America – Amerigo or Amerike?

 

If you ask a historian today why the continent of America is so called, the chances are they will tell you that it is named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. And they may well be right. There is, however, a lesser known candidate for the accolade, and although it seems unlikely that documentary evidence will emerge to settle the matter one way or the other, I thought it might be a worthwhile exercise to have a look at the basis of both assertions.

 

Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512)

 

Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence, and spent most of his life as a merchant. However, between 1499 and 1502, he took part in a number of voyages of discovery, to what we now know as the east coast of South America, principally as an observer. Two accounts of the expeditions, attributed to Vespucci, were published between 1502 and 1504, and it was through these accounts that the expeditions became widely known in Europe. In 1507, Martin Waldseemuller, a German cartographer, produced a world map. On the map he named the new continent America, purportedly after Vespucci’s first name.

 

Martin Waldseemuller (1470-1520)

 

However, there are a couple of potential issues with this contention. Firstly, Vespucci did not command the expeditions, nor did he finance them. He is known as the potential author of accounts of the voyages, but not as a leading player in them. Normal practice would be to name a newly discovered land either in honour of the voyage’s commander, as in the Cook Islands, named after Captain James Cook, of after the patron of the expedition.

 

Secondly, the protocol for the naming of places after people’s first name, is that it is usually reserved for royalty; think of Jamestown or Charlestown, named after English kings . As first names are shared by many people, place names derived from individuals of more common origin, normally refer to the surname of the person in question. Rhodesia, for example, named after Cecil Rhodes, or Bolivia, after Simon Bolivar. Whilst a contemporary source does exist, suggesting that it would be appropriate to name the newly discovered continent after Amerigo Vespucci, Waldseemuller himself, seems to have remained enigmatically silent on his choice of the name.

 

So, if not Vespucci, then who else could be the origin of the name America? Step forward Richard Amerike. Like Vespucci, Amerike was a merchant, although he hailed from the less glamorous port city of Bristol, in the west of England. As a merchant, however, he was very successful, and in addition to being wealthy, was also sheriff of Bristol. It is through his association with a voyage undertaken by the Venetian explorer Giovanni Caboto in 1497, that his claim to fame lies. Giovanni Caboto is better known today by the anglicised version of his name, John Cabot.

 

Richard Amerike (1440-1503)

 

Between 1485 and 1490, Cabot had travelled extensively, and was regarded as a skillful mariner. Believing the world to be round, and aware of valuable spices and other exotic goods produced in the East, he was certain that by sailing to the west, he could reach the Orient from the other direction in faster time, and so exploit the wealth of commodities to be found there.

 

Consequently, Cabot came to Bristol in 1495, in the hope of finding a sponsor for a voyage of discovery to the west. There he was introduced to a syndicate of businessman, equally keen on opening  up trade with the known lands far to the east. Impressed by Cabot’s proposal to head westwards in search of the east, the leader of the syndicate, Richard Amerike, arranged an audience with King Henry VII of England. On 5th March 1496, the King granted Cabot a letter of authority to undertake a voyage and claim lands for the monarch.

 

John Cabot (c1450-c1500)

 

Cabot was to be provided with a brand new ship for the voyage, and it is generally accepted that it was Amerike who was the principal financier of the project, and also the source of the oak timbers used in the construction; the trees having been felled on his family estate. In return, Amerike is believed to have requested that any new found lands be named in his honour. On 20th May 1497, The Matthew, as it was named, set sail from Bristol with a crew of 18 carefully selected sailors. After a journey of 34 days, sailors of The Matthew did indeed sight Newfoundland, and went ashore.

 

A Modern Reconstruction of The Matthew

 

All very good, but what evidence do we have to assert that the newly discovered continent was actually named after Richard Amerike? Well, none it would seem. It is just worth considering a few points before deciding for oneself either way. Firstly, Cabot arrived in Newfoundland in 1497, at least two years before Vespucci made landfall in South America. Secondly, Amerike is a surname, whilst Amerigo is a first name. As described above, unless naming somewhere after royalty, it is usual practice to opt for the surname of an individual. Thirdly, and perhaps most interesting of all, is the stars and stripes of the Amerike family coat of arms!

 

The Amerike Coat of Arms

 

Whilst many assume that the flag of the United States of America was born out of George Washington’s family coat of arms, which was also composed of a stars and stripes motif, the Amerike family pre-dated the Washington connection with the continent by almost three hundred years. Also, the American Flag Research Centre in Massachusetts have confirmed that the heraldic origin of the American flag is not positively known.

 

The Washington Coat of Arms

 

Taking each of the points of the Amerike claim on their own, none are particularly convincing. However, when one looks at them cumulatively, a very plausible case does seem to emerge, to suggest that, perhaps, on this occasion, popular opinion is wrong.

 

However, regardless of all the arguments and counter-arguments, there is one undeniable fact that ought to give Vespucci the bragging rights; at least he went there. Amerike never even set foot in the place!

 

Sources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/americaname_01.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Amerike