Biography
This navigator was not famous around the world travel, like Portuguese Fernan Magellan. For a long time, Amerigo Vespucci was considered a liar who tried to take away fame from the famous Columbus. Later it became clear that the Italian made a brilliant contribution to geography, thoroughly examining the mainland, in the future called South America. Vespucci made the opening of life living in the territory of the Turkish Indians, his manuscripts became a real world bestseller of the 16th century.Childhood and youth
The future traveler was born on March 9, 1451 (1454) in Sunny Italy, in the glorious city of Florence. The poor father of the seafarer Anastasio Vespucci worked as a notary of the republic, and about the biography of the Mother of Florentine Lizabetta di Jovani mini scientist is not known. In addition to Amergo in the Vespucci family, there were two more children: Senior Boy Antonio in the future began a career of a scientist at the University of Pisa, and the middle brother of the jeronimo traveler became a Syrian trader.
Amerigo grew up in a curious and calm boy, from an early age began to be interested in physics, and also diligently studied marine geography and astronomy.
Giorgio Antonio Vespucci, a scientist and monk of the monastery of St. Mark, helped her in the future famous nephew to receive a proper education: Thanks to Uncle, the Italian learned the Latin's Latin.
In 1470, the young man enters the University of Pisa, after the end of which Avego made a career of an economist.
On the way to Commune, the Italian acquires an ancient map of the Mediterranean for 130 crowns and diligently examines it. In the future, Amerigo Vespucci will independently master the cartography, the navigation system, and will also explore the device of marine ships.
Discovery of America
Before the navigation, Amerigo was engaged in financier affairs. In 1490, the future discoverer with his nephew goes to learn trade in Seville. There he begins to work on the famous and rich Italian Italian Doto Berardi and in 1493 meets the Italian Admiral Christopher Columbus, helping him to equip the second and third expedition.
Since 1498, Amerigo Vespucci supplies sea expeditions, and also pays salary salary. But after a year, in a 1499,45-year-old man my own departs in a long way.
Why America spontaneously decided to change the scope of activity, remains a mystery. On this occasion, bibliographs have two assumptions. One guessed, despite the financial service, the Italian lived poorly. The salary was small, but to assign someone else's money, which he ordered, Florentine did not allow conscience. According to the opposite opinion, the head of the sea affairs of Vespucci lived richly and for 30 years of service made a considerable state. However, the expeditions of Columbus awakened in the Italian thirst for adventures and adventures.
Realizing that the navigation is not only interesting, as well as a profitable case, Florentian leaves economic activities and is preparing to conquer the water space of the Earth at its own expense.
In 1499, Amerigo goes to his first seabed together with the companion of Christopher Columbus Alonso Okhedition, who took an expedition on four ships on May 20. For one opinion, Amerigo was on the posts of the navigator, otherwise he commanded the sea ship. Italian explores the sea ocean, the mouth of the Amazon and the coast of South America. The first journey did not bring the money to Florentine, but he acquired the invaluable experience of the sailor.
This research activity of the Italian does not end. Manuel I is happy invites a native of Florence to Lisbon, so in two other expeditions, Amerigo goes under the Portuguese flag.
The second swimming began in 1501, and the third - in 1503 under the command of Admiral Gonzalo Coelho.
In 1502, Amerigo Vespucci became one of the discoverers of the Brazilian area, called Rio de Janeiro, which is literally translated from Portuguese as the "January River", because the bay was studied in January.
Under the leadership of Coelho, the Italian explores Brazilian continents and independently leads a small ship. Then Amerigo builds his own point of view, distinguished from the opinion of Columbus. Under the suggestion of the former financier, the shores of Brazil is not an island located in Asia, but an independent unknown territory, which the traveler calls new light.
Having a literary talent, the Italian leaves an epistolary heritage, which has about 30 pages. Exploring new main students and the coast, the navigator scrupulously recorded the impressions of travel and sent them to Lorenzo Medici and the Cross Pierrot Soloman. America's letters have become so popular that about 60 times reissued, while Columbus manuscript was supposed to be published only 12 times.
In addition to exotic descriptions of South America, Amerigo carefully recorded the life and customs of the unknown Indian tribes. It is noteworthy that the Italian text is endowed with the share of erotica, he spoke without constraint about beautiful and lustful women who are not shy of their nudity. The history of Vespucci was popular with the Puritan society, because during the religious severity of the traveler's stories were of interest.
An unknown publishing house of Italy included letters of compatriot in a collection with a memorable title: "New light and new countries, open Amerigo Vespucci from Florence." The book was translated into many languages of the world. In 1507, in France, they published a map with contours of the new mainland, named "Amerigo" or America. On another guess, a friend of the navigator Leonardo da Vinci became the first who drew a map of America with a portrait of Florentine on the contours of the mainland. Such a gesture artist and scientist did as a sign of gratitude, because because of the Italian familiar Leonardo became the first tobacco smoking in Europe.
According to another opinion, America received its name at all because of Vespucci: the mainland was named after a merchant from Bristol Richard America.
Personal life
About the personal life of the native of Italy is unknown, scientists cannot say whether Amerigo has children who devotedly expected her father from long maritime expeditions. After tedious swimming in 1505, Veszpucci moves to Spain in search of a quiet life and soon marries.
The Italian was an adventurer who was not afraid to exchange a quiet life on risky expeditions, and also possessed turning, observation and literary talent. On the amenics they spoke as an exclusively honest person, Vespucci did not take advantage of the glory of Christopher Columbus and did not claim the honors deserved by the Spanish Admiral, Christopher himself responded about him as a decent person.
Death
The Italian navigator died on the 58th year of life in Seville in the south of Spain on February 22, 1512. The cause of the death of Amerigo Vsespuki is unknown, scientists know only what the discoverer of the new light died quietly and imperceptibly, and his coffin was accompanied by just a few people.
In honor of the Italian traveler in February 1931, Sailboat "Amerigo Vespucci" was launched from Naples.