Christopher Columbus and Early Spanish Colonization

Portugal begins settlements in Madeira

1420

Portugese Settlements in Azores

1427

Diogo de Tieve sails westward from Portugal

1450

returns back after hitting the cold weather around Newfoundland because of lack of supplies, but figures there must be land around

Christopher Columbus born

1451

Portugese Discover Gold Coast

1471

Conquest of Granada

Period: Oct 1, 1481 to Jan 2, 1492

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/conquest-of-grenada

Columbus's Proposal to John II of Portugal

1484

Denied by experts of court

Catholic Monarchs meet with Columbus

Jun 1, 1486

Too busy with Grenada, but give him allowance so he doesn't leave

Portugese Find Indian Ocean

1488

Alhambre Decree

Mar 31, 1492

Jews kicked out

First Depature form Spain

Aug 3, 1492

Columbus's Crew Spots land

Oct 12, 1492

After 36 days of travel

Christopher Columbus Governor of Indies

Period: Oct 21, 1492 to May 21, 1499

Brother acts as de facto governor while he is gone most of time

Shipwreck

Dec 24, 1492

Before leaving back to Spain, the Santa Marina crashed in Hispaniola, so he made a settlement (La Navidad) with the men and ship and sailed back to Spain

First return to Spain

Mar 15, 1493

Second Voyage Starts

Sep 25, 1493

After showing his riches from New World, leaves again with 17 ships, 1,300 salaried men, about 200 investors and a small troop of calvary and Friars

Second Voyage Landing

Nov 28, 1493

Comes back to see Spanish-Taino settlement of La Navidad in ruins. Taino's said that other Taino group slaughtered The Spanish because they raped women and killed men

Arrives at future spot of La Isabela

Jan 2, 1494

Goes 100 miles east of La Navidad and goes to spot where he'd found La Isabela. Leaky water casks made the sailors thirsty yet he still had the men clear and plant vegetables, erect a two story fortress and erect stone walls and build ~200 houses.

Antonio de Torres leaves La Isabela

Feb 2, 1494

Takes 12 ships, some stuff and captives to go and complain about Columbus. Torres Memorandum

Established Santo Tomas

Mar 17, 1494

in the Cibao Valley in Hispaniola which was thought to have gold

Columbus sets off to find China

Apr 24, 1494

Leaves military commander Pedro Margarit in charge and to lead 400 men to Interior to find gold. Finds little gold and little food.

Pedro Margarit leaves to Spain

May 1, 1494

While Columbus was on his exploration to find China, Margarit had been told to try and find gold and make good with the natives, but after finding little gold he took large he returned to Spain with three ships and caused factions among the men. He was trying to call the enterprise a waste and say Columbus was incompetent. Unsure on date

Treaty of Tordesillas

Jun 7, 1494

Columbus Oath that he Found Cathay

Jun 12, 1494

Columbus made the men with him swear an oath that they had found Cathay, but many disagreed with that

Returns from China Searching

Aug 24, 1494

No food is left because Maragrit took it all. Spaindards resorted to raiding Taino food storage houses which starts a war between them. 3 Taino groups vs Spainards and one other Taino group. Total Victory would be total disaster since they needed their food. No one really won

Spain invovled in Italian Wars

Period: Mar 31, 1495 to Apr 1, 1498

Lands in Spain for second time

Jun 11, 1496

Brings riches back but the Queen and King are slightly disapointed

John Cabot Discovers New Foundland

Jun 24, 1497

Portugese Discover new Route to India

1498

Third Voyage Begins

May 30, 1498

leaves Spain with six ships. Three with explorers and three with provisions for Hispaniola

Columbus lands in Dominica

Aug 1, 1498

Journey took longer than expected because of Doldrums, had to refuel on water

Explores Gulf of Paria

Period: Aug 4, 1498 to Aug 12, 1498

First time that Europeans had seen South America

Knew he had discovered a new continent

Aug 15, 1498

Arrives in Santo Domingo

Aug 20, 1498

(approx date.) Columbus finds that settlers had revolted due to lack of wealth that they had gotten (only trickles of gold)

Francisco de Bobabilla Governor of Indies

Period: May 21, 1499 to Sep 3, 1501

Took over Columbus. Got recalled to Spain because abolished Mining Taxes

Columbus's arrives to Spain in Shackles

Oct 20, 1500

Francisco de Bobadilla was sent with a Royal Commission to investigate complaints and Jailed Christopher and his Brother Bartholomew

Columbus's Released

Dec 20, 1500

Columbus wrote a letter while on the boat back that showed the grandeur of it all and the Bibicalness of it. And he was able to convince the Monarchs of his ability as a navigator.

Portugese being colonizing Brazil

1501

Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres Governor of Indies

Period: Sep 3, 1501 to 1509

Ovando arrives in Hispaniola

Apr 15, 1502

sometime in April

Sets Sail on Fourth and Last Venture

May 25, 1502

Monarchs had pity on him almost. He was only given 4 ships but Governor Ovando was given thirty, he was also not allowed to go to Hispaniola. Was looking for Straight of Malacca in Central America

Columbus lands on Maritinque

Jun 15, 1502

Fastest crossing yet

Tries to enter Hispaniloa

Jun 29, 1502

Ovando woulnd't let him in, even though he had been banned by monarchs from entering. A storm was coming and Columbus even said for the 20 treaure ships to wait, they didn't but 20 ships sank.

Explored the Caribean more so

Period: Jul 1, 1502 to Jun 1, 1503

Explored coast of Jamaica, Southern Cuba Hounduras and Nicaragua, Searched for gold in Panama. Lost one ship due to ship worms

Builds fort garison in Rio Belen (western Panama)

Jan 9, 1503

Tries to look for gold in Extreme weather conditions, loses a ship to the river receding, and another from leaky too bad from ship worms.Garrison had to be abandoned in April because of constant Indian attacks.

Castaway in Jamaica

Jun 1, 1503

Able to get food via scaring natives with an eclipse, turned north too soon to Jamaica instead of Hispaniola against his judgement. Diego Mendez, one of Columbus's captians bought a canoe from a local chief and sailed it to Hispaniola.

Rescuers arrived

Jun 29, 1504

Ovando didn't rush to help him, even though people rowed 450 miles to tell him. Ovando imprisoned the people trying to tell him and woulnd't give them a ship to rescue them.

Columbus returns to Spain for the last time

Nov 7, 1504

Columbus dies

May 20, 1506