Capitulations of Santa Fe facts for kids
The Capitulations of Santa Fe were a very important agreement. It was signed between Christopher Columbus and the Spanish rulers, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. This happened on April 17, 1492, in a place called Santa Fe, Granada.
This agreement gave Columbus big titles like admiral of the Ocean Sea, viceroy, and governor-general. He also got the special title of Don. The agreement also said he would get a tenth of all the riches found on his trip. This document was a common type of agreement used in Spain during the 1400s. It had specific points arranged in different chapters.
Contents
What Were the Capitulations of Santa Fe?
The Capitulations of Santa Fe were a contract. It laid out the terms for Christopher Columbus's first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. It explained what he would gain if his trip was successful. This included important titles and a share of any wealth discovered.
Why Was This Agreement Needed?
Columbus first suggested his voyage to the Spanish rulers. But they said no. They thought his idea of how far away the Indies were was wrong. So, Queen Isabella called another meeting. Many different people attended, including sailors, thinkers, and astrologers. They looked at Columbus's plan again.
Getting the King and Queen to Agree
Even after the meeting, the King and Queen had doubts. But some important people at court convinced them. They said that if the trip failed, Spain wouldn't lose much. But if it worked, they would gain a lot! Among these advisors were the archbishop of Toledo Hernando de Talavera, Luis de Santángel, and Juan Cabrero. The royal secretary, Juan II Coloma, was asked to write the agreement.
The agreement took three months to prepare. This was because the King and Queen were busy with other important matters. The Capitulations were officially signed at the Santa Fe camp. This camp was a military base built outside Granada. It was used during the siege of the city.
A Special Document in History
The original copy of the Capitulations of Santa Fe no longer exists. The oldest copy we have is from 1493. It was made when the Crown confirmed the agreement in Barcelona. Some historians believe Columbus never planned to go to Asia. They think he only wanted to find new lands. This is because the word 'Asia' is not in the document.
In 2009, the Santa Fe Capitulations were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. This means it is a very important document for human history.
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