Christopher Columbus ……… (be/born) in Italy in 1451. He ……… (work) as a woollen cloth weaver with his father before he ……… (begin) his nautical career at the age of 22. After several merchant voyages he ……… (settle) in Lisbon, Portugal in 1478. By this time he ……… (teach) himself Portuguese and Latin and ………. (read) many geographical and navigational books. In 1481 he ………. (marry) Felipa Parestrell. They ……… (have) one son, Diego. They ……… (be/married) for two years when his wife ……… (die). At this time he ……… (work) for John II of Portugal. Columbus ………(always/wish) to sail around the world westward but John II wouldn’t agree. Finally King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain ……… (decide) to finance the voyage. He ……… (set off) for the first time in April 1492. There ………(be) three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria and a crew of 90 men. They ……… (have) many false alarms before they finally ………. (spot) the “New World” at 02.00 on Friday the 12th of October, 1492. Columbus ……… (make) another three voyages after this. He ……… (retire) to Valladolid 12 years after his first voyage and in 1517 he ……… (die) there.

Was born
Had worked
Began
Settled
Taught
Read
Married
Had
Had been
Died
Was working
Always wished
Decided
Set off
Were
Had had
Spoted
Made
Retired
Died