The New Murrey and Blue blog

… will be reading this from the American land mass and associated archipelago that now form two great continents. As late as the decade after Richard III’s untimely death, the great powers of Southern Europe were unaware of its existence. To the people of the “Old World”, Asia and Africa were known and Columbus‘ discoveries were thought of as the east coast of China etc.

Then came Amerigo Vespucci, the Venetian detailed by this splendid PBS America documentary. More of a banker than an adventurer in his own right, he first served Columbus in the Spanish interest before taking the escudo, as made necessary by the (later papally reinforced) 1494 treaty of Tordesillas, to learn more about Brazil, before returning to Spain. Later, Markham was to publish his letters.

Whilst some controversy remains over his part in the voyages, if you haven’t yet seen the broadcast, please catch up if you can.

By Super Blue