Photo: Wikipedia
christopher columbus
explorer
possibly jewish
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) shrouded his origins in mystery, leading some to believe that he was from a Spanish converso family — Jews who had been forcibly converted to Christianity. He maintained a lifelong interest in Judaism, Jewish history, and the Jewish calendars. Prominent Jews funded his 1492 Voyage of Discovery, and his crew included many conversos. Was he really Jewish? Check out Unsolved Jewish Mysteries episode #63.
Appears in
Episode 63