New research into Christopher Columbus’s family background suggests that the explorer, who is known to have discovered America in 1492, may not have been from Italy as is widely believed. Instead, evidence points towards a small town in Catalonia, Spain as his likely place of birth.
This study, conducted by a team of international experts used historical documents and new genetic technologies to trace Columbus’s lineage. The findings contradict the popular belief that Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy. The research team analyzed DNA samples from Columbus’s relatives and compared them with samples from contemporary populations in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and North Africa.
Most significantly, the results correlated closely with DNA from Catalonia, suggesting that Columbus may have actually been Catalan. Additionally, the researchers highlighted that Columbus wrote in Catalan-Portuguese during a period when Catalan was the main language used in the Crown of Aragon, which encompasses parts of present-day Spain, France and Italy. Thus, this study brings a fresh perspective on Columbus’s origins, challenging the long-held beliefs about his Italian heritage, and offering potential evidence towards Catalan roots.
This discovery could potentially change our understanding of historical migrations and trading routes but further research is needed to solidify these claims.
