Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus 1, 2, 3, 4

Title

Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus 1, 2, 3, 4

Description

A History of the ‘Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus’ in four volumes. Written by the American author Washington Irving, published in 1828 (often given as MDCCCXXVIII in the original edition). This is a well-known, romanticised biography of Christopher Columbus. Although the work is based on authentic Spanish documents, it is regarded as a blend of history and fiction, aimed at creating a heroic narrative about the explorer. Volume 1, 474 pages, with a fold-out map entitled ‘Chart of the West Indies, with the adjacent Coast of South America’, measuring 44 x 60.5 cm, and an index, Book cover restored. Volume 2, 490 pages, with a fold-out map ‘Chart shewing the tracks across the North Atlantic Ocean, of Ch. Columbus’, dimensions 27 x 45.5 cm, and an index. Volume 3, 413 pages, with an index. Volume 4, 489 pages and an index. Fold-out maps have yellowed. Published by John Murray, London.

c. 1828

Artist

Irving (1783-1859)

Washington Irving was one of the first internationally successful writers from the United States and is considered a pioneer of American literature. He became especially famous for his stories such as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, which are still regarded as classics of world literature today.Irving spent many years in Europe, particularly in England and Spain. There, he also wrote his well-known work about Christopher Columbus, Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, in which he combined history with a narrative style. In addition to his work as a writer, he also served as a diplomat and later became the U.S. ambassador to Spain.

Historical Description

Christopher Columbus (1451–1506), born in Genoa, was a navigator and explorer in the service of the Spanish Crown. His goal was to find a westward sea route to Asia. In 1492, he undertook his famous voyage with the ships Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. Instead of reaching Asia, however, he arrived in the Caribbean and landed on an island he believed to be part of India. In total, Columbus made four voyages across the Atlantic. Although he thought he had found a new route to Asia, his expeditions led to the European exploration of the Americas. His journeys had major historical consequences, especially for global trade, but also for Indigenous populations, who suffered greatly as a result.