When was Christopher Columbus born?

Christopher Columbus was born on 1451 in Genoa.

What positions has Christopher Columbus held?

Positions held by Christopher Columbus include: Viceroy of the Indies (1492–1506); Governor of the Indies (1492–1500).

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Christopher Columbus

क्रिस्टोफर कोलम्बस

Italian navigator, explorer, and colonist (1451–1506)

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Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish transatlantic voyages in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas. His expeditions were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Quick facts

Born: 1451 wd
Place of birth: Genoa wd
Died: 20 May 1506 wd
Place of death: Valladolid wd
Citizenship: Republic of Genoa wd
Occupation: explorer, seafarer, traveler, sailor, inventor wd
Spouse: Beatriz Enríquez de Arana wd

Positions held wd

Viceroy of the Indies (17 April 1492 – 20 May 1506)
Governor of the Indies (1492–1500)

About

Growing up on the coast of Liguria, he went to sea at a young age and traveled widely, as far north as the British and Irish Isles and as far south as what is now Ghana. He married Portuguese noblewoman Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who bore a son, Diego, and was based in Lisbon for several years. He later took a Castilian mistress, Beatriz Enríquez de Arana, who bore a son, Ferdinand.

Largely self-educated, Columbus was knowledgeable in geography, astronomy, and history. He developed a plan to seek a western sea passage to the East Indies, hoping to profit from the lucrative spice trade. After the Granada War, and Columbus's persistent lobbying in multiple kingdoms, the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, agreed to sponsor a journey west. Columbus left the Port of Palos in August 1492 with three ships and made landfall in the Americas on 12 October, ending the period of human habitation in the Americas now referred to as the pre-Columbian era. His landing place was an island in the Bahamas, known by its native inhabitants as Guanahani. He then visited the islands now known as Cuba and Hispaniola, establishing a colony in what is now Haiti. Columbus returned to Castile in early 1493, with captured natives. Word of his voyage soon spread throughout Europe.

Columbus made three further voyages to the Americas, exploring the Lesser Antilles in 1493, Trinidad and the northern coast of South America in 1498, and the east coast of Central…

Questions

When was Christopher Columbus born?: Christopher Columbus was born on 1451 in Genoa.
What positions has Christopher Columbus held?: Positions held by Christopher Columbus include: Viceroy of the Indies (1492–1506); Governor of the Indies (1492–1500).

Sources

Last updated 31 October 2026 · facts checked 4 November 2026

Cite this page

"Christopher Columbus". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/christopher-columbus. Retrieved 5 November 2026.

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Text from the Wikipedia article Christopher Columbus, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Portrait of a Man, Said to be Christopher Columbus.jpg — Sebastiano del Piombo, Public domain.

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