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"...This third settlement survived, but one of the four of the five hundred Spaniards he left there in 1496 was suffering from syphilis, and the settler had divided into two hostile groups that were now on the verge of war. The appease the discontent, Columbus allowed each man to appropriate a large tract of land, and enslave the natives dwelling on it; this became the rule in the Spanish settlements. Worn now with hardships, disappointments, arthritis, and a disease of the eyes, Columbus almost broke down under these problems. His mind clouded occasionally, he became irritable, querulous, dictatorical, avaricious, and ruthless in his punishment; so at least many Spaniards claimed, and they fretted under an Italian's rule. He recognized th problems of managing a settlement were alien to his training and temperament. In October 1499, he sent two caravels to Spain with a request that Ferdinand and Isabella should appoint a royal commissioner to help him govern the island.[Santo Domingo]
"The sovereigns took him at his word, and appointed Francisco de Bobadilla; but, going beyond the admiral's request, they gave their commissioner fully authority, even over Columbus. Bobadilla reached Santo Domingo while Columbus was away, and heard many complaints of the manner in which Cristoforo and his brothers Bartolomé and Diego had ruled what was now called Hispaniola. When Columbus returned, Bobabillo had him cast into jail, with manacles on his arms and fetters on his feet. The commissioner sent the three bother, in chains, to Spain (October 1,1500). Arriving at Cádiz, Columbus wrote a pitiful letter to friends at court:
"...At a time when I was entitled to expect rewards and retirement, I was incontinently arrested and sent home loaded with chains...The accusations was brought out of malice on the basis of charges made by civilians who had revolted and wished to take possession of the land..."
"...King and Queen received them [Columbus and his brothers], and restored them to affluence, but not to their former authority in the NewWorld."
Will Durant The History of Civilizationvol. VI, Chpt. viii, pages 265-266
The story has been updated substantially since Durant's time. For one thing folks have begun recognizing and discounting the English propaganda against the Franco/Hispanic hidalgos who were guiding the re-settlement of the Americas.