Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus (c. 1451-1506) was a Genoese navigator whose 1492 voyage across the Atlantic initiated sustained contact between Europe and the Americas. Driven by the conviction that Asia could be reached by sailing west, he secured the support of Spain's Ferdinand and Isabella. While his geographical calculations were significantly flawed, underestimating the Earth's size, they led him to the Caribbean islands, which he believed were the East Indies. His initial success brought him immense fame, but his subsequent voyages were marred by poor administration and conflict. Ultimately, Columbus's legacy is defined by the 'Columbian Exchange': a global transfer of goods and ideas that reshaped the world, but also brought catastrophic disease and enslavement to Indigenous populations. He died in 1506, largely unaware of the magnitude of his accidental discovery, leaving a legacy that remains deeply contested and historically transformative.