In advance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, I post photos of busts of Chiefs Caonabó, Anacaona, and Enriquillo, portions of statues in the Dominican Republic (San Juan de la Maguana for Caonabó and Anacaona, south of Lake Enriquillo for Enriquillo). As my published books...

The first recorded Christian baptism in “Española” of a Taíno occurred on September 21, 1496 (528 years ago next week). The Hieronymite friar Ramón Pané baptized the Taíno youth Guatícabanu as Juan Mateo in Pané’s church in Guaricano (Chief Guarionex’s hometown), near...

The historical record doesn’t date two events: when Anacaona first learned of Chief Caonabó’s death at sea en route to Spain; or when she returned from Caonabó’s chiefdom of Maguana to her native Xaraguá. As depicted in Columbus and Caonabó: 1493–1498 Retold, I...

In mid-June 1496, Columbus departed Cádiz by mule with his two dozen Taíno captives for Seville, where he would wait for Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand’s summons for an audience. By month end, the entourage arrived to reside some days at the home and church of...

The Niña and India arrived at Cádiz on June 11, 1496 (528 years ago). By chance, three caravels then were ready to depart Cádiz, bearing fresh supplies and Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand’s most recently prepared letters for Columbus in “Española,” which Columbus...

Historians have disagreed when and where Chief Caonabó died at sea, with the primary sources noted below conflicted and unclear. Bartolomé de Las Casas believed he drowned right in the harbor at Isabela during a storm that sank the caravel in which he was chained...

The Niña and India were overloaded with Spanish passengers and Taíno slaves (as well as Chief Caonabó), and Columbus imposed tight rations from the moment they departed Isabela for Spain (see prior post). He set the caravels’ initial course toward islands he’d visited...

As depicted in Columbus and Caonabó, on March 10, 1496 (528 years ago), Chief Caonabó was unshackled from the ground in Columbus’s fortified residence at Isabela and escorted north through the settlement to its beach and pier, where he was hauled to sail with Columbus...

As related in my books and posts, Columbus enslaved Taínos and other indigenous peoples to serve as guides and interpreters as he explored about the Caribbean and subjugated “Española.” The most well-known of these boys and young men was the Taíno youth seized on...

In early 1496 (528 years ago), Columbus prepared to return to Spain in the Niña and India to defend himself from the investigator Juan Aguado’s criticisms, as well as haul Chief Caonabó to submit in person to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Columbus had decided to...