Spanish colonists in America even turned against Columbus.
He treated them harshly, with even minor crimes like theft getting punished by execution. Columbus also refused to tolerate personal attacks, with one woman who spoke of his common birth forcing to parade naked as punishment.
She later also had her tongue cut out, which Columbus considered a just punishment for staining his family’s honor. This along with his mismanagement of the colonies led to the Spanish Crown stripping him of rank and status in 1500. He then found himself shipped back to Europe in chains as a prisoner charged with incompetence and even tyranny.
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Columbus lived in denial of his discovery of a new continent until his death.
Instead, he constantly insisted that the islands he found lay only a short distance away from Asia. He even once described Cuba to Pope Alexander VI as the east coast of Asia, despite all evidence otherwise.
The cause of Columbus’ death remains a matter of debate to this day.
According to records, Columbus suffered from periodic attacks of gout. The first attack in fact took place at sea, during his first expedition to the Americas, while on the way back to Europe.
The attacks increased in frequency and severity over the years, eventually leading to his death. Other records also testify that Columbus suffered severely from the flu, as well as bleeding from the eyes, and even temporary blindness. This has led modern scholars to consider the possibility that Columbus didn’t actually suffer from gout.
Instead, they think he suffered from reactive arthritis, resulting from intestinal bacterial infections caused by food poisoning from bad food during his expeditions.
His final resting place also remains a mystery to this day.
Photo by MiguelAngel fotografo from Wikipedia
Columbus’ traditional resting place lies in the Cathedral of Seville in Spain. Scholars had DNA samples taken from his remains in 2003 and tested against those of brother and son. The only thing they could prove was that the body in the Seville Cathedral shared the same mother as Columbus’ brother.
While most scholars accept it as proof that Columbus truly rests in the Cathedral of Seville, others remain skeptical. In particular, they point out how Columbus’ supposed bones do not match his historical physique at the time of his death.
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