well-educated

Columbus set sail on August 3, 1492 with three ships, the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria

Columbus first took to the sea when he was 14 years old

was able to speak several languages as an adult and had considerable knowledge of classical literature. In addition, he studied the works of Ptolemy and Marinus to name a few.

After receiving significant funding from the Spanish monarchs

His first voyage into the Atlantic Ocean in 1476 nearly cost him his life

ttacked by French privateers

married Felipa Perestrello

. The couple had one son, Diego in about 1480. His wife died soon after and Columbus moved to Spain.

e also had a son Fernando who was born out of wedlock in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

1451 Born Cristoforo Colombo, between August and October, in the Republic of Genoa in modern-day Italy

1476 First voyage out of Mediterranean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean

1492 Begins first of four voyages to find western ocean route to Asia with the three ships the Pinta, the Nina, and the Santa Maria on the first voyage.

1498 On third voyage, Columbus reaches the mainland of the Americas sailing into the mouth of the Orinoco River in modern-day Venezuela.

Columbus did not have any women on his first two voyages. In 1498, Columbus recruited one woman for every ten men on his third voyage.

After 29 days out of sight of land, on October 7, 1492

Before he left Spain on his second voyage, Columbus had been directed by Ferdinand and Isabella to maintain friendly, even loving, relations with the indigenous people, the natives. He set sail in 1493.

On May 30, 1498, Columbus led the fleet to the Portuguese Porto Santo Island, his wife's native homeland. He then sailed to the island of Madeira and spent some time there with the Portuguese captain João Gonçalves da Câmara before sailing to the Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Columbus landed on the south coast of the island of Trinidad on July 31, 1498.

1476 Columbus swims ashore after his ship is sunk in a battle with pirates off Portugal. He joins his brother Bartholomew, a cartographer, in Lisbon. 1477-1484 As a master mariner, Columbus makes merchant voyages as far as Iceland and Guinea. 1479 Columbus marries Felipa Perestrella e Moniz, daughter of a Portuguese nobleman. They settle on the island of Porto, near Madiera. 1480 Eldest son Diego is born. 1484 Columbus conceives of "The Enterprise of the Indies," but fails to convince King John II of Portugal to back the plan. Wife Felipa dies. 1485 Columbus moves to Spain, settling at Palos in Andalusia. 1488 Second son Fernando is born out of wedlock, to Beatriz Enriquez de Harana. 1492/1/2 Ferdinand & Isabela capture Granada, the last Moorish city in Spain.

The First Voyage:

1498/5/30 Departs from Sanlucar, Spain, with six ships. 1498/6/19 Arrives at Gomera (Canary Islands); splits fleet into two squadrons. While one squadron makes for Hispaniola, Columbus heads for the Cape Verde Islands and a more southerly route across the Atlantic. 1498/7/4 Departs from the Cape Verde Islands. 1498/7/31 Arrives at Trinidad. 1498/8/13 Leaves the Gulf of Paria, arrives at Margartia. 1498/8/19 Arrives at the new city of Santo Domingo on Hispaniola. Columbus resumes his role as governor of the colony. 1500 October Columbus is arrested and sent home in chains.

The Early Years:

1493 September The Grand Fleet of 17 ships departs Cádiz. 1493/10/13 Departs Hierro (Canary Islands), sailing WSW 1493/11/3 The island of Dominica sighted at dawn; Guadeloupe shortly after. 1493/11/22 Arrives at Hispaniola. 1493/11/28 Returns to Navidad, finds fort destroyed. 1493/12/8 Founds new colony of La Isabela. 1494/4/24 Sails from Isabela in search of mainland. 1494/4/30 Arrives at Cuba. 1494/5/5 Arrives at Jamaica. 1494/5/14 Returns to Cuba. 1494/6/13 Starts the return to Hispaniola. 1494/8/20 Returns to La Isabela on Hispaniola and takes up his role of governor. 1494-1495 Open warfare breaks out between the colonial Spaniards and the Taino. 1496/3/10 Departs from La Isabela for Spain. 1496/6/8 Reaches the coast of Portugal.

The Third Voyage:

The Second Voyage:

The Fourth Voyage:

1502/5/11 Departs from Cádiz, Spain, with four ships. 1502/6/29 Arrives at Santo Domingo, Hispaniola. 1502/7/30 Arrives at the Mosquito Coast, modern Nicaragua. 1503/1/9 Establishes garrison at Rio Belen. 1503/4/6 Garrison attacked by Indians and abandoned. 1503/4/16 Leaves Rio Belen for home. 1503/6/25 Sinking ships beached and abandoned at Jamaica, marooning crew. 1504/6/29 Crew rescued from Jamaica after more than a year on the island. 1504/11/7 Columbus returns to Spain. 1506/5/20 Columbus dies at Valladolid.