Filipa Moniz Perestrelo
Encyclopedia
Filipa Moniz Perestrelo (ca. 1455 – ca. 1484) was a Portuguese
noblewoman who became the wife of Christopher Columbus
in 1479. She was the daughter of Isabel Moniz and Bartolomeu Perestrelo
. Prior to marrying Christopher Columbus, Filipa was a Comendadora of the Monastery of All Saints in Lisbon
of the Military Order of St. James which means she had a comendary. Both Columbus's son Ferdinand and Bartolomé de las Casas
describe Filipa as a "noble Comendadora" residing in the Monastery of All Saints in Lisbon. From this marriage was born Diego Colón
in 1479 or 1480. Filipa was buried at Carmo in Lisbon. The date of her death is not known..
Some writers continue to question how Christopher Columbus, if he was the son of a Genoese wool weaver, could marry the daughter of a Portuguese Captain and Governor of Porto Santo. However, Samuel Eliot Morison
wrote that this is "no great mystery." Filipa was "already about 25 years old," her mother was a widow "with slender means," and "her mother was glad enough to have no more convent bills to pay, and a son-in-law [...] who asked for no dowry."
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
noblewoman who became the wife of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
in 1479. She was the daughter of Isabel Moniz and Bartolomeu Perestrelo
Bartolomeu Perestrelo
Bartolomeu Perestrello , 1st Capitão Donatário, Lord and Governor of the Island of Porto Santo was a Portuguese navigator and explorer that is claimed to have discovered and populated Porto Santo Island together with João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira...
. Prior to marrying Christopher Columbus, Filipa was a Comendadora of the Monastery of All Saints in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
of the Military Order of St. James which means she had a comendary. Both Columbus's son Ferdinand and Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas O.P. was a 16th-century Spanish historian, social reformer and Dominican friar. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially appointed "Protector of the Indians"...
describe Filipa as a "noble Comendadora" residing in the Monastery of All Saints in Lisbon. From this marriage was born Diego Colón
Diego Colón
Diego Columbus was the 2nd Admiral of the Indies, 2nd Viceroy of the Indies and 3rd Governor of the Indies. He was the firstborn son of Christopher Columbus and wife Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, and was born in 1479/1480 in Porto Santo, Portugal or 1474 in Lisbon, Portugal. He died February...
in 1479 or 1480. Filipa was buried at Carmo in Lisbon. The date of her death is not known..
Some writers continue to question how Christopher Columbus, if he was the son of a Genoese wool weaver, could marry the daughter of a Portuguese Captain and Governor of Porto Santo. However, Samuel Eliot Morison
Samuel Eliot Morison
Samuel Eliot Morison, Rear Admiral, United States Naval Reserve was an American historian noted for his works of maritime history that were both authoritative and highly readable. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, and taught history at the university for 40 years...
wrote that this is "no great mystery." Filipa was "already about 25 years old," her mother was a widow "with slender means," and "her mother was glad enough to have no more convent bills to pay, and a son-in-law [...] who asked for no dowry."