When Was the First Islamic Voyage to the Americas?
The first Muslims likely reached the Americas around 1492, coinciding with Columbus's voyages. However, the first documented Islamic voyage under an Islamic banner occurred between 1624 and 1626 when Moroccan corsairs targeted French fishing fleets off Newfoundland. This period was marked by political upheaval in Morocco and the emergence of the Republic of Salé, which facilitated these maritime activities.
- ▪The first Muslims may have arrived in the Americas around 1492 with Columbus's expedition.
- ▪The first documented Islamic voyage occurred between 1624 and 1626 by Moroccan corsairs.
- ▪These corsairs targeted French fishing fleets off Newfoundland, capturing or sinking over forty vessels.
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When Was The First Islamic Voyage to the Americas?Shiver me timbers!Lost FuturesApr 27, 202632Share17th-century engraving of Republic of Salé pirates (Source: Wikimedia)It’s impossible to know for certain when the first Muslims reached the New World. But highly dubious claims of pre-Columbian Muslim voyages into the western Atlantic notwithstanding, 1492 is a reasonable guess. At the time of Columbus’s voyages, the Reconquista had just finished and Spain possessed a sizeable Muslim population. Columbus brought with him almost a hundred men, making it possible, though unprovable, that at least a few were Moriscos who still adhered to Islamic practices. But if there weren’t, the first Muslims still arrived soon after.
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