Unrecognized Pioneers: Columbus and the Overlooked Pinzón Brothers
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The celebrated voyage of Columbus would not have succeeded in reaching the New World without the assistance of the Pinzón brothers, Spanish sailors hailing from Palos de la Frontera. Despite this, it was the Portuguese explorer Columbus who gained fame and recognition, overshadowing the vital roles played by the Spanish sailors.
On March 15, 1493, after a tumultuous journey, Martín Alonso Pinzón, captain of La Pinta, felt fortune was on his side as he neared home. He had embarked on this perilous voyage from Palos in search of a western route to India, accompanied by his younger brother Vicente aboard La Niña. The expedition, spurred by Columbus’s bold assertions and Italian maps, had ventured into the unknown.
In October 1492, they stumbled upon uncharted islands, which Columbus promptly claimed for the Spanish crown. After spending Christmas in the New World, Columbus opted to return for additional crew and ships. However, a fierce storm separated the vessels, and by late February 1493, when Martín Pinzón arrived in Bayona, he believed he had successfully crossed the ocean alone.
Disappointed Expectations
Without delay, he wrote to the Spanish monarchs, informing them of the newly discovered lands. He felt justified in doing so, as it was on his caravel that the first land was sighted. He played a pivotal role in quelling discontent among the crew of Columbus’s ship during moments of crisis, ensuring their safety throughout the expedition.
Had events unfolded differently, Captain Pinzón might have been celebrated as a national hero, with statues erected in his honor throughout Spain. However, upon his arrival in Palos on March 15, he found that his brother’s ship, La Niña, had already returned. This meant that Columbus had also made it back. After the sinking of his ship, the Santa Maria, near present-day Haiti, Columbus returned aboard Vicente’s ship, where he could personally recount the expedition's success to the monarchs, having spent years convincing them of the existence of a western route to India.
The monarchs eventually agreed to finance another voyage, allowing Columbus to fulfill his ambition upon reaching the New World, hoping to secure royal support for future explorations.
Despite his significant contributions, Martín Pinzón slipped into obscurity. While the monarchs acknowledged his letter from Bayona, they preferred to confer with Columbus, denying Pinzón an audience.
The Charlatan’s Celebration
Martín Pinzón passed away shortly after returning to Spain, and his contributions to the discovery of America quickly faded from memory, a point emphasized by Gary Knight in his book “Forgotten Brothers.”
> “It’s time for my fellow countrymen to learn who truly discovered America. We should reconsider the celebration of Columbus Day and perhaps recognize it as Columbus the Charlatan Day,” states Knight. “Columbus received all accolades, despite the clear evidence of the Pinzón brothers’ essential roles in the expedition.”
What evidence does Knight reference? Columbus was the only participant of the 1492 voyage to maintain a travel diary, which is why his narrative endures. Yet, Knight argues that other sources exist. He highlights that alternative perspectives on the expedition emerged from testimonies at the Castilian court following Columbus’s death.
> “Thirty years after the voyage, a hearing took place for the descendants of the Pinzón family, who sought noble titles for their ancestors’ contributions,” Knight explains.
Witnesses included participants from Columbus’s initial expedition, who unanimously attested that the New World’s discovery hinged on the efforts of the Pinzón brothers.
Nevertheless, the Columbus myth remains firmly entrenched. Numerous historians see no reason to elevate the relatively obscure Spanish sailors at the expense of the renowned explorer. Professor Samuel Eliot Morison, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Admiral of the Ocean Sea,” believed the Pinzón brothers were merely ordinary sailors following the commands of the expedition's true leader, Columbus. Contrarily, Siegfried Fischer-Fabian in “Christopher Columbus: Hero or Scoundrel” posits that the Pinzóns viewed the expedition to India as a lucrative venture, while Columbus regarded it as a genuine mission. Portuguese scholar Manuel Rosa, known for “Columbus: The Untold Story,” asserts Columbus was the mastermind behind the expedition, while the Pinzón brothers were primarily motivated by financial gain.
> “The Pinzón brothers prioritized profit, which they achieved, and the two ships provided to Columbus were merely a means to settle their debts with the Crown,” states Rosa. “Columbus determined the course and destination, leaving little room for input from the Pinzóns.”
Preparing for the Voyage
How did these sailors become involved with the explorer aiming to traverse the Atlantic, given their limited experience beyond the Canary Islands? Following the fall of Granada and the end of the Reconquista, Isabella and Ferdinand finally turned their focus to foreign affairs, opting to back Columbus’s venture. The expedition's costs were substantial, previously rejected by the King of Portugal. The monarchs financed half, Columbus contributed a portion, and the remainder was to be covered by residents of Palos, who were indebted to the Crown.
A special royal privilege permitting Columbus to organize the expedition was announced from the pulpit of the Church of St. George in Palos. The townspeople, however, were not particularly enthusiastic. Trust in Columbus was low due to his status as a foreigner. Rumors circulated that he was an exceptional navigator but lacked experience in commanding a ship. Additionally, he altered the name of one of the assigned vessels, which was perceived as an ill omen.
This is where the esteemed Pinzón brothers, respected merchants and sailors from Palos, stepped in. Without their influence, recruiting a crew would have been significantly more challenging. They offered Columbus two of their own ships in exchange for a share of the profits, leading to their involvement in an expedition that would not only become the most significant adventure of their lives but also a pivotal moment in history.
The Seaweed Sea
The fleet departed from Palos on August 3, steering toward the Canary Islands. Initially, the journey did not evoke much excitement, as the sailors were familiar with the region. The true expedition commenced a few weeks later when they left the archipelago and set a westward course across the Atlantic. Favorable weather accompanied their journey, but soon, anxiety over the unknown began to surface.
Knight notes that the primary threat of mutiny arose on the ship commanded by the unpopular Columbus.
> “The sailors had confidence in the Pinzón brothers, with whom they had sailed for years,” asserts Knight. “Conversely, while Columbus was undoubtedly visionary and politically astute, he lacked the experience of a seasoned captain and displayed a certain arrogance.”
However, even the Pinzón brothers struggled to manage the crew’s fluctuating emotions as they sailed through the Sargasso Sea, a vast expanse filled with seaweed. The increasingly anxious sailors repeatedly inquired when they would reach the anticipated Japan and China. Columbus attempted to placate them, employing a deceptive tactic. According to Jesús Varela Marcos from the University of Valladolid, the explorer maintained two logs: one for his personal records and another, which understated the distance traveled, for the crew. Yet, as time passed, these navigational ruses lost their effectiveness. The crew’s unease mounted, leading Martín Pinzón to press Columbus to alter their course, insisting they should head southwest if they hoped to discover anything. Columbus, however, remained resolute in his decision.
His conviction stemmed from his extensive experience gained in Portugal, where he had interacted with leading cartographers. Chronicler Bartolomé de las Casas recounts that the Portuguese king even permitted Columbus to examine maps created by Bartolomeu Dias, the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope.
Could Columbus, an informed navigator, have been mistaken? Historians Jesús Varela Marcos and Gary Knight argue that he might have been, highlighting that Pinzón was also well-versed in navigation. Throughout his numerous voyages, he visited locations such as Rome, where he had the chance to study documents in the library of Pope Innocent VII that referenced lands west of the Iberian Peninsula.
Land in Sight
Historians diverge in their accounts of the final moments before the ultimatum expired. According to Las Casas, Columbus gathered the crew on the Santa Maria and promised a costly silk cape alongside the 10,000 maravedis guaranteed by the Queen for anyone who spotted land. Other historians contend that after changing course to the southwest as suggested by Pinzón, it was Rodrigo de Triana, a sailor aboard La Pinta, who first saw the land on October 12. Martín Pinzón ordered cannon fire to signal that they had reached "the Indies." Regrettably, Triana did not receive the promised reward, which could have secured his financial stability for life, as Knight notes. “Triana and Pinzón’s achievement was appropriated by Columbus upon his return, a testament to his character.”
Tensions between Pinzón and Columbus were inevitable. Pinzón believed the foreigner lacked navigation skills, as evidenced by his tendency to sail dangerously close to the coast. He even cautioned his brother to maintain distance from Columbus’s ship, fearing potential disaster. Ultimately, Pinzón decided he could no longer remain, and on November 21, La Pinta vanished from view. Without seeking permission, Martín Pinzón headed toward the shores of Babeque (present-day Great Inagua Island), following accounts from the natives. In doing so, he discovered what is now Jamaica. He was not present with the other ships on Christmas Eve, which meant he could not prevent the sinking of Columbus’s ship. Fortunately, as Knight highlights, Pinzón’s foresight ensured that La Niña, under Vicente’s command, emerged unscathed. “Had it not been for his prudence, most of the sailors would have faced dire straits returning to Spain. Once again, the Pinzón brothers averted disaster.”
When Columbus decided to set sail westward on January 6, La Pinta unexpectedly reappeared on the horizon. Pinzón later claimed his absence was due to getting lost. Columbus pretended to accept this explanation, and the two rivals temporarily set aside their differences. According to Varela Marcos, Columbus likely wanted to conceal La Pinta’s disappearance to avoid the embarrassment of a Spaniard discovering more than he had. He also realized that without the Pinzón brothers and their ships, he would struggle to return to Spain and report to Queen Isabella about the expedition. Nevertheless, he was uncomfortable in this new dynamic, as the Spanish crew aboard La Niña appeared to hold him in disdain.
Columbus’s journal entries reveal he had to personally oversee the provisioning and preparation of water supplies for the return voyage, a task unbefitting an admiral. Spanish historian Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo even suggests that the disdain for Columbus was so profound that the Pinzón brothers contemplated imprisoning him. While there is no concrete evidence for this, the presence of several royal representatives ensured Columbus's protection. Ultimately, he chose to return.
Heading Back to Spain
The conditions on the return journey were not as favorable as they had been while approaching the New World. The Atlantic in late January and February can be exceptionally turbulent. In 1493, it was said to be experiencing winds not witnessed in half a century.
> “In such circumstances, Columbus's navigational expertise would be of little use. The storms encountered could only be managed by exceptional sailors like the Pinzón brothers,” argues Knight. “During the return journey, Columbus was so terrified he remained in his cabin, preparing a report of the voyage in advance and sealing it in two barrels.”
Due to severe weather, the ships once again became separated. While Columbus and Vicente were near the Azores at the end of February 1493, Martín Pinzón had already reached the port of Bayonne, gaining a week’s head start. Nevertheless, his return was met with no fanfare in Spain. Varela Marcos notes in “Columbus and Pinzón: Discoverers of America” that chroniclers entirely overlooked La Pinta’s arrival in Bayonne, attributing this omission to political motivations.
> “Clearly, this aligns with the royal couple’s wishes. Contemporary chroniclers were acutely aware of this, and Bartolomé de las Casas’s account of Columbus’s voyage disregarded Pinzón’s involvement while exaggerating the admiral’s achievements,” Varela Marcos explains.
Martín Pinzón’s situation was further complicated by his illness. He paused in Bayonne for a few days to recuperate, allowing Columbus to return to Palos first.
Columbus, Supported by Queen Isabella
After Martín’s death, no member of the Pinzón family participated in Columbus’s future voyages, likely due to the admiral's preference. Nonetheless, Vicente Pinzón remained committed to the sea. It appeared that King Ferdinand had not forgotten him, while Queen Isabella clearly favored Columbus.
> “The king held the brothers in high regard and considered Vicente one of his finest navigators following Martín’s passing,” Knight notes. “Vicente and Amerigo Vespucci even founded a navigation school.”
Ferdinand did not permit Columbus and his family to monopolize expeditions to the New World. Even during Columbus’s lifetime, the king commissioned an expedition involving Vicente Pinzón and Vespucci. Eventually, fortune favored Pinzón, as he discovered the Amazon River in 1499. Today, his name is recognized by many Brazilians.
> “I hope that my compatriots, who unjustly regard Columbus as a hero, will one day recognize the contributions of the Pinzón brothers. This is why I wrote the book,” Knight concludes.