Was Christopher Columbus a ‘Converso’ Jew? There’s Reason to Think So

For years, historians have debated an intriguing notion: that Christopher Columbus was a converso, a Jew who converted to Christianity under extreme duress — including the threat of being tortured and burned at the stake — from the Catholic Inquisition. Three days before he embarked on his most famous voyage, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella ordered the expulsion of all Jews from Spain.
 
Given the genocide of indigenous peoples in North and South America that followed Columbus, we’re not sure we want to claim the famous Italian explorer for the Jews. (Think Indigenous Peoples Day rather than Columbus Day.) Nevertheless, the question continues to fascinate.
 
Quote: “I am not the first admiral of my family, let them give me whatever name they please; for when all is done, David, that most prudent king, was first a shepherd and afterward chosen King of Jerusalem, and I am a servant of that same Lord who raised him to such a dignity.” — Christopher Columbus
 
Source: Wikipedia, MyJewishLearning.com
 
There’s reason to take the converso theory about Christopher Columbus seriously. For clues, read “Was Columbus Secretly a Jew?” by Charles Garcia. >>
 
Learn moe about Christopher Columbus on Wikipedia. >>
 
Image: History.com