The Fate of La Isabella

Christopher Columbus, Cristofo Colombo, Cristobal Colon

In 1492 Christopher Columbus, or Cristofo Colombo in his native Italian, set sail from Spain and landed just over a month later in what we now know as the Bahamas.  He continued on and landed at Hispaniola (the island now home to Haiti and the Dominican Republic).  There the ship Santa Maria foundered on a reef. Columbus established a fort or settlement there, christened it "Villa de la Navidad" and left just over 3 dozen men there.  Since he was convinced he had found Asia, Columbus returned to Spain.

Columbus' First Voyage.  Map by Keith Pickering.  Columbus' nomenclature in blue, modern names in black.

In 1493 Columbus left Spain a second time.  When he returned to Hispaniola, he found that Villa de la Navidad (in what is now Haiti) had been destroyed and several of the men massacred.  He sailed some 50 miles east along the northern coast and built a new settlement which he named La Isabella, which was located in the present-day Dominican Republic and was the first permanent non-native settlement in the Western Hemishpere.

Colombus' Second Voyage.  Map by Keith Pickering.  

Though established with in the vicinity of a 1000 settlers, La Isabella was abandoned within 4 years.  Disease and a hostile relationship with the local natives caused by Columbus' harsh treatment of them are believed to be the primary cause.  Some of the typical diseases are to blame:  malaria, smallpox, influenza.  But new evidence uncovered by forensic archaeology suggests that a previously-unsuspected condition may also have played a role:  scurvy.

The bones of crew and settlers indicate that many suffered from severe scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency and common to sailors of the era.  Some of the scientists believe that being afflicted with scurvy at the time the settlement was established resulted in the settlers being more susceptible to other diseases, and that disease, privation, and poor morale all combined to destroy La Isabella.  

Kingdoms within the UK 600-900

A rough idea of the kingdoms what is now the United Kingdom 600-900 AD.  Based on a chart drawn by
Brian Inness in Mike Ashley’s The Mammoth Book of British Kings & Queens,
Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc., New York, 1998

Northumbria and Mercia emerged as among the most powerful kingdoms of the era.  Not until the late 600s did Wessex begin to unify.  Under Egbert, the West Saxons dominated and became the rulers of England.  It’s unclear when he was born, though it could have been as early 770 or 771.  He is believed to have been the son of Eahlmund, who was briefly king of Kent.  After the murder of Cynewulf, King Offa of Mercia gave the kingship of Wessex to Beorhtric, who viewed Egbert as a threat.

It’s believed that Egbert, with connections to Kent and it’s strong ties to the Frankish kingdoms, avoided potential murder by Beorhtric by removing himself to Charlemagne’s court.  While there he was married to a close relative of Charlemagne’s.  After the death of Beorhtric, the witan (council) recalled him from exile in 802 to succeed as king of Wessex.  By 815, he had succeeded in bringing Kernow (Cornwall) under the near total influence of Wessex.

In 825, Mercia invaded, but its new king, Beornwulf, was defeated.  Almost immediately afterward, Egberte sent his son, two earls, and the Bishop of Sherborne with an army into Kent, driving out King Baldred. Egbert's forces continued on into East Anglia, where it appears they may have been welcomed, as the East Anglian king wanted Egbert’s support against Mercia.  Egbert invaded Mercia itself in 829 and moved on into Northumbria.  King Eanred met him there and agreed to Egbert’s overlordship.

Egbert’s success was soon tempered by raids by Danish Vikings.  In 835 they landed in Kent and the following year in Devon.  Egbert failed to drive them out, by 838, the Vikings had combined forces with the Cornish in a war against the Saxons.  The Saxons defeated them, however, in a battle near the Devon-Cornwall border.  Egbert died about 839 and was succeeded by his son, Athelwolf, who was the father of Alexander the Great.

Oddest Cause of Death Ever?

Around 875 there was a man by the name of Sigurd I, also known as Sigurd Riki (Sigurd the Mighty) who was the earl of Orkney.  He was a brother to Ragnald I and a direct descendant of one of several lines of Scandinavian kings.  Ragnald initially was earl (jarl) of Orkney, but chronicles suggest he had little interest in administration and more in seafaring and warfare.  He gave the title and the responsibility to Sigurd.

via Pinterest.  Depiction is from a 6th century viking helmet

Sigurd was ambitious and wanted to establish his own kingdom.  He teamed up with a cousin--the descendant of one of his ancestral uncles--and began to conquer northern Scotland.  These conquests became the  material of many Norse sagas, all of which portray Sigurd and his cousin Thorstein the Red, as two of the mightiest warriors of their day.  They conquered the Picts of northern Britain, which resulted in the border of their combined kingdoms extending considerably south, with Sigurd possibly also laying claim to the northern Hebrides.

The Scottish kings were apparently too busy sorting out their own affairs in the south.  Attempts to defend against the invaders were left to the earls of the Picts and Scots.  One such earl was Maelbrigte, who was possibly the earl of Moray (and therefore an ancestor of Macbeth).  He refused to negotiate terms with Sigurd, who flew into a rage  and killed Maelbrigte.  He hung Maelbrigte's head from his saddle as a trophy.  Over the course of riding, however, the teeth from the severed head scraped Sigurd's leg.  He developed septicemia and died, thus becoming the only ruler known to have been killed by being bitten by a dead enemy.