What Did Columbus Carry With Him to the Americas?

Just a question. What sort of cargo and how much of it did he bring with him to the Americas on his first journey (and if you know, subsequent journeys)? I know he had many glass beads and caps, but did he have anything practical? Say, firearms, armor, swords? Did he carry any valuable goods like sugar or spices, or gold/silver?

Additionally, what kind of personnel did Columbus have with him? Were there priests, soldiers, cartographers, doctors? How many? Etc.
 
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Anything that's required for a long journey across the sea to trade with China, basically. That and disease.

That's not very helpful. You could at least tell me what kind of things Europeans would have brought with them to trade with China.
 

Pangur

Donor
The OP I think catches most of it - food, water, muskets & cannon, knives and swords. Some gold and silver is quite likely as well
 
i'd believe it if he brought some spices, too, since those were an important trade commodity at the time
 
i'd believe it if he brought some spices, too, since those were an important trade commodity at the time

This is less likely - he would have wanted to buy spices, not sell spices that had already come all along the Silk Road.

Generally speaking, gold and silver flowed towards China, and silk and spices away from it.

Some weapons and armor for trade is possible, though - but on this first expedition, I would assume just gold and silver for compactness' sake
 
This is less likely - he would have wanted to buy spices, not sell spices that had already come all along the Silk Road.
He quite probably would have carried a little bit of at least the main spices just to show the natives what he was after, though. Much easier than pointing and grunting or learning a new language.
 
Columbus first voyage carried supplies estimated to last for a year. They were mainly salted cod, salted meat and "bizcocho" (a cake that lasts long time and has a lot of calories) , wine, olive oil, wheat, cheese and sweet water...

They also carried navigation tools like sandclocks, compass etc

For trade they carried venetian crystal beans, small mirrors, tainted clothes and symilar tgings.

The tripulation consisted mainly of proffesional sailors, most of them from southwestern Andalusia (Palos de Moguer was the departure port and most sailors were from the area, but also you find some basques and cantabrians that came in the Santa María, rented by Columbus in the northern port of Santoña) You have also the Pinzon brothers, important sailors from Palos who led the Pinta and Niña, the Niño brothers, owners of La Niña, Juan de la Cosa (cartographer and owner of the Santa María) a royal representative (Pere de Marguerit) translators (people knowing hebrew, arab and greek, just in case) Some of these were also priests (like Margarit) And of course the carried some personal weapons like swords and arquebuses.
 
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