The year 1492 marked a pivotal moment in world history, first by Christopher Columbus’ legendary voyage across the Atlantic and second the forcible expulsion of Jews from Spain.
For centuries, these events were viewed as separate threads in the tapestry of time. Now, a groundbreaking documentary suggests they may be intricately interwoven. Far from being an Italian-born Catholic, as commonly believed, evidence now points to Columbus being a Spanish Jew who concealed his true identity.
“We have DNA from Christopher Columbus, very partial, but sufficient. We have DNA from Hernando Colón, his son. Both in the Y chromosome and in the mitochondrial DNA of Hernando, there are traits compatible with Jewish origin,” says lead forensic expert Miguel Lorente in Columbus DNA: The true origin.
From Spain to the Caribbean and back, different nations have claimed the right to house his tomb, each seeing in Columbus a symbol of their own historical importance and connection to a pivotal moment in world history. However, the accepted narrative among the scientific community is that Columbus’ remains returned to Seville in 1898, nearly 400 years after his recorded death in 1506.
To grasp the significance of this discovery, it’s important to understand the Spain of Columbus’ time. The late 15th century saw the culmination of the Spanish Inquisition’s power, a period of intense Jewish persecution. On March 31, 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella signed the Alhambra Decree, ordering all Jews to convert to Christianity or leave Spain within four months.
The exodus that followed was nothing short of tragic. Nearly 200,000 Jews frantically sought passage out of Spain, facing treacherous journeys and uncertain futures. Some 50,000 chose to stay, maintaining their traditions in secret at great personal risk.
It was against this backdrop of Jewish persecution that Columbus set sail just one day after the deadline for expulsion on August 3, 1492. If the new findings are correct, Columbus would have embarked on his journey carrying not only the weight of his royal mission but also the burden of a dangerous secret.”=
