Christopher Columbus

Born

Aug 26, 1451

Cristoforo Colombo is born in Genoa, Italy.

First journeys

Oct 28, 1465

Columbus began to sail as a teenager.

Sailor

Oct 28, 1474

Began working as a sailor and visited the island of Khios, returning to Italy a year later financially independent.

Battle of Portugal

Oct 28, 1476

Christopher Columbus swims to shore when his ship is sunk in a battle off Portugal.

Lisbon

Oct 28, 1477

Joined his brother Bartolomeo in Lisbon to work as a cartographer.

Married

Oct 28, 1479

Christopher Columbus married a wealthy Portuguese called Felipa Perestrello Moniz.

Refused in Portugal

Oct 28, 1484

Christopher Columbus fails to gain the patronage from King John II of Portugal to enable him to search for a trade route to the Indies.

Wife dies and moves to Spain

Oct 28, 1485

Felipa dies of consumption and Christopher Columbus moves to Cadiz, Spain, where he opens another shop supplying maps and charts.

Marries again

Oct 28, 1486

Columbus meets Dona Beatriz Enriquez de Arana from Cordova in Spain who he marries.

Refused in England & France

Oct 28, 1487

Columbus submits his plans to King Henry VII of England and King Charles VIII of France but his proposals were declined.

Approved plans

Jan 1, 1492

Columbus firmly asked for patronage from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and, after at least two rejections, his plans were approved.

First voyage

Aug 3, 1492

Columbus sets sail with his three ships; the Pinta, the Niña, and the Santa Maria.

Discovery of new lands

Oct 12, 1492

Columbus's crew see land after a little over two months. The island is named San Salvador and Columbus believes that he has reached the passage to India and China.

La Hispaniola

Dec 5, 1492

Columbus and his crew arrive in Hispaniola and established a settlement named La Navidad.

Return to Spain

Mar 15, 1493

Columbus starts the return journey to Spain.

Second voyage

Sep 25, 1493

Columbus returned to the Americas in a larger expedition looking for valuables.

Third voyage

May 30, 1498

Columbus leaves from Seville, Spain, with six ships the Americas. He visits South America for the first time.

Fourth & final voyage

May 9, 1502

Columbus was still looking to land in Asia. He reaches Central America and explores made lands of the region.

Columbus dies

May 20, 1506

Christopher Columbus dies two years after his return to Spain.