I have read about the timing of Columbus’ voyage and how it coincides with the 1492 Sephardic Jewish Diaspora stemming from the Spanish Inquisition... where basically, if you were Jewish, you were forced to convert (known as “Conversos”), leave immediately or die. It is also interesting that Palos de la Frontera, the port city that Columbus set sail from, was well known to be one of the mass exportation ports for Jews who chose to “leave”.

So, same time, same place.

It just seems like the notion that he was Jewish or a “Converso” makes a lot of sense to me. We know that Luis de Torres, his navigator, was born a Jew but had converted shortly before the expedition; other Conversos, Luis de Santangel and Gabriel Sanchez, had a hand in the financing; and two Jews (I can’t see to find what happened to them) Abraham Zacuto and Joseph Vecinho, provided technical expertise that helped Columbus navigate the ocean.

Does anyone have any historical insight here? I am not looking for any religious or anti-religion zealots to get on their soap boxes here. Any actual perspectives would be much appreciated.