Jamaica, February 1504: Christopher Columbus, marooned with his crew, reportedly turns a lunar eclipse into a threat, and historians have very mixed feelings about it
Explorer Stranded
JAMAICA, 1504 – Christopher Columbus, on his fourth and final voyage to the Americas, has been stranded on the north coast of Jamaica for months, after his worm-eaten ships became so damaged that they had to be beached. With no way to leave, Columbus and his crew of around a hundred have depended on the local Taino people, who have been trading food in exchange for small goods. Officials in Hispaniola, the Spanish colony to the east, have shown little urgency in sending a rescue ship. Columbus was, by this point, deeply unpopular with many Spanish officials.
Supplies Dry Up
As the months passed, relations deteriorated. Some of Columbus crew mutinied, left the camp and mistreated the Taino. The Taino, perhaps tiring of supporting so many unwelcome guests for such low returns, reduced and then stopped their supplies. Columbus faced the prospect of starvation.
The Eclipse
According to the account written by Columbus son Ferdinand, Columbus consulted an almanac he had brought with him, prepared by the German astronomer Regiomontanus, which listed the dates of predicted eclipses. He saw that a total lunar eclipse was due on 29 February 1504. He called the local leaders to a meeting and told them that the Christian God was angry with them for not supplying food, and would show his displeasure by making the moon rise inflamed with wrath.
That evening, the moon rose and, as the eclipse progressed, turned a deep red. According to Ferdinand account, the frightened Taino rushed to bring provisions and begged Columbus to intercede. Columbus withdrew, timed the eclipse with an hourglass and, as it was about to end, announced that God had forgiven them. The supplies resumed. A rescue ship finally arrived in June 1504.
How Historians See It
The story has often been told as a clever trick. Historians today tend to view it rather differently. It is based mainly on the account of Columbus own son, who had an interest in presenting his father favourably. And it is a story of a stranded foreigner using knowledge the local people did not have to intimidate them into providing food, during the early years of a colonisation that brought violence, enslavement and devastating disease to the Taino, whose population collapsed catastrophically in the following decades. Historians suggest it is better understood as a revealing moment in a much darker history than as a fun anecdote.
Lunar eclipses, it should be noted, are entirely natural, predictable and harmless, and can be enjoyed by anyone with a clear sky.
Meanwhile, in 2026
Using information others lack to gain advantage remains a familiar tactic. The London Prat reports Prince William reportedly calling Earl Spencer and Harry traitors after an unnamed source claimed the heir believes his brother read their uncle memoir first. Geo News repeated the traitor word, and the uncle says he told everyone. Historians note that stories built on who knew what first are often told by those with an interest in the outcome, and that the version we inherit depends on who wrote it down.
The London Prat has been predicting eclipses of royal reputations since 1961 at https://prat.uk/, with its royal row video on YouTube. Bohiney at https://bohiney.com/ covers American history, which begins rather differently depending on who tells it.
Study Questions for Students
Why is the source for this story important? How should we judge Columbus actions? What happened to the Taino people? Discuss, and look up the next lunar eclipse.
SOURCE: https://prat.uk/prince-william-called-earl-spencer-and-harry-traitors/