Having just moved to New York, I will begin with the story of Christopher Columbus.
Christopher Columbus is the typical example of a man who knows how to wait for the right moment, ever steadfast and determined to carry out what he considered to be a grand project. The problem was to convince the external world, in spite of its inertia and natural mistrust of anything new.
Intuition, planning, negotiation, organization, action, success: these are the steps of all great projects. For Christopher Columbus the project was the discovery of the New World.
To these qualities I should add a reevaluation of claims. Certain that he had discovered a new route, Columbus asked all the monarchs whom he considered potential sponsors to provide enormous sums of money in case of success. This was one of the reasons why the preparation of his voyage took 10 years and also one of the causes of his downfall after the discovery of the new land. Two negative, and hardly insignificant, consequences.
Let’s go back to the long preparation of the journey
The possibility of reaching Asia via the western route is envisaged between 1476 and 1484 and is based on the knowledge of the winds which blow predominantly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere between the tropic of Cancer and the Equator. This knowledge will prove crucial for the forthcoming expedition. Columbus also gathers several clues, mentioned by his son Fernando, such as pieces of carved wood carried by the western winds as well as thick canes unknown in Europe. Other clues were discovered by Columbus on his first trip to Madera in 1478, where, while leafing through the papers belonging to his father in law, the Governor of the Porto Santo Island and an excellent connoisseur of the oceans, he finds invaluable information on the winds, sea currents, constellations. Between 1481 and 1484 he takes numerous trade trips to the Archipelago of the Azores and the Canary Islands, as well as to the Cape Verde Islands, 500 kilometers off the coast of Senegal.
Paolo Toscanelli, a mathematician, cartographer and astronomer from Florence provides him with the scientific explanation of why the Indies could indeed be found on the other side of the ocean. Columbus had never doubted that there he would find the empire of the Grand Khan.
Columbus seeks sponsors for his entreprise
In 1483 or early 1484 Columbus proposes to the King of Portugal, Jean II, a westbound expedition. It was a shrewd choice, since that country had for many years practiced a policy of maritime trade expansion: the king organized and encouraged the exploration and discovery of new lands and rewarded the seafarers with titles and property. The king refused. A historian of that time recounts: “The king, seeing that Christovão Colomb was a fine talker who boasted about his achievements and exhibited a lot of imagination in describing the fictional island of Cipango, found it difficult to believe him”. Nonetheless, because of Columbus’ relentless persistence, the kind allowed him to exchange views with scientists, mathematicians and cosmographers, all of whom thought that his ideas were hollow and entirely fanciful. Furthermore, he claimed exorbitant rewards in case of success.
Friar Marchena: finally a supporter!
In 1485 Columbus goes to the La Rabida monastery, not far from the port of Palos, in Southwestern Spain, where he meets the Franciscan friar Marchena, a cosmographer and astrologer who will become Columbus’ guardian angel during his seven-year long negotiations. The first step is to draft a petition to Ferdinand and Isabella, who at that time were waging a war against Granada, the last Arab stronghold in Spain. The two monarchs ask their Council to examine the request, but the Council’s opinion is unfavorable. Columbus then approaches the monarchs directly and, the following year, they accept to see him at Alcalà de Henares, though even on this occasion he does not succeed in awakening their interest. In August 1487 he receives a negative answer from another committee of experts.
Marchena suggests that he approach the powerful dukes of Medina Sidonia and of Medinaceli, who, at last, show some interest in Columbus’ project. They begin to discuss the organization of the voyage: the ships, the supplies, the seamen. Medinaceli needs the royal approval, but Isabella answers that the enterprise must be organized by the Crown. In 1489 she invites Columbus to go to Court. The queen promises that she will examine the project as soon as the Reconquista is over. In the meantime, with the help of his brother Bartholomew, Columbus approaches the king of England and the king of France, but without success.
On the 2nd of January 1492, Granada surrenders.
Finally the journey can start!
On the 17th of April, 1492, after painstaking negotiations, in the royal encampment of Santa Fe, not far from Granada, the agreement is approved and don Cristobal Colon receives the life-long titles of Grand Admiral of the sea-ocean, Viceroy and Governor of all the islands and continents he will discover or conquer as well as the right to pass down these titles to his heirs. He is also authorized to keep one tenth of the products coming from the lands that are within his jurisdiction. He obtains introductory letters from the Crown, as well as a passport and three royal edicts for the preparation of the fleet.
The experienced and talented seaman from Palos Martin Alonso Pinzon gives an important contribution to the organization of the first journey. Thanks to his personal engagement, he succeeds in recruiting many of his hesitant countrymen.
The crew is ninety strong.
They set sail on the 3rd of August 1492. After sailing for 33 days, they sight land.
