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Christopher Columbus's Fourth Voyage

When
1502–1504
Where
Spain; Cape Honduras / Aguán River; Jamaica; Santo Domingo to Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Episodes
4

Columbus's final expedition (1502–1504) explored the Central American coast, seeking a western route to Asia. It resulted in the formal possession of mainland territories in Honduras and Costa Rica, but ended in failure with the loss of all ships and a year-long stranding in Jamaica.

Episodes

  1. 26 February 1502 · SpainPlanning and Request

    Columbus planned his final expedition after his release from prison and requested a license to sail in early 1502.

  2. 17 August 1502 · Cape Honduras / Aguán RiverHonduras Landing

    The fleet anchored at Cape Honduras, making the first mainland landing, and Columbus took formal possession near the Aguán River.

  3. 2 January 1504 · JamaicaJamaica Mutiny

    Stranded in Jamaica, the crew's discontent led to a mutiny by the Porras brothers in January 1504.

  4. 12 September – 7 November 1504 · Santo Domingo to Sanlúcar de BarramedaReturn to Spain

    Columbus and his family departed Santo Domingo in September 1504, reaching Sanlúcar de Barrameda in November.

Background and detail

Background. Following his release from prison in December 1500, Columbus planned a final expedition to find a direct western route to the East, motivated by Vasco da Gama's eastern passage. He requested permission to sail in February 1502, aiming for a more profitable and significant voyage than his predecessors.

Coastal Exploration. The fleet anchored at Cape Honduras, making the first landing on the North American mainland. Columbus took formal possession of the lands near the Aguán River in August. The expedition continued south, entering Almirante Bay in October where gold was found, and anchoring in the Chiriqui Lagoon.

Aftermath. The voyage proved the least profitable and most dangerous of Columbus's trips, resulting in the loss of all four ships and many crew members. The discovery of mainland territory rather than islands later led to legal disputes over the extent of Columbus's inherited rights and privileges in Central America.

People involved

Sources

  1. Fourth voyage of Columbus Wikipedia

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.