Bartholomew Columbus (Battle of Manzikert)

Bartholomew Columbus
1509 painting of Bartholemew Columbus.
1st Governor of Vineland
In office 1506 - 1533
Appointed by	King James I of England
Succeeded by	Nicholas Windham
1st Governor of the Governorship of Mexica
In office 1507 - 1523
Appointed by	King James I
Succeeded by	Luke Columbus
2nd Governor of the Insularum
In office 1523 - 1533
Appointed by	King James I
Succeeded by	Richard of Langthrope
Personal details
Born	April 17, 1482 Republic of Genoa
Died	May 4, 1533 Columbus, Vineland
Resting place	Columbus
Nationality	Genoese, English
Spouse(s)	Anne Swinford
Children	Luke Columbus Anne Columbus Columbus Henry Columbus
Residence	Columbus Palace
Occupation	Explorer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Father	Enrico Columbus
Mother	Caterina Columbus
Relatives	Brothers: Giovanni Pellegrino Giacomo (also known as Diego) Christopher Columbus Sister: Bianchinetta Columbus
Signature
Military service
Rank	Admiral of the Seven Seas
Rank	General of the Uncharted World

Bartholemew Columbus (Genoese: Bertomê Corombo) was a Genoese maritime explorer who's almost three decades of exploration opened the floodgates for European exploration and colonization in the Columbias. His voyages and expeditions, sponsored by the Kingdom of England, established the first European contact with Central Columbia, much of the Mid-Atlantic, Insularum,  Dixieland, and South Columbia, and the second contact with the Maritimes.

Bartholomew Columbus' early life is somewhat obscure and there has been plenty of scholarly debate over his youthful life. He voyaged out in the sea beginning at age 15, sailing as far as Iceland and sailing as south as Benin. Though largely self-educated, Columbus was widely read in geography, astronomy, and history. He formulated a plan to seek a western sea passage to the East Indies, hoping to profit from the lucrative spice trade. Following resistant lobbying, King James I of England agreed to sponsor his voyage across the Atlantic. 

Columbus landed in Vineland on September 29, 1506, establishing a colony known as Christmas Isle, the first European settlement in the Columbias since the Norse colonization five centuries prior, before proceeding to explore the Insularum for the rest of the year and much of 1507.

In 1507, Columbus arrived at the coasts of the growing Aztec Empire. He was welcomed by the Aztecs and their emperor, Moctezuma II, but as tensions escalated, a brief conflict ensued, resulting in the English conquest of the Aztec Empire and the surrounding Mexican city-states.

Columbus returned to England in 1508, lavishing the king with stolen riches from the Aztec Empire and being celebrated as a national hero. Columbus made several more voyages to the west, seeking to find a western passage. In his second voyage, he came within contact with the native South Columbians. After sailing along the South American coast, he came to the conclusion that this landmass was not Asia, but instead a new landmass, which he eponymously dubbed Columbia. He came into contact with the Inca Empire and attempted to launch an invasion, though he failed to conquer the empire and lost huge swathes of men. He continued exploring, claiming much of the Maritimes, the Mid-Atlantic, Mexica, New Veniza, and the Insularum, being appointed Governor of several colonies. 

In his final years, Columbus attempted to circumnavigate the globe. Departing from the port of Nicholastown in southwestern Mexica. He died during his journey in the Philippines.

The legacy of Columbus has been mixed. Until very recently, he was widely viewed in a good light. However, beginning in the 2010s, many have highlighted his numerous atrocities against the indigenous peoples of the Columbias. There is evidence of enslavement, torture, and occasional tyranny in Columbus' domains, Many settlements, geographical locations and institutions in the Columbias bear Columbus's name, such as both North and South Columbia, several cities and towns and universities.

Early Life

The name Christopher Columbus is the Anglicisation of the Latin Christophorus Columbus. His name in Ligurian is Cristoffa Corombo and in Italian Cristoforo Colombo. He was born on April 17, 1482, in the Italian merchant republic of Genoa. His father was Enrico Columbus, a baker living in central Genoa and his mother was Caterina Columbus. He had three brothers, Giovanni Pellegrino, Giacomo, and Christopher. Columbus rarely wrote in his native language (Ligurian). In one of his works, he states that he first went to the sea at age 11 (1493/1494). In 1494,  the Columbus family moved to Venice, settling in the southern outskirts of the city. Columbus capitalized on Venice's well developed naval tradition and his life as sailor commenced that year. In 1496, he allegedly sailed to the Agean isles of Euboea and Crete within the Byzantine Empire, before sailing to the imperial capital of Constantinople.