Juan de la Cosa
Juan de la Cosa (c. 1460- 1510), Spanish cartographer, conquistador and explorer. Cosa was member of seven voyages to the New World.
First three voyage 1492-1498
Cosa sailed with Christopher Columbus on his first three voyages to the New World. On first voyage 1492 Cosa was the owner of ship Santa Maria. On Columbus second voyage 1493 Cosa was the master and cartographer of the Marigalante. On Columbus' third voyage 1498 Cosa was on the ship La Nina.
Later voyages 1499-1510
On fourth voyage 1499 Cosa was the pilot for the expedition of Alonso de Ojeda. In fifth voyage 1500, Cosa explored, with Rodrigo de Bastidas and Vasco Núñez de Balboa, present day Colombia and Panama. In 1506 Cosa was master of expeditions to Uraba. 1508 Cosa was on his seventh and last voyage. Cosa was shoot with poison arrows and was killed by Indians.
Contributions to cartography
Cosa in 1500 produced Mapa Mundi. This map was forgotten until its dicovery in 19th century by Alexander von Humboldt. Cosa's maps recording discovery of Christopher Columbus, Pedro Alvares Cabral voyage to Brazil, Vasco da Gama to India and John Cabot to Canada.
See also