Admiral of the sea-ocean

Not much we know about the life of the great navigator. If the year of his birth is set (1451), the date of birth remains unknown. Columbus was born in Genoa. Father and grandfather were weavers. Up to 25 years, Christopher Columbus was illiterate. And only in Portugal, has learned to read and write. In Portugal, Columbus was hit accidentally. Prior to that, judging from surviving documents, he made several voyages across the Mediterranean Sea. But mostly helped in the weaving workshop father. In May 1476, Columbus was a sailor on the Flemish ship that went to northern Europe. But during the voyage the ship was sunk by the French. Columbus miraculously managed to escape. He settled in Lisbon with his brother Bartolomeo. Soon he became a sailor on the ship and went to a different voyage. The ships, Columbus was a Portuguese fleet from the Arctic Circle almost to the equator, became a captain. At that time, Portugal sought trade route to the East, bypassing the African continent. And Christopher Columbus decided to go to China and India through the west. Several times he presented the project of his journey Portuguese King Joao the Second. But all the time refused. After the death of his wife - a Portuguese noblewoman Donna Felipe Perishtrelluinish - Columbus moved to .1485, in Spain. And here he repeatedly refers to the Spanish monarchy for assistance in equipping ships for the voyage to India via the west. But the failure follows failure. Only in 1492, having received a final rejection, Columbus decided to sail to France to pay homage to Charles the eighth. But the monarchs of Spain changed their minds and for various reasons, decided to bring Columbus back. He was appointed an admiral, promised a tenth of profits from the campaign, gave a letter of recommendation to the Great Khan, mentioned by Marco Polo, and outfitted three very small ship with a crew of 90 people. Currents was fleet, which became the most famous of all, ever sailed the sea. It consisted of the flagship "Santa Maria" and ships "Pinta" and "Nina". Columbus uploaded their goods and food and headed west. It was Aug. 3, 1492. After stopping in the Canary Islands on September 6 ships sailed into the Atlantic Ocean. A few days later the team was overcome fear of the unknown, and Columbus had to avoid starting a riot. Since early October, Columbus waited impatiently exclaiming "Ahead of the earth!", Because according to his calculations Asia was already somewhere nearby. October 7 sailors noticed flocks of mainland birds. "Land! Earth> - with the exclamation Rodrigo Triana, watchman "Pinta" forever gone down in history: October 12, 1492 - the date of opening of the New World. Small island, which befit a vessel belonged to a group of Bahamian and was named San Salvador (Saint Saviour). Were then opened and Cuba Esianola (Haiti), and there founded the first Spanish colony - Navidad. In May 1493, Columbus returned to Spain with two ships, having lost the path of "Santa Maria" Grounded. Here he was expecting a grand triumph. In his next trip Columbus sailed in 17 ships. With him was a team strength of 1,500 people. Since the colonists Navidad them to meet was not possible. By this time, almost all of them were killed by the natives. Despite this, Columbus decided to organize this new colony - Isabella. However, in the second voyage were not found those eastern treasures to look for that and go Columbus. On his return to Spain by Christopher Columbus was received coldly. Great navigator overwhelmed new plans. But only two years later he managed to get permission to re-enter the sea. Only this time Columbus first landed on the South American continent, reaching the mouth of the Orinoco River. Third campaign team was made up mainly of his jailers, who mutinied on Hispaniola. In this context, Spain has been sent a denunciation stating that Columbus wants to take over the island. He was arrested and sent in chains to Spain. Columbus was acquitted and he was allowed to pay a fourth expedition, but on condition that he not approach the Hispaniola. Columbus dreamed of this time to pass between the islands and to fulfill its promise - to reach the rich in India. But instead he found a treasure of Indian Central America, Honduran Bay and the Isthmus of Panama. Seriously ill and disappointed, Columbus came back, and two years later he died in despair at Valladolid, being quite sure whether he had reached Asia. And even knowing that he actually opened a huge unknown world - the New World.