cipango or, if not Cipango, then perhaps one of the legendarily rich isles from which King Solomon’s triennial fleet brought back gold, gems, and spices to Jerusalem (1 Kings 10:11, 22) alternatively, he reasoned that the island could be related to the biblical kingdom of Sheba ( Sabaʾ). Thus, on December 5, he turned back southeastward to search for the fabled city of Zaiton ( Quanzhou, China), missing through this decision his sole chance of setting foot on Florida soil.Īdverse winds carried the fleet to an island called Ayti ( Haiti) by its Taino inhabitants on December 6 Columbus renamed it La Isla Española, or Hispaniola. He thought that he had found it in Cuba, where he landed on October 28, but he convinced himself by November 1 that Cuba was the Cathay mainland itself, though he had yet to see evidence of great cities. Beyond planting the royal banner, however, Columbus spent little time there, being anxious to press on to Cipango, or Cipangu ( Japan). The place of the first Caribbean landfall, called Guanahani, is hotly disputed, but San Salvador (Watlings) Island in the Bahamas is generally preferred to other Bahamian islands ( Samana Cay, Rum Cay, or the Plana Cays) or to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Columbus allayed their fears, at least temporarily, and on October 12 land was sighted from the Pinta (though Columbus, on the Niña, later claimed the privilege for himself). But by October 10 the crew had begun to lose patience, complaining that with their failure to make landfall, contrary winds and a shortage of provisions would keep them from returning home. On several occasions in September and early October, sailors spotted floating vegetation and various types of birds-all taken as signs that land was nearby. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions. This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
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