Third Voyage – 1498-1500 CE
In 1498, Christopher Columbus set sail on his third voyage, obsessive with the idea of discovering a western route to the wealth of Asia. But this time his fleet had grown to six ships and a more varied crew, including colonists and administrators. Their journey this time would not lead them to a direct path westwards, but rather to the south, to Trinidad and the Paria Peninsula in present-day Venezuela. This change was motivated by a rapidly growing perspective that the Indies might lay more toward the south than they had originally anticipated.
Further Exploration
- Landing on the land of Trinidad, he encountered vast unmapped land that he mistakenly believed to be an island on the peripheries of the mainland. Professionally exploring the Gulf of Paria, the fleet reached Orinoco, a mighty river belief from which were his claims that opened up before him into a vast open land.
- Columbus was forced to take severe measures such as killing the offender and organizing expeditions aimed at collecting the gold, which would only escalate the situation among people already hostile towards each other.
- When he arrived at the newly-established colony in 1499, he found it in shambles. For two following years Columbus was under the intensive stress trying to maintain order in Hispaniola.
- Columbus brutally oppressed the local population and established a severe regime of forced labor in an attempt to acquire gold and other valuable items.
Christopher Columbus: Biography, Voyages & Facts
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. His exploration opened the way for widespread European exploration as it inspired other explorers leading to discoveries of new lands and territories across the globe.
It also unintentionally led to the discovery of the Americas, which were previously unknown to Europeans. He is a popular but controversial figure as he is well celebrated in America, especially the United States but is also criticized for the negative impacts on the indigenous people of America.
Table of Content
- Early Life of Christopher Columbus
- Journey to Spain
- First Voyage: 1492-1493 CE
- Second Voyage – 1493-1496 CE
- Third Voyage – 1498-1500 CE
- Fourth Voyage: 1502-1504 CE
- Facts About Christopher Columbus