One day in April of 1496, after a long and undistinguished career as a cartographer, Vespucci was drowning his sorrows at a local tavern, when he happened to eavesdrop on the following conversation: At this, Vespucci leapt from his seat and screamed, half-drunk, "Half the world?? At the moment, there is a dispute between historians on when Vespucci visited the mainland the first time. They returned in October of 1498. Amerigos third voyage is largely considered his most successful. He studied a range of subjects including astronomy, literature, philosophy and Latin. Born on March 9, 1454 (or 1451) in Florence, Italy, Amerigo Vespucci was the son of Ser Nastagio, a notary, and his wife Lisabetta Mini. Date of marriage On April 14 1505 Amerigo Vespucci Feb 22, 1512. In order to minimize the amount of head trauma he would suffer in a typical day, he began to draw maps of escape routes from the school. Many people. Was Amerigo Vespucci married? He grew up as the son of a middle class weaver and as a teenager he first took an interest in seafaring life. 2023 TheTimelineGeek. The last certain voyage of Vespucci was led by Gonalo Coelho in 15011502 in the service of Portugal. He accidentally stumbled upon the Americas. Vespucci turned south and is believed to have discovered the mouth of the Amazon River. Maria Carolina Maria Christina Maria Amalia Maria Anna Maria We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. On his return to Spain he set about preparing for a new expedition with the aim of reaching the Indian Ocean and what now is the Bay of Bengal and Sri Lanka. Koop verkoop, handel en ruil gemakkelijk verzamelobjecten met de verzamelaars gemeenschap van Colnect. After returning to Lisbon, Vespucci wrote a letter to Medici in which he described the land masses he had explored. After hitting land at the coast of what is now Guyana, the two seem to have separated. Father Nastagio Vespucci (d. 1482) It shall be named America Vespucci!". In the event of making journeys, he accidentally came across to natives where he taught the spirit of exploration injecting a great deal in America's global economy. Legendary letter-writing Italian explorer who proved Brazil and the West Indies were not in eastern Asia. Therefore, later, the landmass was named after his name America. Amerigo Vespucci Born: March 9, 1451 Florence, Italy Died: February 22, 1512 Seville, Spain Italian navigator A Florentine navigator and pilot major of Castile, Spain, Amerigo Vespucci, for whom America is named, played a major part in exploring the New World. During the 1490s he also got the opportunity to meet Christopher Columbus after the latter returned from his voyage to America. Maria Cerezo was a Spanish woman, they got married in 1505 and their marriage lasted for only 8 years because Vespucci died in 1512. Some have suggested that Vespucci, in the two letters published in his lifetime, was exaggerating his role and constructed deliberate fabrications. He was the first person to recognize North and South America as distinct continents that were previously unknown to Europeans, Asians and Africans. King Manuel I of Portugal commissioned an expedition to sail to a large landmass (Brazil) spotted by Cabral. Because of this particular reason, before a year of Vespuccis death, he willed all his properties including five household slaves to his wifes name. Very little is known about her or about their marriage. 1. Amerigo Vespucci is best known for his observation that the lands that constitute modern-day Brazil and West Indies were not a part of Asia as initially believed, but an entirely different continent hitherto unknown to Europeans. The new continent was eventually named America, derived from the Latin version of Vespucci's first name, Americus. Modern historians consider this unlikely, however, because no one would want that named after them. The third letter was sent from Lisbon after the completion of that voyage. Alleen Colnect vergelijkt automatisch verzamelobjecten die u zoekt bij mede verzamelaars met aanbiedingen om WebAmerigo Vespucci documented a 37 day voyage, without sighting any islands prior to reaching the mainland of Central America. In 1507, Martin Waldseemuller, a German cartographer, produced a world map using the information from Columbus and Vespuccis travels. Collections [ edit] Mercury Enamored of Herse, one of the best tapestries in the world ("uno de los 10 mejores tapices del mundo"), woven by Amerigo Vespucci died in Seville, Spain in Febuary 1512 of Malaria. Maria Cerezo was his wife. It can also be said to be the first continent that came to European knowledge WebAmerigo Vespucci He was the first person who demonstrated to the world that Brazil and the West Indies were not a part of Asias eastern outskirts as was generally believed in the 15th century. 1493 (15th March) Columbus, returned to Spain claiming he had found Asia. On April 14 1505 Amerigo Vespucci married Maria Cerezo. He wanted to embark on another extensive voyage but the Spanish crown did not approve of it. His business also led to his meeting with Christopher Columbus in 1496. Growing up and experiencing new thing Columbus began to come up with a plan different from all others to set sail across the Atlantic instead of going around the African continent. Know about the life, voyages, contributions and achievements of Amerigo Vespucci through these 10 interesting facts. At this time, he also began studies in mathematics, astronomy, and navigation, thus inspiring him to begin formulating his world changing plan. Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? WebIt is also said that Amerigo Vespucci married Mara Cerezo in this chapel at the beginning of the 16th century. WebAmerigo Vespucci married Maria Cerezo, apparently in 1505. It is thought that the Santa Maria had a crew of 40. In April 1495, by the intrigues of Bishop Juan Rodrguez de Fonseca, the Crown of Castile broke their monopoly deal with Christopher Columbus and began handing out licenses to other navigators for the West Indies. The letters caused controversy after Vespucci's death, especially among the supporters of Columbus who believed Columbus' priority for the discovery of America was being undermined, and seriously damaged Vespucci's reputation. In result of this, the achievements, challenges, and also skills differentiate in the journeys of both men. However, that claim may be fraudulent, which could cast doubt on the letter's credibility. English: Italian explorer - America was named after him. Short & Quick Answer: Personal Vespucci was a cousin of the husband of Simonetta Vespucci. Christopher Columbus embarked on his second voyage. His uncle Guido Antonio Vespucci was ambassador of Florence under King Louis XI of France, and he sent Amerigo on a brief diplomatic mission to Paris. amerigo vespucci @America_Amerigo Growing up: married to Maria Cerezo Born: March 9, 1454 Died: February 22, 1512 at Seville Spain Sailed from 1497 - 1504 Dead Joined August 2015 Tweets Tweets & replies Media amerigo vespucci @America_Amerigo 31 Aug 2015 Sailed for Italy 0 replies 1 retweet 1 like amerigo Vespuccis last certain expedition set of from Lisbon in Portugal on May 13, 1501. The young Vespucci began to suffer regular beatings as a consequence of his attempts to change the names of his classmates to his own. Probably due to getting married at old age, he was not able to have children. 1. He set off on his second expedition in May 1501, starting off from Lisbon. Family Life He was married to Maria Cerezo. In 1507 they called the mainland of South America "America" is Amerigo Vespucci's honnor. He further wrote that the newly discovered land masses must be a New World, a previously unknown fourth continent after Europe, Asia, and Africa. The return route of the fleet is not known. he did not have any children. Maria Theresa's first, third, and tenth children died in infancy. Then, in May of 1499, Amerigo set off on his second Voyage. After the death of his wife, he moved to Spain, remarried and had another son. Whatever might be the case, Amerigo Vespucci remains a pioneer of Atlantic exploration, an important figure in the Age of Discovery and his travel literature regarding the New World was instrumental in furthering geographic discovery. Another was written from Cape Verde in 1501 in the early part of the third of the four voyages, before crossing the Atlantic. WebIn 1473, Vespucci married Maria de Cerezo, who bore him three children: Amerigo Vespucci, Jr.; Amerigo Vespucci II; and Amerigo Vespucci the Girl. He wrote a letter to his friend and former patron Lorenzo di Pier Francesco de Medici in 1503 describing his findings. Amerigo lived in Florence. Vespucci once held the distinction of being the only historical figure to become immensely famous for doing absolutely nothing noteworthy; however, this accomplishment was eventually replicated by George Washington Carver and, later, by Kim Kardashian. Comparing Christopher Columbus And Amerigo Vespucci, Who is the greater explorer Christopher Columbus or Amerigo Vespucci? He worked at this post until his death. 3. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain were two great explorers. Vespucci used a Latinised form of his name, Americus Vespucius, in his Latin writings, which Waldseemller used as a base for the new name, taking the feminine form America, according to the prevalent view. Christopher Columbuss first voyage was to find a shorter route to Asia because during does years the trade between Europe and Asia was very well paid. A Americus Vespucius portrait (1 C, 9 F) Amerigo Vespucci (ship, 1931) (11 C, 1 P, 277 F) It turned out he landed on two unknown continents (Jane, pg.6). WebCook Eilanden : Munten [Thema: Cartographie | Jaar: 1993]. ). What are the Physical devices used to construct memories? Vespucci heard that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain were willing to fund subsequent voyages by other explorers and he decided to approach them for an opportunity and was granted his wish. Amerigo Vespucci was appointed Chief Pilot, a role which made him responsible for the training and licensing of pilots for ships. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". He married Maria Cerezo. History, Politics & Society Amerigo Vespucci One describes a voyage made in 14991500 which corresponds with the second of the "four voyages". He became a clerk at the Florentine commercial house of Medici, headed by Lorenzo de' Medici. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Who is Katy mixon body double eastbound and down season 1 finale. Vespucci even developed a rudimentary, but fairly accurate method of determining longitude (which only more accurate chronometers would later improve upon). He reported his findings to the de Medici family, 1501 May 14 The Third Voyage of Amerigo Vespucci setting sail for Cape Verde, 1502 September 7 returned to Europe landing in Lisbon, 1503 June 10 The Fourth Voyage of Amerigo Vespucci, sailing with Gonzal Coelho when he again set sail for Cape Verde and South America. ( What Was The Declaratory Act 1766? Web1505 Amerigo Vespucci married Maria Cerezo. WebAmerigo Vespucci: Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) was a Florentine sailor and navigator, famed for coining the term ''New World'' to describe the continents that Columbus believed to be part of Asia. One of the very few references to Amerigo's wife is contained in a royal decree dated May 22, 1512 giving his widow, Maria Cerezo a lifetime pension of ten thousand marvedis per annum deducted from the salary of her husband's successor. Short Biography of the life of Amerigo Vespucci - Explorer and Navigator Joanna Maria Josepha Maria Elizabeth Those are all I know of. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Vespuccis colorful description of everything that he witnessed in the new world, starting from the beautiful places he explored, the strange race of people he encountered, to the animals and the favorable climatic conditions of the lands, inspired many to explore the new territories to obtain power, land, and riches. In 1507, Martin Waldseemller produced a world map on which he named the new continent America after the feminine Latin version of Vespucci's first name, which is Americus. No. Both were born around 1570 and were sons of sea captains . They crossed the Equator and explored the coast of Guiana and Brazil. The fleet sailed first to Cape Verde and from there travelled to the coast of Brazil. WebMaria Cerezo - Biographical Summaries of Notable People - MyHeritage Maria Cerezo In Biographical Summaries of Notable People Save this record and choose the information you want to add to your family tree Save record Alternatives contributed by MyHeritage members Spotted an error? The only precise information concerning her is furnished by the royal decree of 28 March, 1512, according her a pension, on account of the satisfaction given by her husband as piloto mayor, which pension was confirmed by the decree of 16 November, 1523. In 1505 Amerigo Vespucci cancled his citizenship in Flourence, and became a Spanish citizen. Der 19-jhrige Matrose Rodrigo aus Palos, der seit einem Schiffsbruch bei Eingeborenen ausharrt, wird von spanischen Schiffen gerettet. In a letter from Cape Verde, Vespucci says that he hopes to visit the same lands that lvares Cabral had explored, suggesting that the intention is to sail west to Asia, as on the 14991500 voyage. BEST Short Answer: He named the new continent America using the Latinized form of Vespuccis first name Americus and taking the feminized version America. Mundus Novus (New World) was a Latin translation of a lost Italian letter sent from Lisbon to Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici. Vespuccis ships finally anchored at Lisbon in July 1502. Vespucci embarked on a mercantile career at his parents urging. Amerigo Vespucci sailed with Alonso de Ojeda on his voyage to explore the southern land that Columbus had sighted on his third voyage the previous year. Along the way, While his elder brothers were sent to the University of Pisa to pursue scholarly careers, Amerigo Vespucci embraced a mercantile life, and was hired as a clerk by the Florentine commercial house of Medici, headed by Lorenzo de' Medici. 2. Many historians dolor that the new landmass would need to be named after Christopher Columbus, instead of Amerigo because Columbus was the first person, who discovered it. WebMaria Cerezo - Biographical Summaries of Notable People - MyHeritage Maria Cerezo In Biographical Summaries of Notable People Save this record and choose the information It is now believed that this letter may have been a forgery or a re-working of the original. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In his will document, he mentioned her as the daughter of Gonzalo Fernndez de Crdoba. Amerigo Vespucci died in Seville after contracting malaria. This page was last edited on 12 April 2022, at 04:59. Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer who made at least two voyages to the New World and was the first to recognize the Americas as distinct continents and not part of Asia. Around 14991500, he joined an expedition in the service of Spain. Bizarrely, all parties present agreed that Vespucci had legally called "dibs" on half the world: and so it was that Amerigo Vespucci, who had once been scolded for trying to rename the cat, had just successfully named sixteen and a half million square miles after himself. However, even though they both have similarities from how they were brought up, their voyages were very different from one another. However the Spanish government did not entertain his proposal. Two letters attributed to Vespucci were published during his lifetime. Matching constellation patterns to those described as being viewed from Asia, Vespucci realised that the land they were exploring was not Asia but another continent. Amerigo Vespucci was born on March 9, 1454 in Florence, Italy. He was the third son of Nastagio Vespucci and his mother was Lisabetta Vespucci. As a teenager, he worked on a merchant ship and gained experience in trading voyages in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. It then sailed along the coast of South America from Cape Sao Roque to Patagonia, discovering present-day Rio de Janeiro and Rio de la Plata along the way. Who is Amerigo Vespucci's wife? Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer, he was determined to find a water route to Asia, but he never did. The name America was first used on a German-made map as the name for South America. He had two elder brothers named Antonio and Gerolamo; and a younger brother named Bernardo. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Christopher Columbus and Charles Lindbergh, two courageous explorers are well known for enduring and successfully completing an extremely dangerous journey. One such event was recorded in the personal diaries of Dolfani Ragitelli: History does not record whether Dolfani ever successfully bedded Giannina. She began her career as Training Ship for the Naval Academy cadets soon after the launch. Oct 29, 1507. WebAmerigo Vespucci married Maria Cerezo, but very little is known about his marriage. Who was Amerigo Vespucci's family? He was married to Maria Cerezo. WebAmerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer and navigator after whom the Americas were named. WebVespucci became a naturalized citizen of Spain in 1505, the same year in which he married Maria Cerezo. After the first half of the expedition, Vespucci mapped Alpha and Beta Centauri, as well as the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross and the Coalsack Nebula. BIBLIOGRAPHY These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Sailing under the spanish flag, Vespucci worked as a navigator under the command of Alonzo de Ojeda. In his childhood, Vespucci quickly established a reputation for being something of a dick. Though he married Maria Cerezo in 1505 (at age 52); but they gave birth to no children. An Italian explorer of South America, Why does Gary Soto's work seem autobiographical? While the new world provided many with the opportunity to acquire wealth through trade, others saw this as a possibility to spread Christianity among the indigenous people. Was taught physics, geometry and astronomy. While one puts it at 2, the other claims that he made 4 voyages. Amerigo Vespucci was born on March 9, 1454, in Florence, Italy to Ser Nastagio (Anastasio), a Florentine notary, and Lisabetta Mini. With his ideas being turned away from both Portugal and England it was Ferdinand and Isabella who took sympathy upon him and financial back his voyage as they both had hopes of gaining fame and fortune. Vespucci then worked for the Medicis, first as a banker and later as a supervisor of their ship-outfitting business, which operated in Seville, Spain. The following biography information provides basic facts about the life Amerigo Vespucci: Facts, Timeline & History about the life of Amerigo Vespucci - Explorer and Navigator On the first of these voyages he was aboard the ship that discovered that South America extended much further south than previously thought. (2022). In an accompanying book, Waldseemller published one of the Vespucci accounts, which led to criticism that Vespucci was trying to upset Christopher Columbus' glory. The two disputed letters claim that Vespucci made four voyages to America, while at most two can be verified from other sources. Managed by: Alex Bickle. 1454 Born in Ognissanti, Florence born - 9 March, 1451, 1478 to 1480 He was attached to the embassy in Paris, working for his relative Guido Antonio Vespucci, ambassador of Florence to King Louis XI of France, 1483 Amerigo became steward in the house of Lorenzo de Medici, 1491 - 1492 He worked in Seville, Spain for the de Medici family where he learnt about the voyages of exploration and the men who were searching for a northwest passage to the Indies, 1497: He was granted permission to undertake a voyage of discovery by King Ferdinand of Spain, 1497 10 May The First Voyage of Amerigo Vespucci, 1497 10 April He reached the mainland of Guiana, 1498 15 October Amerigo Vespucci returned to Cadiz, Spain, 1499 16 May The Second Voyage of Amerigo Vespucci with Alonzo de Ojeda set sail for Cape Verde. It describes a voyage to South America in 15011502. Serious doubts over the authenticity of letters which magnify his accomplishments have further damaged his reputation. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. The following are additional facts and a timeline about the life and history of Amerigo Vespucci: 2021 - All International Rights Reserved A year later, word began to spread that two Amerigos were living together as man and wife, and Vespucci was swiftly arrested and hauled in front of a church tribunal on the charge of Unnatural Relations with a Man. It is uncertain whether Vespucci went on another voyage though it is believed that he helped to prepare other expeditions. Yet, there were others, who aspired to build powerful empires on the new lands of. On May 14, 1501, Amerigo departed on another journey. However, the rediscovery in the 18th century of other letters by Vespucci has led to the view that the early published accounts, notably the Soderini Letter, could be fabrications, not by Vespucci, but by others. Whoever did write the letter makes several observations of native customs, including use of hammocks and sweat lodges. Then Vespucci sailed southwards and discovered the mouth of the Amazon River. This was the first use of the name America. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. French privateers attacked the commercial fleet Columbus was traveling with and his ship burned down, leaving him to swim for his life. Become a member and unlock all Study Answers. Rodrigo gert in die Machtkmpfe konkurrierender Konquistadoren. They traveled to the coast of what is know known as Guyana, where it is believed that Vespucci parted ways with Ojeda and went on to explore the coast of Brazil. On February 22, 1512 Vespucci died of malaria at his home in Seville, Spain and was buried at Vespucci family burial place in Florence, Italy. Due to this at the end of 1500, Vespucci went into the service of Portugal. Fact One: He captured a lot of innocent native people in the new continents to sell What System Did Paul Revere Set Up To Signal That The British Were Coming? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. His book Ephemerides was used by Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci to measure longitudes in their explorations of the New World. Columbus, returned to Spain claiming he had found Asia. In 1942, Columbus began his voyages and would carefully document each experience in the form of letters that would have a lasting impact on the world. Amerigo had one sibling: Antonio Vespucci. Colnect club van verzamelaars zorgen voor een The intention was to sail around the southern end of the African mainland into the Indian Ocean. WebAmerigo Vespucci carries out mainly two kinds of activity: training campaigns for Naval Academy cadets and showing-the-flag in support of national diplomacy. WebVespucci became a naturalized citizen of Spain in 1505, the same year in which he married Maria Cerezo. All Rights Reserved. This trip kindled a love for travelling and exploring in the young man. In may of 1499 he went from Europe to South America across the Atlantic Ocean to Golfo De Santa Maria then he went to Northern South America to the Orinoco River then he headed back to Europe in June of 1500. What System Did Paul Revere Set Up To Signal That The British Were Coming. He is most famous for being the person on Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Maria Cerezo; Authority control Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) Italiano: esploratore italiano. America The first map is printed with the name America by a german mapmaker. This would mean that Amerigo came across Venezuela a year before Christopher Columbus did. Not all the land he claimed was in the New World some of them were in South, Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451 as the son of a merchant, most likely into a Christian household. They named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January). When Amerigo was in his early 20s, one of his uncles, Guido Antonio, was sent by the Medici family to be their spokesman to King Louis XI of France, and Amerigo accompanied him. As an employee he gained the favor of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici who became the head of the business in 1492. He stated that the lands were much larger than anticipated and were probably not a part of Asia. Vespucci had financed two of the four ships that made the expedition. Amerigo Vespucci (Italian pronunciation: [ame%CB%88ri%CB%90%C9%A1o vesputti]; March 9, 1454 February 22, 1512) was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer who first demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia's eastern outskirts as initially conjectured from Columbus' voyages, but instead constituted an entirely separate landmass hitherto unknown to Old Worlders. Most historians consider that Vespucci made only two voyages as they have serious doubts over the authenticity of the other document. 1493 (around) Amerigo Vespucci married Maria Cerezo. Vespuccis voyage of 1501-1502 was of fundamental importance in the history of geographic discovery as scholars became convinced that the discovered lands were not part of Asia as previously conjectured from Columbus voyages, but a New World. The letter states that the ships made their way through the West Indies and got to the province of Central America within about five weeks. However, many scholars now believe that these letters were not written by Vespucci. The journey started at the beginning of different acts like colonization. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. The book accompanying the map stated: "I do not see what right any one would have to object to calling this part, after Americus who discovered it and who is a man of intelligence, Amerige, that is, the Land of Americus, or America: since both Europa and Asia got their names from women". This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Christopher Columbuss life was filled with adventures and new beginnings that would leave a remarkable impression throughout history. his parents were Nastagio Vespucci and Lizabetta Vespucci, and his wife was Maria Cerezo. This biography of Amerigo Vespucci provides detailed information about his Amerigo married Maria Dolfaccini. The letter, to Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici, claims that Vespucci determined his longitude celestially on August 23, 1499, while on this voyage. WebAmerigo Vespucci, n le 9 mars 1454 dans la rpublique de Florence, et mort le 22 fvrier 1512 Sville (royaume de Castille), est un commerant, navigateur et explorateur florentin, dont le prnom a servi en 1507 pour baptiser le nouveau monde (America [n 1]).. Entre 1497 et 1504, il participe plusieurs voyages de l'ge des grandes dcouvertes, la suite de Although this was considered a perfectly typical way to greet one's wife in fifteenth-century Italy, what Vespucci did next was decidedly atypical: reaching for a needle and inkwell, he tattooed the name "Amerigo Vespucci" on her forehead, effectively changing her name to his own. He oversaw the licensing and training of the pilots of Spain. He was the couples third son. Determined not to repeat his mistake, Vespucci married one Sofia Dolfaccini in 1479. Departing from Lisbon, the fleet sailed first to Cape Verde where they met two of Pedro lvares Cabral's ships returning from India. It reached Lisbon back in July, 1502. Famous for: America was named after Amerigo Vespucci in 1507. The Vespucci family were a notable family of Florence and on good terms with the. Sadly, this plan was ill-advised from the beginning, because Pisa has only one major landmark, and it was still under (extremely incompetent) construction at the time. In 1473, Vespucci married Maria de Cerezo, who bore him three children: Amerigo Vespucci, Jr.; Amerigo Vespucci II; and Amerigo Vespucci the Girl. When Amerigo Vespucci returned from his voyage to Portugal he revealed that the land to the west that they thought was Asia wasn't Asia, and it was different land. The only source of information for the last voyage is the Letter to Soderini, but as several modern scholars dispute Vespucci's authorship of the letter to Soderini, it is also sometimes doubted whether Vespucci undertook this trip. He started his journies to gain information about the Atlantic currents and continued to seek faster trade routes across world. The only precise information concerning her is furnished by the royal decree of March 28, 1512, according her a Coelho and Vespucci had reached a large bay. His first expedition to the Atlantic Ocean in 1476 was almost fatal. On March 22, 1508 he was made the pilot major of Spain by Ferdinand II of Aragon in honor of his discoveries. Vespucci sailed southward, discovering the mouth of the Amazon River and reaching 6S, before turning around and seeing Trinidad and the Orinoco River and returning to Spain by way of Hispaniola.