The 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe, Spanish scientists said on Saturday, after using DNA analysis to tackle a centuries-old mystery. <\/p>\n
Several countries have argued over the origins and the final burial place of the divisive figure who led Spanish-funded expeditions from the 1490s onward, opening the way for the European conquest of the Americas. <\/p>\n
Many historians have questioned the traditional theory that Columbus came from Genoa, Italy. Other theories range from him being a Spanish Jew or a Greek, to Basque, Portuguese or British. <\/p>\n
To solve the mystery researchers conducted a 22-year investigation, led by forensic expert Miguel Lorente, by testing tiny samples of remains buried in Seville Cathedral, long marked by authorities there as the last resting place of Columbus, though there had been rival claims. <\/p>\n
They compared them with those of known relatives and descendants and their findings were announced in a documentary titled \u201cColumbus DNA: The true origin\u201d on Spain\u2019s national broadcaster TVE on Saturday. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have DNA from Christopher Columbus, very partial, but sufficient. We have DNA from Hernando Col\u00f3n, his son,\u201d Lorente said in the program. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd both in the Y chromosome (male) and in the mitochondrial DNA (transmitted by the mother) of Hernando there are traits compatible with Jewish origin.\u201d <\/p>\n
Around 300,000 Jews lived in Spain before the \u201cReyes Catolicos,\u201d Catholic monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, ordered Jews and Muslims to convert to the Catholic faith or leave the country. Many settled around the world. The word Sephardic comes from Sefarad, or Spain in Hebrew. <\/p>\n
After analyzing 25 possible places, Lorente said it was only possible to say Columbus was born in Western Europe. <\/p>\n
On Thursday, Lorente said they had confirmed previous theories that the remains in Seville Cathedral belonged to Columbus. <\/p>\n
Research on Columbus\u2019 nationality was complicated by a number of factors including the large amount of data. But \u201cthe outcome is almost absolutely reliable,\u201d Lorente said. <\/p>\n
Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506, but wished to be buried on the island of Hispaniola that is today shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. His remains were taken there in 1542, then moved to Cuba in 1795 and then, it had been long thought in Spain, to Seville in 1898. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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