TALES OF THE HISTORY

The legend of Colon.

The three caravels that never existed.

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Colon, departed toward America knowing perfectly the route, knowing to the fact that navigation distance would find some lands that they were not " Western Indias", exposing the tests than what was asserting in the just moment. And what is most important: returned and writed us "its" version.

This page is part of a historical study more complete. Any suggestion, opinion, bibliographical reference, or datum that could provide us, it will be well received in our mailbox.

Isabel Domínguez (History licenciate). José A. Hurtado (Aeronautic engineer).

  Tenerife La Laguna University.   Canari Islands (Spain) Government    Madrid Polytechnical University

INITIAL ITEMS

Colon proposes to Portugal and Spain, a new "commercial route" navigating toward west, whose duration is rejected by the better world experts in sciences of the navigation and calculation: The Navigators School of Portugal, and theUniversity of Salamanca.

The theoretical objective of the route, was to arrive to the territories of the "Gran Khan" , in a way more rapid for, fundamentally, to improve the silk and spices trade.

INCONGRUENT FACTS.

In spite of the first point Portugal, to backs of Colon, sends an expedition that it did not return and continue the indications that the future Admiral gave to the experts; and Castille subsidizes the trip with 55 million of current pesetas. The two kingdoms invested strong add of money without having they real tests of the viability of the Colon's project ?.

In spite of the second point, Colon requests in the Capitulaciones: 15% of the uncovered territories, and the title of Virrey in all they, more 10% of the customs rights. Miss pretensions to reach some lands that is supposed have owner, and without carrying with himself military element some.

Colon part with two empty ships, and without money or commodities to negotiate to "change" of the spices that was I brought. What does not let of be paradoxical when, simply, it goes (by a new route) to other kingdom to buy and sell.

The provisioning ship, carries the exact rations according to the calculation of Colon, and due to defect lag suffered in the sea from the Sargassos, without said lag the food and the water are had adapted perfectly to the precalculation. Surprising chance when someone travels "at random".

WHICH WAS THE AUTHENTIC COLON PROJECT?.

WITH WHICH TESTS CAUSED THAT THE KINGS OF PORTUGAL AND SPAIN, IN SPITE OF THE EXPERTS, INVESTED MONEY IN THE PROJECT?


©Copyright I. Domínguez y J. Hurtado - 21/02/98

Since this presentation intends be popularaizing, they have been suppressed all the foot notes and existing bibliographical references in the original.

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