Appendix D: Chronology of Christopher Columbus’ Life

 c. 600 BC . . . . . . Nephi prophesies of Columbus’s journey.

AD 1451 . . . . . . . Columbus born in Genoa, between 25 August and 31 October.

c. 1471 . . . . . . . . Voyage to Tunis.

1474–75 . . . . . . . One or two voyages to Chios.

1476 . . . . . . . . . . Moves to Portugal.

1477 . . . . . . . . . . Voyage to Iceland.

1478–79 . . . . . . . Voyage to Madeira Islands.

1479 . . . . . . . . . . Marriage to Dona Felipa Perestrello e Moniz.

1480 . . . . . . . . . . First son, Diego, born at Porto Santo.

1480–81 . . . . . . . Correspondence with Paolo Toscanelli of Florence.

1482–84 . . . . . . . At least one voyage to the Gold Coast of Africa.

1484–85 . . . . . . . Proposes “Enterprise of the Indies” to King John II of Portugal.

Dona Felipa dies.

1485 . . . . . . . . . . Moves to Spain.

1486 . . . . . . . . . . First proposal to Spanish crown; Enterprise is rejected.

1487 . . . . . . . . . . Placed on Spanish royal payroll.

1488 . . . . . . . . . . Removed from Spanish payroll. Columbus accepts King John’s invitation to return to Portugal. Second son, Ferdinand, is born.

1489 . . . . . . . . . . Second proposal upon returning to Spain.

1490 . . . . . . . . . . Second proposal rejected.

1491 . . . . . . . . . . Third proposal to Spanish sovereigns.

1492

January . . . . . . . . Third proposal rejected; Santangel intercedes, Queen agrees to sponsor Enterprise.

First Voyage

3 August . . . . . . . Departs Palos, Spain, with three ships.

12 August . . . . . . Arrives at Canary Islands.

6 September . . . . Begins ocean passage, course due west.

9 September . . . . Leaves sight of land.

23 September . . . Sea rises “without wind.”

7 October . . . . . . Course changed to west-southwest.

10 October . . . . . Crew threatens mutiny.

11 October . . . . . Course changed back to due west.

12 October . . . . . Land sighted at San Salvador.

28 October . . . . . Lands at Cuba.

6 December . . . . Arrives at Hispaniola.

24 December . . . Santa María runs aground at La Navidad.

26 December . . . Construction of fort begins at La Navidad.

1493

16 January . . . . . Fleet sails for Spain

12 February . . . . Violent storm arises.

14 February . . . . Niña and Pinta separated in gale.

15 February . . . . Niña sights Azores.

4 March . . . . . . . Columbus arrives at Lisbon, Portugal.

15 March . . . . . . Arrives at Palos, Spain.

Second Voyage

25 September . . . Fleet of 17 ships sails from Cadiz, Spain.

3 November . . . . Landfall at Dominica; Coumbus anchors at Mariagalante.

4–19 November . Passes Guadeloupe, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Croix, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

27 November . . . Arrives at La Navidad; finds settlement destroyed.

1494

2 January . . . . . . Arrives at Isabela; founds city.

24 April–29 September. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Explores Caribbean.

1495

Columbus spends entire year struggling to maintain peace and order on Hispaniola. Consents to the enslavement of Caribbean natives.

1496

10 March . . . . . . Columbus departs for Spain.

11 June . . . . . . . . Arrives at Cadiz, Spain.

c. 1497

Under Admiral’s direction, Santo Domingo founded by Bartholomew Columbus while Christopher is in Spain.

1498

Third Voyage

30 May . . . . . . . . Departs Spain for New World with six ships.

13–22 July . . . . . Fleet stalled in Doldrums.

31 July . . . . . . . . Landfall at Trinidad.

1 August . . . . . . . First sighting of South America (Venezuela).

6 August . . . . . . . Lands on South American mainland, and takes possession of Venezuela.

31 August . . . . . . Anchors off Hispaniola.

October . . . . . . . . Francisco Roldán leads rebellion in Hispaniola.

1499

September . . . . . . Columbus makes temporary peace with rebels.

1500

23 August . . . . . . Francisco de Bobadilla lands at Santo Domingo, arrests Columbus and his brother.

early October . . . Columbus sent to Spain as a prisoner in chains.

late October . . . . Arrives Cadiz, Spain.

12 December . . . Monarchs order Columbus released; summon him to court.

17 December . . . Audience with Monarchs at Alhambra, Spain.

1501

3 September . . . . Nicolas de Ovando named new governor of Hispaniola.

1502

13 February . . . . Ovando sails for New World with 30 ships.

February . . . . . . . Christopher remains in Spain to work on Book of Prophecies.

Fourth Voyage

9 May . . . . . . . . . Columbus sets sail from Cadiz, Spain, for Americas with four ships.

15 June . . . . . . . . Landfall at Martinique.

30 July–5 October

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Explores Central America; discovers Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.

1503

6 January . . . . . . Anchors off coast of Panama at Río Belén.

6 April . . . . . . . . Battle of Belén. Columbus hears “compassionate voice” call him to repentance.

1504

12 September . . . Columbus departs for Spain.

7 November . . . . Arrives Sanlúcar, Spain.

1506

20 May . . . . . . . Dies at Valladolid, Spain.

1830

Nephi’s prophecy of Columbus is published in Book of Mormon

1877

21 August . . . . . Wilford Woodruff was baptized vicariously for Christopher Columbus in the St. George Temple.

24 August . . . . . Christopher Columbus was vicariously endowed and ordained a High Priest in the St. George Temple.