Greetings:
I have obtained a book entitled "The Book of Prophecies". The book was edited by Christopher Columbus and a good friend of his, a Carthusian monk. The purpose of the book was to take biblical and philosophical writings and use them to prove that Columbus was foreordained of God to his position of finding the Indies (which he died believing were the EAST Indies, rather than the West). I have also obtained his book "The Book of Privileges", which was a book that he wrote outlining what he believed were the privileges that were owed him and his family by the Catholic Kings for his deeds in finding the Indies.
As I do my work on the Admiral, I never cease to be amazed at the cajones the man had. At the same time, I never cease to be amazed at the venality of the Catholic Sovereigns as well. Columbus had the unmitigated audacity to ask for HUGE powers and riches for himself and his family. And the Catholic Sovereigns granted what he asked for, and then were venal enough to take it all away.
As far as the Flat Earth is concerned, the old myth that he proved the Earth round is simply false. Educated Europeans had known the Earth was round since Aristotle. I have yet to read "The Book of Prophecies" and "The Book of Privileges". I just got them. But I shall welcome anything anybody has to say regarding the subject of Columbus, since I am writing about him for my Doctoral dissertation.