In 1451 A.D. Christopher Columbus was born in the city of Genoa in Italy. From his Childhood, he was influenced by reading the travelogue of Marco Polo and other writings concerning sea voyage.
He became eager to sail westward in order to reach Asia. The writings of Florentine geographer Toscanelli convinced him that he could return to the same place even after travelling around the earth because it is round.
He gained maritime experience both in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and entered the service of King John II of Portugal. He appealed to the Portuguese king for finance to undertake sea voyage in Atlantic Ocean but the king denied. Columbus also failed to get help from Genoa and Venice.
Being disappointed, Columbus went to Spain and met King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. He painted a rosy picture in the mind of the king and queen that the voyage in sea would enable him to bring immense wealth and countless slaves to Spain. At last Ferdinand and Isabella gave their consent for the proposed sea voyage of Columbus.
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On 3 August, 1492, Columbus sailed from the harbour of Polos near Cadiz with 88 men in three little ships named Santamaria, Pinta and Nina. He sailed his ships southward from Spain and reached the Canary Islands. On 6 September, Columbus left the Canary Islands and embarked on his real voyage.
The ships sailed westward and lost sight of land on the second day, the ships sailed weak after weak on the waters of Atlantic but sailors found no trace of new lands. Most of the crew of the ships lost their hopes of returning to Spain. They became impatience and rebellious.
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Columbus tactfully pacified them giving new hopes and aspirations. The food grains were finished. On 7 October, 1492, they saw birds flying in the sky. Columbus led the ships in that direction and five days later, he with his sailors landed on one of the Bahami Islands and planted there the flag of Spain.
During the next few months Columbus sailed to Cuba and Haiti. He discovered the islands near the mainland of North America. He called the inhabitants of those lands as ‘Red Indians’. He brought some natives, plants, birds, gold and coffee with him and reached Spain in 1493. Columbus was greeted by the people of Portugal.
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella showered favour upon Columbus and eagerly listened to his tales relating to his voyage to the new lands which he had discovered. He went in sea voyage for the second time in 1993 with 1500 men to Jamaica Island. In 1498 he went on sea voyage for the third time and discovered Trinidad.
In 1502 he went on sea voyage for the last time and discovered Handuras and other islands. Till his death in 1506, Columbus did not know that he had discovered the new continent of America. Later on, a sailor named Amerigo Vespussi named those lands discovered by as America which was named after him. The adventurous sea voyage of Columbus made his name immoral in the annals of world history.