Posted on 08/09/2006 5:44:39 AM PDT by Marius3188
The Spanish were a bunch of limpwrited liberal deviationists compared to the locals.
Ymmmm, yum delicious prisoner stew.
I'm only calling him Belgium because of the current geographics of his birthplace(Wallonia).
Columbus was a sissy compared to Cortez.
O.G.N.T.S.A.!
Not really ~ Cortes put a stop to the most violent excesses of the natives ~ Columbus "went native".
=======================
"...This third settlement survived, but one of the four of the five hundred Spaniards he left there in 1496 was suffering from syphilis, and the settler had divided into two hostile groups that were now on the verge of war. The appease the discontent, Columbus allowed each man to appropriate a large tract of land, and enslave the natives dwelling on it; this became the rule in the Spanish settlements. Worn now with hardships, disappointments, arthritis, and a disease of the eyes, Columbus almost broke down under these problems. His mind clouded occasionally, he became irritable, querulous, dictatorical, avaricious, and ruthless in his punishment; so at least many Spaniards claimed, and they fretted under an Italian's rule. He recognized th problems of managing a settlement were alien to his training and temperament. In October 1499, he sent two caravels to Spain with a request that Ferdinand and Isabella should appoint a royal commissioner to help him govern the island.[Santo Domingo]
"The sovereigns took him at his word, and appointed Francisco de Bobadilla; but, going beyond the admiral's request, they gave their commissioner fully authority, even over Columbus. Bobadilla reached Santo Domingo while Columbus was away, and heard many complaints of the manner in which Cristoforo and his brothers Bartolomé and Diego had ruled what was now called Hispaniola. When Columbus returned, Bobabillo had him cast into jail, with manacles on his arms and fetters on his feet. The commissioner sent the three bother, in chains, to Spain (October 1,1500). Arriving at Cádiz, Columbus wrote a pitiful letter to friends at court:
"...At a time when I was entitled to expect rewards and retirement, I was incontinently arrested and sent home loaded with chains...The accusations was brought out of malice on the basis of charges made by civilians who had revolted and wished to take possession of the land..."
"...King and Queen received them [Columbus and his brothers], and restored them to affluence, but not to their former authority in the NewWorld."
Will Durant The History of Civilizationvol. VI, Chpt. viii, pages 265-266
"...later replaced by Gutenberg Vista..."
Isn't that the one with that bad "p and q" glitch?
Aside from this, it was a given that any Spanish viceroy or governor in charge of a Carribean island would spend years in jail upon recall by the King of Spain. Everything was the spoils system and top dogs had to enrich themselves adequately to payoff the powers that be so that they could reduce jail time back home.
This is why the spanish system of government is so corrupt yet today. The english system was poorer but concentrated on building social infrastructure - not pillaging indigenous locals for silver and gold for personal enrichment.
Remember that Columbus was bankrolled by the same Ferdinand and Isabella who finally crushed the Moors and established the modern boundaries of Spain.
The barbaric wars agains the moors hardened the Spanish so much so that their military had no problems subduing entire continents in the new world.
War against the MOORS corsens all involved.
Read CARRIBEAN by James Michener. His recounting of the Engilsh-Spanish wars of piracy in the carribean are fascinating, bloody, and viscious.
Launch the roflcopters!
About 15 yrs ago we had a bunch of French and Swiss people move in and put in vineyards. All but one ended up broke and out of here because of the imperial way they treated those who worked for them, even the businessmen they dealt with. MOst of the world is not like America, even today.
"Punishments included cutting off people's ears and noses"
Only 20 years before George Burns was born, one of our biggest disagreements with the Apaches was that we insisted they quit cutting off womens noses for cheating.
I assume you are from some South Sea Isle. Give us a little background, please?
From the school of critical thought and careful reading: The two examples cited prove nothing about Columbus. It may say something about his brother. Given the present cultural bias against any heroic figures from western civilization, this latest "revelation" is highly suspect.
Good point.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.