Der Mann der Amerika seinen namen gab: Amerigo Vespucci is a documentary film which premiered on German television (ZDF) in 2023.
It is an episode of a long-running series called Terra X, which focuses on topics like history, nature, archaeology, and science.
The title explains the topic. This film is about the life and times of the man after whom the American continent is named.
Here is some basic information about this film:
** Director: Eike Schmitz
** Writer: Susanne Utzt
** Narrator: Sascha Rotermund
** Historical consultants: Professor Dr Matthias Glaubrecht and Dr Robert Wallisch
** Language: German
** Subtitles: German
** Available on the ZDF website until 2033
** Run time: 43 minutes
Five historical experts are interviewed in the film.
Here are the names of the participants:
** Dr Carrie Asman
** Dr Consuelo Varela Bueno
** Professor Dr Matthias Glaubrecht
** Professor Dr Karen Lisboa
** Dr Robert Wallisch
Several historical moments have been reconstructed by actors. Modern replicas of old ships are used for scenes which are set on the Atlantic Ocean.
Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence (Firenze) in 1451. At that time, the city of Florence was an independent republic which was ruled by the Medici family for many years. The Vespucci family was one of several families who worked for the rulers of the city.
The Medici family owned a bank and they were involved in large-scale business operations not only in the Italian peninsula but also in other countries, such as Spain.
Amerigo was given a good education. He was chosen to be a secretary for a diplomatic delegation which was sent to Paris in 1478. The delegation returned to Florence in 1481.
In 1488, he was sent to Seville (Sevilla) in Spain where the Medici had economic interests.
At the time, Seville was the place where naval expeditions were planned and prepared.
While in Seville, Amerigo worked with the Florentine merchant Giannotto Berardi (1457-1495).
Amerigo was an accountant. Soon, he became interested in naval expeditions.
He wanted to be a navigator and an explorer like Christopher Columbus who set out on the first of several voyages across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492.
Amerigo had to wait for several years, but eventually, he was given a chance to make his dream come true: he was invited to become a navigator and an explorer.
Modern scholars who have studied the life and times of Amerigo talk about four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Here is a list:
# 1. 1497-1498
# 2. 1499-1500
# 3. 1501-1502
# 4. 1503-1504
Most modern scholars agree that the second and the third voyage took place. They are verified.
Most modern scholars agree that the first and the fourth voyage are fictional. They are alleged.
But scholars still use the numbers from one to four, no matter what they believe, in order to avoid confusion.
During the second voyage, 1499-1500, Amerigo was in the service of the Spanish Crown. The commander of the expedition was Alonso de Ojeda (1466-1515).
During the third voyage, 1501-1502, Amerigo was in the service of the Portuguese Crown. The commander of the expedition was Gonçalo Coelho (1451-1512).
How does this film about Amerigo Vespucci deal with the fact that two of the four voyages are described as alleged?
The filmmakers have decided to ignore the question. They focus on the two voyages which are verified: the second and the third voyages.
The film is not very long. The filmmakers have less than one hour to cover the whole life of Amerigo Vespucci and his legacy as well as all related topics.
I think they decided that there was not enough time to go into the debate about exactly how many voyages Amerigo undertook. It would take too long to cover the debate about the first and the fourth voyages.
The filmmakers decided to focus on what we know: the second and the third voyages which are verified.
The film includes some information about what happened when Amerigo and the European crew met members of the native population of America.
There were some violent confrontations when the Europeans landed on the coast. The indigenous people used bow and arrow to stop the foreigners. The Europeans used firearms to defend themselves.
Apparently, the Europeans regarded the use of violence as quite natural. Apparently, nobody spoke out and said that this was wrong. Nobody said:
“We do not own this land. This land belongs to the people who live here. We have no right enter and try to take control of this land.”
The film covers and explains the rivalry between Spain and Portugal. Both kingdoms wanted to explore the world and to establish a global empire.
In order to avoid a conflict between the two countries, the globe was divided into two parts: one for Spain and another one for Portugal.
Who did this?
When did this happen?
Where was the dividing line?
In 1494, Spain and Portugal signed an agreement – known as the treaty of Tordesillas - to divide the world between them.
West of Europe, the line runs from north to south through Greenland and the South American continent.
The eastern part of South America was under Portugal. This area corresponds more or less to Brazil. This is the reason why the main language of Brazil is Portuguese.
The western part of South America was under Spain. This corresponds more or less to the Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America.
The other side of the world was divided a few years later by the treaty of Zaragoza, which was signed in 1529. This treaty complemented the treaty of Tordesillas.
East of Europe, the line runs from north to south through Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and Australia.
East Timor and Macau were Portuguese colonies, while the Philippines was a Spanish colony.
As explained in the film, the Tordesillas Treaty of 1494 was not a clever solution to the rivalry between Spain and Portugal.
At that time, nobody knew everything about the geography of the globe. Nobody knew the exact consequences of drawing a line across the globe.
Nobody knew what would belong to Spain.
Nobody knew what would belong to Portugal.
Looking back at this historical moment, we have to say the notion that two countries had the power and the right to divide the whole world between them is absurd, presumptuous and extremely racist.
But at the time, many Europeans believed that this was fine. Many Europeans had no objections. They could not see a moral or legal problem with the treaty of Tordesillas or the treaty of Zaragoza.
As explained in the film, Amerigo did not discover the land which was found on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. He never made such a claim.
What is the reason why he became famous?
What is the reason why he deserves to be remembered?
He did not discover the land which was found on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. But he realised that this land was not the eastern coast of Asia, as Columbus believed.
Amerigo realised Columbus was wrong. He realised Columbus had found a new world. He realised that there was a large continent between Europe and Asia.
Amerigo did not name the new world. He did not name the continent after himself. He simply called it the New World.
Mundus Novus – The New World – is the title of a book which was published in 1504.
In this book, Amerigo describes his experiences during his voyages and he explains why Columbus did not reach the eastern coast of Asia but a new continent.
Amerigo never returned to Florence. During the final years of his life, he lived in Spain where he worked for the Spanish Crown. He died in Seville in 1512.
How was the name America given to the new world? How and when did this happen? Who gave the new continent the name America?
The filmmakers have the answer.
They present two German cartographers:
** Martin Waldseemüller (1470-1520)
** Matthias Ringmann (1482-1511)
Martin and Matthias wanted to create a map of the whole world. In 1507, they published a map which was based on many sources, including Amerigo Vespucci.
This was the first map of the world which included the new continent. They wanted to give the New World a name.
When they looked at well-known names of continents like Africa and Asia, they noticed that both these names start and end with the letter A.
The Latin version of Amerigo Vespucci is Americus Vespucius.
Martin and Matthias realised that they could achieve the same effect if they took the feminine version of Americus which is America.
In a presentation of the new map, Ringmann wrote the following passage:
“I see no reason why anyone could properly disapprove of a name derived from that of Amerigo, the discoverer, a man of sagacious genius. A suitable form would be Amerige, meaning land of Amerigo, or America, since Europe and Asia have received women’s names.”
At first, the name America was only given to the southern part of the continent. At first, the northern part of the continent was known as Parias.
But after a while, the name America was also given to the northern part of the continent. Later, it was decided that the continent was actually two continents:
North America and South America.
Columbus and Vespucci lived at the same time. While they were alive, both of them were well-known. As time went by, Columbus was still remembered, while Amerigo was virtually forgotten.
But the name which Martin and Matthias had placed on their map of the world did not disappear. History proves the name was well-chosen. It still lives on today, even if most people do not know the origin of the name.
The title of this film - The man who gave his name to America – is actually somewhat misleading. The filmmakers are well aware of this fact.
As they explain in the film, Amerigo did not give his name to the new world. Two German cartographers did this. But the title has a nice ring to it. This is probably why they decided to use it, even if it is somewhat misleading.
What do reviewers say about this film?
This question is not easy to answer.
It is listed on IMDb, but there is no rating. There are no user reviews.
It is available on Amazon Prime Video, but there is no rating. There are no customer reviews.
The story of Amerigo Vespucci is important. It deserves to be told, and in this film, it is done very well.
The film covers the life and legacy of Amerigo Vespucci.
Historical experts offer useful information and relevant observations.
Several historical moments have been reconstructed by actors. Modern replicas of old ships are used for scenes which are set on the Atlantic Ocean.
The combination of talking heads and reconstructions of historical moments works very well.
As stated above, the film does not cover the two alleged voyages of Amerigo: the first and the fourth voyages.
Apparently, the filmmakers decided that they did not have enough time to go into the debate of exactly how many voyages Amerigo undertook.
I do not want to blame them for this. I think it was a wise decision, given that the film runs for less than one hour.
I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).
REFERENCES
Letters from a New World:
Amerigo Vespucci’s Discovery of America
Edited by Luciano Formisano
Translated by David Jacobson
(1992)
Amerigo Vespucci:
Italian Explorer of the Americas
By Kurt Ray
(2004)
This book is written for young readers
Amerigo: The Man Who Gave His Name to America
By Felipe Fernandez-Armesto
(2007 = hardcover)
(2008 = paperback)
Chief Navigator of Castile: Amerigo Vespucci
By Ramiz Daniz
(2022)
*****
Amerigo Vespucci:
The man who gave his name to America
A documentary film which
premiered on German television
(ZDF) in 2023
*****
This posthumous portrait of
the Italian navigator and explorer
Amerigo Vespucci
is attributed to
Cristofano dell'Altissimo
(ca. 1568)
*****
This posthumous portrait engraving of
Amerigo Vespucci
(1451-1512)
was made by Crispijn van de Passe
(1564-1637)
*****
The world is divided between
two major powers: Spain and Portugal
The purple line on the left marks
the treaty of Tordesillas 1494
The green line on the right marks
the treaty of Zaragoza 1529
*****
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