The origins of Christopher Columbus finally revealed 532 years after the discovery of America: what are the explorer’s roots?

Its origins finally revealed, five centuries later. A new Spanish study, published on Saturday, October 12, reveals that Christopher Columbus, the 15th century explorer, was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe. These findings come 532 years after his arrival in America in 1492.

The documentary titled Columbus’ DNA, his true originbroadcast on the channel RTVEpresents the results of this research. It traces 22 years of work carried out by José Antonio Lorente, scientist and professor at the University of Granada, who analyzed hundreds of human remains and historical documents.

The analyzes of the bones of Christopher Columbus’ son, found in good condition, were particularly revealing. “We have the DNA of Christopher Columbus, even if it is partial, and the DNA of his son, Hernando Colón”explained Lorente.

The explorer rests well in Seville Cathedral

Lorente first confirmed the authenticity of Columbus’s remains, a question long debated among researchers. It proved that the explorer’s remains rest in the cathedral of Seville, Spain, and not in the Dominican Republic, as other theories held.

The results of the DNA analyzes made it possible to identify genetic markers indicating a Sephardic origin, or Jewish from the western Mediterranean. “Analyses of Hernando’s Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA reveal characteristics consistent with Jewish origin”specifies the scientist.

Before the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 under the Catholic kings Isabella and Ferdinand, approximately 300,000 Jews lived on the Iberian Peninsula, according to Reuters.

José Antonio Lorente also looked into the geographic origin of Columbus, exploring 25 possible birthplaces. The results, judged “almost absolutely reliable”confirm that the explorer was born in Western Europe, and not in Italy as the dominant theory suggests.

According to Lorente, it is likely that Columbus came from the Spanish Mediterranean region or the Balearic Islands, which were then part of the Crown of Aragon. He also notes that Columbus always kept silent about his origins and wrote primarily in Spanish, a further clue to his roots.

Numerous scientific debates

The origins of Christopher Columbus have been the subject of much debate among historians and scientists. In addition to the Italian hypothesis, other theories suggested Greek, Portuguese, Basque or even British origins.

Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506, aged 55. Initially buried on the island of Hispaniola (now shared between the Dominican Republic and Haiti), his remains were moved several times, before finally being interred in Seville.