Christopher Columbus

In 1492 Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World. He brought with him a copy of Al-Idrissi's works that mentioned the discovery of a new continent by eight Muslim explorers. He also brought with him some Muslim crew members. However he did not use Idrissi's map as it was unavailable in Europe at that time
==Muslim Crew Members==
Christopher Columbus embarked on four journeys to the new World, between March 8, 1492 and May 11, 1502. This was the period between the fall of the Andalus city of Granada and the final expulsion of Muslims from Spain. During this period there where an estimated 500,000 Muslims and Moriscos (Muslims who had been forcibly converted to Christianity under the Spanish Inquisition). It is not surprising that quite a few found their way to the New World.
===Pinzon Brothers===
On his first voyage he had two captains of Muslim origin, Martin Alonso Pinzon, the captain of the Pinta, and his brother Vicente Pinzon the captain of the Nina. They were wealthy expert ship outfitters who helped organise Columbu's expedition and repaired the flaship Santa Maria. The Pinzon family were related to Abuzayan Muhammad III the Moroccan Sultan of the Marinid Dynasty (1196 - 1465).FELL,BARRY Saga America, New York 1980Mroueh Y (1996), Muhammed ANA (2001)(2003)
Vicente Pinzon also sailed with Colubus during his historic 1942 voyage to the New World and served as captain of the Nina. In late 1499 Vicente sailed a second time to the Americas, landing on the Brazilian coast at Santa Maria de la Consolacion. Sailing northwest from his initial landfall in Brazil, he explored the Amazon River estuary and the Gulf of Paria in northeast Venezuela. Vincente made two additional voyages to the Americas before 1508.
Franciso Pinzon was the third of the Pinzon brothers to sail with Columbus in 1492 Franciso served as the pilot of the Pinta
===Pedro Alonso Nino===
Pedro Alonso Nino sailed with Columbus in 1492. He was of African descent, and helped navigate the Atlantic and map the islands of the Caribbean.Smallwood AD (1999)
===Rodrigo De Triana===
Rodrigo de Trana also known as Rodrigo de Lepe after a town in Al-Andalus sailed with Columbus on his first voyage. He was recorded as being the first on the ship to sight land. Rodrigo was born a Christian, but on his return to Spain in 1493 he converted to Islam, and this was against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition and the perscution of Moriscos and Muslims Quick AH 1998
==References==
==External links==
* Wikipedia article about Christopher Columbus.
Category:Biography