Was Christopher Columbus Italian?

The question of the nationality of Christopher Columbus has been a source of confusion for many years, with different countries pretending to be its cradle. There are theories suggesting that he could have been Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish.

According to historians, it is widely believed that Christopher Columbus was Italian and was born around 1451 in or near the city of Genoa, known as Cristoforo Colombo. His parents were Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa, who worked as wool merchants.Historical accounts, including those of his son Ferdinand (or Hernando), indicate that Christopher Columbus left Genoa while as an adolescent, he served in the Portuguese merchant navy. The Italian claim is also supported by Columbus' son Ferdinand's will, which confirms his Italian heritage.

However, there are arguments proposing that Columbus might have been Portuguese. Columbus had strong connections with Portugal, as he settled there after his seafaring missions as a teenager. He married a Portuguese noblewoman named Filipa Moniz Perestrelo from Porto Santo Island in Madeira. Some historians argue that Columbus would not have been permitted to marry into the Portuguese nobility if he were not Portuguese himself. Professor Fernando Branco from Lisbon University even published a book asserting that Columbus was Portuguese, suggesting that his real name was Pedro Ataíde and that he was a privateer who fled to Castile in 1485.

Alternatively, some believe that Columbus was actually Spanish. After being turned down by the Portuguese, Columbus moved to Spain in 1485 in search of financial support for his voyages. One of the reasons supporting this theory is the absence of any documentary evidence of Columbus ever writing in Italian. All of his writings were in Castilian, Valencian, Mallorquin, Galician, or Portuguese. The University of Granada has conducted an analysis of bone fragments and DNA from Columbus, his brother, and his son, Ferdinand. This study has explored theories suggesting his potential origins in Valencia, Galicia, Navarre, or Mallorca, potentially providing a definitive answer to the question of his nationality. In 2003, the study made a significant breakthrough when DNA tests confirmed that the bones in a tomb at the cathedral in Seville were indeed those of Columbus.