Was Christopher Columbus Spanish and Jewish?

Columbus Circle
A statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sits atop a 27.5-foot-tall granite rostral column in Columbus Circle on Jan. 14, 2018. (Photo by Todd DeFeo/The DeFeo Groupe)

Was Christoper Columbus a Spaniard of Jewish descent?

A new theory says that may be the case.

Columbus has long thought a native of Genoa, Italy, born in 1451 to a family of wool weavers. However, a new theory based on DNA evidence suggests he was likely born in Valencia, Spain.

He apparently hid his Jewish background to avoid persecution, possibly converting to Catholicism, a report from the BBC suggests.

Palazzo Vecchio
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Sightseers’ Delight started publishing in June 2016. The site, published by The DeFeo Groupe, collects and curates content about places where historical events large and small happened. The site builds off the legacy of The Travel Trolley, which launched in June 2009. The site aimed to be a virtual version of the trolley tours offered in so many cities.