Alonso Sánchez
Encyclopedia
Alonso Sánchez was a fifteenth-century mariner and merchant born in Huelva
, Spain
, on Andalusia's Atlantic coast. Legend has it that he was a mariner who reached America several years before Colombus
did.
After the discovery of America several rumors started to spread especially among the conquistador
es, claiming that America
had not been discovered by Columbus, but that its existence was known at least 20 years before 1492. Bartolomé de las Casas
had indeed heard several of those claims, but limited himself to record them.
of Spain were able to officialize the discovery (supposedly made well before 1492, and kept secret hitherto). According to the Duchess, the international political situation of the second half of the 15th century was not favourable to the Catholics Monarchs, who before 1492 would have faced strong opposition to any claim over the newly found lands, especially from Portugal
, France
and the Holy See
, the later two at war with the Kingdom of Aragon
. In order to ensure the ownership of those new lands, and lacking the resources for facing the consequences of an early claim, they waited till 1492, when Alexander VI, a Spaniard, was elected pope, thus ensuring the papacy siding with them. In 1492 they would have sent Columbus on an official voyage to the West, knowing that he would find new territories and lay claim for them in the name of the Catholics Monarchs. The Duchess believed Alonso Sanchez to be the true discoverer, offering several stories, contemporary records and weak proofs for her claims.
Indeed, any of those stories are widely regarded as false, and it is believed that the one about Alonso Sanchez was probably spread either by Pinzón brothers
to discredit Columbus in his later years, or by political enemies of Columbus' family during the first years of Spanish settlement in America. Several authors, including father Bartolomé de las Casas
, took notice of rumors and stories similar to those of Alonso Sánchez, although it was not until 1602 when Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
(1536-1616), named the mariner Alonso Sánchez, claiming that he had heard Alonso's story from some old conquistadores still alive in Garcilaso's youth.
According to the tale told by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
, Alonso Sánchez used to sail quite often between the Canary Islands
, Madeira
and England
engaged in some short of triangular commerce. In the 1480's, while finally returning to Huelva from Madeira
aboard one of his ships, he was surprised by a storm that blew his ship drastically off-course into unknown waters of the mid-Atlantic. The small ship, slightly damaged by the storm, encountered unfavorable winds and currents that dragged it further to the southwest. After several weeks, Sánchez and his frightened crew finally sighted land, probably the island of Hispaniola
(Santo Domingo
.)
Sánchez and his crew continued beating along the unknown coast until they encountered signs of human habitation, and, at long last, they disembarked at a coastal village where they were hospitably received. The natives were impressed with these strangers chiefly because they were taller in stature than themselves and bearded. (The natives were uniformly beardless.) More significantly, the natives communicated to the Spaniards that their mythos
held that, eventually, their gods would come from the sea to visit them. The natives gave their "divine" visitors food and gold; they even offered the strangers their women as gifts. (Some believe that syphilis
was introduced to the New World
through these acts of generosity.)
After a short sojourn among the natives, the Spaniards began to prepare for their return trip. Sánchez made certain calculations based on his ship's log and his estimates of his ship's course on its outbound leg. The return voyage required about a month at sea, and they hardly made it to Porto Santo Island
, in Madeira
. It was while recovering from their voyage in Porto Santo where Alonso met Christopher Columbus
(who really lived there during the 1480s), to whom he related the story of his amazing adventure.
Some believe that the information provided by Sánchez, concerning headings and distances, influenced Columbus's plans. Others believe that Alonso Sánchez never existed and that he was simply part of an attempt by the Pinzón brothers
to discredit Columbus's skills as a navigator.
Indeed, no document from the time tells about any Alonso Sánchez from Huelva, and everything known about him comes from the writers that told his story well after Columbus death. More indeed, several authors have claim Alonso Sánchez to be from Portugal
, Biscay
or some other parts of Andalusia
. However, some historians, starting with José Ceballos in 1762, have claimed the account by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega to be true.
In the city of Huelva, the city of Sánchez's birth, there are a number of memorials to this little-known pioneering navigator. There is a bust of Alonso Sánchez in the city park that commemorates the voyages of Columbus, 12 October Park, it is a work of the sculptor León Ortega
. There is also a smaller park in Huelva named for him, as well as a public high school.
Huelva
Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, on Andalusia's Atlantic coast. Legend has it that he was a mariner who reached America several years before Colombus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
did.
After the discovery of America several rumors started to spread especially among the conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
es, claiming that America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
had not been discovered by Columbus, but that its existence was known at least 20 years before 1492. Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas O.P. was a 16th-century Spanish historian, social reformer and Dominican friar. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially appointed "Protector of the Indians"...
had indeed heard several of those claims, but limited himself to record them.
Purported claim
The most famous of those accounts is that of the Duchess of Medina Sidonia, who believed that Columbus' discovery was the instrument by means of which the Catholic MonarchsCatholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
of Spain were able to officialize the discovery (supposedly made well before 1492, and kept secret hitherto). According to the Duchess, the international political situation of the second half of the 15th century was not favourable to the Catholics Monarchs, who before 1492 would have faced strong opposition to any claim over the newly found lands, especially from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, the later two at war with the Kingdom of Aragon
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
. In order to ensure the ownership of those new lands, and lacking the resources for facing the consequences of an early claim, they waited till 1492, when Alexander VI, a Spaniard, was elected pope, thus ensuring the papacy siding with them. In 1492 they would have sent Columbus on an official voyage to the West, knowing that he would find new territories and lay claim for them in the name of the Catholics Monarchs. The Duchess believed Alonso Sanchez to be the true discoverer, offering several stories, contemporary records and weak proofs for her claims.
Indeed, any of those stories are widely regarded as false, and it is believed that the one about Alonso Sanchez was probably spread either by Pinzón brothers
The Pinzon Brothers
The Pinzón brothers were Spanish sailors, explorers and fishermen, natives of Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain. All three, Martín Alonso, Francisco Martín and Vicente Yañez, participated in Christopher Columbus's first expedition to the New World and in other voyages of discovery and...
to discredit Columbus in his later years, or by political enemies of Columbus' family during the first years of Spanish settlement in America. Several authors, including father Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas O.P. was a 16th-century Spanish historian, social reformer and Dominican friar. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially appointed "Protector of the Indians"...
, took notice of rumors and stories similar to those of Alonso Sánchez, although it was not until 1602 when Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
Garcilaso de la Vega , born Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, was a historian and writer from the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. The son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman, he is recognized primarily for his contributions to Inca history, culture, and society...
(1536-1616), named the mariner Alonso Sánchez, claiming that he had heard Alonso's story from some old conquistadores still alive in Garcilaso's youth.
Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
Garcilaso de la Vega , born Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, was a historian and writer from the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. The son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman, he is recognized primarily for his contributions to Inca history, culture, and society...
, Alonso Sánchez used to sail quite often between the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
engaged in some short of triangular commerce. In the 1480's, while finally returning to Huelva from Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
aboard one of his ships, he was surprised by a storm that blew his ship drastically off-course into unknown waters of the mid-Atlantic. The small ship, slightly damaged by the storm, encountered unfavorable winds and currents that dragged it further to the southwest. After several weeks, Sánchez and his frightened crew finally sighted land, probably the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
(Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
.)
Sánchez and his crew continued beating along the unknown coast until they encountered signs of human habitation, and, at long last, they disembarked at a coastal village where they were hospitably received. The natives were impressed with these strangers chiefly because they were taller in stature than themselves and bearded. (The natives were uniformly beardless.) More significantly, the natives communicated to the Spaniards that their mythos
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
held that, eventually, their gods would come from the sea to visit them. The natives gave their "divine" visitors food and gold; they even offered the strangers their women as gifts. (Some believe that syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
was introduced to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
through these acts of generosity.)
After a short sojourn among the natives, the Spaniards began to prepare for their return trip. Sánchez made certain calculations based on his ship's log and his estimates of his ship's course on its outbound leg. The return voyage required about a month at sea, and they hardly made it to Porto Santo Island
Porto Santo Island
Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean; it is the northernmost and easternmost island of the archipelago of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean west of Europe and Africa.- History :...
, in Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
. It was while recovering from their voyage in Porto Santo where Alonso met Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
(who really lived there during the 1480s), to whom he related the story of his amazing adventure.
Some believe that the information provided by Sánchez, concerning headings and distances, influenced Columbus's plans. Others believe that Alonso Sánchez never existed and that he was simply part of an attempt by the Pinzón brothers
The Pinzon Brothers
The Pinzón brothers were Spanish sailors, explorers and fishermen, natives of Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain. All three, Martín Alonso, Francisco Martín and Vicente Yañez, participated in Christopher Columbus's first expedition to the New World and in other voyages of discovery and...
to discredit Columbus's skills as a navigator.
Indeed, no document from the time tells about any Alonso Sánchez from Huelva, and everything known about him comes from the writers that told his story well after Columbus death. More indeed, several authors have claim Alonso Sánchez to be from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
or some other parts of Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
. However, some historians, starting with José Ceballos in 1762, have claimed the account by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega to be true.
In the city of Huelva, the city of Sánchez's birth, there are a number of memorials to this little-known pioneering navigator. There is a bust of Alonso Sánchez in the city park that commemorates the voyages of Columbus, 12 October Park, it is a work of the sculptor León Ortega
Antonio León Ortega
Antonio León Ortega, Ayamonte , December 7, 1907 - Huelva, January 9, 1991, Spanish sculptor, he had his professional education in Madrid and he created a personal style in the Andalusian imagery of the 20th century.- Biography :...
. There is also a smaller park in Huelva named for him, as well as a public high school.