Columbus dies?

Founding of Americas might delay with some years, perhaps even to year 1500. But probably Portugal is more important colonial power. Spain probably still begin colonisation but much later. So probably Aztecs and Incas might last longer, but hardly survive.
 
John Cabot still will sail for the English in 1497 and discover Newfoundland, Labrador, etc.

The Europeans knew that the Earth was round, the problem was that they also knew correctly just how big it was. Columbus was the fool who thought it was smaller than it was. With the Portuguese going around Africa, France, Netherlands, and England are still going to get going northwest. Portugal will still accidentally run into Brazil. Spain will be behind but probably catch up relatively quickly based on geography and the Habsburgs. But maybe the Portuguese decide to capitalize on both the Americas and their Africa route and take all of South America before the Spanish have a chance.

With the fringes of the Americas being discovered and infected with Small Pox, etc instead of the core MesoAmerica cultures, the Aztecs and Incas may get the diseases before the Europeans meet them directly. They may be in quite a decline by the time the Europeans meet them and we wouldn't know just how rich and powerful they had been, they may not be as impressive to the Europeans with riches that they want to conquer.
 
John Cabot still will sail for the English in 1497 and discover Newfoundland, Labrador, etc.

The Europeans knew that the Earth was round, the problem was that they also knew correctly just how big it was. Columbus was the fool who thought it was smaller than it was. With the Portuguese going around Africa, France, Netherlands, and England are still going to get going northwest. Portugal will still accidentally run into Brazil. Spain will be behind but probably catch up relatively quickly based on geography and the Habsburgs. But maybe the Portuguese decide to capitalize on both the Americas and their Africa route and take all of South America before the Spanish have a chance.

With the fringes of the Americas being discovered and infected with Small Pox, etc instead of the core MesoAmerica cultures, the Aztecs and Incas may get the diseases before the Europeans meet them directly. They may be in quite a decline by the time the Europeans meet them and we wouldn't know just how rich and powerful they had been, they may not be as impressive to the Europeans with riches that they want to conquer.

I might be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that Colombus did know how large the earth was, but that he thought the distance from Europe to China was twice as long as it really is, because Marco Polo supposedly should have miscalculated it (of course Marco Polo did not follow a straight line, but had to follow the terrain, which might be part of the explanation of a miscalculation).
 
Is it Friday again? Columbus' Nonarrival home from his Expedition seems to pop up weekly.

General consensus seems to be that surprisingly little would change as Cabral made landfall in Brazil in 1500, with no reason to believe that Columbus' travels having anything to do with it (IIRC it was a storm blowing him to far west on the way south around Africa to India)
 
I might be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that Colombus did know how large the earth was, but that he thought the distance from Europe to China was twice as long as it really is, because Marco Polo supposedly should have miscalculated it (of course Marco Polo did not follow a straight line, but had to follow the terrain, which might be part of the explanation of a miscalculation).

I had not heard that, that very well may be possible! Looks like I have some reading to do on the subject.
 
I might be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that Colombus did know how large the earth was, but that he thought the distance from Europe to China was twice as long as it really is, because Marco Polo supposedly should have miscalculated it (of course Marco Polo did not follow a straight line, but had to follow the terrain, which might be part of the explanation of a miscalculation).

No, he made BOTH errors.

--------
See also

Effects of No Columbus: Counterfactual
kasumigenx

Columbus' Ships Sink, When is America discovered?
Anekcahdep

WI Columbus never returned to Spain? (Multi-page thread 1 2)
phildup

WI: no Support for Columbus
Sian

Spain denied Columbus?
MrNumbahOne

WI: Columbus doesn't make it back (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4)
AllActionMan

1492 Columbus sank in the ocean blue
docfl

Failed Columbus - Effects on Europe?
Emperor-of-New-Zealand

Immediate Effects of Failed Columbus? (Multi-page thread 1 2)
Beedok

WI: Columbus never arrived America?
Chörnyj Orel

WI: Columbus falls off the map
Amedras

WI: Columbus Failed? (Multi-page thread 1 2 3)
TMS2224

WI - 1492, Indians Discover Columbus Lost At Sea.
Forever_found

WI Columbus Failed? (Multi-page thread 1 2)
OneUp

Columbus Never Returns
Codae

Christopher Columbus lost at sea
Niceguy

Columbus turns back
Peter Cowan

WI Hurricane maxima at time of Columbus
NapoleonXIV

The ships of Columbus mutiny! (Multi-page thread 1 2)
Darkest

WI Columbus Fails
Fearless Leader
 
Last edited:
Top