Vespucius Americus - Vespucci Amerigo 1451-1512
Although our country bears the nanne of this gentleman, it is pretty generally conceded that the honor belongs to Columbus, who was in reality its discoverer. It is claimed, and with a good degree of justice, hat both he Norsemen and the Cabots of England saw the continent prior either to Columbus or Vespucius, yet the first occupation of the country is due to Columbus, and it should have been called Columbia, instead of Amerca. But its too late now to hope for a change; and since it is so, we are glad that so euphonious a name distinguishes the western continent.
Americus Vespucius - more properly Amerigo Vespucci – was born in Florence in 1451. He descended from a very ancient house, and belonged to one of the proudest families of that celebrated city. His education was respectable, and he was possessed of a bold and enterprising spirit. Fired with the aaacounts of the discoveries of Columbus, he became desirous to see the New World for himself, and accordingly, on the 20th of May, 1497, he sailed from Cadiz, as a merechant, with a squadron of four small ships, under command of the celebrated and valiant Ojeda. During this voyage, Americus claims to have seen the continent He may have done so, but much doubt envelops the matter. At all events, his success was such as to induce Ferdinand and Isabella to place a fleet of six ships under his command, when he made his second voyage. On his return, in 1500, he received the same ungracious treatment from the contemptible Ferdinand which had been visited on Columbus; and he returned to Seville mortified and disgusted at the ingratitude of princes.
A rank and growing jealousy existed in all the courts of Europe of the glory and wealth achieved by Spain in her new discoveries. Emanuel, King of Portugal, hearing of the humiliation of Vespucci, invited him to his court, and offered to fit out a fleet of three ships, and give him the command. Gladly accepting the proposal of the Portuguese king, he sailed from Lisbon in May, 1501, and exploivd the coast of South America from Brazil to Patagonia, and returned, laden with riches and honors, to Lisbon, in September, 1502.
Emanuel was so greatly pleased with the results of this first voyage of discovery, that he placed six larger vessels at the disposal of Vespucci, and he again set sail on his fourth and last voyage, in May, 1503. The great object of this voyage was to discover a western passage to the Molucca Islands. Falling short of provisions, he was foiled in the attempt, and after visiting Brazil, and loading his ships with the valuable wood of that country, and other precious products, he returned to Portugal, after an absence of but little more than a year. The rich cargoes he brought home partially compensated for the want of success in the main purpose of the voyage, and Americus was received with every demonstration of joy and respect.
Vespucci now retired from the busy scenes of life, and devoted himself to the preparation of a history of his adventures, and to the performance of duties growing out of the office of chief pilot to Spain, to which he had been appointed by Ferdinand. His duties were the drawing and correcting of sea charts. He drew and published the first chart of the American coast, in which he laid claim to be the discoverer of the country.
In 1507, he published his history of all the voyages he had made to America, and his work was read all over Europe with great delight. It was filled with most glowing accounts of the New World, mixed up with the most splendid fictions, superlatively elaborated sentences and apocryphal events. It was published just after the death of Columbus, and was thus placed beyond the reach of that eminent navigator, who, had he lived, would doubtless have exposed the pretensions of its author.
He lived but a few years after this, and died at Tercera, in the sixty-third year of his age, in 1514.
Americus Vespucius - more properly Amerigo Vespucci – was born in Florence in 1451. He descended from a very ancient house, and belonged to one of the proudest families of that celebrated city. His education was respectable, and he was possessed of a bold and enterprising spirit. Fired with the aaacounts of the discoveries of Columbus, he became desirous to see the New World for himself, and accordingly, on the 20th of May, 1497, he sailed from Cadiz, as a merechant, with a squadron of four small ships, under command of the celebrated and valiant Ojeda. During this voyage, Americus claims to have seen the continent He may have done so, but much doubt envelops the matter. At all events, his success was such as to induce Ferdinand and Isabella to place a fleet of six ships under his command, when he made his second voyage. On his return, in 1500, he received the same ungracious treatment from the contemptible Ferdinand which had been visited on Columbus; and he returned to Seville mortified and disgusted at the ingratitude of princes.
A rank and growing jealousy existed in all the courts of Europe of the glory and wealth achieved by Spain in her new discoveries. Emanuel, King of Portugal, hearing of the humiliation of Vespucci, invited him to his court, and offered to fit out a fleet of three ships, and give him the command. Gladly accepting the proposal of the Portuguese king, he sailed from Lisbon in May, 1501, and exploivd the coast of South America from Brazil to Patagonia, and returned, laden with riches and honors, to Lisbon, in September, 1502.
Emanuel was so greatly pleased with the results of this first voyage of discovery, that he placed six larger vessels at the disposal of Vespucci, and he again set sail on his fourth and last voyage, in May, 1503. The great object of this voyage was to discover a western passage to the Molucca Islands. Falling short of provisions, he was foiled in the attempt, and after visiting Brazil, and loading his ships with the valuable wood of that country, and other precious products, he returned to Portugal, after an absence of but little more than a year. The rich cargoes he brought home partially compensated for the want of success in the main purpose of the voyage, and Americus was received with every demonstration of joy and respect.
Vespucci now retired from the busy scenes of life, and devoted himself to the preparation of a history of his adventures, and to the performance of duties growing out of the office of chief pilot to Spain, to which he had been appointed by Ferdinand. His duties were the drawing and correcting of sea charts. He drew and published the first chart of the American coast, in which he laid claim to be the discoverer of the country.
In 1507, he published his history of all the voyages he had made to America, and his work was read all over Europe with great delight. It was filled with most glowing accounts of the New World, mixed up with the most splendid fictions, superlatively elaborated sentences and apocryphal events. It was published just after the death of Columbus, and was thus placed beyond the reach of that eminent navigator, who, had he lived, would doubtless have exposed the pretensions of its author.
He lived but a few years after this, and died at Tercera, in the sixty-third year of his age, in 1514.
Dieses Kapitel ist Teil des Buches THE AMERICAN PORTRAIT GALLERY - FROM CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME.