Columbus and the Jewish connection
Sol Beton
Are Jews concerned that Columbus may have been descended from a Spanish Jewish converso family that fled from Catalonia after the pogrom of 1391 and finally settled in Genoa? Well, according to Salvador de Madariaga, Spanish historian and statesman, they should be aware of his background and the Jewish Connection. In Trying to dispute or disprove his Italian origin, his research delves deeply into his Spanish Jewish background.
The mystery of Columbus has puzzled scholars for generations. There is no question as to the Jewish influence that surrounded his life.
That Columbus himself was of Jewish origin has not been proved beyond any doubt despite Salvador Madariaga’s persuasive book “Cristobal Colon”. He received help from Gabriel Sanchez, the high treasure of the Kingdom of Aragon, and Luis de santangel, chancellor and controller of the royal household of Aragon, both conversos. Santangel was responsible for introducing Columbus to Queen Isabella, having advanced 5 million maravedis to finance his expedition.
Columbus relied on the astronomical tables and Jacob’s staff invented by Levi ben Gershom ‘1288-1344) and the astrolabe and improved astronomical tables of Abraham Zacuto (1450-1515). In his earlier days, he received scientific knowledge in navigation and cosmographic learning, dominated by Jews with Judah Cresques as its Master.
The ships surgeon, Marco; the ships doctor, Bernal, who in 1440 was forced to do public pentance for his Jewish beliefs; his interpreter Luis de Torres, who knew Hebrew, Chaldean and Arabic; and Alonso de la Calle...all were conversos. Of the 88 men who accompanied Columbus, many were conversos.
Was Colon the hero of a song sung by his sailors containing the lines “Quexoso del Amirante, este espanol Judaizante” (Complaints from the Admiral, this Spaniars of Jewish beliefs).
Known as the Colombo family in Genoa, Italy, Madariaga further states that he fought in 1476 on the sides of the Portuguese against Genoa. He changed his name of Catalan speaking Spain (Andrew Colom, a Catalan Jew, was burnt as a heretic in 1479).
Columbus spoke and wrote Spanish to his son, Diego and his letters had the inscription “beth” and “hai” – possibly the Hebrew benediction or greeting for Baruch Hashem. Columbus read the Prophets and frequently quoted Isaiah, Esdras (Agra) and Jeremiah. In chronology, he used the Hebrew dates on referring to Jewish history.
It was a coincidence that the historic voyage, which began on the ninth day of Ab, ended on Hoshana Rabat, the 21st day of Tishri, a day of rejoicing during the Sukkot festival. Columbus left in his will a legacy to a Lisbon Jew.
In the final analysis, was there a converso conspiracy to find new lands for the persecuted Jews? A rumor exited that the Jews were looking for the lost tribes. A refuge to the New World by Columbus was the hope of the Conversos to escape the persecution of the Inquisition.
Notes: Isn’t it ironic that the newly written opera Cristobal Colon depits Christopher Columbus as a Jewish convert! I refer to the music written in Spanish by Leonardo Balado and libretto by Antonio Gala for the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World. Its première was held earlier in Barcelona, Spain, on September 24, 1989, with Jose Carreras as Columbus and Montserrat Caballe as Queen Isabella. Two highlights include the emotionally charged climax with the cry of “tierra!” and Columbus aria “Converso me llamaste”.
Another opera, Christoforo Colombo, composed 100 years ago by Alberto Franchetti, a Jew born in Turin to a wealthy family of Austrian Jews (Frankel) was presented by the Greater Miami Opera on February 17, 1991. Yet another opera on Columbus was written by Jacques Offenbach, a musical comedy.
Sol Beton is an artist; he had BFA degree Atlanta College of Art. He designed stain glass windows of the Or Ve Shalom Synagogue, the Atlanta Jewish Community Center. He has a small advertising agency.
He has written several articles on history, tradition and culture of the Sephardim as well as lectures given.
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