This past sunday I purchased a book titled "The Last Voyage of Columbus" by Martin Dugard.
For those of you who might develop an interest in reading this book, the ISBN is 0-316-15456-3 for the paperback which was published in May 2006.
In any case, I have to say this is one of my favorite books on Columbus and his voyages.
First, the author is extremely good. The book reads almost like a novel and I did find this book to be a page turner. I couldn't put the book down and the best of it all is that its based on an obviously true story!
As expected, much of the book revolves around Columbus and his voyages, but the author also focused on various occasions to the workings of a typical caravel in those times, the original settlement and design of Santo Domingo, etc.
There were several conclusive points that I got out of the book:
1. As I have always believed, Columbus was not responsible for the genocide of the Amerindians. While many modern people love to blame Columbus for the suffering of the natives, the truth is that Columbus did not had in his nature the desire to mistreat these people. If anyone should be blamed for such mistreatment, it should be Francisco Roldan who forced Columbus to ceade part of Hispaniola for him to do as he wished, including abusing the Taino. Another one is Francisco Bobadilla, with his lust for power and accusing Columbus of wrong doing. After he managed to send Columbus back to Spain in chains, he went to become a true oppressor, even forcing the Tainos to pull the carts which comfortably carried the Spanish administrators, as if the Tainos were horses or donkeys. Alonso de Ojeda who robbed the indians, raped their women, and killed them almost for pleasure. And worst of all was Nicolas de Ovando who insisted that the only way Tainos could be "pacified" was by killing their caciques, converting them to Catholicism, and killing the rest who refused.
2. Columbus and Queen Isabella perhaps had strong feelings towards each other. This could have had an impact as to why Isabella was so interested in pleasing Columbus's desires to embark on his risky adventure. Also, once Isabella was told of the atrocities some of the Spaniards were doing to the Tainos, Isabella immediately ordered such atrocities to end, the perpetrators chained and sent to Spain for judgement, and to uphold the natives with the most respects. Having said this, everyone but the most diehard adhered to such demands. Many, unfortunately, did not.
3. Most of the men travelling with Columbus never respected him. They only adhered to his demands while they were at sea, because he was the most talented sailor in his caravels. But the moment they made it to shore, whether it was in Santo Domingo or in Jamaica or in Veragua (modern Panama) or anywhere else; many of the crew members were ready to create mutiny and in several occassions they almost killed Columbus out of jealousy, greed, and sometimes just pure hatred for the man.
There were many other interesting points I grasped from this, too many to list them here.
I highly recommend everyone to read this book. It sure brings back to life a story that has always been in the conscious of man ever since Columbus set sail from Spain across the great sea in 1492.
Very good book of a historical figure that is constantly misunderstood by so called historians and amateurs alike!
-NALs
For those of you who might develop an interest in reading this book, the ISBN is 0-316-15456-3 for the paperback which was published in May 2006.
In any case, I have to say this is one of my favorite books on Columbus and his voyages.
First, the author is extremely good. The book reads almost like a novel and I did find this book to be a page turner. I couldn't put the book down and the best of it all is that its based on an obviously true story!
As expected, much of the book revolves around Columbus and his voyages, but the author also focused on various occasions to the workings of a typical caravel in those times, the original settlement and design of Santo Domingo, etc.
There were several conclusive points that I got out of the book:
1. As I have always believed, Columbus was not responsible for the genocide of the Amerindians. While many modern people love to blame Columbus for the suffering of the natives, the truth is that Columbus did not had in his nature the desire to mistreat these people. If anyone should be blamed for such mistreatment, it should be Francisco Roldan who forced Columbus to ceade part of Hispaniola for him to do as he wished, including abusing the Taino. Another one is Francisco Bobadilla, with his lust for power and accusing Columbus of wrong doing. After he managed to send Columbus back to Spain in chains, he went to become a true oppressor, even forcing the Tainos to pull the carts which comfortably carried the Spanish administrators, as if the Tainos were horses or donkeys. Alonso de Ojeda who robbed the indians, raped their women, and killed them almost for pleasure. And worst of all was Nicolas de Ovando who insisted that the only way Tainos could be "pacified" was by killing their caciques, converting them to Catholicism, and killing the rest who refused.
2. Columbus and Queen Isabella perhaps had strong feelings towards each other. This could have had an impact as to why Isabella was so interested in pleasing Columbus's desires to embark on his risky adventure. Also, once Isabella was told of the atrocities some of the Spaniards were doing to the Tainos, Isabella immediately ordered such atrocities to end, the perpetrators chained and sent to Spain for judgement, and to uphold the natives with the most respects. Having said this, everyone but the most diehard adhered to such demands. Many, unfortunately, did not.
3. Most of the men travelling with Columbus never respected him. They only adhered to his demands while they were at sea, because he was the most talented sailor in his caravels. But the moment they made it to shore, whether it was in Santo Domingo or in Jamaica or in Veragua (modern Panama) or anywhere else; many of the crew members were ready to create mutiny and in several occassions they almost killed Columbus out of jealousy, greed, and sometimes just pure hatred for the man.
There were many other interesting points I grasped from this, too many to list them here.
I highly recommend everyone to read this book. It sure brings back to life a story that has always been in the conscious of man ever since Columbus set sail from Spain across the great sea in 1492.
Very good book of a historical figure that is constantly misunderstood by so called historians and amateurs alike!
-NALs
