Christopher Columbus: The Story You Were Never Told

Everyone knows the name Christopher Columbus. Almost nobody knows what actually happened.

Before 1492, Columbus spent nearly a decade being rejected by every court in Europe. When he finally sailed, his crew nearly mutinied. He made four voyages across the Atlantic — each one more dramatic than the last — and faced political betrayal, shipwreck, chains, and exile. He died believing he'd reached Asia.

In this episode, we cover the full story — his early life, the fight for funding, all four voyages, the intrigue and betrayal at the Spanish court, and how one of the most consequential figures in history ended his life in obscurity. It's a story of extraordinary ambition, resilience, and tragedy that reads more like fiction than history.

Topics covered: Columbus's early life in Genoa, his pitch to the Spanish crown, the first voyage and discovery of the New World, the settlement of Hispaniola, the second and third voyages, his arrest and removal from power, the disastrous fourth voyage, and his death.

Based on Admiral of the Ocean Sea by Samuel Eliot Morison.

The Mighty Things podcast shares stories of people who dared to do extraordinary things. At MightyThings.org, we help families get outside and into real-world adventures together.

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