This conclusion is based on the contents and tone of several of Columbus' letters.Ĭertainly, the pope was related to the great Medici family, the first family of Florence and patron of artists including Michelangelo. Marino alleges a more particular motive and connection: Columbus may have been the illegitimate son of Pope Innocent VIII, himself a familiar figure in Genoese life. In his long quest to obtain funding for his voyage of discovery, Columbus, a Genoese, would have appealed to the powerful banking establishment in the still-great Italian maritime power of Genoa. Furthermore, respected Scottish historian William Robertson, an 18th century colleague of philosopher David Hume, notes the papal role in his rare book on the discovery of America.īut, just what was this papal role? According to Marino, the pope, not Queen Isabella - or her hocked jewels - provided the funding for Columbus' expedition. For example, on his tomb there is an inscription that refers to his having a part in the discovery of the new lands. To be sure, there is independent evidence that credits the pope. This cover-up erased the role of Pope Innocent VIII in the discovery of the New World. The tale involves many great figures of the Renaissance. Using a blend of conjectures, coincidences, curiosities and certainties, the author paints a picture of a Watergate-style cover-up surrounding Columbus' initial voyage. And, in the fashion of the later-published "Da Vinci Code," he has written "Cristoforo Colombo ed Il Papa Tradito" (available only in Italian) stating his case. Italian journalist and author Ruggero Marino claims that Pope Innocent VIII sponsored Christopher Columbus' first voyage. Absent from this familiar list was the pope until very recent historical times. From ancient Egyptians to extraterrestrials, popular literature has identified various peoples and personages with the discovery of the Americas.
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