Introduction
We find many events in history that can be described as curious, tragic, amusing an at times, startling. In this article I will focus upon such events about which, perhaps, some of us may not be aware of. The two occurrences are appended below.
Where is Christopher Columbus buried?
According to many historians Christopher Columbus was born in GENOA (ITALY) in 1451. His father was a wool weaver but from his childhood Christopher Columbus loved the sea and undertook some voyages under his seniors. These small voyages inculcated in him the ambition to venture on longer voyages for attaining fame as well as prosperity.
The land route for the Europeans, for carrying out trade with CHINA and INDIA had been severed by the capture of CONSTANTINOPLE (1453) and the conquest of EGYPT by the Sultan of Turkey. The sea routes through the Mediterranean and the Red Sea were also not safe due to the offensive exploits of the Muslim sailors. The Portuguese and the British sailors had begun sailing around Africa to reach Asia which was an eastward route to establish trade relations.
Columbus had made plans to reach Asia via a westward route to compete with other European sailors. He calculated that a westward route would need more supplies and fresh water. In 1485 Columbus approached the King of Portugal to finance his voyage, appoint him a Great Admiral of the Ocean, be made the Governor of the lands he would discover and grant him 8 to 10 percent revenue from those lands, but his proposal was rejected. He also approached the King of England and the rulers of GENOA and VENICE with the same proposal but here too his proposal was not accepted.
In 1492 Columbus was successful in getting the agreement of the King (FERDINAND II) and Queen ISABELLA of Spain to proceed on his voyages. The royal couple had agreed to appoint him ‘Admiral of the Seas’ and the Viceroy and Governor of the new lands. In addition he would also get one-eighth of the profits in any commercial venture with the new lands.
On 3rd August 1492 Columbus commenced his voyage in three ships. No one knew that he would be discovering the ‘New World’ and would be awarded heaps of honour and unparalleled fame. On the morning of 2nd October, after 37 days on arduous journey during which hopes were often raised only to be dashed, a seaman raised the cry ‘Land’. Thereafter, a small fleet landed on an island that was named SAN SALVADOR (presently part of the BAHAMAS) by Columbus. He also discovered CUBA and HISPANIOLA and returned to Spain to make reports of his discoveries, which were profusely lauded. During his second voyage (1493), his third voyage (1498), and his fourth one (1502) he had discovered numerous islands and lands. But the King and Queen had refused to pay him the share of profits promised. Disappointed and dejected, Columbus died a sick man on 20th May 1506. During his lifetime he was never to know that the land he had discovered and believed it to be the eastern side of Asia was in fact the Continent of America. He was buried in VALLADOLID, Spain with great honour and reverence. But before he breathed his last he had wished that his remains be taken to the Island of HISPANIOLA (now the DOMINICOM REPUBLIC). For three years his body remained in VALLADOLID but later was taken to a monastery in SEVILLE 1537 his dead body and of his son (DIAGO COLUMBUS) in separate lead boxes were shifted to a church in the beautiful port of SANTO DOMINGO situated in the southern coast of DOMINICOM. Both the graves were located side by side. An inscription of a plaque of white marble, on each grave, clearly indicates the urns for the next 115 years. People from all over the world came and paid homage to Columbus the great Admiral of the Seas.
In 1655 a British force attacked the port of SANTO COMINGO and in order to save the graves from desecration and removal of the urns of Columbus, the inscription on the marble plaque on the graves were obliterated and the top part of the graves were destroyed. The aim was to conceal the existence of the two graves. For the next 140 years there remained no visible trace of the grave.
During 1795 Spain handed over the island of Hispaniola to France but the people of Spain decided not to hand over the urn of Columbus to France. The floor of the Church of Santa Domingo was dug out and the lead box containing the remains of Columbus were shifted to HABANA (HAVANA, CUBA), and to commemorate the occasion a statue of Columbus was installed.
In 1877 the building of the Church of Santo Domingo was in a ruinous state therefore it was decided to dismantle it and rebuild a new church on the same site. When the labourers were digging the floor, they found a lead box a few feet beneath the ground with some words inscribed on it. D.de la A. PER – Ate was clearly visible. After a lot of effort the words were deciphered as “The first Admiral who discovered America”. This information was immediately passed on to the government who ordered the lead box to be opened. Under the top cover another inscription on a marble plaque was visible which read as “Famous and illustrious Baron Christopher Columbus”. This discovery provided impeachable evidence that the bones of Columbus were interred in this coffin, while the HABANA church had been paying unflinching respect and homage to the wrong Columbus.
At the time when the coffin of Columbus was being carried to HABANA no one was aware that there were two lead boxes, one containing the remains of Columbus and the other containing the remains of his son. The inscriptions on the plaques and graves had been obliterated to conceal the location of the graves. Because of ignorance and some lack of intelligence the Spanish officials lifted the lead box carrying the remains of Columbus’ son which was moved to HABANA. The startling discovery of the remains of Columbus were however not accepted by the government of Spain who insisted that the remains of Columbus were in HABANA.
When Cuba became independent in 1898 the remains of Columbus in the lead box were once again shifted to Seville, Spain after more than 350 years. The government of Spain built a magnificent tomb in a church to commemorate the memory of Columbus. But a great number of people still believe that the remains of Columbus are in the lead box that lies in the church of SANTO DOMINGO where the government of the Island of Hispaniola has also built a magnificent tomb in remembrance of the achievement of Columbus. Columbus’ remains have been kept in a big copper box and on its sides the remains of Columbus are visible. Every year on 13 October the copper box is opened and thousands of people pay homage to the Admiral of the Seas. Only a few bones are visible in the lead box as most have melted away into ash.
The lead box is 9″x17″ and a piece of bullet can also be seen but no one knows how that bullet had entered into the bones. Perhaps during his lifetime Columbus had been wounded and some part of the bullet remained in his body.
In order to pay tribute to the achievements of Columbus various governments of North America and South America contributed funds and built an 800 feet high cross called the Light House Monument. As far as the people of Spain are concerned, they are adamant that the ‘Real Columbus’ is with them in Spain.
EMMI – A lost page of History
In 1765, on the Island of MARTINIQUE (West Indies), two girls, JOSEPHINE and EMMI were born to aristocratic families. Both were related and as they grew up they came closer as friends. As any 12 year old girl they were naughty and carefree. One day they went to see the negro astrologer of the island and asked him to read their palms and tell what he could about their future.
The astrologer told JOSEPHINE that she would be married twice and that her second husband would conquer many countries and achieve great fame; JOSEPHINE would be exalted to the status of Queen but her later age would be full of sorrow and misery.
To EMMI the astrologer said that she would be captured by a Muslim ship during a sea voyage. She would become a gem in the crown of a Muslim King as his favourite queen. She would give birth to a son who would succeed his father and EMMI would attain the height of a powerful ‘Queen Mother’.
After hearing the astrologer the young girls laughed and giggling, they left the negro. How true were the prophecies made by the astrologer? The subsequent historical facts will prove beyond doubt the accuracy of the predictions.
JOSEPHINE’s first husband Viscount BEAUHARNAIS had visited the Island of MARTINIQUE on business and was captivated by the beauty of the young damsel and married her. The Viscount later perished on the scaffold, an illustrious victim of the revolutionary fury in Paris. JOSEPHINE thus became a widow at a young age with two children.
At the age of 25 years NAPOLEON had been promoted to General and was made responsible for restoring law and order in Paris. To forestall the possibility of outbreak of more violence NAPOLEON proceeded to disarming the people of Paris. In the performance of this duty the sword of Viscount Beauharnais was also confiscated. A few days later, EUGENE the intelligent 12 year old son of Viscount Beauharnais managed to obtain access to NAPOLEON and emotionally implored that the sword of his father be restored to him. NAPOLEON did not have the heart to deny such a request and personally handed over the sword to the young boy. Pressing the sword to his chest, the boy burst into tears, bowed in silence and retired.
JOSEPHINE was so grateful for the kindness accorded to her son by the young General that she visited him to express her thanks. Dressed in a mourning dress her musical voice was penetrating with great emotion. The delicacy of her maternal love, perfect grace of manner and language with which she discharged her mission touched the admiration of the NAPOLEON. Soon he started visiting her frequently and both fell in love. JOSEPHINE was two years older but her form and features had resisted the effect of time and her cheerfulness and vivacity in her the charms of youth. On the 6th of March 1896 NAPOLEON and JOSEPHINE were married. NAPOLEON was 26 years old when he was crowned Emperor and JOSEPHINE was elevated as the Empress.
EMMI had also grown up into a charming and beautiful damsel. She was sent to France for studies at a young age and remained in an institution for seven years. In 1784 she attained the age of 19. After completing her education she left France in a ship for the Island of MARTINIQUE, but failed to reach home because a Muslim ship in the MEDITERRANEAN Sea captured the ship and she, alongwith all passengers and crew, became prisoners. Upon seeing the beauty of the young girl the captain of the Muslim ship presented her to the ruler of ALGIERS in order to obtain his goodwill who, in turn presented her to the Sultan of Turkey who often remained unhappy with him even on trifle matters. The ruler of ALGIERS dispatched her in a special ship with full escort and invaluable presents. She was treated as a royal guest. Soon the beauty and refined manners of EMMI had so captivated the Sultan that he married her and she became his favourite queen. God blessed her with a handsome son who she looked after and cared for with maternal affection. Her son was the third in line for succession to the throne. When her husband the Sultan died in 1809 the mothers of the elder sons poisoned them with the help of their trusted eunuch and thus died Prince Salim and Prince Mustafa. Now Prince Mahmood, at the age of 23 was installed as the Sultan. Sultan Mahmood had the greatest respect and love for his mother and always accepted her advice, even on intricate matters of the State.
It was due to the efforts of EMMI (the Queen Mother) that Turkey established close and friendly relations with FRANCE because her dearest friend JOSEPHINE was the Empress of FRANCE and her husband NAPOLEON was the Emperor. A great number of French army officers and advisers were engaged in imparting training to Turkish officers and artillery gunners. With the support of French gunners, the British naval ships were forced to vacate Turkish waters. French fashion was also being adopted by the Turkish people.
The British High Command was flabbergasted to see the sudden change in the foreign policy of Turkey that was convincingly tilting in favour of France. Perhaps no one remembered that the Queen Mother of the Turkish Sultan was French and the change in Turkey’s policies was due to her guiding influence.
Suddenly circumstances took a new turn. EMMI’s dearest friend JOSEPHINE was divorced and NAPOLEON had married MARIA LOUISA in 1810, an AUSTRIAN princess who was the daughter of Emperor FRANCIS. Unfortunately JOSEPHINE was barren and unable to produce an heir to the throne. The pangs of separation had made her life gloomy and miserable. At St. Helena NAPOLEON said “Political motives induced me to divorce JOSEPHINE, who I most tenderly loved, she poor woman, fortunately for herself, died in time to prevent her from witnessing the last of my misfortunes…”.
EMMI was aware about JOSEPHINE’s melancholy and waited for a propitious time to deliver her vengeance and wrath. During 1812 RUSSIAN and TURKISH forces were aggressively facing each other on the borders. NAPOLEON was aware that a large RUSSIAN force was deployed on the borders of TURKEY, therefore from a strategic point of view it was the most opportune time to attack RUSSIA and destroy her forces. He tried to achieve another strategic success by offering huge aid and help to the Turkish Sultan and in return asked the Sultan to keep more RUSSIAN forces locked on the borders, but the Sultan kept silent. In fact TURKISH forces facing the RUSSIAN borders were withdrawn to allow the RUSSIAN forces to attack and harass the FRENCH forces advancing into RUSSIA. TURKEY and RUSSIA had secretly signed a friendship alliance. The sudden change in the foreign policy of TURKEY was inspired by the influence of the Queen Mother.
The FRENCH Grand Army consisted of about six hundred thousand soldiers (13 corps), 1362 cannons, 20000 carriages, 8700 horses (employed on artillery), 80000 cavalry, 75000 Imperial Guards and several thousand provision wagons. On 23 June 1812 the FRENCH advancing forces crossed the River NIEMAN and entered RUSSIAN territory but no opposition was encountered. CZAR ALEXANDER had ordered the FRENCH forces be allowed to continue deep into RUSSIAN territory and to only delivery harassing action from the flanks and rear. Enroute to MOSCOW numerous tenacious battles were fought. The terrible battle of BORODINO was fought in the middle of September in which 30000 FRENCH and 50000 RUSSIAN soldiers were killed in one single day and about 43 Generals were killed or wounded. It is recorded as the bloodiest one-day battle in Military History, the horror of which no imagination can depict.
NAPOLEON reached MOSCOW that was burning, mostly destroyed and deserted. Nothing was left of MOSCOW save the remembrance of its former grandeur. On 19th September 1812 the retreat of the Grand Army started. On 12th December 1812 the bleeding remnants of the Grand Army reached French territory. It is believed that France had lost about three hundred and fifty thousand soldiers of which one hundred thousand were killed in the advance and retreat, one hundred and fifty thousand died from hunger and the severity of the climate and about one hundred thousand remained prisoners in the hands of the RUSSIANS, not more than half returned to FRANCE. More than sixty thousand horses perished alongwith one thousand cannons and nearly twenty thousand wagons and carriages.
EMMI, the Queen Mother, had taken her revenge but the horrid and terrible injuries inflicted indirectly on NAPOLEON had failed to restore the happiness of JOSEPHINE.
In the Mosque of Sultan MOHAMMAD II there are about two dozen graves which are about 175 years old. These are the graves of Sultan MAHMOOD’s wives and children. The most prominent grave is of the Sultan’s mother. The inscription on the plaque reads, “Her remarkable beauty and grace will always be remembered. Her reputation of moral excellence will remain clothed in a cloak of mystery. She was profoundly respected and loved Queen Mother whose memory ever remains a source of inspiration. She had given birth to a great Sultan MAHMOOD”. Or words to that effect.
