His father, Domenico Columbus, belonged to the middle class and worked in Genoa and Savona. His mother was named Susanna Fontarossa, and his brothers were Bartholomew, Giovanni Pellegrino, and Giacomo.

The kingdoms of Aragon, the Spanish Galicia region, Portugal, and the Greek island of Chios, among others, have all claimed his origins. Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506 and was buried in a monastery in the city. Three years later, his remains were transferred to a monastery in Seville, and in 1537 to the Cathedral of Santo Domingo on the island of Hispaniola, along with the remains of his son Diego.

In 1795, Spain ceded the island to France, and both sets of remains were moved again to the Iberian Peninsula. However, there is a possibility that a mistake occurred during the transfers, since in 1877 a tomb was accidentally discovered in Santo Domingo bearing the inscription: “The Distinguished and Excellent Don Cristóbal Colón.”

Given the historical significance of his arrival in the Americas in 1492, the period before his voyage is referred to as “pre-Columbian.” His expedition marked the beginning of a violent colonization of the New World, as the American continent was alternatively called. It is also noteworthy that he never reached the mainland, but only islands nearby. He undertook four voyages to American territories.