Throughout the history of exploration, few figures have captured the popular imagination as much as Christopher Columbus. His journey in 1492 marked the beginning of a new era of discoveries and transformations for the world. However, one of the most intriguing aspects of his life is the existence of a letter which, despite its importance, has never been found. This article explores the enigma of Christopher Columbus’s lost letter, exploring its possible contents, its impact on history, and the theories surrounding its disappearance.
On his return from “India” in 1493, Christopher Columbus wrote a letter addressed to the Catholic Monarchs in which he recounts his first experiences in the New World. It had neither date nor title and was printed by order of Admiral de la Carambola, first in Barcelona, by the printing house of Pere Posa and Pere Bru, and later in Rome by Stephan Plannck, from where the big news circulated quickly. throughout Europe.
One of the 16 copies of the letter was acquired in 1918 by the National Library of Catalonia, but mysteriously disappeared from its collections, while other copies of the letter were stolen from other libraries in Europe. The theft of this letter, which had not been made public, occurred 13 years ago, but thanks to the American government it was returned to Barcelona.
The lost letter of Christopher Columbus: an inadvertent theft
The story of Christopher Columbus’ lost letter begins in 2011, when the Library of Catalonia was not even aware of the theft. In September of the same year, Special Agent Mark Olexa, who was in Delaware, received information that several letters from Columbus had been stolen replaced by false letters in several European libraries. Among them was the Library of Catalonia.
After discovering that two letters from Columbus had been stolen and replaced with forgeries from libraries in Florence and the Vatican, Olexa traveled to Barcelona in 2012 with two specialists in ancient books. When checking the paper, margins and watermark, Experts have found that, In Indeed, the letter did not correspond to the original incunabula.
The comparison was made with a digital photograph of the original epistle taken by the Library in 2004. This document was essential in determining that they had been replaced.
The journeys of the enigmatic lost letter
Federal prosecutor Jamie McCall, in charge of the investigation, revealed that the theft of the letter took place between 2004 and 2005. The epistle arrived in the United States twice: in November 2005 and in December 2009. And in 2014, it was finally sold to the last owner.
The US Department of Homeland Security investigation took them to a professor and expert on ancient books at Princeton Universitywho claims to have examined the letter for authentication in November 2005. The first buyer paid 600,000 euros for it.
In 2008, the letter appeared in the catalog of a Parisian antique dealer. and a year later, in December 2009, a new buyer requested the services of the same expert to verify the authenticity of the letter. The private collector reportedly paid the equivalent of a million dollars to acquire it.
In 2011, the epistle reappeared at a San Francisco antiquarian book fair.until finally stopping in Brazil. Investigators managed to locate its final buyer, a Brazilian millionaire who purchased the letter without knowing its illicit origin. After discovering that they belonged to the Library of Catalonia, the buyer agreed to waive his rights to them. The letter was sent back to the United States so that the Princeton expert could verify its authenticity.
The thieves, who included Italian traders with international ties, had used bleach to erase the library’s original seal, but thanks to photographs from 2004 it was possible to verify that it was It was indeed the same copy.
Return to the National Library of Catalonia
After crossing the Atlantic Ocean several times, Christopher Columbus’s enigmatic lost letter about the discovery of America has finally been returned to Spain. It was returned in an official handover ceremony at the residence of the Spanish Ambassador in Washington, by the US Office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Attorney for the District of Delaware, Jamie McCall.
What could the letter contain?
Although you do not have access to the letter itself, experts have speculated about its contents. It is believed that Columbus could have described the lush nature of the lands he discovered, the potential wealth of natural resources and the cultures of the indigenous peoples. It is also possible that he included details about the difficulties of the journey and the need for additional support to continue his explorations.
Theories about his disappearance
The absence of a letter led to various theories about his disappearance. Some historians suggest that it may have been accidentally lost during transport. Others believe that after Columbus’ death, someone may have considered it too valuable or compromised and decided to hide it.
The search for the truth behind the lost letter is a search for the multiple narratives that make up our understanding of the past, a reminder that there is always more to discover.
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