Flossi Celebrates the Voyage of Christopher Columbus

After Christopher Columbus’s four voyages to the New World, his life was marked by a decline in fortune and prestige. Despite the early excitement over his discoveries, Columbus faced mounting difficulties, particularly during his governorship of Hispaniola, where his harsh rule sparked rebellion among colonists and indigenous populations. Reports of mismanagement and cruelty led the Spanish Crown to strip him of his governorship, and in 1500, Columbus was arrested and returned to Spain in chains.

Upon returning to Spain, Columbus appealed to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who ordered his release but refused to restore his titles of Admiral of the Ocean Sea and Viceroy of the Indies. However, they allowed him to make a fourth voyage in 1502, hoping to find a westward passage to the Indian Ocean. This final voyage, embarked upon with determination, was marred by numerous difficulties, including shipwrecks, hostile encounters with Indigenous groups, and a long period of being stranded in Jamaica. Despite these hardships, Columbus persevered, failed to discover a passage, and returned to Spain in 1504, where his health and status severely diminished.

Columbus spent his remaining years in Valladolid, Spain, lobbying the Spanish court to restore his privileges and the wealth promised to him under his original contracts. He faced ongoing financial difficulties, as much of the wealth generated by his discoveries went to others or the Crown. Gout and other illnesses afflicted him, and he died on May 20, 1506, at the age of 54. The public largely forgot Columbus at his death, and he never fully regained the wealth or recognition he sought.