After 5 centuries of hypothesis and theories, the true id of Christopher Columbus has begun to emerge due to the documentary “Columbus DNA: his true origin ’, produced by RTVE. This feature-length movie, which particulars 22 years of analysis led by forensic scientist and professor on the College of Granada, José Antonio Lorente, has revealed that the person who found America was, in truth, Jewish.
The investigation started with the seek for Columbus’ mortal stays, which had been believed to be in Seville or the Dominican Republic. Science has confirmed that the stays within the Cathedral of Seville belong to the admiral. An evaluation of the bones of his son, Hernando Colón, was essential in establishing the parentage and resolving a 150-year dispute between Spain and the Caribbean nation. Hernando’s DNA outcomes confirmed traits suitable with a Jewish origin, each within the ‘Y’ chromosome and in mitochondrial DNA.
The documentary, introduced in a true crime format, chronicles the genetic analysis course of, the place 25 attainable origins of Columbus had been examined and narrowed all the way down to eight believable hypotheses. Because the theories had been introduced, DNA dismantled lots of them, resulting in the conclusion that Columbus was not Genoese, as had been believed for hundreds of years.
Researcher Francesc Albardaner, who led one of many strains of analysis, argues that Columbus was Jewish and locations him within the western Mediterranean, particularly on the Iberian peninsula, the place on the time of Columbus there have been round 200,000 Jews. In distinction, in Italy, the Jewish inhabitants was considerably smaller. Albardaner argues that Columbus’ historical past as a Genoese enters into disaster if his Jewish origin is accepted, as Genoa had expelled the Jews within the twelfth century.
Analysis additionally revealed that the surname Colombo, frequent in Italy, was used for deserted kids, additional complicating the narrative of an Italian Columbus. As well as, the Columbus letters, that are preserved in massive numbers, are written in Spanish, with no Italian affect.
The documentary additionally addresses different enigmas about Columbus’ life, together with the revelation that his brother Diego was not likely his brother, however a distant relative. All through his life, Columbus hid his origin, probably because of the persecution confronted by Jews within the Iberian Peninsula. In 1492, an ultimatum was issued forcing Jews to transform to Christianity or depart the kingdoms of the Catholic Kings.
Albardaner means that Columbus, all through his life, needed to seem like a religious Christian to keep away from persecution. The analysis additionally highlights the help Columbus acquired from Jews and converts, such because the Duke of Medinaceli and Luis de Santángel, who performed a vital function in financing his expedition to America.
Lastly, Lorente concludes that the DNA signifies a Mediterranean origin for Columbus, suggesting that his probably provenance is within the Spanish Mediterranean arc or within the Balearic Islands, which at the moment belonged to the Corona de Aragón. With this new proof, the documentary not solely rewrites the story of Columbus, but in addition invitations a deeper reflection on the id and legacy of the person who modified the course of historical past.
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