Christopher Columbus Biography: Children, Wikipedia, Age, Net Worth, Nationality, Death

Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa, made four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean under the sponsorship of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain.

His journeys paved the way for extensive European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

Profile

• Full Name: Christopher Columbus
• Stage Name: Christopher Columbus
• Born: 1451
• Date of death: 20 May 1506 (Aged: 55 years old)
• Birthplace: Genoa, Italy
• Nationality: Italian
• Occupation: Explorer and navigator
• Height: Unknown
• Parent: Domenico Colombo, Susanna Fontanarossa
• Siblings: Bartholomew, Giovanni Pellegrino, Giacomo, and Bianchinetta
• Spouse: Filipa Moniz Perestrelo (m. 1479–1484)
• Partner: Beatriz Enríquez de Arana
• Children: Diego Columbus ,Ferdinand Columbus
• Relationship: Widowed
• Net Worth: Unknown

Early Life And Education

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy, to Domenico Colombo, a wool weaver and merchant, and Susanna Fontanarossa, from families involved in the textile trade.

He had three brothers—Bartholomew, Giovanni Pellegrino, and Giacomo—and a sister named Bianchinetta.

Columbus received a basic education, worked as an apprentice in his father’s wool business, and studied mapmaking and navigation, which sparked his interest in the sea.

Ethnically Genoese, his native language was likely a Genoese dialect, and he was raised in a Christian household.

Career

Christopher Columbus began his maritime career as a young seaman in the Portuguese merchant marine, where he honed his skills in navigation and gained firsthand experience trading along the West African coast.

During this time, Columbus learned advanced navigation techniques from the Portuguese, fueling his ambitions for wealth, glory, and the spread of Christianity.

These goals motivated him to seek royal backing for a westward sea route to Asia. Still, after Portugal rejected his proposal, Columbus turned to Spain’s monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, who granted him sponsorship in 1492.

Between 1492 and 1504, Columbus embarked on four transatlantic voyages that primarily focused on exploring the Caribbean, including the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, and Jamaica, eventually reaching the coasts of Central and South America.

He famously landed in the Bahamas on his first voyage, mistakenly believing he had reached Asia. His second voyage was more successful, establishing the first European settlement in the New World, La Isabela, and extending Spanish territorial claims.

On his third voyage, Columbus ventured to South America, but his governance was questioned, leading to his arrest and return to Spain in chains.

Despite these setbacks, he was granted a fourth voyage, which took him to parts of Central America in search of a passage to Asia, but he ultimately failed to find the route he sought.

Columbus’s voyages were pivotal in opening the door to European exploration and colonization of the Americas, ushering in a new era of global trade and cultural exchange.

However, his later years were marked by frustration, as he never achieved the noble titles or immense wealth he had hoped for. His legacy remains contentious.

He is celebrated for his navigational feats while also being criticized for his role in the exploitation and mistreatment of indigenous peoples during and after his expeditions.

Social Media

Christopher Columbus does not have a social media handle.

Personal Life

Christopher Columbus married the Portuguese noblewoman Filipa Moniz Perestrelo around 1479. Filipa was the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, a Portuguese officer and governor of Porto Santo Island near Madeira.

The couple had one son, Diego Columbus, who would later become the 2nd Admiral and Viceroy of the Indies. Filipa passed away at a young age, sometime between 1479 and 1484.

Following Filipa’s death, Columbus entered into a long-term relationship with Beatriz Enríquez de Arana, a woman from Córdoba, Castile.

They had a second son, Ferdinand Columbus, whom Columbus acknowledged and supported. Although Beatriz was never married to Columbus, she was his recognized mistress.

Net Worth

Christopher Columbus’s exact net worth is difficult to determine, but his income primarily stemmed from the agreements made with the Spanish Crown in the 1492 “Capitulations of Santa Fe.”

These agreements granted him the titles of Admiral of the Ocean Sea, Viceroy, and Governor of any new lands he might discover.