1502 - Exploration, Colonization

Exploration, Colonization

Ferdinand and Isabella return all the titles and honors that were taken from Christopher Columbus after his arrest 2 years ago; he embarks at Cádiz May 9 on a fourth voyage to the New World, this time with 150 men in four caravels that take 3 months to make the Atlantic crossing, forcing the crews to eat wormy biscuit (dried bread), sharkmeat, and ships' rats in order to survive. Evading a hurricane, Columbus discovers St. Lucia, the island of Guanaja off Honduras, Honduras itself, Costa Rica, and the Isthmus of Panama (see 1503).

Some 2,500 new colonists arrive at Hispaniola in the largest fleet ever to cross the Atlantic. Ferdinand II of Aragon installs Nicolás de Ovando, 51, as first royal governor of the new colony, replacing Francisco de Bobadilla as governor of all Spanish colonies in the West Indies. Having failed to restore order at Santo Domingo, Bobadilla sets sail for Spain in June, a hurricane off the coast of Hispaniola destroys almost his entire fleet, he is lost with all the rest on his ship, but a few ships escape, including one carrying Christopher Columbus's gold.

Christopher Columbus lands June 15 on what later will be called Martinique, an island he sighted 9 years ago; he leaves some pigs and goats (see 1635) and arrives at Santo Domingo on Hispaniola June 29. Refused entry by the royal governor Nicolás de Ovando, he reaches Bonacca Island off Honduras July 30 and tries to find a strait leading west (see 1503).

Amerigo Vespucci returns to Lisbon July 2 from a second voyage to the New World (see 1501). An account of this voyage will be the basis of the name America (see 1504; Waldseemüller, 1507).

Bologna-born adventurer Ludovico di Varthema, 34, embarks at Venice in late December on a journey that will take him to Egypt, Syria, Arabia, Persia, India, Ceylon, Burma, Malaya, Java, Malacca, Sumatra, and Banda (see 1503).