Description

Franklin Library leather edition of Samuel Eliot Morison's "Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus," a Limited edition, one of the PULITZER PRIZE for BIOGRAPHY series, published in 1985. Bound in hunter green leather, the book has marbled paper end leaves, acid-free paper, Symth-sewn binding, a satin book marker, hubbed spine, gold gilding on three edges---in near FINE condition. Christopher Columbus, who lived from 1446-1506, was born in Genoa, Italy. Columbus was tall and well built with a ruddy complexion and red hair, a thick hairy chest, a long face, and manly physique. He was influenced toward ocean exploration by his older brother, Bartholomew, an expert chart maker. Columbus married Dona Felipa in 1479 and a son was born in 1480. Dona Felipa was the daughter of D. Bartholomew Perestrello, a noble family that had emigrated from Lisbon. The marriage surprised some because they wondered how a man of low birth could marry into one of the noble families. Dona Felipa died before Columbus left for Portugal in 1485. By age 30, Columbus was an experienced seaman and trusted factor, having business connections with one of the leading merchant-banker houses of Italy. Columbus later lived with Beatriz Enrique de Harana from Cordova and they became parents to Ferdinand Columbus, who at age 10 was appointed a page to the Queen; between the ages of twelve and sixteen he accompanied his father on the Fourth Voyage. He later led the life of a scholar, collector, traveler and man of letters. He accumulated a large and splendid library which numbered over 15,000 volumes before his death in 1539. After repeated rebuffs at the Portuguese and Spanish courts, Columbus received the aid of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, and set sail in August 1492 with three small ships, the SANTA MARIA, NINA, and PINTA. He landed in the Bahamas on October 12 at an island that he named San Salvador. After discovering Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti), he returned to Spain. For these discoveries he was made 'admiral of the ocean' and governor-general of all new lands. On his second voyage in 1493, his discoveries included the Leeward Islands, St. Christopher, and Puerto Rico. On the third expedition in 1498, he discovered Trinidad and the mouth of the Orinoco. In 1502 he left Spain for a fourth time, in the hope of sailing past his discovered islands to Marco Polo's Cathay, for which he had constantly searched. This expedition suffered terrible hardships, and he was forced to abandon his plans and return to Spain, where he was discredited. Morison wrote: "Command of a tall and gallant ship speeding over blue water before a fresh trade wind, shaping her course for some new and marvelous land where gold is abundant and the women are kind, is a mariner's dream of the good life. Columbus had a Hellenic sense of wonder at the new and strange, combined with an artist's appreciation of natural beauty. Waste no pity on the Admiral of the Ocean Sea! He enjoyed long stretches of pure delight such as only a seaman may know, and moments of high, proud exultation that only a discoverer can experience." Samuel Eliot Morison, who was born in 1887, was a professor of history at HARVARD and editor of The New England Quarterly. Morison was the Navy's official historian during World War II and wrote 14 volumes. Morison says that Christopher Columbus did "more to direct the course of history than any individual since Augustus Caesar." 688 pages---including an Index. I offer combined shipping.