The CODOH Revisionist Forum

A study into the mysterious roots of Christopher Columbus — which began over 20 years ago — suggests that the explorer was of Sephardic Jewish origin, based on an analysis of his DNA. The documentary Colón ADN: Su verdadero origen (Columbus DNA: His True Origins), produced by Spanish broadcaster RTVE and Story Producciones, chronicles the two decades of research led by forensic scientist José Antonio Lorente, a professor of Legal Medicine at the University of Granada.

The study, conducted by Spain’s University of Granada, indicates that “the mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome of his son, Hernando Colón, contain traits compatible with Jewish ancestry.” The documentary — which includes insights from experts in history, genetics, and genealogy — suggests that Columbus’s genetic profile can be traced to the western Mediterranean, specifically “to Sefarad,” the Hebrew name for the Iberian Peninsula. According to the study, approximately 200,000 Jews lived in Spain during the Middle Ages, while the Republic of Genoa — the most widely accepted birthplace of the navigator — had no more than 15,000. In Sicily, about 40,000 Jews resided, but both groups were expelled in the 12th century, and those in Spain were expelled in 1492.

The investigation began in 2001 when historian Marcial Castro proposed to Lorente that they open the sailor’s tomb in Seville Cathedral to verify whether the remains inside indeed belonged to Columbus. DNA samples taken from the coffin were compared with those of his son Hernando — also buried in the cathedral — and his brother Diego, who is interred at the Cartuja monastery in Seville. The evidence confirmed that the bones belonged to Columbus. However, in 2005, despite positive results, the project was abandoned because DNA technology was not yet advanced enough, and a significant amount of bone material needed to be destroyed to reach definitive conclusions.

The investigation resumed in 2020 when advancements in genetic technology allowed for more conclusive results.

Additionally, the father-son relationship between Christopher Columbus and his son Hernando was fully confirmed.

Additionally, the discoverer of America never wrote in Italian or Genoese, nor did he use expressions from those languages. When he sent letters to Italy, he wrote them in Spanish.

Albardaner points out that all Italian historians who support the theory of Columbus’ Genoese origins “have written in black and white” that he was not Jewish. “The entire theory of Columbus being Genoese collapses if it is accepted that he was Jewish. This notion is untenable in Italy, as Jews were expelled from Genoa in the 12th century; there was no community, no people, no synagogue or anything left. They could only stay for three days before being forced to leave.”

Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506, but wished to be buried on the island of Hispaniola that is today shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

His remains were taken there in 1542, then moved to Cuba in 1795, and then – it had been long thought in Spain – to Seville in 1898.