Who was the mother of Ferdinand Columbus?

Beatriz Enríquez de Arana was the mother of Ferdinand Columbus.

Beatriz met Christopher Columbus in Córdoba around 1487, while he was seeking backing for his proposed voyage to Asia. Their son Ferdinand was born on 15 August 1488. Ferdinand later became an important biographer of his father and assembled a major library of books and manuscripts.

Columbus had previously married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who was the mother of his elder son, Diego. That makes Filipa a common mix-up in this question. Susanna Fontanarossa, by contrast, was Columbus’s mother, not Ferdinand’s. Isabella of Portugal was the mother of Isabella I of Castile.

Historians disagree about whether Beatriz and Columbus formally married or remained unmarried partners. Columbus’s documents and later family records treat Ferdinand as part of the legitimate family line, while other evidence describes Beatriz as his mistress. She continued living in Córdoba and received financial provision from Columbus, though payments later became disputed.