Columbus Departs for Final Voyage to the Americas
Columbus departed Cadiz, Spain, on May 9, 1502, with four caravels and 150 men on his fourth and final voyage. He was 51, arthritic, and partially blind. The voyage was a disaster: he was denied entry to Santo Domingo, survived a hurricane that destroyed a rival fleet, explored the coasts of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and was shipwrecked on Jamaica for a year when his worm-eaten ships became unseaworthy. Columbus was rescued in June 1504 and returned to Spain in November. He spent his remaining years petitioning King Ferdinand for the titles and revenues he believed he was owed. He died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, still believing he had reached the outskirts of Asia rather than a continent unknown to Europeans.
May 9, 1502
524 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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