This text, an excerpt from the Wikipedia article on Christopher Columbus, offers a comprehensive overview of the explorer's life, voyages, and complex legacy. It begins with his early life in Genoa and details his extensive quest for financial support from various kingdoms before securing an agreement with the Spanish Crown for his westward voyages toward Asia. The source extensively covers his four major voyages to the Americas, including geographical miscalculations he made, the establishment of colonies, and the subsequent Columbian Exchange of populations, diseases, and goods. Furthermore, the text addresses the significant criticism and defense surrounding Columbus, focusing particularly on his brutality toward indigenous peoples like the Taíno, the ensuing genocide and depopulation from disease and enslavement, and the historical debate over whether the Norse preceded him in discovering the continent. Finally, the article discusses his later life, death, and the disputed location of his remains, alongside the evolution of his legacy in Western culture, from a heroic figure to a controversial symbol.

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