Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) Movie Script
Perfumes and spices, consigned
Yes. I will send your regards
Thank you.
Ah, Turks...
Since they've taken Constantinople
and the Holy Land
they know we only trade on Chios
through their sufferance
The Imams and the generals
thirst for ou blood.
And one day they'll have it.
- Not today.
Where are you going?
- I'm off to the souq, see what I can find.
Strangers disappear
on this island.
How much?
- Only 100 dinars.
The color, the texture,
it's fit for a king.
But not even a king
could afford it.
Can you imagine the profit
from a shipload of this?
It comes across the mountains
and deserts, from India.
India... I've never
seen anything like this.
Nor you won't,
this side of Cathay.
Did you read up Marco Polo,
his trip to the Great Khan?
Cities with roofs of gold!
Jeweled trappings for elephants!
In the East, my little stall
would be a poor thing indeed.
The map.
The details of these shorelines
came from turkish sailors.
There is no other map
so exact.
But surely
you have made Chios too large.
It is our island.
What price?
You are genoese.
Ducats.
Let's see. 18.
I should have bargained.
There are your spices.
Have your pick!
My things.
Stick to your profession.
Beware the genoese.
And shun the Devil.
The day may come, my friend
when you smile at fate
and she does not smile back
Should that day arrive, Harana,
I suspect you will be at my side.
I can see you've come
This is my son Diego.
Two monts ago I lost
I'm sorry. I will pray for her soul.
What I have to show you
has cost me 6 years
and most of what I own.
If your maps are
as convincing as your letters,
I will not only present
your idea to King John
I will support it.
For 5 years I have lived and sailed
out of Porto Santo, to Iceland
the Canaries, down the
coast of Africa to La Mina...
Portuguese captains
explored these waters
and have sailed them
more often than you.
But always near to land,
Your Grace
a log carved with tools.
It had floated ashore,
from the west.
Your Highness, here's Cathay.
The great celestial cities
of Quinsay and Zaiton.
Then, 500 leagues into the sea,
Cipango and many other islands.
But all set in one great sea.
Marco Polo called it
an ocean sea.
Your sea...
Polo's sea.
The Earth is a sphere.
As Aristotle, Ptolemy
and all cosmographers tell us.
And it is my belief
your sea ends in Polo's.
They are in fact the same sea.
And the best way
to reach the Indies
is not through the Turks,
or Constantinople.
It is not
around the coast of Africa
as Your Highness seeks.
But it is by sailing west,
across the one ocean sea.
It's a very ambitious plan,
I have further proofs
and many details for the workings
of the voyage, Your Highness.
Good. Very good.
If we were to take the risk
of supplying the required ships,
what fee would you expect?
I am to be named Governor,
under Your Highness,
of all lands discovered.
I and my heirs
are to have 1/10th
of all revenue from
portuguese trade with the Indies.
No Portuguese captain
ever received a fraction of that.
No Portuguese captain has
yet taken your ships to the Indies.
Perhaps Your Highness would
care to consider it, in Counsel.
Yes.
You're a very unusual man,
And it would honor me
if you'd remain
at home,
as it were, in my realm.
It would be my humble
pleasure, Your Highness,
to accomodate
Good suggestion,
Lord Guarco.
It is settled then.
Until the Counsel considers it.
We keep the maps.
To further consider it.
Spain's not far.
There we'll be safe.
Off you go, my son.
And now my friend, you fear it will be
a Portuguese who will be the first.
It's possible, but it will not
be an easy voyage.
Now I'm going to France.
I've written to the french King.
Have you not tried our Queen?
No.
Or King Ferdinand?
How would I ever get an audience?
Their minds and their money
are engaged with the Crusades
against the Moors.
Before Father Torquemada
became the Queen's confessor
our prior held that office.
He can get you an audience.
And the Duke de Medinaceli,
a man also in love
with cosmography,
he might be convinced
to put up part of the money.
If I can assure them
that I myself believe
your enormous ocean sea
could truly be sailed,
to go, and return.
There is one secret
I've told no one.
I will speak it to you,
but only in the confession.
where you are sworn,
before our Lord,
never to reveal it.
If it should be true...
The wealth may well be
beyond imagining. But the cost
would be considerable.
What exactly is your
I have served many
noble monarks, Your Highness.
The Prince of Anjou.
The King of Portugal.
Portugal!
Why did he not send you?
King John is still seeking
a route to the Indies
around Africa,
Your Highness.
If indeed
Africa has an end.
Yes.
And if he finds it
then Portugal would be the
greatest kingdom of all Europe.
For 700 years the Moors
have held power in Spain.
It's always been my dream,
should God give me the Crown of Castilla,
I might one day recapture all
of those domains for Christendom.
With the good
right arm of the Church,
and my husband's
bravery on the battlefield,
God may yet
grant me that dream.
And how much more
Take the words of the Gospel
to all of the Indies.
To Cathay.
To India,
to the unknown Cipango.
To do as our Lord
bid his apostles to do:
"Go into all of the World,
and preach my Word."
We must have our best
scholars and priests examine it.
In Genoa, of what rank
was your father?
My father was descended
from the Senator Galeotto de Mari
who founded
the Bank of Genoa.
If it would be...
If it would be...
I thank you for coming,
Sail with you again?
By every saint of the christian calendar,
Diego de Harana
Here's to you!
I might even bring him back
if fate smiles on us.
Cousin Beatriz!
My maps!
Forgive her!
Which one of you
I am.
Come with us.
- No.
No, no.
There's nothing
to fear, I'm sure.
Thank you.
Your name?
Does the Queen know
I'm being questionned?
Until the case is brought before
the tribunal of the Holy Office,
all questionning is as secret
as in the confessional.
Your name?
Do you take the sacrements?
- I do.
Do you know why
you were arrested?
It is beyond
my imagination.
The function
of the Inquisition
is to redeem the souls
of fallen Christians.
I am not
a fallen Christian.
Heresy, by its nature,
is insidious.
It infects many, who
presume that they're innocent.
But for the soul
who has gone away from God,
even perhaps
without knowing,
the way back is full of pain.
And the first step
is confession.
Torture.
Torture may lead one to confess
something that is not true.
Well, to be a true believer,
and unjustly condemned to death,
that is the way to glory.
To die for the Faith,
in the Faith
That soul will certainly see
the Gates of Paradise.
It is the goal I seek
but perhaps not that way.
May I know why
you doubt my faith?
I have...
been through my manuscripts.
The blessed Saint-Augustin has said
that the ocean sea cannot be crossed.
And in your ambition,
you are presuming to defy the judgment
of the Holy Father of the Church.
Not on the matter of the Faith, Your Grace.
The blessed Saint also wrote
that no men could exist
beyond the torrid zones of Africa,
because those men
would not descend from Adam.
Yet the Portuguese, and I,
have found men, and life,
where he said none could exist.
I defer to the Holy Father's
knowledge of Man's hearts.
His science
was imperfect.
Well. You appear
Only in cosmography,
Your Grace.
And the Bible.
I recall
our Blessed Lord said:
"A new commandment
I give unto you:
"That you love one another
as I have loved you."
Surely
it is not blasphemy to take that
message to the shores of Africa
or across the ocean sea.
I will never share the
noble standing of Diego's mother
You will
never marry me.
And if you succeed
on your voyage
you'll retire me to some distant estate
where I may hear of you now and then
Perhaps
you'll never return
And I shall be
empty inside forever
It may be that
I cannot marry you
but I do love you.
And you'll always
be at my side.
We must go.
Why?
The commission have
announced they've reached
the final stages
of deliberation.
I haven't
told you my news!
I must go.
I have to be there.
I'm going
to have your child.
The Queen has left
to lay siege to Malaga.
Father Torquemada convened
the commision in her absence.
It is the commission's opinion
that your arguments
do not outweigh the conclusions of the
great doctors of the Church that say
the ocean sea
may not be crossed.
But Your Grace...
The decision is final!
I thank Your Graces.
One third of your population
will be sent to Maroc
in exchange for the
Christian slaves held there.
One third we will sell to
reimburse our treasury
and one third
will be given in slavery
to Rome and Naples for
their support of the Crusades.
Your Highnesses,
When I heard of your
victory, Your Highnesses,
I was moved to thoughts
of the glory of Spain.
Which of course prompted you
to thoughts of you dubious quest.
Of course, Your Highness.
Father Torquemada
and I have...
discussed the new evidence, as
you have found from the Old Testament,
that our world is largely land,
and therefore the ocean sea
cannot be as great
as our scholars presume.
These are from the Apocrypha.
Doubtful sources, but...
not to be ignored.
We might reconvene
the commission.
I have received an envoy from Portugal.
One I have reason to call a friend.
He tells me the King
sent a strong ship
from the Azores on a voyage of
discovery.
Such as you
recommended to him.
This most experienced
captain sailed for weeks
and found nothing.
Save immeasurable
rough sea.
He returned to Lisbon,
thanking God for preserving his life,
and laughing
at the idea that by such a course
the Indies could be found.
Fortunately for Spain,
Your Highness,
I did not tell
the Portuguese King all.
Ah, yes. This is
the famous secret.
Yes, my Lord.
And it is still not something
you care to share with us?
I still cannot.
I defer you
to my Queen.
Your Highness.
Make clear the court.
Clear the court.
Father,
would you leave us,
please?
I feel our commission
may have been
over-zealous.
I want you to know
that you and your dream
have often been in my
prayers these past two years.
then some of my prayers have
been answered, Your Highness.
We are hard-pressed for treasure.
The Moors still hold
the Fortress of Granada
and they wait
reinforcement from Maroc.
But I would like to
grant you a small allowance.
You might continue
in your preparations.
I am grateful
to Your Highness.
Diego.
Why don't you
lend your father a hand?
I watch him do it.
Don't you ever
want to learn to sail?
I'll sail! I'll sail!
- Fernando, sit down.
I'll take care of it.
I was hoping to take you
as an apprentice when I sail.
I'll be too old by the time
you get a ship, Father.
Let me tell
you something!
Too old? Too old?
Out!
Look, it's him! The man
who wants to sail without a ship!
It's him! The man who
wants to sail without a ship!
The man who wants
to sail without a ship!
It's him! The man who
wants to sail without a ship!
It's him! The man who
wants to sail without a ship!
No.
Oh Lord, why have you
forsaken me? Why?
Because it's spring,
you'll get south-eastern winds,
so I've marked
the shores in red.
Stay well off as you approach,
or you'll get driven unto them
You're not not
much of an artist
but you are
If you ever come to your
senses about the Indies,
I'll make a place for you
on one of my ships.
My brother is at the
English court right now.
I'm not giving up.
Maybe I'll just get
Isaac to dismiss you.
I cannot dismiss him,
he owes me too much money.
Well then
perhaps this will help.
- Thank you.
Friar Juan has some news
about the Inquisition.
About me?
No, but I fear
it may touch you.
Why would it affect me?
- Because you work for a Jew.
This message is being
distributed to be read at all masses
this 4th sunday of Advent.
It is ordered that all Jews
will be expelled from Spain
unless they can accept baptism
and conversion to the Holy Faith.
Our edicts stress that
they prefer us to make converts.
They want you to stay.
What they want is to confiscate
their wealth to appease the population.
But all those who continue
the old practices in secret
will be labelled heretics
and could be
put to death at the stake.
They, and all those
who help them.
This is my home.
It's all I have.
I must stay.
No, I cannot do it.
You have to sell everything,
and you will get nothing for it.
I still cannot do it.
How about
you, Benjamin?
I bring news
from the Queen!
The Moors surrendered.
Spain is Christian!
You are the first to benefit.
Go.
Like friar Juan Perez,
I've always believed you were
a child of God.
I'm glad for you.
Go.
Allah Akbar.
God is great.
Yes.
He's given Spain to His Son
in answer to the prayers
of a young girl.
God is great
and our debt to Him is infinite.
You look splendid!
I am honoured Your Highness would
think of me in her moment of triumph.
In my debt to God,
I intend to carry
his Word to the Indies.
If I must pawn my own
crown jewels to do so!
As master of this enterprise,
what rewards
do you expect,
I am to be titled admiral of the ocean sea
and viceroy of all
islands and continents
discovered or conquered
through my efforts
These offices and
shall pass to my heirs
and successors forever.
In addition...
- There is more?
1/10th of all goods acquired from
these dominions will belong to me.
Free of taxation.
Until now, I questionned
but I see that
was a mistake.
I will give
half of my share
to support,
with Your Highnesses,
a Crusade to free
the Holy Land of the Turks
How generous of you.
Modify your requests.
We all know
your condition.
Your Highness.
If I fail,
I get nothing.
If France, or Genoa
or Venice takes my offer
and I succeed
their kingdoms will know
wealth and power beyond...
Go to France!
Go to Genoa.
but don't utter threats
in my presence again.
Modify your requests.
Your Highness,
I cannot.
You have a way
I'm from Genoa,
Your Ladyship.
I believe you will
find the Indies.
And as God has
given me my dream
I intend to
give you yours.
I know it will be
a strength to me
in the many times
I will need strength.
I too have had
only my pride
and my faith in God
to light my way.
God go with you,
greatest ship in the world!
Call me "captain general".
What do you think,
Will you go on
this insane voyage?
The Queen may have ordered me
but not even she can
force me to sail with him.
Oh, Pinzon!
I have three ships,
I have no crew!
I could use your influence.
Sail with me!
Into uncharted seas,
with a genoese mapmaker
who's not sailed
for 6 years?
Keep dreaming,
She's a fine vessel.
Perhaps a bit top-heavy
and too narrow of beam.
Not unlike
someone else I know.
No.
The children are busy
with their own play.
But cousin Harana
are also busy.
I don't believe
When I am
1000 leagues from land,
and I look
at these walls
I'll see you.
No wonder you could talk a Queen
into parting with her jewellery.
I'll make you
20.000 maravedis!
20.000 maravedis to the man
who can make an egg stand upright.
As if we had
nothing better to do.
It's impossible.
A waste of time.
try himself.
Let's see
him do it.
A cheat!
He never told us
we could crack the egg!
I never said the eggshell
couldn't be cracked.
No one thought of it,
or dared to try.
He's trying to
make fools of us.
It's ignorance and lack of courage
which makes fools of men.
Listen to me!
I tell you that a
well-disciplined ship
can make
this voyage!
Cheap little trick.
It proves nothing
about the sea of darkness!
A sea so broad
even if Cathay
were on the other side,
no man would
live to see it.
He knows what
Listen to him.
Let the man speak!
The world is round.
Correct?
Where I stand, it will be
the beginning and the end.
0 degrees, and 360 degrees.
Where Martin stands, 90 degrees.
De La Cosa, half the globe:
180 degrees.
Vicente, 3/4
of the globe.
270 degrees.
Can you follow that?
Don't insult
the length of Europe
and Asia to the tip
of Cathay is roughly
260 degrees.
So this is Cathay.
Remember Marco Polo
made this trip.
And he made
measurements every month.
Beyond Cathay
is Cipango.
Let's say
28 or 30 degrees.
Polo never
saw Cipango.
No, but he had the
word of chinese sea captains.
So we can't be sure.
The ocean sea
is 70 degrees of the world.
There are
45 miles to a degree, so
it is 3000 miles
from Palos to Cipango, and
2400 miles
from the Canaries.
A well-provided
a well-disciplined ship
can make that.
What if your figures
are wrong?
They are not wrong.
Would you sail
with him, friar Juan?
Alas, that is not possible.
But if it were
there is no power on this Earth,
save for the Holy Father
would keep me from
making this voyage of discovery.
Wait.
What about you, Vicente?
I think I shall
tell my grandchildren
that I sailed
the ocean sea.
Why should a sailor
loaf about in Palos
when he could
find houses of gold
and scarves of silk
for his ladies?
Wine for everyone!
Terreros! We need
a good carpenter.
Make your sign, draw half your wages.
Your family will live like royalty
while you're dancing
with the chinese ladies.
Dancing with the Devil
is what I fear, captain.
But with you
I may curse my luck
that I never went.
I'm with you, Sir.
I want to see
the Celestial City.
The talk of Marco Polo
The Lord God
will give me courage.
It is His Will that
I should make this journey.
You will piss your pants
the first time we lose sight of land!
How short will we be?
Perhaps 20.
I'd rather take a willing coward
than an unwilling criminal.
We'll have to take enough
of those as it is. Sign him.
Alright, Bives.
Sign your life away.
Gonzalo.
Seaman.
This is a waste of time.
Well, we have
no choice, Harana.
8 men have deserted already.
There's not a man here
who'd survive the voyage.
A man can survive here,
he can survive anywhere.
You know my mission.
The Queen has offered pardon
to all those who sail with me.
I want volunteers.
What is your crime?
Murder.
- You are modest, Roldan.
Rape, and murder.
I'm fit, strong and able.
If it would buy
me my freedom,
I would sail to the end
That's exactly
what we may be doing.
What about you?
I'd rather live like a rat
than drown like one!
We could use a tailor.
We'll be trading for silk
and precious linen,
and gold thread.
It's another gift from the Queen
for the captain general.
Rodrigo de Escobedo.
At your service.
A secretary.
He'll record our discoveries.
Rodrigo Sanchez.
From the treasury.
To test the gold
we trade for.
Luis de Torres.
- renowned interpret.
He speaks all the
languages of the known world.
We could use you.
Alvaro de Harana.
Volunteer. From the court
of the Duke of Medinaceli.
Father.
Bring their effects aboard!
You said 10.000 maravedis.
5 now, 5 after the voyage.
or better yet, never returns.
Portugal does not want Spain
to succeed in this voyage.
What if you never
return, Gonzalo?
How does a pardoned convict
to get the rest of his money
from the court of Portugal?
They'll know who you are.
My father said that you would
guarantee my life, when we return.
Benjamin, I swear
on my eternal soul
that before
they take you life,
they will have
to take mine, too.
Even if I do
not take the Faith?
I know where your heart is.
Stay at the back of the crew,
at prayers. Only I will see you.
I'm depending on it.
Diego, look after your
brother while I'm away.
Come here.
Goodbye. - Goodbye.
- I love you.
Captain.
What is it between
Harana and his son?
He seduced my sister
when she was 14.
When she was with child,
Alvaro repudiated her
calling her a whore.
She drowned herself.
Your families have lived here
for more than 3 centuries.
The Church, the Queen,
beg you to remain.
And all that is asked
was that you joined
with us. One nation.
One Faith.
Then, may your voyage
have the favor of God's blessing.
And yours too.
I have made Spain one,
in all things.
And yet in the eyes of the Queen
my victory may
be obscured by this
Genoese foreigner. As God
is just, I suspect that he will
never return.
Believe me, Spain will still be
true to one Faith
when his little voyage
is long forgotten.
You sail south, captain general?
Into the heat?
We'll take on fresh water
and provisions in the Canaries.
Have you ever sailed
into the ocean sea, Alvaro?
No, Sir. I'm only an adventurer.
The sailor is my father.
Alvaro.
I am master at arms
aboard this ship.
Refer to me as anything else,
and I'll put you in chains.
Now you know why
I volunteered for this voyage.
I wish to redeem myself
with my father.
You have quite a task
ahead of you.
You should be grateful you have a father.
I, Gonzalo, cannot say the same.
I swear to God only one of us
will live to return to Spain.
Bring those buckets!
All hands to the pumps!
- Release the sheet!
Let the wind slip!
Keep bailing, men!
Stay ahead of the flood!
One of the rope
of the helm's been cut.
We've sprung a leak
below the waterline.
Looks like someone
took a hammer at Palos.
Do you have
one clue who did it?
The crew are muttering it was one
of the two convicts, but they deny it.
Drag one, send the
other one on the yardarm!
We don't know it's them.
The men will think it's crazy!
I want them used to taking my
orders, whether they think them
crazy or not!
Treachery threatens
us all, captain!
This voyage demands discipline.
And discipline we will have!
Tighten the sheets and tacks.
We've lost enough
time already.
Set the topsail!
Tighten the
sheets and tacks!
Tighten the sheets!
The pauper who
becomes captain general.
He will learn the loyalty
of men cannot be taken.
It must be won.
Well, he needed a good wash.
Not many have sailed
this far into the ocean sea.
I was twice your age before
I sailed one night west from the Canaries.
And at dawn, I had to turn back
or the crew would have mutinied.
What is out there?
Find a place to sleep.
The day begins
early tomorrow.
Yes, captain general.
Five is passed
and six flows. More
shall flow if God wills.
Who gave Pinzon the order
to let that man down?
I did!
Get up!
This is our man.
I found him in
the hull, using this.
He cut a hole, just
like in the Pinta.
Portuguese.
Are you alone,
or are they others?
After a day or two of sun,
he'll be telling us all he knows.
Master at arms.
Show the man how
we deal with traitors.
Pedro.
- Captain, look out!
Lash him to the mast!
Terreros, get below
and report the damage!
The rest of you,
back to work!
Below!
Below!
Wreckage!
Wreckage!
"Because he loves me, says
the Lord, I will rescue him
"I will protect him, because
he acknowledges my name.
"He will call upon me and I will
answer. I will be with him in trouble
I will deliver him
and honor him."
It may be the
mast of an indian ship
or a chinese junk.
Aye. Or a piece of Noah's Ark!
The ship that need
that broken mast we saw,
what do you think
happened to them?
Morales!
A venitian once told me
they saw a sea demon
off the Azores
big enough to
swallow a ship whole.
All my life, I've
been chasing the Sun.
And at last I feel
I'm going to catch it!
How many miles
are we making?
We must be doing 7 or 8.
That is our secret.
In my log I'm recording less.
Every hour further from Spain,
more and more of the crew begin to wish
Beware Sanchez!
Come on!
Come on!
Halt those men!
- Enough!
I'll discipline the next man
Who breaks the
order of this ship!
Terreros, take him down.
Jesus said: "I am the
Resurrection and the Life
"He who believes in me
will live even though he dies
"and whoever lives and
believes in me will never die."
No!
We musn't go on!
- He's mad!
He'll kill us all!
Cut him down!
- No! Leave him!
Turn this ship back!
We must go back!
Cut that, Morales!
Turn us around,
captain general!
We will never live to
see the land in the west!
You will live, Morales!
You will live!
You may even
live to be rich!
Listen...
Listen to me,
all of you!
The first man
among you to sight land
will earn himself
a life's pension
of 10.000 maravedis
a year, from the King!
10.000 maravedis.
Terreros, Alvaro!
The rest of you,
get back to your work!
10.000 maravedis!
Ferdinand will be amazed
by his own generosity.
Look at them, Harana.
How the promise of gold
makes them put away their fear.
At least of the present.
What is it?
What is he seeing?
He has the look
of a man possessed.
Set course due west!
Square the yards!
And sail on full and by!
How does he always know?
It is his gift.
Get back to your station.
Square the yardarm!
Set the mainsail!
Haul halyard on
the starboard side!
It's not just about how
It's this bitch of a wind
that's always out the east.
It will take months
to beat our way back
Tomorrow we may find head winds
again, and you still won't be content.
I've never heard men
frown so much at good fortune!
Vicente.
Don't you want to go back?
You still think he will find
anything but his maker out there?
De Torres, he'll take us all
to Hell. That's what he'll do.
Hello boy.
- I have to holler the next watch!
What happened?
- Nothing captain, I fell.
It was Roldan,
wasn't it?
Land!
I've sighted land!
I've sighted land!
I claim the King's reward!
Well, the man
knows his winds after all.
He'll be everyone's hero
when he gets back to Spain.
If he gets back to Spain.
If any of us do.
Captain!
Quiet!
It's a cloud!
It's just a cloud.
It's breaking up!
There's nothing out there.
We sail to nothing
but our death.
We will die for the
greed of a genoese!
Get back to
your work, Morales.
If the men see him
like this, they'll lose faith.
You said my Faith
would light my way
yet all I see before me
is a sea of darkness.
Why, Your Highness?
Why has God forsaken me, why?
They seized the ship.
They're coming for you.
Them I shall greet them.
I hold the
Queen's commission!
Mutiny
Mutiny is punishable by death!
If I cannot
execute this sentence here,
I can assure you
that it will be done in Spain!
You also have a
commisson from God.
To protect the
lives of your crew.
Captain. I will not sacrifice
myself for a madman's vanity.
I beseek you,
And you may remain
captain general.
You have no other choice.
You have given me
much to think about.
But first, I must
talk to my captains.
Master at arms.
Ask to Pinzon
to join us tonight
in my cabin.
You heared
what he said.
Get back to
your duties.
To the commencement
of our return to Spain.
To Spain.
Gentlemen, for the past 32 days,
I have kept you informed of our progress.
I told you we have sailed over
1754 miles west of the Canaries.
I lied.
I lied in order
not to scare our men.
In fact, we have
travelled over 2379 miles.
What say you now,
good captains?
We may reach Hell
before we reach the Indies!
We must turn back
or suffer the consequences.
A reward from the King
The men talk of thowing you to
the sharks if you don't listen to reason.
3 days.
Tell the men we sail west
for 3 more days.
If we don't sight land
on the morning of the 4th day
you must give the order
to turn the ships around.
On that morning,
if we don't sight land,
I will give the order...
for my head
to roll on the deck!
I make this oath,
in the Name of Our Lord.
That is how you will
appease your men
Isabella will
have our heads!
It is your sworn duty to
obey your captain general.
The order will be
written by my own hand.
And I will entrust
it to you, Pinzon.
I will take it.
Birds!
Birds!
It means we must be near land!
- Birds that live on the sea, perhaps.
Who knows what strange
things this ocean holds.
It's a sign.
Surely, it's a sign.
This is a sure
sign of land!
No birds today.
- No.
Have we sailed
past the landfall?
According to the maps
your father and I made,
well past it.
Could you
be wrong?
I may have calculated
the degrees too short.
But Cathay
must be close.
We took a sounding.
200 fathoms.
We didn't touch bottom.
Lord give us a good night.
Candle pass, and
make voyage fast.
Master at arms!
The Pinta! The watch!
Do you see it?
- See what?
Yes! Yes!
A light!
It looks like somebody's
signaling, with a lantern.
Do you see it?
- No! Which direction?
Aft the port bow!
Where? I cannot see it!
- Gone.
But it was there.
It was there!
It's the Devil.
God save us!
God have
mercy on us all!
Not the Devil, Bives!
Saint Elmo's fire!
Saint Elmo, the
patron saint of sailors.
Has anyone seen Benjamin?
He can't miss this!
Hello, boy.
- No!
I'm gonna
show you something.
Wait!
Shark!
No, let me go!
Let me go down to him!
Give me your hand!
Don't let him go!
Don't let him go!
Saint Elmo was
watching over you tonight.
You must be
a true sailor.
Do not look so
grim, my friend.
It was always my
wish to die at sea.
For our friend Pinzon.
Let's be quick about this.
You own the
ship, De La Cosa.
No, I cannot.
No.
I'll do it.
"With you, there is forgiveness,
therefore you are feared.
"I wait for the Lord.
"My soul waits for the Lord.
"And in His word,
I put my hope
"and my soul
waits for the Lord
"more than watchmen
wait for the morning."
Wait!
Vicente
- Aye!
De La Cosa,
man the foresail!
Damn his winds! First we finish him
then we sail back to Spain!
We're seamen
not executioners!
Land! Land ho!
I, Rodrigo De La Triana
claim the King's reward
Land! Land!
I see land!
Land! Land!
Thank God.
Thank Saint Elmo
Thank all the angels
and the saints.
For God and Spain.
So where do you think
we are, captain general?
We have landed in
the Indies, my friend.
My title is now
"admiral of the ocean sea"
This must be one of
the islands of Cipango.
Bring the men ashore.
Let their feet touch the ground.
- Aye, captain.
Admiral.
Ricardo, bring the men to land!
- Aye aye, captain.
Master at arms!
Guard company!
Wait!
They don't look like
Marco Polo said there were
over 7000 islands of Cathay.
This must be one
of the outer Indies.
I hope so.
They think we're gods.
As in Africa,
and all new lands,
the gods have a duty.
Since no one has come
forward to oppose us,
I hereby claim this land in the
name of our glorious King and Queen
Ferdinand and
Isabella of Spain.
And in honor of our Savior,
who has led us to it,
I name it San Salvador.
Stand clear!
Tell them we want
to meet their mayor.
and ask them if they are
subjects of the Great Khan.
For God's sake,
de Torres!
They don't speak any language!
- Of course they speak a language.
Well, it's not a
civilized language.
If the Portuguese can
talk with the Africans,
the Spanish will
talk with the Indians!
And now, De Torres, you
start learning their language.
Admiral!
Look at his nose.
What? It's an ornament.
Sanchez?
- Yes, admiral.
Stop picking at him!
You're frightening him.
It's gold.
- Gold!
Gold!
Vicente?
- Yes, admiral.
Your brother
deserted last night.
Sanchez said there were
rivers of gold on the other islands.
Martin must have gone there.
Or perhaps your brother
has sailed to Spain
to claim my glory
and my rewards.
No, admiral, no! Such a
thing he would never do.
Oh no?
The chief's daughter,
admiral.
From the neighboring island.
Tell her I gladly
accept her offering.
And that in return
I give her what
my Queen gave me.
This represents
the enlightenment
that our Faith has
to offer to your people.
Tell her...
that now we will
sail to her island
where I would like
her and her father
to be my guests for dinner.
Explain that...
tomorrow is the
Birthday of our Savior.
and that tonight,
we celebrate in joy.
Prepare the ships
for departure!
De Torres.
This is very good.
Feliz Navidad.
Feliz Navidad.
Wine.
"Hichichi".
"Hichichi" from us to you.
"Hichichi".
It's very sharp.
You have...
Spanish blade.
Hey, look!
The safety of the Santa Maria
It is you I blame.
And it is I you obey,
De La Cosa!
Help salvage
what we can.
God help you
when you tell the men why so
many of them must remain behind.
It was God's divine will that
the Santa Maria go aground here
Providence has
chosen this site
for the first permanent
Christian settlement.
I name it "Navidad"
because it was begun
on the day of our Lord's birth.
These Indians are a
kind and generous people.
And I believe they
can all be converted
to our Queen's Holy Faith.
Treat them kindly
and they will help
us build and explore
and lead us to
the mountains of gold.
I leave Diego de Harana in
charge here until my return
in the spring.
May we ask God's blessing
for all that you do here.
May His Spirit
bless and protect you.
The Pinta!
Spain not only needs
She needs gold. While you were
spreading the word of God...
You took the Pinta inland
without my permission.
I ask my admiral's
forgiveness.
For defying me? Or
for bringing back so little?
It's all there was
to be found.
Then, captain Pinzon
tell your men to turn over
every ounce of gold
in their possession
to the master ar arms.
What happened
to the houses of gold?
And scarves of silk?
See that your
crew is prepared.
Our caravels depart for Spain
the day after tomorrow.
Don't just sit there,
go to work!
Now we shall see
who the winds favor.
I took no gold, Sir.
The orders are being
obeyed, admiral.
You have your gold.
- It is Spain's gold, my friend.
But Torquemada and our Queen
will be expecting new Christian souls.
I want 6 heathens
that I can convert and bring
before the Royal court.
You've taken
Isn't that enough?
Choose the six finest men
on this island, Harana.
and see that they are
Come on, back to work!
Will you join
me? Come!
We must have lost
him in that last squall.
Should I heave the sheets
until we can see some sign of him?
The admiral knows his winds,
he has no need of us.
On this voyage,
the Pinta waits for no one.
Go fish, Morales.
I'll give her back
when I'm done.
You have plenty,
Alvaro.
This one
this one is mine.
Leave her!
I mean it!
Think, Morales!
Think!
Is one of them
worth dying for?
There are hundreds
just like her.
Now they know
we're not gods.
I always knew
you weren't a god.
You're a murderer.
You're a rapist!
You're a thief!
You're under arrest.
I promise you a
burial at sea, Father.
Forgive me, Father.
Please forgive me.
There's been
enough killing.
Get up.
Give him his
burial at sea.
Now!
"Salve Regina."
"Salve Regina."
"Salve..."
Admiral, the
headman still refuses.
I promised to deliver
the Word of God.
Shackle him.
Shackle him!
De Torres,
tell them
the heathens who do not
become new Christians
shall be slaves.
Spain has
need of both.
Stop him!
Does the admiral
have any further orders?
Terreros,
shackle all of them.
De Torres,
carry on.
Carry on!
- No!
"Salve Regina"
Sing with me! Sing for
your own sake! Sing with me!
"Salve Regina"
"Salve Regina"
Sing!
"Salve Regina"!
"Vita, dulcedo"
Good, good! Again!
"Salve Regina"
Your Highnesses,
I bring you news
of a New World!
With riches
beyond your wildest...
I, Martin Alonso Pinzon...
"The Lord id my sheperd,
I shall not want"
What have you
got there?
A gift?
Bring it.
Bring it.
Bring it here!
My father's
belongings.
"He leads me
"besides still waters
"he restores my soul..."
What?
What? What are
you looking at?
What do you want from me?
- "Righteousness..."
What do you want from me?
What do you want from me?
to think
heathens like you
could ever be
souls of the Church!
Look at you!
Look at you!
You are nothing
but savages!
How many more do I
have to kill? How many?
"Thou preparest
a table before me
"in the presence
of mine enemies
"thou anointest
my head
"My cup
"overflows.
"Surely
goodness and mercy
"will follow me all
the days of my life
"and I shall dwell in
the house of the Lord
"forever."
I believe God meant for
me to make this voyage
as he means for us
to weather this storm
and return to
Spain in triumph.
- Admiral!
Hold fast!
Terreros,
unshackle the Indians!
Aye, admiral.
Unshackle
the Indians!
In this bottle
adressed to
Queen Isabella
is recorded every detail
of my glorious discovery.
Signed:
Viceroy of
the Indies!
Admiral!
Give me
your hand!
Hold on!
You deserve
your triumph, admiral.
What is the
loss of my ship
compared to the wealth of discovery
that you bring back for the glory of Spain?
You've won
me, admiral.
In our last race...
The race of life.
Nonsense. You must get well, and
together we'll go to the Royal court.
I've watched
you, map-maker.
You rigged us to sail
only with the wind.
In the heat of August,
we sailed south.
The wind came
from the east.
In winter,
when we returned,
we sailed north, with
wind from the west.
Your secret
Rivers of wind!
Yes, there are rivers of wind,
blowing in both directions.
That was your
glorious secret.
That the wind would last across the
whole of the ocean sea, I did not know.
But you and I,
Martin, proved it.
We've accomplished the
most wonderful navigation.
Don't let greed
put you in chains.
Go.
Claim you glory.
God be with you.
God be with you.
And God bless you, Martin.
He was born
with a compass
in his head.
Had I known he
would succeed...
To bestow such honor
and wealth on a genoese...
But what a glorious
day for Spain!
Rise,
It is for us to salute you
on this day of God's blessing.
Your Highnesses.
Your Grace.
You will rejoice in the knowledge
I have delivered Christ's blessings
across the ocean sea.
Your Highness, from your
new realm in the Indies
I bring you new
Christian souls.
And for you,
Your Highness,
I bring a bounty such
as Spain has never seen.
You have now proclaimed
yourself an Apostle?
To quote the Scriptures:
"He made me the Messenger
and showed me the Way."
Then it is He who will judge
you for what you've done.
Bow down
before me.
I, Ferdinand of Aragon declare
that from this day forward
you shall be
known as admiral
of the ocean sea
and viceroy
of the Indies.
You may rise.
You have earned our
respect and admiration.
Now, where
is my gold?
Show me,
Show me
the New World.
Your New World.
There,
Your Highness.
There.
Yes. I will send your regards
Thank you.
Ah, Turks...
Since they've taken Constantinople
and the Holy Land
they know we only trade on Chios
through their sufferance
The Imams and the generals
thirst for ou blood.
And one day they'll have it.
- Not today.
Where are you going?
- I'm off to the souq, see what I can find.
Strangers disappear
on this island.
How much?
- Only 100 dinars.
The color, the texture,
it's fit for a king.
But not even a king
could afford it.
Can you imagine the profit
from a shipload of this?
It comes across the mountains
and deserts, from India.
India... I've never
seen anything like this.
Nor you won't,
this side of Cathay.
Did you read up Marco Polo,
his trip to the Great Khan?
Cities with roofs of gold!
Jeweled trappings for elephants!
In the East, my little stall
would be a poor thing indeed.
The map.
The details of these shorelines
came from turkish sailors.
There is no other map
so exact.
But surely
you have made Chios too large.
It is our island.
What price?
You are genoese.
Ducats.
Let's see. 18.
I should have bargained.
There are your spices.
Have your pick!
My things.
Stick to your profession.
Beware the genoese.
And shun the Devil.
The day may come, my friend
when you smile at fate
and she does not smile back
Should that day arrive, Harana,
I suspect you will be at my side.
I can see you've come
This is my son Diego.
Two monts ago I lost
I'm sorry. I will pray for her soul.
What I have to show you
has cost me 6 years
and most of what I own.
If your maps are
as convincing as your letters,
I will not only present
your idea to King John
I will support it.
For 5 years I have lived and sailed
out of Porto Santo, to Iceland
the Canaries, down the
coast of Africa to La Mina...
Portuguese captains
explored these waters
and have sailed them
more often than you.
But always near to land,
Your Grace
a log carved with tools.
It had floated ashore,
from the west.
Your Highness, here's Cathay.
The great celestial cities
of Quinsay and Zaiton.
Then, 500 leagues into the sea,
Cipango and many other islands.
But all set in one great sea.
Marco Polo called it
an ocean sea.
Your sea...
Polo's sea.
The Earth is a sphere.
As Aristotle, Ptolemy
and all cosmographers tell us.
And it is my belief
your sea ends in Polo's.
They are in fact the same sea.
And the best way
to reach the Indies
is not through the Turks,
or Constantinople.
It is not
around the coast of Africa
as Your Highness seeks.
But it is by sailing west,
across the one ocean sea.
It's a very ambitious plan,
I have further proofs
and many details for the workings
of the voyage, Your Highness.
Good. Very good.
If we were to take the risk
of supplying the required ships,
what fee would you expect?
I am to be named Governor,
under Your Highness,
of all lands discovered.
I and my heirs
are to have 1/10th
of all revenue from
portuguese trade with the Indies.
No Portuguese captain
ever received a fraction of that.
No Portuguese captain has
yet taken your ships to the Indies.
Perhaps Your Highness would
care to consider it, in Counsel.
Yes.
You're a very unusual man,
And it would honor me
if you'd remain
at home,
as it were, in my realm.
It would be my humble
pleasure, Your Highness,
to accomodate
Good suggestion,
Lord Guarco.
It is settled then.
Until the Counsel considers it.
We keep the maps.
To further consider it.
Spain's not far.
There we'll be safe.
Off you go, my son.
And now my friend, you fear it will be
a Portuguese who will be the first.
It's possible, but it will not
be an easy voyage.
Now I'm going to France.
I've written to the french King.
Have you not tried our Queen?
No.
Or King Ferdinand?
How would I ever get an audience?
Their minds and their money
are engaged with the Crusades
against the Moors.
Before Father Torquemada
became the Queen's confessor
our prior held that office.
He can get you an audience.
And the Duke de Medinaceli,
a man also in love
with cosmography,
he might be convinced
to put up part of the money.
If I can assure them
that I myself believe
your enormous ocean sea
could truly be sailed,
to go, and return.
There is one secret
I've told no one.
I will speak it to you,
but only in the confession.
where you are sworn,
before our Lord,
never to reveal it.
If it should be true...
The wealth may well be
beyond imagining. But the cost
would be considerable.
What exactly is your
I have served many
noble monarks, Your Highness.
The Prince of Anjou.
The King of Portugal.
Portugal!
Why did he not send you?
King John is still seeking
a route to the Indies
around Africa,
Your Highness.
If indeed
Africa has an end.
Yes.
And if he finds it
then Portugal would be the
greatest kingdom of all Europe.
For 700 years the Moors
have held power in Spain.
It's always been my dream,
should God give me the Crown of Castilla,
I might one day recapture all
of those domains for Christendom.
With the good
right arm of the Church,
and my husband's
bravery on the battlefield,
God may yet
grant me that dream.
And how much more
Take the words of the Gospel
to all of the Indies.
To Cathay.
To India,
to the unknown Cipango.
To do as our Lord
bid his apostles to do:
"Go into all of the World,
and preach my Word."
We must have our best
scholars and priests examine it.
In Genoa, of what rank
was your father?
My father was descended
from the Senator Galeotto de Mari
who founded
the Bank of Genoa.
If it would be...
If it would be...
I thank you for coming,
Sail with you again?
By every saint of the christian calendar,
Diego de Harana
Here's to you!
I might even bring him back
if fate smiles on us.
Cousin Beatriz!
My maps!
Forgive her!
Which one of you
I am.
Come with us.
- No.
No, no.
There's nothing
to fear, I'm sure.
Thank you.
Your name?
Does the Queen know
I'm being questionned?
Until the case is brought before
the tribunal of the Holy Office,
all questionning is as secret
as in the confessional.
Your name?
Do you take the sacrements?
- I do.
Do you know why
you were arrested?
It is beyond
my imagination.
The function
of the Inquisition
is to redeem the souls
of fallen Christians.
I am not
a fallen Christian.
Heresy, by its nature,
is insidious.
It infects many, who
presume that they're innocent.
But for the soul
who has gone away from God,
even perhaps
without knowing,
the way back is full of pain.
And the first step
is confession.
Torture.
Torture may lead one to confess
something that is not true.
Well, to be a true believer,
and unjustly condemned to death,
that is the way to glory.
To die for the Faith,
in the Faith
That soul will certainly see
the Gates of Paradise.
It is the goal I seek
but perhaps not that way.
May I know why
you doubt my faith?
I have...
been through my manuscripts.
The blessed Saint-Augustin has said
that the ocean sea cannot be crossed.
And in your ambition,
you are presuming to defy the judgment
of the Holy Father of the Church.
Not on the matter of the Faith, Your Grace.
The blessed Saint also wrote
that no men could exist
beyond the torrid zones of Africa,
because those men
would not descend from Adam.
Yet the Portuguese, and I,
have found men, and life,
where he said none could exist.
I defer to the Holy Father's
knowledge of Man's hearts.
His science
was imperfect.
Well. You appear
Only in cosmography,
Your Grace.
And the Bible.
I recall
our Blessed Lord said:
"A new commandment
I give unto you:
"That you love one another
as I have loved you."
Surely
it is not blasphemy to take that
message to the shores of Africa
or across the ocean sea.
I will never share the
noble standing of Diego's mother
You will
never marry me.
And if you succeed
on your voyage
you'll retire me to some distant estate
where I may hear of you now and then
Perhaps
you'll never return
And I shall be
empty inside forever
It may be that
I cannot marry you
but I do love you.
And you'll always
be at my side.
We must go.
Why?
The commission have
announced they've reached
the final stages
of deliberation.
I haven't
told you my news!
I must go.
I have to be there.
I'm going
to have your child.
The Queen has left
to lay siege to Malaga.
Father Torquemada convened
the commision in her absence.
It is the commission's opinion
that your arguments
do not outweigh the conclusions of the
great doctors of the Church that say
the ocean sea
may not be crossed.
But Your Grace...
The decision is final!
I thank Your Graces.
One third of your population
will be sent to Maroc
in exchange for the
Christian slaves held there.
One third we will sell to
reimburse our treasury
and one third
will be given in slavery
to Rome and Naples for
their support of the Crusades.
Your Highnesses,
When I heard of your
victory, Your Highnesses,
I was moved to thoughts
of the glory of Spain.
Which of course prompted you
to thoughts of you dubious quest.
Of course, Your Highness.
Father Torquemada
and I have...
discussed the new evidence, as
you have found from the Old Testament,
that our world is largely land,
and therefore the ocean sea
cannot be as great
as our scholars presume.
These are from the Apocrypha.
Doubtful sources, but...
not to be ignored.
We might reconvene
the commission.
I have received an envoy from Portugal.
One I have reason to call a friend.
He tells me the King
sent a strong ship
from the Azores on a voyage of
discovery.
Such as you
recommended to him.
This most experienced
captain sailed for weeks
and found nothing.
Save immeasurable
rough sea.
He returned to Lisbon,
thanking God for preserving his life,
and laughing
at the idea that by such a course
the Indies could be found.
Fortunately for Spain,
Your Highness,
I did not tell
the Portuguese King all.
Ah, yes. This is
the famous secret.
Yes, my Lord.
And it is still not something
you care to share with us?
I still cannot.
I defer you
to my Queen.
Your Highness.
Make clear the court.
Clear the court.
Father,
would you leave us,
please?
I feel our commission
may have been
over-zealous.
I want you to know
that you and your dream
have often been in my
prayers these past two years.
then some of my prayers have
been answered, Your Highness.
We are hard-pressed for treasure.
The Moors still hold
the Fortress of Granada
and they wait
reinforcement from Maroc.
But I would like to
grant you a small allowance.
You might continue
in your preparations.
I am grateful
to Your Highness.
Diego.
Why don't you
lend your father a hand?
I watch him do it.
Don't you ever
want to learn to sail?
I'll sail! I'll sail!
- Fernando, sit down.
I'll take care of it.
I was hoping to take you
as an apprentice when I sail.
I'll be too old by the time
you get a ship, Father.
Let me tell
you something!
Too old? Too old?
Out!
Look, it's him! The man
who wants to sail without a ship!
It's him! The man who
wants to sail without a ship!
The man who wants
to sail without a ship!
It's him! The man who
wants to sail without a ship!
It's him! The man who
wants to sail without a ship!
No.
Oh Lord, why have you
forsaken me? Why?
Because it's spring,
you'll get south-eastern winds,
so I've marked
the shores in red.
Stay well off as you approach,
or you'll get driven unto them
You're not not
much of an artist
but you are
If you ever come to your
senses about the Indies,
I'll make a place for you
on one of my ships.
My brother is at the
English court right now.
I'm not giving up.
Maybe I'll just get
Isaac to dismiss you.
I cannot dismiss him,
he owes me too much money.
Well then
perhaps this will help.
- Thank you.
Friar Juan has some news
about the Inquisition.
About me?
No, but I fear
it may touch you.
Why would it affect me?
- Because you work for a Jew.
This message is being
distributed to be read at all masses
this 4th sunday of Advent.
It is ordered that all Jews
will be expelled from Spain
unless they can accept baptism
and conversion to the Holy Faith.
Our edicts stress that
they prefer us to make converts.
They want you to stay.
What they want is to confiscate
their wealth to appease the population.
But all those who continue
the old practices in secret
will be labelled heretics
and could be
put to death at the stake.
They, and all those
who help them.
This is my home.
It's all I have.
I must stay.
No, I cannot do it.
You have to sell everything,
and you will get nothing for it.
I still cannot do it.
How about
you, Benjamin?
I bring news
from the Queen!
The Moors surrendered.
Spain is Christian!
You are the first to benefit.
Go.
Like friar Juan Perez,
I've always believed you were
a child of God.
I'm glad for you.
Go.
Allah Akbar.
God is great.
Yes.
He's given Spain to His Son
in answer to the prayers
of a young girl.
God is great
and our debt to Him is infinite.
You look splendid!
I am honoured Your Highness would
think of me in her moment of triumph.
In my debt to God,
I intend to carry
his Word to the Indies.
If I must pawn my own
crown jewels to do so!
As master of this enterprise,
what rewards
do you expect,
I am to be titled admiral of the ocean sea
and viceroy of all
islands and continents
discovered or conquered
through my efforts
These offices and
shall pass to my heirs
and successors forever.
In addition...
- There is more?
1/10th of all goods acquired from
these dominions will belong to me.
Free of taxation.
Until now, I questionned
but I see that
was a mistake.
I will give
half of my share
to support,
with Your Highnesses,
a Crusade to free
the Holy Land of the Turks
How generous of you.
Modify your requests.
We all know
your condition.
Your Highness.
If I fail,
I get nothing.
If France, or Genoa
or Venice takes my offer
and I succeed
their kingdoms will know
wealth and power beyond...
Go to France!
Go to Genoa.
but don't utter threats
in my presence again.
Modify your requests.
Your Highness,
I cannot.
You have a way
I'm from Genoa,
Your Ladyship.
I believe you will
find the Indies.
And as God has
given me my dream
I intend to
give you yours.
I know it will be
a strength to me
in the many times
I will need strength.
I too have had
only my pride
and my faith in God
to light my way.
God go with you,
greatest ship in the world!
Call me "captain general".
What do you think,
Will you go on
this insane voyage?
The Queen may have ordered me
but not even she can
force me to sail with him.
Oh, Pinzon!
I have three ships,
I have no crew!
I could use your influence.
Sail with me!
Into uncharted seas,
with a genoese mapmaker
who's not sailed
for 6 years?
Keep dreaming,
She's a fine vessel.
Perhaps a bit top-heavy
and too narrow of beam.
Not unlike
someone else I know.
No.
The children are busy
with their own play.
But cousin Harana
are also busy.
I don't believe
When I am
1000 leagues from land,
and I look
at these walls
I'll see you.
No wonder you could talk a Queen
into parting with her jewellery.
I'll make you
20.000 maravedis!
20.000 maravedis to the man
who can make an egg stand upright.
As if we had
nothing better to do.
It's impossible.
A waste of time.
try himself.
Let's see
him do it.
A cheat!
He never told us
we could crack the egg!
I never said the eggshell
couldn't be cracked.
No one thought of it,
or dared to try.
He's trying to
make fools of us.
It's ignorance and lack of courage
which makes fools of men.
Listen to me!
I tell you that a
well-disciplined ship
can make
this voyage!
Cheap little trick.
It proves nothing
about the sea of darkness!
A sea so broad
even if Cathay
were on the other side,
no man would
live to see it.
He knows what
Listen to him.
Let the man speak!
The world is round.
Correct?
Where I stand, it will be
the beginning and the end.
0 degrees, and 360 degrees.
Where Martin stands, 90 degrees.
De La Cosa, half the globe:
180 degrees.
Vicente, 3/4
of the globe.
270 degrees.
Can you follow that?
Don't insult
the length of Europe
and Asia to the tip
of Cathay is roughly
260 degrees.
So this is Cathay.
Remember Marco Polo
made this trip.
And he made
measurements every month.
Beyond Cathay
is Cipango.
Let's say
28 or 30 degrees.
Polo never
saw Cipango.
No, but he had the
word of chinese sea captains.
So we can't be sure.
The ocean sea
is 70 degrees of the world.
There are
45 miles to a degree, so
it is 3000 miles
from Palos to Cipango, and
2400 miles
from the Canaries.
A well-provided
a well-disciplined ship
can make that.
What if your figures
are wrong?
They are not wrong.
Would you sail
with him, friar Juan?
Alas, that is not possible.
But if it were
there is no power on this Earth,
save for the Holy Father
would keep me from
making this voyage of discovery.
Wait.
What about you, Vicente?
I think I shall
tell my grandchildren
that I sailed
the ocean sea.
Why should a sailor
loaf about in Palos
when he could
find houses of gold
and scarves of silk
for his ladies?
Wine for everyone!
Terreros! We need
a good carpenter.
Make your sign, draw half your wages.
Your family will live like royalty
while you're dancing
with the chinese ladies.
Dancing with the Devil
is what I fear, captain.
But with you
I may curse my luck
that I never went.
I'm with you, Sir.
I want to see
the Celestial City.
The talk of Marco Polo
The Lord God
will give me courage.
It is His Will that
I should make this journey.
You will piss your pants
the first time we lose sight of land!
How short will we be?
Perhaps 20.
I'd rather take a willing coward
than an unwilling criminal.
We'll have to take enough
of those as it is. Sign him.
Alright, Bives.
Sign your life away.
Gonzalo.
Seaman.
This is a waste of time.
Well, we have
no choice, Harana.
8 men have deserted already.
There's not a man here
who'd survive the voyage.
A man can survive here,
he can survive anywhere.
You know my mission.
The Queen has offered pardon
to all those who sail with me.
I want volunteers.
What is your crime?
Murder.
- You are modest, Roldan.
Rape, and murder.
I'm fit, strong and able.
If it would buy
me my freedom,
I would sail to the end
That's exactly
what we may be doing.
What about you?
I'd rather live like a rat
than drown like one!
We could use a tailor.
We'll be trading for silk
and precious linen,
and gold thread.
It's another gift from the Queen
for the captain general.
Rodrigo de Escobedo.
At your service.
A secretary.
He'll record our discoveries.
Rodrigo Sanchez.
From the treasury.
To test the gold
we trade for.
Luis de Torres.
- renowned interpret.
He speaks all the
languages of the known world.
We could use you.
Alvaro de Harana.
Volunteer. From the court
of the Duke of Medinaceli.
Father.
Bring their effects aboard!
You said 10.000 maravedis.
5 now, 5 after the voyage.
or better yet, never returns.
Portugal does not want Spain
to succeed in this voyage.
What if you never
return, Gonzalo?
How does a pardoned convict
to get the rest of his money
from the court of Portugal?
They'll know who you are.
My father said that you would
guarantee my life, when we return.
Benjamin, I swear
on my eternal soul
that before
they take you life,
they will have
to take mine, too.
Even if I do
not take the Faith?
I know where your heart is.
Stay at the back of the crew,
at prayers. Only I will see you.
I'm depending on it.
Diego, look after your
brother while I'm away.
Come here.
Goodbye. - Goodbye.
- I love you.
Captain.
What is it between
Harana and his son?
He seduced my sister
when she was 14.
When she was with child,
Alvaro repudiated her
calling her a whore.
She drowned herself.
Your families have lived here
for more than 3 centuries.
The Church, the Queen,
beg you to remain.
And all that is asked
was that you joined
with us. One nation.
One Faith.
Then, may your voyage
have the favor of God's blessing.
And yours too.
I have made Spain one,
in all things.
And yet in the eyes of the Queen
my victory may
be obscured by this
Genoese foreigner. As God
is just, I suspect that he will
never return.
Believe me, Spain will still be
true to one Faith
when his little voyage
is long forgotten.
You sail south, captain general?
Into the heat?
We'll take on fresh water
and provisions in the Canaries.
Have you ever sailed
into the ocean sea, Alvaro?
No, Sir. I'm only an adventurer.
The sailor is my father.
Alvaro.
I am master at arms
aboard this ship.
Refer to me as anything else,
and I'll put you in chains.
Now you know why
I volunteered for this voyage.
I wish to redeem myself
with my father.
You have quite a task
ahead of you.
You should be grateful you have a father.
I, Gonzalo, cannot say the same.
I swear to God only one of us
will live to return to Spain.
Bring those buckets!
All hands to the pumps!
- Release the sheet!
Let the wind slip!
Keep bailing, men!
Stay ahead of the flood!
One of the rope
of the helm's been cut.
We've sprung a leak
below the waterline.
Looks like someone
took a hammer at Palos.
Do you have
one clue who did it?
The crew are muttering it was one
of the two convicts, but they deny it.
Drag one, send the
other one on the yardarm!
We don't know it's them.
The men will think it's crazy!
I want them used to taking my
orders, whether they think them
crazy or not!
Treachery threatens
us all, captain!
This voyage demands discipline.
And discipline we will have!
Tighten the sheets and tacks.
We've lost enough
time already.
Set the topsail!
Tighten the
sheets and tacks!
Tighten the sheets!
The pauper who
becomes captain general.
He will learn the loyalty
of men cannot be taken.
It must be won.
Well, he needed a good wash.
Not many have sailed
this far into the ocean sea.
I was twice your age before
I sailed one night west from the Canaries.
And at dawn, I had to turn back
or the crew would have mutinied.
What is out there?
Find a place to sleep.
The day begins
early tomorrow.
Yes, captain general.
Five is passed
and six flows. More
shall flow if God wills.
Who gave Pinzon the order
to let that man down?
I did!
Get up!
This is our man.
I found him in
the hull, using this.
He cut a hole, just
like in the Pinta.
Portuguese.
Are you alone,
or are they others?
After a day or two of sun,
he'll be telling us all he knows.
Master at arms.
Show the man how
we deal with traitors.
Pedro.
- Captain, look out!
Lash him to the mast!
Terreros, get below
and report the damage!
The rest of you,
back to work!
Below!
Below!
Wreckage!
Wreckage!
"Because he loves me, says
the Lord, I will rescue him
"I will protect him, because
he acknowledges my name.
"He will call upon me and I will
answer. I will be with him in trouble
I will deliver him
and honor him."
It may be the
mast of an indian ship
or a chinese junk.
Aye. Or a piece of Noah's Ark!
The ship that need
that broken mast we saw,
what do you think
happened to them?
Morales!
A venitian once told me
they saw a sea demon
off the Azores
big enough to
swallow a ship whole.
All my life, I've
been chasing the Sun.
And at last I feel
I'm going to catch it!
How many miles
are we making?
We must be doing 7 or 8.
That is our secret.
In my log I'm recording less.
Every hour further from Spain,
more and more of the crew begin to wish
Beware Sanchez!
Come on!
Come on!
Halt those men!
- Enough!
I'll discipline the next man
Who breaks the
order of this ship!
Terreros, take him down.
Jesus said: "I am the
Resurrection and the Life
"He who believes in me
will live even though he dies
"and whoever lives and
believes in me will never die."
No!
We musn't go on!
- He's mad!
He'll kill us all!
Cut him down!
- No! Leave him!
Turn this ship back!
We must go back!
Cut that, Morales!
Turn us around,
captain general!
We will never live to
see the land in the west!
You will live, Morales!
You will live!
You may even
live to be rich!
Listen...
Listen to me,
all of you!
The first man
among you to sight land
will earn himself
a life's pension
of 10.000 maravedis
a year, from the King!
10.000 maravedis.
Terreros, Alvaro!
The rest of you,
get back to your work!
10.000 maravedis!
Ferdinand will be amazed
by his own generosity.
Look at them, Harana.
How the promise of gold
makes them put away their fear.
At least of the present.
What is it?
What is he seeing?
He has the look
of a man possessed.
Set course due west!
Square the yards!
And sail on full and by!
How does he always know?
It is his gift.
Get back to your station.
Square the yardarm!
Set the mainsail!
Haul halyard on
the starboard side!
It's not just about how
It's this bitch of a wind
that's always out the east.
It will take months
to beat our way back
Tomorrow we may find head winds
again, and you still won't be content.
I've never heard men
frown so much at good fortune!
Vicente.
Don't you want to go back?
You still think he will find
anything but his maker out there?
De Torres, he'll take us all
to Hell. That's what he'll do.
Hello boy.
- I have to holler the next watch!
What happened?
- Nothing captain, I fell.
It was Roldan,
wasn't it?
Land!
I've sighted land!
I've sighted land!
I claim the King's reward!
Well, the man
knows his winds after all.
He'll be everyone's hero
when he gets back to Spain.
If he gets back to Spain.
If any of us do.
Captain!
Quiet!
It's a cloud!
It's just a cloud.
It's breaking up!
There's nothing out there.
We sail to nothing
but our death.
We will die for the
greed of a genoese!
Get back to
your work, Morales.
If the men see him
like this, they'll lose faith.
You said my Faith
would light my way
yet all I see before me
is a sea of darkness.
Why, Your Highness?
Why has God forsaken me, why?
They seized the ship.
They're coming for you.
Them I shall greet them.
I hold the
Queen's commission!
Mutiny
Mutiny is punishable by death!
If I cannot
execute this sentence here,
I can assure you
that it will be done in Spain!
You also have a
commisson from God.
To protect the
lives of your crew.
Captain. I will not sacrifice
myself for a madman's vanity.
I beseek you,
And you may remain
captain general.
You have no other choice.
You have given me
much to think about.
But first, I must
talk to my captains.
Master at arms.
Ask to Pinzon
to join us tonight
in my cabin.
You heared
what he said.
Get back to
your duties.
To the commencement
of our return to Spain.
To Spain.
Gentlemen, for the past 32 days,
I have kept you informed of our progress.
I told you we have sailed over
1754 miles west of the Canaries.
I lied.
I lied in order
not to scare our men.
In fact, we have
travelled over 2379 miles.
What say you now,
good captains?
We may reach Hell
before we reach the Indies!
We must turn back
or suffer the consequences.
A reward from the King
The men talk of thowing you to
the sharks if you don't listen to reason.
3 days.
Tell the men we sail west
for 3 more days.
If we don't sight land
on the morning of the 4th day
you must give the order
to turn the ships around.
On that morning,
if we don't sight land,
I will give the order...
for my head
to roll on the deck!
I make this oath,
in the Name of Our Lord.
That is how you will
appease your men
Isabella will
have our heads!
It is your sworn duty to
obey your captain general.
The order will be
written by my own hand.
And I will entrust
it to you, Pinzon.
I will take it.
Birds!
Birds!
It means we must be near land!
- Birds that live on the sea, perhaps.
Who knows what strange
things this ocean holds.
It's a sign.
Surely, it's a sign.
This is a sure
sign of land!
No birds today.
- No.
Have we sailed
past the landfall?
According to the maps
your father and I made,
well past it.
Could you
be wrong?
I may have calculated
the degrees too short.
But Cathay
must be close.
We took a sounding.
200 fathoms.
We didn't touch bottom.
Lord give us a good night.
Candle pass, and
make voyage fast.
Master at arms!
The Pinta! The watch!
Do you see it?
- See what?
Yes! Yes!
A light!
It looks like somebody's
signaling, with a lantern.
Do you see it?
- No! Which direction?
Aft the port bow!
Where? I cannot see it!
- Gone.
But it was there.
It was there!
It's the Devil.
God save us!
God have
mercy on us all!
Not the Devil, Bives!
Saint Elmo's fire!
Saint Elmo, the
patron saint of sailors.
Has anyone seen Benjamin?
He can't miss this!
Hello, boy.
- No!
I'm gonna
show you something.
Wait!
Shark!
No, let me go!
Let me go down to him!
Give me your hand!
Don't let him go!
Don't let him go!
Saint Elmo was
watching over you tonight.
You must be
a true sailor.
Do not look so
grim, my friend.
It was always my
wish to die at sea.
For our friend Pinzon.
Let's be quick about this.
You own the
ship, De La Cosa.
No, I cannot.
No.
I'll do it.
"With you, there is forgiveness,
therefore you are feared.
"I wait for the Lord.
"My soul waits for the Lord.
"And in His word,
I put my hope
"and my soul
waits for the Lord
"more than watchmen
wait for the morning."
Wait!
Vicente
- Aye!
De La Cosa,
man the foresail!
Damn his winds! First we finish him
then we sail back to Spain!
We're seamen
not executioners!
Land! Land ho!
I, Rodrigo De La Triana
claim the King's reward
Land! Land!
I see land!
Land! Land!
Thank God.
Thank Saint Elmo
Thank all the angels
and the saints.
For God and Spain.
So where do you think
we are, captain general?
We have landed in
the Indies, my friend.
My title is now
"admiral of the ocean sea"
This must be one of
the islands of Cipango.
Bring the men ashore.
Let their feet touch the ground.
- Aye, captain.
Admiral.
Ricardo, bring the men to land!
- Aye aye, captain.
Master at arms!
Guard company!
Wait!
They don't look like
Marco Polo said there were
over 7000 islands of Cathay.
This must be one
of the outer Indies.
I hope so.
They think we're gods.
As in Africa,
and all new lands,
the gods have a duty.
Since no one has come
forward to oppose us,
I hereby claim this land in the
name of our glorious King and Queen
Ferdinand and
Isabella of Spain.
And in honor of our Savior,
who has led us to it,
I name it San Salvador.
Stand clear!
Tell them we want
to meet their mayor.
and ask them if they are
subjects of the Great Khan.
For God's sake,
de Torres!
They don't speak any language!
- Of course they speak a language.
Well, it's not a
civilized language.
If the Portuguese can
talk with the Africans,
the Spanish will
talk with the Indians!
And now, De Torres, you
start learning their language.
Admiral!
Look at his nose.
What? It's an ornament.
Sanchez?
- Yes, admiral.
Stop picking at him!
You're frightening him.
It's gold.
- Gold!
Gold!
Vicente?
- Yes, admiral.
Your brother
deserted last night.
Sanchez said there were
rivers of gold on the other islands.
Martin must have gone there.
Or perhaps your brother
has sailed to Spain
to claim my glory
and my rewards.
No, admiral, no! Such a
thing he would never do.
Oh no?
The chief's daughter,
admiral.
From the neighboring island.
Tell her I gladly
accept her offering.
And that in return
I give her what
my Queen gave me.
This represents
the enlightenment
that our Faith has
to offer to your people.
Tell her...
that now we will
sail to her island
where I would like
her and her father
to be my guests for dinner.
Explain that...
tomorrow is the
Birthday of our Savior.
and that tonight,
we celebrate in joy.
Prepare the ships
for departure!
De Torres.
This is very good.
Feliz Navidad.
Feliz Navidad.
Wine.
"Hichichi".
"Hichichi" from us to you.
"Hichichi".
It's very sharp.
You have...
Spanish blade.
Hey, look!
The safety of the Santa Maria
It is you I blame.
And it is I you obey,
De La Cosa!
Help salvage
what we can.
God help you
when you tell the men why so
many of them must remain behind.
It was God's divine will that
the Santa Maria go aground here
Providence has
chosen this site
for the first permanent
Christian settlement.
I name it "Navidad"
because it was begun
on the day of our Lord's birth.
These Indians are a
kind and generous people.
And I believe they
can all be converted
to our Queen's Holy Faith.
Treat them kindly
and they will help
us build and explore
and lead us to
the mountains of gold.
I leave Diego de Harana in
charge here until my return
in the spring.
May we ask God's blessing
for all that you do here.
May His Spirit
bless and protect you.
The Pinta!
Spain not only needs
She needs gold. While you were
spreading the word of God...
You took the Pinta inland
without my permission.
I ask my admiral's
forgiveness.
For defying me? Or
for bringing back so little?
It's all there was
to be found.
Then, captain Pinzon
tell your men to turn over
every ounce of gold
in their possession
to the master ar arms.
What happened
to the houses of gold?
And scarves of silk?
See that your
crew is prepared.
Our caravels depart for Spain
the day after tomorrow.
Don't just sit there,
go to work!
Now we shall see
who the winds favor.
I took no gold, Sir.
The orders are being
obeyed, admiral.
You have your gold.
- It is Spain's gold, my friend.
But Torquemada and our Queen
will be expecting new Christian souls.
I want 6 heathens
that I can convert and bring
before the Royal court.
You've taken
Isn't that enough?
Choose the six finest men
on this island, Harana.
and see that they are
Come on, back to work!
Will you join
me? Come!
We must have lost
him in that last squall.
Should I heave the sheets
until we can see some sign of him?
The admiral knows his winds,
he has no need of us.
On this voyage,
the Pinta waits for no one.
Go fish, Morales.
I'll give her back
when I'm done.
You have plenty,
Alvaro.
This one
this one is mine.
Leave her!
I mean it!
Think, Morales!
Think!
Is one of them
worth dying for?
There are hundreds
just like her.
Now they know
we're not gods.
I always knew
you weren't a god.
You're a murderer.
You're a rapist!
You're a thief!
You're under arrest.
I promise you a
burial at sea, Father.
Forgive me, Father.
Please forgive me.
There's been
enough killing.
Get up.
Give him his
burial at sea.
Now!
"Salve Regina."
"Salve Regina."
"Salve..."
Admiral, the
headman still refuses.
I promised to deliver
the Word of God.
Shackle him.
Shackle him!
De Torres,
tell them
the heathens who do not
become new Christians
shall be slaves.
Spain has
need of both.
Stop him!
Does the admiral
have any further orders?
Terreros,
shackle all of them.
De Torres,
carry on.
Carry on!
- No!
"Salve Regina"
Sing with me! Sing for
your own sake! Sing with me!
"Salve Regina"
"Salve Regina"
Sing!
"Salve Regina"!
"Vita, dulcedo"
Good, good! Again!
"Salve Regina"
Your Highnesses,
I bring you news
of a New World!
With riches
beyond your wildest...
I, Martin Alonso Pinzon...
"The Lord id my sheperd,
I shall not want"
What have you
got there?
A gift?
Bring it.
Bring it.
Bring it here!
My father's
belongings.
"He leads me
"besides still waters
"he restores my soul..."
What?
What? What are
you looking at?
What do you want from me?
- "Righteousness..."
What do you want from me?
What do you want from me?
to think
heathens like you
could ever be
souls of the Church!
Look at you!
Look at you!
You are nothing
but savages!
How many more do I
have to kill? How many?
"Thou preparest
a table before me
"in the presence
of mine enemies
"thou anointest
my head
"My cup
"overflows.
"Surely
goodness and mercy
"will follow me all
the days of my life
"and I shall dwell in
the house of the Lord
"forever."
I believe God meant for
me to make this voyage
as he means for us
to weather this storm
and return to
Spain in triumph.
- Admiral!
Hold fast!
Terreros,
unshackle the Indians!
Aye, admiral.
Unshackle
the Indians!
In this bottle
adressed to
Queen Isabella
is recorded every detail
of my glorious discovery.
Signed:
Viceroy of
the Indies!
Admiral!
Give me
your hand!
Hold on!
You deserve
your triumph, admiral.
What is the
loss of my ship
compared to the wealth of discovery
that you bring back for the glory of Spain?
You've won
me, admiral.
In our last race...
The race of life.
Nonsense. You must get well, and
together we'll go to the Royal court.
I've watched
you, map-maker.
You rigged us to sail
only with the wind.
In the heat of August,
we sailed south.
The wind came
from the east.
In winter,
when we returned,
we sailed north, with
wind from the west.
Your secret
Rivers of wind!
Yes, there are rivers of wind,
blowing in both directions.
That was your
glorious secret.
That the wind would last across the
whole of the ocean sea, I did not know.
But you and I,
Martin, proved it.
We've accomplished the
most wonderful navigation.
Don't let greed
put you in chains.
Go.
Claim you glory.
God be with you.
God be with you.
And God bless you, Martin.
He was born
with a compass
in his head.
Had I known he
would succeed...
To bestow such honor
and wealth on a genoese...
But what a glorious
day for Spain!
Rise,
It is for us to salute you
on this day of God's blessing.
Your Highnesses.
Your Grace.
You will rejoice in the knowledge
I have delivered Christ's blessings
across the ocean sea.
Your Highness, from your
new realm in the Indies
I bring you new
Christian souls.
And for you,
Your Highness,
I bring a bounty such
as Spain has never seen.
You have now proclaimed
yourself an Apostle?
To quote the Scriptures:
"He made me the Messenger
and showed me the Way."
Then it is He who will judge
you for what you've done.
Bow down
before me.
I, Ferdinand of Aragon declare
that from this day forward
you shall be
known as admiral
of the ocean sea
and viceroy
of the Indies.
You may rise.
You have earned our
respect and admiration.
Now, where
is my gold?
Show me,
Show me
the New World.
Your New World.
There,
Your Highness.
There.