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Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem: How Religion Drove the Voyages that Led to America

Name: Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem: How Religion Drove the Voyages that Led to America
Price: 15.69 USD
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Rating: 4.7 (273 reviews)

4.7 of 5 Stars: Travelers & Explorers - Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem: How Religion Drove the Voyages that Led to America

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Book Synopsis: “One of the 100 best books of the year.” —The Times Literary Supplement

Christopher Columbus is reevaluated as a man of deep passion, patience, and religious conviction—on a mission to save Jerusalem from Islam.

Five hundred years after he set sail, Columbus is still a controversial figure in history. Debates portray him either as the hero in the great drama of discovery or as an avaricious glory hunter and ruthless destroyer of indigenous cultures.

In Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem, Carol Delaney offers a radically new interpretation of the man and his mission, claiming that the true motivation for his voyages is still widely unknown. Delaney argues that Columbus was inspired to find a western route to the Orient not only to obtain vast sums of gold for the Spanish Crown but primarily to fund a new crusade to take Jerusalem from the Muslims before the end of the world—a goal that sustained him until the day he died.

Drawing from oft-ignored sources, some from Columbus’s own hand, Delaney depicts her subject as a thoughtful interpreter of the native cultures that he and his men encountered, and tells the tragic story of how his initial attempts to establish good relations with the natives turned badly sour.

Showing Columbus in the context of his times rather than through the prism of present-day perspectives on colonial conquests reveals a man who was neither a greedy imperialist nor a quixotic adventurer, but a man driven by an abiding religious passion.

Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem is not an apologist’s take, but a clear-eyed, thought-provoking, and timely reappraisal of the man and his legacy.

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Discover the untold story of Christopher Columbus in Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem: How Religion Drove the Voyages that Led to America. This gripping book is a must-read for history buffs and those fascinated by exploration. Delving deep into Columbus's motivations, author Carol Delaney sheds new light on the controversial figure, presenting him as a man of deep passion, patience, and religious conviction.

Unlike other debates that portray Columbus as either a hero or a destroyer of indigenous cultures, Delaney offers a fresh perspective. She contends that Columbus's true motivation for his voyages is still widely unknown. According to Delaney, Columbus's primary goal was not solely to obtain vast sums of gold for the Spanish Crown, but rather to fund a new crusade to take Jerusalem from the Muslims before the end of the world.

With meticulous research and access to rarely explored sources, including Columbus's own writings, Delaney paints the portrait of a thoughtful explorer. Columbus's encounters with native cultures are depicted with sensitivity, revealing his attempts to establish good relations. However, the story takes a tragic turn, highlighting the challenges and complexities of those early encounters.

By presenting Columbus in the context of his times, Delaney challenges popular misconceptions. He is neither a greedy imperialist nor a quixotic adventurer. Instead, he emerges as a man driven by an abiding religious passion. Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem is a thought-provoking and timely reappraisal of the man and his legacy.

Don't miss out on this captivating exploration of one of history's most intriguing figures. Click here to get your copy of Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem: How Religion Drove the Voyages that Led to America today and embark on a journey through fascinating historical revelations.

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