I was born in Genoa Italy near Naples, and eventually moved to Venice where my seafaring career began. A merchant like my father, I traded in spices with the ports of the eastern Mediterranean, and became an expert mariner. Myself and my crew brought precious goods from Asia including spices, silks, precious stones and metals. These were brought either overland or up the Red Sea for sale in Europe. In Venice I eventually became a citizen, and in 1482 I married a wonderful Venetian woman named Mattea, and together we had three sons, Ludovico, Sebastiano and Sancio.
Like Columbus and Magellan, I also believed that a direct route to the riches to the Orient could be found by heading west across the Atlantic instead of east. Financing such a trip was not such an easy thing to do.
In my attempt to finance this adventure of discovery I had approached and was eventually turned down by the monarchs of both Spain and Portugal. After much perseverance I was fortunately granted a charter to explore by Henry VII of England.
Henry VII granted me a crew of 18 and a ship of less than 70 feet, which was called the Matthew.
I made my first voyage in 1496, but unfortunately my first attempt to find a new route to Asia ended in failure. A shortage of food and bad weather, forced me to turn back. The following year however, I had better luck.
My second expedition set sail from Bristol, England, on May 2, 1497. My heading led me farther north than the Columbus routes. Five weeks later on June 24, my crew sighted land. At the time I was convinced I had found an island off the coast of Asia and named the island "new found land". I then claimed this new found land in the name of Henry VII. Little did I know at the time that I was the first documented European to land on this island in 500 years.
Although I didn't return to England with precious metals silks or spices the King was very pleased by my discovery and even granted me a pension. My discoveries led many others to visit these new found lands. Indeed being the first to discover this great new land was an honor that I will never forget.
