Catalan Christopher Columbus, as born in territory belonging to the Kingdom of Aragon

Luis Franco y LĂłpez

Catalan Christopher Columbus, as born in territory belonging to the Kingdom of Aragon | Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library


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Of the Abbé Casanova's latest research turns out not was born in Genoa Christopher Columbus, as generally believed, but in Calvi, strong city of the island of Corsica; and hence, according to the Temps of Paris, have begun actively in that city the Preparations for the festivities to celebrate the fourth centenary of the discovery of the Americas. And as a consequence of the As a result of the above investigations, the United States – United States, does not they only intend to take a special part in this solemnity, but it is assured, as read in some newspapers, which by a decree of the President will be Declared citizens of the American Republic inhabitants of that island.

This important discovery of the Abbe Casanova, which comes to confirm the that in the first half of the present century made M. Guibega, Prefect of Corsica1, shows that it is not Italy — 241→ but Spain that can boast of being a homeland from which a New World gave it. And the reason is Very simple. When Columbus was born, he was well Place the date of this birth in the year 1430, as They want some, or in 1435 or 36 as one assures of his contemporaries and close friends, the Corsica was part of the crown of Aragon. It is known that it was ceded in 1297 to King D. Jaime II by the pontiff Boniface VIII; and even if it were true that the Genoese seized that island in 1481, which until So, as some historians say, They had been able to achieve despite their repeated attempts, and even if it were, as others say, that in 1440 It would have been conquered on their own by the family of the Genoese Campo Fregosa, it would always be the result that, the Aragonese having hitherto been installed in it, to whom he belonged by law, he was Aragonese Christopher Columbus when he was born; with the greater reason, as Zurita refers in lib. VIII, chapter 28 of his Annals, D. Pedro IV of Aragon in 1348, grateful to the fidelity and constancy that in the Events of that time manifested some companies of Corsicans, who were in the defense of Sácer (Sardinia), all the time that the barons of Oria had her surrounded, she ordered that from then on all Corsicans who were and dwelt in any city and people of Sardinia were treated as Catalans and Aragonese.

No need refer to the multitude of facts with which the kings of Aragon manifested in those centuries the exercise of sovereignty that they had in Corsica, such as the appointment of the -242→ governors who were to govern the island, according to Zurita, lib. VI, ch. 56; what it refers to in Lib. V, chapter 60, on the legacy sent by the Pope in the year 1303 to the prelates, counts and barons of Sardinia and Corsica, to recognize and obey as king that of Aragon, and what it also says in lib. X, ch. 78, that "in the year 1404, Vincent of Istria, nephew of Count Arrigo of the Rock, who he was very powerful in Corsica, imitating his uncle. who was very faithful to the crown of Aragon, gathering the people who were of his partiality with an armed hand and With various means, he made so that most of the island put himself in the obedience of the king, having sent himself to that part of Vincentus was defended and that the Remaining some galleys and people with whom he passed this to the island, going by Captain García de Latras, which was put in the castle of Cinerca, etc." There is also no great Need to remember what another of our Historians2 about the armada that gathered D. Alfonso V to pass personally with her to the kingdoms of Sicily and Sardinia, and secure them in their obedience; So what after having finished holding the second of them, together with the land status of the court of Arboréa, he went to Corsica to attend the counts of Istria his vassals, and surrendered to Calvi (homeland of Columbus) and the main force of the island in the city of Bonifacio. Nor is there any reason to dwell on draw the consequences that could be deduced (taking into account the circumstances that often suffered the same fate this island and that of Sardinia, and having come to pass that of Corsica held by Genoa) of which the Zurita himself refers in chapters 15 and 36 of book XX of his Annals, and Mariana in the 5, 11 and 18 of book XX of its History of Spain. And there is no reason for take care of it, for the reason that, even if it were It is true that in fact they had ceased to possess that island The Aragonese in 1481 and even in 1440, continued considering themselves sovereigns of law, and they were indeed, at least until the time of Philip II, since which Zurita himself refers to in lib. XIII, chap. 8, -243→ it was then that he secured himself to Genoa in the lordship of the island, although below of the protection and protection of that king. And so much is Thus, in the oath that according to the fueros of Aragon lent the same king in La Seo de Zaragoza in 1563, committing itself to compliance with the statute and ordination made by King D. James, to keep united perpetually and under one scepter The kingdoms and counties that made up the crown of Aragon, said among other things to this purpose: 'Ita quod quicumque sit Rex Aragonum idem etiam sit Rex Regnorum Valentiae, Maioricarum, Sardiniae et Corsicae, ac Comes Barcinonae Rossilionis et Ceritaniae" (Murillo, trat. 2, ch. 8).

Consequently With the same reason, with the same right that it maintains France that was French Napoleon I for having Born in a territory that only a few months before belonged to that nation3, with the same, and even greater if possible, Spain can sustain who was Spanish, as born within the states of Aragon the discoverer of the New World.

The one that in the document of February 22, 1498 in which Columbus founded his mayorazgo, said of "which city from Genoa I have gone out and in which I was born," and the than answering the court of St. George on December 8, 1502 He called a letter of his "amatissimus concivis" and á Genoa «original homeland of vestra claritudine,' which are the main reasons for Until now that city had fought at the many who disputed this honor (Cogoleto, Bugiasco, Finale, Fifth, Nervi on the Rivera, Savona, Pavestrella, Arbizoli near of Savona, Cosseria between Millesimo and Carease, Val de Oneglia, Castel de Cucaro between Alexandria and Casales, Placencia and Pradello in the Placentino)4, They are not sufficient reasons to destroy what of the investigations of the Abbe Casanova, it seems, turns out; —244→ because of the fact that he was raised, according to some, in Genoa, it would be by his contemporaries as a native of that city, and of that at the time such documents were written the Genoese had apparently seized Corsica, for what they would consider as fellow citizens yours those born on that island, it is to be believed that no I would oppose this concept, because its vanity would be more flattered with appearing son of a City so illustrious and enlightened, and what an important role represented in the events of those centuries, that with being from an island of little value, which had no On the contrary, it was passing from one hand to the other of which it is so often Disputed5.