Martin Alonzo Pinzón

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Martin Alonzo Pinzón ( c. 1441 – November 1493), Spanish navigator and explorer. He sailed with Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to the New World in 1492, as captain of the Pinta.

Pinzón was born in a family of Spanish shipowners. He was the brother of Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, and part-owner of the Niña and the Pinta. His brother Francisco Pinzón was pilot on the Niña.

Pinzón suggested to Columbus a change of course for their voyage on October 7, 1492. His suggestion brought the fleet into the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. During the voyage to the Americas Pinzón often disobeyed the orders of Columbus. Pinzón became separated from Columbus in Cuba on November 21, 1492. He probably sailed off on his own trying to make individual discoveries and to find treasures. Some scholars believe that Pinzón was the first person to discover the island of Puerto Rico, based on his easterly course after separating from the other ships while in the Bahamas.

Pinzón rejoined Columbus on January 6, 1493, when the fleet was to sail back to Spain. On returning to Spain, Pinzón's ship was separated from Columbus by a storm. Pinzón arrived in Baiona in Galicia, near Vigo, in April 1493 (after Columbus had already reached Spain, but before he had met with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella). Columbus later accused Pinzón of disloyalty. Pinzón returned to his home in Palos de la Frontera, where he died in November 1493, probably of syphilis that he caught during the voyage.

Pinzón was a more accomplished sailor than Columbus and was later granted the title Admiral of the Seas by the Spanish royalty. While Columbus is credited with the discovery of the New World, the extensive experience, navigation and seaman's skills of the Pinzón brothers, was key to the mission's success. There were later recordings of Pinzón's skill and bravery on the seas.

[edit] Bibliography

Louis-Théodule Begaud: Le premier Capitaine au long cours, Martín Alonso Pinzón, associé de Christophe Colomb ; Organisateur et animateur de l'expédition de 1492, Paris 1944
Adám Szászdi: El descubrimiento de Puerto Rico en 1492 por Martín Alonso Pinzón, in: Revista de historia. San Juan , Año 1(1985), Nr. 2, S. 9-45.
Domingo Gómez: Vindicación del piloto de la carabela "Pinta", Martín Alonso Pinzón, in: Mundi hispánico. - Madrid , Año 21(1968), Nr. 241.
Francisco Morales Padrón: Las relaciones entre Colón y Martín Alonso Pinzón, in: Actas. - Lisboa , Vol. 3(1961), S. 433-442.
Urs Bitterli: Die "Wilden" und die "Zivilisierten", 3. Aufl., München 2004 ISBN ?
Ders.: Alte Welt - neue Welt, München 1992 ISBN ?
Ders.: Die Entdeckung Amerikas, 4. Aufl., München 1992 ISBN ?
Ders.: Die Kenntnis beider "Indien" im frühneuzeitlichen Europa, München 1991