The expedition systematically infected orphaned boys with cowpox throughout the duration of the voyage so that the live vaccine survived all the way to the Americas.

Both Hitler and Mussolini were concerned about the risk of the Spanish Civil War escalating into a European-wide conflict, so at first their support for the Nationalists was small-scale and consisted mainly of transporting existing Spanish troops from Morocco to the mainland. As the war progressed their involvement grew.

The Capitulations of Santa Fe granted a number of official titles to Columbus as well as ten per cent of any treasure he was able to secure on his voyage.

Balboa’s journey involved battling with native tribes and forging a way through thick jungle, before reaching the mountain range along the Chucunaque River from where he first saw the Pacific Ocean on the morning of 25 September.