Juan Cabrero
Episode with Christopher Columbus
Episode with Christopher Columbus
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In those camp of Santa Fe, once the Granada War was over, the monarchs changed their mind, and accepted the Indies enterprise. Historians have always considered Cabrero as one of the main factors on this decision based on 5 main accounts.

Columbus refers to Juan Cabrero in a letter to his son Diego in Dec 21 1504:

"*You must inform promptly the archbishop of Palencia* ([Diego de Deza](/wiki/Diego_de_Deza "Diego de Deza"))*, for he was the cause that his Majesty have the Indies and that I would remain in Castile, for I was already on my way out, and on the same way to the Chamberlain of the King* (Juan Cabrero)."

Just three weeks back Columbus had also written

"*You must inform the Bishop of Palencia about all this, for I have so much trust in him, as I do in the Chamberlain*."

In 1512 King Ferdinand referred to Cabrero in a letter to Diego Columbus regarding why he had given to Cabrero some slaves in [encomiendas](/wiki/Encomienda "Encomienda") from the Indies:

*"And you must know that I gave them to Juan Cabrero, my Chamberlain, because he worked for me to give the enterprise to the Admiral, your father."*

The next account of Cabrero's role s from 1515 during the [Colombian trials](/wiki/Pleitos_colombinos "Pleitos colombinos"), Diego Colon sent a questionnaire to King Ferdinand, in which the questions narrate the succession of events that happened since his father arrived to [Castile](/wiki/Castile_%28historical_region%29 "Castile (historical region)"). In the first two points he referred to how the Catholic Monarchs though his project was impossible and laughed at it, how he was not listened for 7 years, and finally the monarchs assigned two archbishops ([Talavera](/wiki/Hernando_de_Talavera "Hernando de Talavera") and Deza) to listen to his ideas. On point three and fourth Diego Columbus affirmed that *"Those archbishops spoke with the Admiral many times, and after they saw his reasons, they and Juan Cabrero, Chamberlain of your Highness, said that they thought your Highness had to have this experience realized, even if some amount was spent on it, for the great benefit and honor that was expected to be found in those Indies. Forth item: After they presented this idea, your highness ordered to give a million of maravedies to the Admiral for the spending of his fleet that had to be built for discovering those lands, and there was a certain contract with the Admiral, and privileges were provided with it.*"

A grand nephew of Cabrero in 1517 assured that *"the Chamberlain was the main cause behind the launching of the Indies enterprise, and its conquest, and if it would nt be for him, there would be no Indies, for the benefit of Castile. And about all this you can get informed by the Admiral* (Diego Columbus) *and by man others in this court."*


What role did Juan Cabrero play in this decision?