Diego Columbus in the context of "Christopher Columbus"

Beatriz Enríquez de Arana (1465–1521?) was the mother of Ferdinand Columbus, Christopher Columbus's younger son. The nature of her relationship to Christopher Columbus has been a subject of dispute amongst historians. Some evidence suggests that she was the second wife to Columbus. Other evidence suggests that Beatriz was the mistress of Columbus. Columbus himself referred to Beatriz as his wife, and social conventions at the time would likely have prevented Ferdinand Columbus from receiving his royal appointment to the court of Spain if he were illegitimate. The Columbus family tree lists Ferdinand and Diego Columbus, Columbus's son from his first marriage, on the same branch, whereas illegitimate children are found to be separated in other parts of the tree.

The Alcázar de Colón (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈkasaɾ ðe koˈlon]; lit. 'Columbus Alcazar') is the first fortified European palace built in the Americas. Located in the colonial area of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, it forms part of the Ciudad Colonial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Predominantly Gothic with Renaissance influences, the palace was constructed between 1511 and 1514, but fell into ruin by the mid-18th century. It remained abandoned until 1957, when it was restored into a museum.

It is the only known residence of a member of the Christopher Columbus family in the New World. The palace was inhabited by Columbus's first-born son, Diego Columbus, whose children Juana, Isabel, Luis, and Christopher were born there. Diego Columbus died in Spain in 1526, but his widow, María Álvarez de Toledo, remained at the palace until her death in 1549. Three generations of the Columbus family inhabited the residence, possibly until the late 16th century.