The Great Explorers: The European Discovery of America by Samuel Eliot Morison

Author:Samuel Eliot Morison [Morison, Samuel Eliot]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, North America, European History
ISBN: 9780195042221
Google: JnotvLHX80gC
Amazon: 0195042220
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 1986-04-14T22:00:00+00:00

Isabella of Castile. Flemish school. Original in Windsor Castle. Courtesy, Keeper of H.M. Paintings. Windsor Castle.

Ferdinand of Aragon. Flemish School. Original in Windsor Castle. Courtesy, Keeper of H.M. Paintings, Windsor Castle.

Even in our day we have known men of great strength of character who felt inspired by God in the pursuit of some ideal goal, who exasperated people who held other views, and were almost impossible to fight against. You can argue your head off against people like that, but they always come up with a fresh argument.

The Talavera commission, meeting at Salamanca around Christmas-tide 1486, could not agree. Its deliberations have been distorted by Washington Irving and other writers into a debate as to whether the world was round or flat. Actually, we know nothing definite about the arguments, but we may be certain that since the commission consisted of men of learning, the sphericity of the earth never came into question. At least one member, Diego de Deza. favored the Great Enterprise, and it was doubtless due to his influence, or Talavera’s, that early in 1487 Columbus received a retaining fee of 12,000 maravedis a year, the pay of an able seaman, enough to support a man of his simple tastes.24

Christmas of 1487 passed without any report from the Talavera commission. So, early in 1488, Columbus wrote to D. João II of Portugal, requesting another hearing and asking for a safe-conduct from arrest for his unpaid bills in Lisbon. The King replied promptly and most cordially, urging Columbus to come immediately, and promising protection. The probable reason for this sudden and flattering change of attitude was that Bartholomew’ Dias, embarked on one more Portuguese attempt to reach the Indies by rounding Africa, had been gone seven months and nothing had yet been heard from him.

For want of funds, Christopher delayed leaving for Lisbon, and before he and his brother Bartholomew (who had remained there) could “do business” with the King, Dias returned. The Columbus brothers were present in December 1488 when his three caravels sailed proudly up the Tagus. Dias had rounded the southernmost cape of Africa—the Cape of Good Hope as the King named it—and sailed well up the east coast, when the men mutinied and forced him to turn hack. But he had discovered a sea route to India. That ended D. João’s interest in Columbus. Why now invest money in a doubtful West-to-the-Orient project?

Around New Year’s 1489 the Columbus brothers decided on a plan of action. Christopher returned to Spain where he still hoped for support from the slow-moving Talavera commission, while Bartholomew sold his chart-making business and embarked on a long journey to persuade some other prince to support the Great Enterprise. Henry VII of England, first to be approached, turned him down flat. Bartholomew then proceeded to France, where Anne de Beaujeu, sister to King Charles VIII, befriended him and employed him to make charts for her at Fontainebleau. Through her, Bartholomew became friendly with the French king, but never obtained any real prospect of his support.

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